Device designed to help those with end-stage, age-related macular degeneration

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has approved the Implantable Miniature Telescope (IMT) to improve vision in some patients with end-stage, age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Surgically implanted in one eye, the IMT is a small telescope that replaces the natural lens and provides an image that has been magnified more than two times.

AMD, a condition that mainly affects older people, damages the center of the retina (macula) and results in a loss of vision in the center of the visual field. About 8 million people in the United States have AMD and nearly 2 million of them already have significant vision loss, according to the National Eye Institute. AMD can make it difficult or impossible to recognize faces or perform daily tasks such as reading or watching television.

“This innovation has the potential to provide many people with an improved quality of life,” said Jeffrey Shuren, M.D., J.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The IMT is available in two models: one that provides 2.2 times magnification and another 2.7 times magnification. The IMT is designed to magnify and project images onto a healthy portion of the retina. The IMT is intended to be implanted in only one eye; the non-implanted eye is used for peripheral vision.

The IMT is used in patients ages 75 years and older with stable severe to profound vision impairment (when vision impairment has not changed over time) caused by blind spots (bilateral central scotoma) associated with end-stage AMD. These patients also have evidence of a visually significant cataract.

Patients agree to undergo training with an external telescope with a low vision specialist prior to implantation to determine whether adequate improvement in vision with the external telescope can be obtained and to verify if the patient has adequate peripheral vision in the eye that would not be implanted. Patients also agree to participate in a post-operative visual training program. Read the rest of this entry »


New Law Responds to Increase in Workplace Violence Against Nurses and Other Caregivers

Surrounded by registered nurses and legislators, Governor Deval Patrick signed a law that will stiffen the penalties for those who assault nurses and other health care workers, one of a series of measures the state’s nurses are proposing to address the growing problem of workplace violence in health care settings. The vote follows unanimous votes to approve the measure in both houses of the legislature.

“This law gives us the tools to further protect the many health care professionals who work tirelessly to ensure the care of all Commonwealth residents,” said Gov. Patrick, who signed the legislation at a ceremony held in his office in the State House.

“We applaud the Governor and the legislature’s support of this measure, as it recognizes the increasing levels of violence that nurses are facing on the job,” said Donna Kelly-Williams, president of the Massachusetts Nurses Association, which filed the bill. “In fact, nurses are assaulted on the job to the same degree as police officers and prison guards, and earlier this month the Joint Commission, which provides accreditation to health care providers, issued an alert to the health care community specifically highlighting a dramatic rise in the level of violence in our health care system.”

Massachusetts law already treats any assault on an emergency medical technician while the technician is providing care as a separate crime with its own set of penalties. The new law, which was sponsored by Senator Michael Moore (D- Millbury), and Rep. Michael Rodrigues (D-Westport), extends those same protections to nurses. Read the rest of this entry »


Articles Highlight AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta’s Search for Volunteers To Help Test Safety of GeoVax’s Vaccine in 77-Week Trial

GeoVax Labs, Inc. is mentioned in two recent articles covering a historic HIV vaccine trial currently being conducted by the AIDS Research Consortium of Atlanta (ARCA) using a vaccine supplied by GeoVax.

The first article, titled “ARCA Seeks Volunteers For Historic HIV Vaccine Trial,” appeared in the June 11 print and online editions of The Georgia Voice, a publication focused on Georgia’s LGBT community. In the article, Voice reporter Matt Shafer notes that ARCA is currently seeking volunteers to help test the safety of the GeoVax vaccine, which has shown the potential of reversing HIV viral loads in HIV-positive individuals. He goes on to describe how the vaccine works and details the stringent requirements for participation. The article quotes ARCA’s observation that this is the first therapeutic trial ever conducted using a promising HIV vaccine candidate from GeoVax. Read the rest of this entry »


Advantages of a Detox Patch Foot Patch

Today, there are many different toxins and pollutants that can enter your body via various avenues. Providing an outlet to these materials can be a wonderful way of cleansing your body. Detoxifying your body using a detox foot patch is one of the great methods of achieving a cleaner body both in and out.

Take note, waste products which originated in your body are caused by various environmental factors. It includes toxins that are present in the air and foods being ingested. Well, the way to remove these unwanted materials is by using a detox foot patch.

A detox foot patch is an adhesive patch, square in shape attached by individuals underneath their foot keeping it in place overnight. The purpose behind using a detox foot patch as a means of body detoxification is to provide a waste product outlet that may hang around on the individual’s body.

A detox foot patch contains natural ingredients which works in such a way that it detoxifies the body from pulling out different toxins that are causing stress, fatigue and other related health problems. In fact, this kind of foot patch is frequently used in various regions all over Asia. It even influences other continents because of the fantastic results shown. The success of using body detox foot patch for body detoxification is seen on its increased number of usage rate in Asia. Read the rest of this entry »


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