A round-up of this week's health news stories in brief
Scientists identify artery disease trigger
Scientists have identified the trigger that causes the blood vessel damage seen with the disease artherosclerosis.
Research from Imperial College London published yesterday in Circulationrevealed the immune system molecule TLR-2 can cause inflammation in arteries and
a build-up of plaques which block the artery. The discovery opens the possibility of new treatments using drugs that block TLR-2.
Pharmaceutical firm creates 50 jobs
A specialist pharmaceutical company will create 50 new jobs in Lismore, Co Waterford, over the next two years. QM Specials yesterday announced it had received a licence to manufacture from the Irish Medicines Board.
A joint venture between a Lismore-based pharmacist and a UK company, the firm will produce low-volume, handmade medicines not usually available from the large manufacturers.
Lack of willingness over research role
The great majority of Irish people support clinical research, but fewer would be willing to participate themselves, according to a study produced by the Irish Patients’ Platform for Organisations, Science and Industry (Ipposi). While 80 per cent take a positive view of this research, fewer than 60 per cent would take part themselves.
UL researchers win patent for AV graft
Medical researchers at the University of Limerick (UL) have won US patent protection for their invention of a blood vessel graft used in dialysis.
Patients with kidney failure must be attached to a dialysis machine to clean their blood, but the connections made using blood vessels in the arm are prone to infection and breakdown.
Tim McGloughlin, Michael Walsh and Pierce Grace of UL developed a Prolong AV Graft that extends the life of the graft, thus reducing the need for follow-up repeat surgery. Their design is currently undergoing pre-clinical trials in the US.
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