Other health news in brief
Cancer vaccine more than doubles survival time
A cancer vaccine more than doubled the survival time of people with the most common and deadly type of brain tumour, US researchers said yesterday.
The vaccine, made by Avant Immunotherapeutics Inc and licensed by drug giant Pfizer, enlists the help of the immune system to attack the tumour.
Researchers treated 23 patients with a type of brain tumour called glioblastoma multiforme. They have lived, on average, 33 months, said Dr John Sampson of Duke University, who presented the study at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. "That is almost unheard of," Dr Sampson said. Patients given standard therapy alone lived, on average, 14 months.
Nearly 3m treated with Aids drugs
Nearly three million people in the developing world now get Aids drugs - one million more than a year ago - but two-thirds of those in need still lack access to treatment, the World Health Organisation said yesterday.
The increase in use reflects deep cuts in the price of branded medicines and widespread availability of cheap generics.