Mixed Bag

Low-Dose Opioids Safe in Severe COPD, Benzodiazepines Less So
Low-dose opioids may be safely used to reduce breathlessness in patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a BMJ study finds. Journal Watch

Experts issue 'blueprint for action' to combat shortages of life-saving drugs
In a consensus statement published in the journal Pediatrics, the experts say they sought to move away from the current strategy of reaction to shortages once they have occurred and focus instead on prevention. Using the example of shortages of chemotherapy drugs used for treating children with cancer—therapies proven to have high survival rates for the most common childhood cancers—the group developed "a comprehensive blueprint for action" they say is critical for managing and preventing future drug shortages. Eurekalert!

Osteoporosis screening recommendations may miss two-thirds of women aged 50 to 64
Women who are 65 and older routinely undergo bone-density testing to screen for osteoporosis. But for those between the ages of 50 and 64, it has been unclear who should be screened.  Researchers sought to determine how well the current screening strategy recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force — the independent expert panel appointed by the federal government to review and recommend various screenings — would perform in identifying candidates in this age range for screening.
   
Using health data on women ages 50-64 from the Women's Health Initiative study, the researchers found that the current strategy would identify only 34 percent of women who actually had bone-mineral density in the osteoporosis range. Eurekalert!

Heart attack drug proven to have no rebound effect
Clopidogrel, a drug prescribed to thousands of people who have had a heart attack, can be safely withdrawn with no 'rebound effect', according to a study by Aberdeen scientists. Current guidelines recommend that patients are prescribed clopidogrel for up to 12 months following a heart attack. MedicalXpress

US abortions fall to 40-year low
The number of abortions performed in the United States has dropped to the lowest level in 40 years, a study said Monday, pointing to more contraception use rather than increased restrictions on access to the procedure.

In 2011, an estimated 16.9 abortions were carried out per 1,000 women aged between 15 and 44—1.1 million in absolute terms. It was lowest number since 1973, when the figure stood at 16.3 per 1,000, the Guttmacher Institute found. MedicalXpress

US approves pill camera to screen colon (Update)
The ingestible pill camera from Given Imaging is designed to help doctors spot polyps and other early signs of colon cancer. The Food and Drug Administration cleared the device for patients who have had trouble with the cringe-inducing procedure, which involves probing the colon using a tiny camera on a four-foot long, flexible tube. MedicalXpress