Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) of Abu Dhabi has recently initiated a multi-organ transplant programme, under the supervision of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), which is in line with the strategy of the Health Authority, Abu Dhabi.

More than 2,000 medical and healthcare professionals from the region are said to have benefited from the 13 continuing medical education (CME) programmes organised last year by the Harvard Medical School Dubai Center Institute for Postgraduate Education and Research (HMSDC).

AstraZeneca will halt a clinical trial of Recentin as a treatment for lung cancer after a mid-stage study failed to meet its main goal.

A Johns Hopkins Children’s Center study has emphasised the significance in staging mock cardiac and respiratory arrests in easily exposing common failures in rapid response with CPR and other life-saving care for children and how such an exercise can help set up powerful incentives to sharpen emergency skills and move fast to use them.

The UAE Ministry of Health as well as GlaxoSmithKline have warned consumers not to believe in scam emails circulating in the country with an allegedly official warning against various cold medications, including Panadol Cold & Flu.

Index Holding, leading organisers of medical, scientific, trade and educational conferences and exhibitions, has launched its regional headquarters at the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech), a member of Tecom Investments.

A new ISO standard has been announced, which will help ensure that spinal disc prostheses meet requirements for wear resistance.

Saint Joseph’s Health System (SJHS) of Orange, California has announced the implementation of the Critical careTrends system as the standard for its Hemodynamic Monitoring Interface.

Medical imaging market leader Barco has signed an agreement with Baptist Memorial Health Care to provide diagnostic display systems to all of its fifteen affiliate hospitals in the Mid-South of the US.

Scientists at CEL-SCI Corporation, a pioneering US cancer immunotherapy company, have offered new promise to cancer patients in the Middle East.

Lübeck - Drager Medical has delivered the first basic component for the planned Medical Cockpit of the Infinity Acute Care System (Infinity ACS) complete system.

Pampers, a leading childcare brand, has launched it’s “Sensitive Wipes” campaign across the GCC, aimed at generating awareness and spreading education amongst mothers to help them take a big step forward in providing better protection for their baby’s sensitive skin.

Lawson Software has entered into a partnership with Dubai-based E3, under which the latter will resell Lawson S3 enterprise software applications exclusively to hospitals in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena).

Tawam Hospital’s Department of Surgical Oncology, in affiliation with Johns Hopkins Medicine, held the first Surgical Oncology Symposium in Al Ain recently.

Cytos Biotechnology has announced the publication of results from a phase IIa clinical trial with the hypertension vaccine CYT006-AngQb in The Lancet.

BinSina Pharmacy has opened its newest store in Dubai Outlet Mall to meet the demands of the UAE healthcare market, which is rapidly growing at more than 15 per cent annually.

Boehringer Ingelheim has initiated and begun enrollment of patients in its Verxve trial, which will compare the efficacy and safety of a new extended release formulation of Viramune (nevirapine), a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), dosed once daily (QD) with the currently approved Viramune given twice daily (BID).

AXA has reached an agreement with ING for the acquisition of 100 per cent of the share capital of its Mexican insurance subsidiary ING Seguros, for a consideration of $1.5 billion.

The Boston University building, coming up in Dubai, broke ground recently at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Academic Medical Centre at Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC) making it the University's first expansion outside US soil.

Pharma World Holdings, the newly-formed pan-GCC pharmaceutical storage and distribution firm, has commenced work on a state-of-the-art facility at Jafza free zone in Jebel Ali.

Index Holding, leading organisers of medical, scientific, trade and educational conferences and exhibitions, has launched its regional headquarters at the Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech), a member of Tecom Investments.

Join the Movement, a new public initiative launched under the patronage of the Ministry of Health, will bring together leading corporations, physicians, consumer groups, and political leaders to take action to halt and hopefully reverse the rise in obesity in the UAE.

Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech) has achieved considerable success since its establishment through launching initiatives such as the BioTiqania subsidiary and Gulf Anti-doping and Monitoring Enterprise (Game).

