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New drugs set to improve acromegaly therapy
POLICY AND PEOPLE
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ighter rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were approved by the European Parliament on June 16 and will now be signed by the Council of Ministers on behalf of the 15 European Union member-state governments. The regulations are intended to protect the public from “escapes” of GMOs from laboratories and to safeguard researchers. But the European Commission rejected demands from the assembly that the biotech sector should be required to assume “full civil and criminal liability” for damage caused by escapes. The Commission also rejected a proposal that liability insurance cover should be a requirement for authorisation of work with GMOs. Commission vice-president Leon Brittan said Brussels would prefer to await the outcome of a review of the whole issue of liability for health and environmental damage, rather than accept piecemeal legislation.
Arthur Rogers
Sharp rise in Northern Ireland’s suicides s paramilitary violence declines in Northern Ireland, suicides among young people—especially in Belfast—are rising dramatically. The Belfast coroner, John Leckey, has written to the Northern Ireland Health Minister, asking for an inquiry into the rise. For the first time, suicides by young men in the 16–24 years age group have surpassed road deaths. Community workers say suicide is now the main topic of conversation in neighborhoods. Doctors say the number of antidepressants being prescribed for both adults and children since the ceasefires has increased and suggest that social and behavioural problems that were masked by the “Troubles” have come to the fore. According to some psychiatrists, people had focused on paramilitary violence but with the onset of peace, were now focusing on their own problems. Research students at the University of Ulster have done a survey, revealing that 16 people a day are trying to commit suicide. On average, one is successful.
A
Karen Birchard
1870
New drugs set to improve acromegaly therapy wo new drugs have been recently launched for the treatment of acromegaly that are set to improve compliance and transform the quality of patients’ lives. The drugs will end thrice-daily injections of ocreotide, allowing patients to be given a single shot once or twice a month. Apart from enlargement of the soft tissue and bones leading to disfigurement, acromegaly is associated with increases in mortality. Both new drugs are long-acting forms of a cyclic octapeptide resembling somatostatin. Somatuline LA (Ibsen) was launched on June 3; Sandostatin LAR (Novartis) was launched on May 11. The companies have extended the effective half life of the analogue using microspheres of biodegradable polymers. Somatuline LA allows
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therapeutic plasma concentrations to be maintained for up to 14 days with a single 30 mg intramuscular injection; while Sandostatin LAR allows concentrations to be maintained for 28 days and is available in three doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg. Pierre Bouloux, an endocrinologist at the Royal Free Hospital, London, UK, comments: “While the flexibility of Sandostatin LAR might seem greater, there is potential for varying the dose of Somatuline LA by changing dosing intervals. Both these treatments are in their infancy in terms of therapeutic use. There may be subtle differences in receptor binding between the two drugs which may produce differences in action and side-effects.” Janet Fricker
Ireland launches nuclear-disarmament initiative states to proceed with the rapid elimight neutral or non-aligned ination of nuclear weapons. Nothing countries have joined forces less than a straight and unambiguous to launch a major international effort political commitment will do.” to renew interest in nuclear disarmaThe declaration itself states that ment. The Irish government it will take time for the actual elimibegan the initiative in January, nation and the before the Indian development of verand Pakistani tests, ification techniques, by holding secret but says there are meetings with things that can be Sweden, South done immediately: Africa, and New “We call on them to Zealand to draw up abandon present the wording of a hair-trigger postures declaration made by proceeding public on June 9. to dealerting and Mexico, Slovenia, de-activating their Brazil, and Egypt weapons. They have joined with should also remove the original four to non-strategic nubecome the New Andrews surveying the declaration clear weapon from Agenda Coalition. deployed sites.” In 1961, the soThe Coalition will now lobby called “Irish Resolution”, an initiaother countries to support the tive of the Irish government—the “Towards a nuclear weapons free first UN resolution on non-proliferaworld: the need for a new agenda” tion—was passed by the UN. declaration. It will be introduced at As a mark of Ireland’s work against the UN General Assembly in the spread of nuclear weapons it was September. the first to sign the treaty in Irish Foreign Minister, David 1968. Meanwhile, another initiative Andrews, said that the opportunities by Ireland—this time to phase to scrap nuclear weapons had been out discharge of nuclear waste “squandered” since the fall of the into the seas around Europe, is Berlin wall and the end of the Cold expected to be discussed and War. “There is only one logical step supported at a meeting of for mankind now. That is to elimiEuropean ministers in Portugal next nate these weapons once and for all”, month. said Andrews at a news conference. “We must secure a firm commitment on the part of the nuclear weapons Karen Birchard
E
AP
EU rules on genetically modified organisms
THE LANCET • Vol 351 • June 20, 1998
T
ighter rules on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) were approved by the European Parliament on June 16 and will now be signed by the Council of Ministers on behalf of the 15 European Union member-state governments. The regulations are intended to protect the public from “escapes” of GMOs from laboratories and to safeguard researchers. But the European Commission rejected demands from the assembly that the biotech sector should be required to assume “full civil and criminal liability” for damage caused by escapes. The Commission also rejected a proposal that liability insurance cover should be a requirement for authorisation of work with GMOs. Commission vice-president Leon Brittan said Brussels would prefer to await the outcome of a review of the whole issue of liability for health and environmental damage, rather than accept piecemeal legislation.
