Health trends

Infectious diseases conference

The University of the West Indies' Faculty of Medical Sciences 19th annual research conference and workshop runs November 10 to 12 under the theme 'Infectious Diseases: Old Foes, New Enemies, Future Threats'. Dr Rosemarie Wright-Pascoe, chair of the organising committee said that this year's theme is of extreme relevance given the recent outbreak of cholera in Haiti, the dengue epidemic and the recent rains that Jamaica has been experiencing, and its implications for outbreaks of infections. This year's event is as follows:

1. Opening Ceremony: November 10, at the Mona Visitors' Lodge and Conference Centre at 5.30 p.m. Free. All are invited.

2. Scientific Symposium: November 11, at the same venue at 8 am. Registration fee is $1,000.00 for doctors, $500.00 for nurses, free for students with identification.

3. Workshop: November 12, at the same venue 8 a.m. with same registration fee

Schizophrenia drug approved

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved Latuda (lurasidone HCl) tablets for the treatment of adults with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia affects about one per cent of the US population, ages 18 years and older, in a given year. The most prominent symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, disordered thinking and behaviour, and suspiciousness. Hearing voices that other people don't hear is the most common type of hallucination. These experiences can make people with the disorder fearful and withdrawn.

"Schizophrenia can be a devastating illness requiring lifelong treatment," said Thomas Laughren, MD, director of the Division of Psychiatry Products in the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "Some patients do not respond well to certain types of drug therapy, so it is important to have multiple treatment options available."

Latuda is included in the atypical antipsychotic class of drugs. All atypical antipsychotics contain a boxed warning alerting prescribers to an increased risk of death associated with off-label use of these drugs to treat behavioural problems in older people with dementia-related psychosis. No drug in this class is approved to treat patients with dementia-related psychosis. Four six-week controlled studies of adults with schizophrenia demonstrated the effectiveness and safety of Latuda.

Source: The US Food and Drug Administration