Dubai Biotechnology and Research Park (DuBiotech) has achieved considerable success since its establishment through launching initiatives such as the BioTiqania subsidiary and Gulf Anti-doping and Monitoring Enterprise (Game).

The American Hospital Dubai has begun work on what could be the most advanced integrated healthcare information system in the UAE’s private healthcare sector.

Siemens says that its new Artis zeego angiography system offers unprecedented flexibility in catheter labs and operating rooms.

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), managed by Cleveland Clinic, has secured a regional first through effecting the elimination of trans fatty acids from its main campus and facilities.
The move means involves the ban of artificial trans fat from food production and distribution areas, inpatient and cafeteria menus, says a spokesman for the hospital.
Trans fat has been linked to cancer risk and also in the development and subsequent death from heart disease. In moving to start eliminating artificial trans fat from its food services, SKMC is taking the lead in an important health issue that is gaining national momentum, providing those it serves with a standard for healthy living and wellness, says the spokesman.
The Trans Fat Free Zone policy was signed by Dr Kenneth Ouriel, SKMC CEO in the presence of the CEO of the American Dietetic Association, Ron Moen, last month.
The policy defines the Trans Fat Free Zone as an area where food items are not prepared or distributed when containing Trans fats. The purpose of the policy is to identify food products containing trans fats, ban the use of food items containing more than 0.5 grams trans fats per serving at SKMC facilities and to enforce trans fat free zone procedures at SKMC facilities. It provides directions for alternate food items for food products containing trans fats.
“As a health care leader in the community, SKMC is committed to creating a healthy environment for the entire population,” said Dr Ouriel. “Eliminating Trans fat food items on our campuses is a key step in this process. We are appreciative of the support we have received from our vendors and contractors thus far. But the elimination of trans fats on our campuses is only a first step. Our hope is that this will encourage healthy dietary habits among our employees and their families at home, and that this education will spread to the population of Abu Dhabi at large.”
“As the transformation to a Trans Fat Free Zone takes time to all the vendors and contractors to comply with the policy, the implementation process will include three phases which are the Trans Fat Free Zone Launch Phase – the phase that we implemented with the signing of the policy today which will be communicated to the vendors and contractors and along with the research for alternative food items in the market,” says Ellen Edwards, RD LD, head of department, clinical dietetics. “The next phase is the Trans Fat Free Zone Phase I which affirms no usage of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, shortenings, or margarines for frying, pan-frying (sautéing), or grilling, or as a spread, unless confirmation by a label or other documents from the manufacturer showing that these ingredients contain less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. Spreads are included in this ban. However, continuance of the use of trans fat-containing oils and shortenings for deep frying cake batter and dough until 1 July will be allowed.
Trans Fat Free Zone Phase II will include the ban of storage, use and service at SKMC of Foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, shortenings, or margarines with 0.5 grams or more trans fat per serving. Exempt foods will be foods served in the manufacturer's original, sealed packaging such as a package of crackers until January next year.
“The change needs education to all parties, therefore the Clinical Food Service section of Clinical Dietetics provides a service to venders, contractors, patients and staff to identify trans fat containing food items and to assist in appropriate alternative selections. Moreover, enforcement and audits will be conducted through the Clinical Dietetics Department in order to maintain SKMC Trans Fat Free Zone status continuously” she concluded.

Recent advances in hormonal modulation and its significant benefits to women of different age groups were highlighted at a symposium hosted by Zulekha Healthcare Group, one of the region's foremost centres for comprehensive healthcare.

General Hospital Vienna has recently completed its first Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) treatment successfully.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has been recorded at the highest rates ever, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report.

Women in the UAE are more interested in appearance than tackling issues that affect their health such as diabetes, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases, says a latest research by IIR Middle East, organisers of Women’s Healthcare exhibition.

The first International Conference on Drug Design and Discovery (ICDDD 2008) held in Dubai last month aimed to present cutting edge advances in various disciplines of drug design and discovery that have been recently achieved.

Dubai Autism Center is organising the first Practitioner’s Conference on Autism 2008, which will take place on April 5 in the Dubai Knowledge Village.