(January 24, 2008 - Insidermedicine) From Boston - New research shows that potent medicines used to prevent transplant rejection may one day be a thing of the past. The research involved inactivating the patient's immune system, creating a new immune system through the use of donor bone marrow, and finally transplanting of the donor kidney. The process was applied to 5 cases of kidney transplantation, and 4 of the 5 were able to stop taking immunosuppressing drugs and kidney function has remained stable.

From New York - Eating sushi more than a few times a month can be unhealthy. A recent study evaluating sushi grade tuna from 20 restaurants has shown surprisingly high levels of mercury. In fact, eating 6 or more pieces of bluefin tuna may lead to mercury levels that are above those deemed acceptable by the Environmental Protection Agency.

And finally, back to Boston - While aspirin may lower the risk of colorectal cancer by 20%, its long-term risk outweighs its benefits. In a study of over 50,000 people, aspirin taken twice a week or more significantly lowered the risk of developing colorectal cancer, but the effect was only noted in those who took the medicine for more than 6 years. The risks of taking aspirin should be carefully considered before taking it to prevent colorectal cancer.

For Insidermedicine in 60, I'm Allison Chow from Queen's University.