Genetic tests using blood samples already are used to diagnose some diseases and even personalize treatment.

Alpharma Inc. (NYSE: ALO), a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company, presented results of a Phase IV study of KADIAN® (morphine sulfate extended-release) Capsules that demonstrate the pharmacokinetics of the long-acting opioid are not significantly affected by the consumption of alcohol.

A Penn State College of Medicine pilot study suggests a low dose of naltrexone, a drug used to ease symptoms of alcohol and drug addiction, may also bring relief to people with Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory disorder of the intestine that affects an estimated 500,000 Americans.

The New York University Child Study Center is recommending five (5) tips to help reduce teenage drinking, in light of a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

A University of Virginia Health System researcher and colleagues have just published findings showing that just a few targeted counseling sessions had a notably positive impact on women at high risk for binge drinking, unplanned pregnancy, and exposure to alcohol during pregnancy. The counseling technique, called motivational interviewing (MI), has proven effective after just four counseling sessions.

Don't be a statistic this holiday season or throughout the year because of drunk or drugged driving. Impaired driving will affect one in three Americans during their lifetimes, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

Alcohol and Head Trauma

Alcohol has a paradoxical effect on mortality of patients admitted to hospital with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), shows the study led by trauma surgeon Dr. Homer Tien out of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.