Two scientists from Academia Sinica have contributed to delivering an easy formula that helps ensure patients take the appropriate dose of the anticoagulant Warfarin.
The drug is often prescribed for patients suffering from thrombosis, the main cause of cardiovascular diseases. However, many doctors find it difficult to determine the proper amount and can only administer the drug based on experience.
Patients who take too much Warfarin may suffer from massive bleeding, whereas an inadequate amount may fail to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Research fellow Chen Yuan-tsong (陳垣崇), assistant research scientist Lee Ming-da (李明達) and Wen Ming-shien (溫明賢) of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital joined a research team from nine countries around the world to help produce a formula that will enable doctors to more accurately prescribe the appropriate amount for their patients.
The research results were published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The team was listed first among all the research teams. Lee said all the collected samples were delivered to Academic Sinica for examination and analysis because the institute is more advanced in studies of VKORC1 and CYPC2C, which have been identified as two crucial genes in helping determine the correct dosage of Warfarin.
The formula has now been adopted by doctors in Chang Gung Hospital, National Taiwan University Hospital and other medical centers. Starting next year, the general public can also download the formula from a designated Web site and calculate dosages themselves after entering in the required numbers.
Despite the formula, Lee said that patients would still need to take blood tests regularly to ensure the drug’s effectiveness.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS