Wednesday August 27, 2008 (foodconsumer.org) — Forget about stem cells research! Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Children’s Hospital in Boston have found a way for them to bypass stem cells to make special cells directly from adult cells, according to a study report released in the journal Nature.

Specifically, the researchers were able to turn adult cells into insulin producing beta cells, which is what type 1 diabetes patients need to produce insulin and metabolize blood sugar.

Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc. on Tuesday reported four new deaths in patients taking Byetta, even as the companies tried to shore up the safety profile of their popular diabetes medication.

The announcement comes a week after the Food and Drug Administration said two Byetta patients died of acute pancreatitis, sinking shares of both drugmakers. An executive from Eli Lilly said the FDA was aware of the additional deaths but did not announce them because they involved a milder form the pancreatitis. The condition can cause nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

HealthPartners today announced new dental benefits for pregnant women and people with diabetes. The new benefits provide 100 percent coverage for extra dental exams and cleanings and preventive periodontal services with no deductibles, coinsurance or annual maximums. The new benefits are designed to improve oral health which research shows can help prevent medical complications among pregnant women and people with diabetes.

London (PTI): Legendary Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan, who is in Britain as part of his worldwide star- studded ‘Unforgettable Tour’, underwent a diabetes test before hundreds of his fans in Leicester to support the cause of health awareness.

Hours before his concert at the O2 arena in Docklands, Bachchan inaugurated the Silver Star Appeal charity on Saturday.

Some 3.4 million Medicare beneficiaries hit the so-called doughnut hole in drug coverage last year — and a sizable minority quit taking their medicine rather than pay full price out of pocket, a new report says.

At last year’s rate, Medicare beneficiaries were on the hook for prescription drugs after they incurred costs of $2,400. After a beneficiary spent $3,850 out-of-pocket, coverage kicked in again. That coverage gap is commonly referred to as the doughnut hole. (It doesn’t apply to low-income seniors, who qualify for a subsidy.)

AUSTRALIANS with obesity are at significantly higher risk than previously thought of suffering illness, including diabetes, heart attack, stroke and osteoarthritis, a new study has found.

The reassessment of obesity’s impact in Australia found that 600,000 more patients are suffering these diseases because of obesity than was estimated in 2006.

According to an Associated Press (AP) report, recent analysis of government data has linked low-level arsenic exposure, possibly from drinking water, with Type 2 diabetes. Although the study’s limitations warrant additional research public water systems were moving toward meeting tougher U.S. arsenic standards during the study’s data collection period, analysis of 788 adults’ medical tests found a nearly four-fold increase of diabetes in people with low arsenic concentrations in their urine versus those with even lower levels.

Even low-level exposure to arsenic in drinking water appears to be associated with increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes, researchers said in a study published Tuesday.

Millions of people across the world consume drinking water containing arsenic from inorganic sources, said the researchers in the August 20 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

High levels of arsenic in urine may be linked with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, researchers report.

The findings, published in the Aug. 20 issue of theJournal of the American Medical Association, are the first to link low-level exposure to arsenic with type 2 diabetes prevalence in the United States.

Aug. 18 (Bloomberg) — Eli Lilly & Co. and Amylin Pharmaceuticals Inc.’s diabetes drug Byetta was linked to deaths in two patients with an inflamed pancreas, say U.S. regulators who are seeking stronger warnings for the medicine.

Amylin’s shares fell 13 percent, the most in more than seven years, after the Food and Drug Administration posted information on the deaths on its Web site today. Those who died were among six Byetta users who entered the hospital since October because of a condition known as acute pancreatitis.