Month: March 2014

By David Beasley ATLANTA (Reuters) – A Georgia measure that would legalize use of a liquid, non-intoxicating form of marijuana for patients with severe seizure disorders has been passed by the state House of Representatives with wide support. Lawmakers approved the legislation on Monday in a 171-4 bipartisan vote, and the bill, which would limit availability of medical marijuana to a handful of research facilities, now goes to the state Senate for consideration. The measure's sponsor, Republican Representative Allen Peake, said he had become interested in the issue after learning about a constituent's 4-year-old daughter, who suffers from a seizure disorder. "I couldn't be more proud of my colleagues for the courageous vote they cast." Medical marijuana in various forms is legal in 20 states.

Exciting research suggests that a shot every one to three months may someday give an alternative to the daily pills that some people take now to cut their risk of getting HIV.

By John Tilak TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada's main stock index advanced on Tuesday, with gains in almost every major sector, after comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin helped ease concerns that military conflict in Ukraine was imminent. Providing further support, shares of Bank of Nova Scotia climbed after the lender reported higher quarterly earnings and raised its dividend. While Putin defended Russia's actions in Crimea, global markets took comfort from his statement that military force would be the last resort in Russia's dealings with Ukraine. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 66.03 points, or 0.46 percent, at 14,278.77.

By Julie Steenhuysen La Jolla, California (Reuters) – Craig Venter, the U.S. scientist who raced the U.S. government to map the human genome over a decade ago and created synthetic life in 2010, is now on a quest to treat age-related disease. Venter has teamed up with stem cell pioneer Dr Robert Hariri and X Prize Foundation founder Dr Peter Diamandis to form Human Longevity Inc, a company that will use both genomics and stem cell therapies to find treatments that allow aging adults to stay healthy and functional for as long as possible. "We're hoping to make numerous new discoveries in preventive medicine. The San Diego-based startup company has $70 million in private backing and has already purchased two ultrafast HiSeq X Ten gene sequencing systems from Illumina Inc, a leading manufacturer of DNA sequencing machines, with the option to buy three more.

Medical marijuana ad takes aim at late night television viewers in New Jersey.

Medical marijuana ad takes aim at late night television viewers in New Jersey.

CHICAGO (AP) — At age 80, retired Chicago physician and educator Dan Winship is getting a bittersweet last chance to teach about medicine — only this time he's the subject. In the early stages of Alzheimer's disease, Winship is giving a young medical student a close-up look at a devastating illness affecting millions of patients worldwide.

Linda and Lou Pelletier of West Hartford, Conn., have argued that their 15-year-old daughter suffers from the physical effects of mitochondrial disease and has not been medically treated since Boston Children’s Hospital diagnosed her with somatoform disorder in February 2013.

People fleeing conflicts in Central African Republic and South Sudan are growing increasingly sick and hungry with children particularly at risk, United Nations aid agencies said on Tuesday. Among the latest deaths were 15 malnourished children who "died before they could be saved" at the weekend, having crossed from Central African Republic into Cameroon, said Melissa Fleming, spokeswoman for the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR. "I think 'tip of the iceberg' is a very appropriate way of putting it," UNICEF spokesman Patrick McCormick told a news briefing in Geneva, referring to the 15 children. Violence in Central African Republic and neighboring South Sudan has displaced about 1.8 million people across the region.