News

Low cholesterol 'link' to cancer

People who significantly cut their cholesterol levels with statins may raise the risk of cancer, a study says. The study of 40,000 people found those with little of the "bad" cholesterol LDL saw one more cancer case per 1,000 than those with higher levels. The Boston-based researchers could not say if this was a side-effect of the statin or due to the low cholesterol. They also write in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that the benefits of statins outweigh the risks.

24 Jul 2007
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Islanders join osteoporosis study

Two thousand people from across Orkney are being recruited to take part in a major study into osteoporosis. The bone thinning condition affects about three million people across Britain. Families are being recruited for the £500,000 Edinburgh University run project, to help identify the genes that cause the disease.

24 Jul 2007
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Hospices 'face funding struggle'

Hospices are struggling with debts as funding promised by the government has failed to materialise, campaigners say. More than one in four hospices is now in deficit, a study of 186 of the UK's 194 charitable hospices showed. It comes after the government promised in its 2005 manifesto that funding for palliative care would be doubled. But the Help the Hospices charity said charity hospice money had remained largely static. The government said funding was now being looked at.

24 Jul 2007
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Hospices 'face funding struggle'

Hospices are struggling with debts as funding promised by the government has failed to materialise, campaigners say. More than one in four hospices is now in deficit, a study of 186 of the UK's 194 charitable hospices showed. It comes after the government promised in its 2005 manifesto that funding for palliative care would be doubled. But the Help the Hospices charity said charity hospice money had remained largely static. The government said funding was now being looked at.

24 Jul 2007
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Students enjoy Potter in Braille

Pupils at a Devon school are joining in the current Pottermania, by getting the latest Harry Potter novel in Braille. The West of England School and College for Children with Little or No Sight in Exeter is getting its copies of the book at the same time as everyone else. The final Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, went on sale on Saturday morning. The school says it is important for the youngsters to have the same access to popular books.

23 Jul 2007
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New move towards Alzheimer's cure

A group of Fife scientists believe they have moved a step closer to finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease. St Andrews University biologists claim to have developed a compound which has successfully prevented the disease killing brain cells. It also appeared to improved memory and learning ability already damaged.

23 Jul 2007
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