Arthur Rogers
Sharp rise in Northern Ireland’s suicides s paramilitary violence declines in Northern Ireland, suicides among young people—especially in Belfast—are rising dramatically. The Belfast coroner, John Leckey, has written to the Northern Ireland Health Minister, asking for an inquiry into the rise. For the first time, suicides by young men in the 16–24 years age group have surpassed road deaths. Community workers say suicide is now the main topic of conversation in neighborhoods. Doctors say the number of antidepressants being prescribed for both adults and children since the ceasefires has increased and suggest that social and behavioural problems that were masked by the “Troubles” have come to the fore. According to some psychiatrists, people had focused on paramilitary violence but with the onset of peace, were now focusing on their own problems. Research students at the University of Ulster have done a survey, revealing that 16 people a day are trying to commit suicide. On average, one is successful.
A
Karen Birchard
1870
New drugs set to improve acromegaly therapy wo new drugs have been recently launched for the treatment of acromegaly that are set to improve compliance and transform the quality of patients’ lives. The drugs will end thrice-daily injections of ocreotide, allowing patients to be given a single shot once or twice a month. Apart from enlargement of the soft tissue and bones leading to disfigurement, acromegaly is associated with increases in mortality. Both new drugs are long-acting forms of a cyclic octapeptide resembling somatostatin. Somatuline LA (Ibsen) was launched on June 3; Sandostatin LAR (Novartis) was launched on May 11. The companies have extended the effective half life of the analogue using microspheres of biodegradable polymers. Somatuline LA allows
T
therapeutic plasma concentrations to be maintained for up to 14 days with a single 30 mg intramuscular injection; while Sandostatin LAR allows concentrations to be maintained for 28 days and is available in three doses of 10, 20, and 30 mg. Pierre Bouloux, an endocrinologist at the Royal Free Hospital, London, UK, comments: “While the flexibility of Sandostatin LAR might seem greater, there is potential for varying the dose of Somatuline LA by changing dosing intervals. Both these treatments are in their infancy in terms of therapeutic use. There may be subtle differences in receptor binding between the two drugs which may produce differences in action and side-effects.” Janet Fricker
Ireland launches nuclear-disarmament initiative states to proceed with the rapid elimight neutral or non-aligned ination of nuclear weapons. Nothing countries have joined forces less than a straight and unambiguous to launch a major international effort political commitment will do.” to renew interest in nuclear disarmaThe declaration itself states that ment. The Irish government it will take time for the actual elimibegan the initiative in January, nation and the before the Indian development of verand Pakistani tests, ification techniques, by holding secret but says there are meetings with things that can be Sweden, South done immediately: Africa, and New “We call on them to Zealand to draw up abandon present the wording of a hair-trigger postures declaration made by proceeding public on June 9. to dealerting and Mexico, Slovenia, de-activating their Brazil, and Egypt weapons. They have joined with should also remove the original four to non-strategic nubecome the New Andrews surveying the declaration clear weapon from Agenda Coalition. deployed sites.” In 1961, the soThe Coalition will now lobby called “Irish Resolution”, an initiaother countries to support the tive of the Irish government—the “Towards a nuclear weapons free first UN resolution on non-proliferaworld: the need for a new agenda” tion—was passed by the UN. declaration. It will be introduced at As a mark of Ireland’s work against the UN General Assembly in the spread of nuclear weapons it was September. the first to sign the treaty in Irish Foreign Minister, David 1968. Meanwhile, another initiative Andrews, said that the opportunities by Ireland—this time to phase to scrap nuclear weapons had been out discharge of nuclear waste “squandered” since the fall of the into the seas around Europe, is Berlin wall and the end of the Cold expected to be discussed and War. “There is only one logical step supported at a meeting of for mankind now. That is to elimiEuropean ministers in Portugal next nate these weapons once and for all”, month. said Andrews at a news conference. “We must secure a firm commitment on the part of the nuclear weapons Karen Birchard
E
AP
EU rules on genetically modified organisms
THE LANCET • Vol 351 • June 20, 1998