MEDIWATCH: December 2010

Tuesday 28 December 2010

Canadian Diplomats Receive Lesson in Biofeedback

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Ambassador to Germany, Dr. Peter Boehm, and the Canadian High Commissioner to Dusseldorf, Leslie Reissner, paid a visit to the Thought Technology Ltd. booth at Medica, where 137,000 visited for 4 days.

The Head of PR, Andy Shaw wrote in his opening release on Medica : "Finally, Canada's most veteran exhibitor at MEDICA, Thought Technology Limited of Montreal, which many consider (and whose clients include a number of major professional soccer and other sport teams) the world's foremost maker of biofeedback devices, is here with six new products."

When Dr. Boehm asked how Biofeedback & Neurofeedback are used, Thought Technology Vice President and co-founder Lawrence Klein could not resist the opportunity to discuss the many uses of his company's instrumentation. He replied, "The Schulich School of Music " at McGill University in Montreal attached our instruments to several of the musicians of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, and 50 audience members. They measured heart rate, skin conductance, respiration, muscle tone, etc. and recorded all in Real Time, in order to discover how emotion is conveyed through music. "

"NASA used these same systems to prepare astronauts in Florida, in a capsule 65 feet under water, for three days, to discover how they adapted to the physical demands of the space capsule. "

Thought Technology Ltd. sales are 95% Medical. Its psychophysiology is used in most VA Hospitals in the United States and it has 150 distributors in 55 countries. It has over 80 percent market share in China, where the distributor focuses on applications for school performance problems and rehabilitation.It recently entered into an OEM agreement to integrate their technology onto the Mediwatch pelvic floor platform.

Mr. Klein stated that, "In addition to the medical market, we have a strong presence in professional and elite sports." Thought Technology's equipment has been used by a number of leading Olympic Sport Coaches as well as by several professional sports teams who have set up a mental training center where trainers monitor the brainwaves, and six other physical functions of the players after their workouts, so they can regenerate and prepare their skills, mentally!

If after their visit to Medica, the Ambassador to Germany, Peter Boehm, and the Canadian High Commissioner to Dusseldorf, Leslie Reissner would like to learn more about how people around the world are using biofeedback, they can attend the Biofeedback Foundation of Europe's 15th Annual Conference in Munich in February 22-26, 2011.

Contact: Helen Mavros
mail(at)thoughttechnology(dot)com
www.thoughttechnology.com

Tuesday 14 December 2010

Mediwatch-US GSA Federal Supply Schedule Contract

14 December 2010

Mediwatch USA Inc. Awarded US General Service Administration Federal Supply Schedule Contract

Mediwatch plc ("Mediwatch" or "the Company") (AIM: MDW), the innovative urological diagnostic manufacturing company, announces that its wholly owned subsidiary, Mediwatch USA Inc. has been awarded a multi-year Federal Supply Schedule Contract by the US Government's General Services Administration (GSA). The GSA Federal Supply Schedule Contract will allow Mediwatch USA Inc. the opportunity to tender for contracts with the US Government to provide equipment, supplies and services.

Under the GSA Federal Supply Schedule Contract, Mediwatch USA Inc. will be able to tender for contracts from 15 December 2010 to 15 September 2013. The Federal annual requirement for pelvic floor products and services is estimated to be approximately $34 million. Under this contract Mediwatch will be able to tender for products in this sector.

Philip Stimpson, Chief Executive Officer of Mediwatch commented:

"Mediwatch is proud to have the opportunity to market to the US Government's hospitals and institutions. Moving into the US government sector on a contract basis is a key and integral part of Mediwatch USA Inc.'s planned growth strategy."

Mediwatch will also qualify to contract for various unrestricted, small business opportunities, which are specifically set aside for smaller businesses and offered by the Federal Government for health care equipment, per diem, staffing and services.

Commenting specifically about these opportunities, Philip Stimpson stated:

"Mediwatch USA Inc. is ready to take the lead as a contractor on many of the small business set aside requirements issued by the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs' health care systems."

Monday 13 December 2010

December-Music,Film and the odd joke spot

This has been a very very funny series:

Sunday 12 December 2010

NEWS-Week Ending 12th December (Updated-7 Posts)

Active surveillance and intermediate-risk prostate cancer USA-11th December

Consumer education about the value of PSA testing EU-10th December

The management of high- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer in elderly males USA-9th December

How often is a PSA test really needed to identify risk? EU-9th December

Informed choice and the right to appropriate PSA testing UK-8th December

UK National Screening Committee advises against PSA-based screening initiative UK-6th December

Incidence and mortality rates in 37 European countries EU-6th December

UK-Prostate and bladder cancer screening reviews

The decision not to carry out a UK National screening program for prostate cancer was expected but the Prostate Cancer Charity comments were a little surprising and welcome in the light of past negative comments regarding the PSA test.

3rd December 2010

"Prostate cancer and bladder cancer screening reviews completed

The UK NSC has now completed its reviews of screening for prostate cancer and bladder cancer and the decision made at the meeting on 10 November was that screening is not currently recommended for these conditions."

The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on UK National Screening Committee decision against prostate cancer screening
Date: 6 December 2010

The Prostate Cancer Charity comments on the latest announcement by the UK National Screening Committee not to recommend the development of a screening programme for prostate cancer using the PSA blood test.

John Neate, Chief Executive of The Prostate Cancer Charity, explains: “Although this decision is not a surprise, the announcement from the UK National Screening Committee today is extremely disappointing. While the evidence points to the potential risk of over diagnosis and over treatment through large scale PSA testing, we also know that for some men with aggressive prostate cancer, but no symptoms, the PSA test will be the only early indicator of the cancer at a time when effective treatment can be offered. This makes it essential that all eligible men* are made aware of the test and enabled to make a personal choice about whether it is right for them.

“We believe that a critical opportunity to fully address the inequities faced by men seeking access to the PSA test has been missed. We know that 70 per cent of men over 50 are unaware of the test’s existence or their right to request one from their GP. We also know that this roadblock in accessing the test widens even further for those men from less affluent backgrounds. This is a completely unacceptable state of affairs.

“Although we will always seek to work constructively with Government, the status quo cannot continue. It is a regrettable that this announcement has been made in isolation by the UK National Screening Committee and that a key opportunity to reflect on the wider issues surrounding awareness of prostate cancer and the PSA test was not grasped. This could have been a breakthrough moment for Government to give a firm steer on this critical health issue.

“We will ensure that PSA testing for eligible men is not simply returned to the back-burner and will over the coming months be launching a vigorous and constructive campaign to break this impasse.”

ENDS

* All men over 50 or younger men at a higher risk of the disease due to a family history or from African Caribbean background.

Read the full press release

Tuesday 7 December 2010

UK-Urodynamics training standards established

30 November, 2010 By David Devonport

Minimum standards for training and certification in urodynamics have been established nationally by a multidisciplinary working party in the UK.

The standards suggest a modular training structure and establish minimum workloads for individuals and departments, while advocating the need for multidisciplinary teams and regular audits of their work.

Joint statement on minimum standards for urodynamic practice in the UK