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Home / Critical illness cover / - Aplastic Diesease
Definition
Permanent bone marrow failure which results in anaemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia requiring treatment with at least one of the following:
• blood transfusion;
• marrow stimulating agents;
• immunosuppressive agents; or
• bone marrow transplant.
What does this mean?
Aplastic anaemia is a rare and very serious form of anaemia in which there is a decrease in the quantity of blood-forming cells in the bone marrow. This then causes impairment of all blood cell production. This condition can be present from birth or may develop in later life.
Definition
A definite diagnosis of Bacterial meningitis by a Consultant Neurologist resulting in permanent neurological deficit. All other forms of meningitis are excluded.
NEWS
Cancer vaccinations could be delivered through tattoos
13 February 2008 17:00:02
Tattoos could prove more efficient at the delivery of cancer vaccines than injections, claim German scientists.
Preventative cancer vaccines, which aim to reduce the development of cancers by kick-starting an immune response in the body, could affect life insurance policies.
Vaccines encourage the body to produce proteins called antibodies so that it can rapidly put up an immune response if it encounters cancer cells.
But as tattooing covers a wider area of skin than standard injections, vaccines are able to enter more cells.
Researchers at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Germany found that mice given three doses of DNA vaccine by tattooing had at least 16 times higher levels of antibodies than a similar dose of immune-boosting proteins injected into the muscles.
Lead researcher Martin Muller said: "Vaccination with naked DNA has been hampered by its low efficiency.
"Delivery of DNA via tattooing could be a way for a more widespread commercial application of DNA vaccines."
At present, a vaccine is available to prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for the majority of cases of cervical cancer.
According to Cancer Research UK, there were 153,491 deaths from cancer in the UK in 2005.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online
Tomato cancer link denied
12 July 2007 12:57:23
Recent speculation that eating tomatoes could help prevent certain forms of cancer have been rubbished by US authorities.
Food retailers had reportedly planned to emblazon product labels with notices highlighting the supposedly beneficial effects of tomatoes.
It had been argued that lycopene - the antioxidant that causes the red sheen of tomatoes - was linked to lower incidence of cancer.
However, a study by the Food and Drink Administration (FDA) has found "limited evidence" to support the claims.
An FDA statement said that there was "no evidence" that lycopene had any relation to reducing the risk of lung, breast, cervical, colorectal or endometrial cancers.
Although it did add: "Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests that eating one-half to one cup of tomatoes and/or tomato sauce a week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer."
Edward Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health commented on the FDA ruling:
"Given the complexities of studying the relationship between tomato or lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk, both in terms of the exposures and the outcome, one should not be too surprised that no firm conclusion of benefit would be made in the FDA review.
"Although it may be premature to espouse increased consumption of tomato sauce or lycopene for prostate cancer prevention, this area of research remains promising."
Nutritional awareness can stave off heart disease
19 September 2007 17:32:10
Researchers at Penn State University have found that people who display a high level of 'eating competence' are more likely to be successful at lowering their counts of LDL, the so-called 'bad cholesterol' associated with heart disease.
The news could prove particularly interesting for those people consider life insurance or critical illness cover - both essential things in today's climate of heart disease risks.
Scientists studied 48 men and women aged 21 to 70 who were deemed to be at high risk of cardiovascular disease because of their high LDL levels.
"We wanted to see if people were at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease if they were not 'eating competent' to begin with," said Barbara Lohse, associate professor of nutritional sciences at the university.
'Eating competence' refers to a nutritional model that matches the body's ability to maintain a suitable Body Mass Index level with subjective indicators such as hunger awareness, apetite and eating enjoyment.
By combining responses from a questionnaire with various medical readings the researchers found that participants who were not 'eating competent' were five times as likely as the others to have LDL levels above the prescribed cut-off point.
Dr Lohse said the results illustrated the potential benefits of a 'nutritional curriculum' that could help people improve their eating habits and so slower their chances of contracting potentially life-threatening heart disease.
13 February 2008 17:00:02
Tattoos could prove more efficient at the delivery of cancer vaccines than injections, claim German scientists.
Preventative cancer vaccines, which aim to reduce the development of cancers by kick-starting an immune response in the body, could affect life insurance policies.
Vaccines encourage the body to produce proteins called antibodies so that it can rapidly put up an immune response if it encounters cancer cells.
But as tattooing covers a wider area of skin than standard injections, vaccines are able to enter more cells.
Researchers at the German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg, Germany found that mice given three doses of DNA vaccine by tattooing had at least 16 times higher levels of antibodies than a similar dose of immune-boosting proteins injected into the muscles.
Lead researcher Martin Muller said: "Vaccination with naked DNA has been hampered by its low efficiency.
"Delivery of DNA via tattooing could be a way for a more widespread commercial application of DNA vaccines."
At present, a vaccine is available to prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for the majority of cases of cervical cancer.
According to Cancer Research UK, there were 153,491 deaths from cancer in the UK in 2005.
Direct Life and Pensions Services Ltd are one of the UK's leading providers of life insurance, term life assurance, mortgage protection, critical illness and life insurance advice online
12 July 2007 12:57:23
Recent speculation that eating tomatoes could help prevent certain forms of cancer have been rubbished by US authorities.
Food retailers had reportedly planned to emblazon product labels with notices highlighting the supposedly beneficial effects of tomatoes.
It had been argued that lycopene - the antioxidant that causes the red sheen of tomatoes - was linked to lower incidence of cancer.
However, a study by the Food and Drink Administration (FDA) has found "limited evidence" to support the claims.
An FDA statement said that there was "no evidence" that lycopene had any relation to reducing the risk of lung, breast, cervical, colorectal or endometrial cancers.
Although it did add: "Very limited and preliminary scientific research suggests that eating one-half to one cup of tomatoes and/or tomato sauce a week may reduce the risk of prostate cancer."
Edward Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health commented on the FDA ruling:
"Given the complexities of studying the relationship between tomato or lycopene intake and prostate cancer risk, both in terms of the exposures and the outcome, one should not be too surprised that no firm conclusion of benefit would be made in the FDA review.
"Although it may be premature to espouse increased consumption of tomato sauce or lycopene for prostate cancer prevention, this area of research remains promising."
19 September 2007 17:32:10
Researchers at Penn State University have found that people who display a high level of 'eating competence' are more likely to be successful at lowering their counts of LDL, the so-called 'bad cholesterol' associated with heart disease.
The news could prove particularly interesting for those people consider life insurance or critical illness cover - both essential things in today's climate of heart disease risks.
Scientists studied 48 men and women aged 21 to 70 who were deemed to be at high risk of cardiovascular disease because of their high LDL levels.
"We wanted to see if people were at higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease if they were not 'eating competent' to begin with," said Barbara Lohse, associate professor of nutritional sciences at the university.
'Eating competence' refers to a nutritional model that matches the body's ability to maintain a suitable Body Mass Index level with subjective indicators such as hunger awareness, apetite and eating enjoyment.
By combining responses from a questionnaire with various medical readings the researchers found that participants who were not 'eating competent' were five times as likely as the others to have LDL levels above the prescribed cut-off point.
Dr Lohse said the results illustrated the potential benefits of a 'nutritional curriculum' that could help people improve their eating habits and so slower their chances of contracting potentially life-threatening heart disease.