(January 20, 2010 - Insidermedicine)

From the UK - A new drug has shown to significantly help people with multiple sclerosis, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers studied over 1300 MS patients for two years, administering the drug Cladribine or a placebo. Results showed that the Cladribine group had a 55% reduced risk of relapse and 30% reduced risk of deterioration of their disease.

From New York - According to another report published in the New England Journal of Medicine, even mild COPD has been shown to decrease heart functioning. Researchers studied nearly 3,000 adults, finding that even mild COPD--with little or no symptoms--was linked to a decreased ability of the heart to pump blood effectively.

And finally, from Italy - HPV DNA testing may be more effective at preventing cervical cancer than pap smears, according to a report published in the Lancet Oncology. Researchers studied data on 95,000 women, finding that those who were tested for HPV did not develop as many cancers as those who underwent only pap smears. These results, however, apply only to women over the age of 35--as HPV testing for women under 35 would likely lead to unnecessary treatment.