Sydney - Australian doctors believe they have found the key to eradicating the type of diabetes that obliges sufferers to regulate their blood glucose levels every day of their lives, news reports said Wednesday. "We are really excited about this because there are no treatments for type 1 diabetes," Garvan Institute researcher Shane Grey told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Athens - Greece, one of Europe's heaviest smoking nations, on Wednesday launched a six month anti-smoking campaign ahead of a ban outlawing smoking in most public places from July 1. The new ban should have a big impact in a nation where nearly 45 per cent of the adult population smokes, and where smoking in offices and cafes is seen as both traditional and acceptable.

"With the drafting of a national action plan against smoking, our country has acquired a targeted and strategic policy for the promotion and safeguarding of public health," said Health Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos.

Washington, Apr 29 : Scientists from Western Australian Institute for Medical Research (WAIMR) have identified what they called a ‘Pied Piper’ molecule that can offer a key in treating prostate, breast and colon cancers as well as leukemia.

The molecule within blood cells, called Liar, leads other molecules into the nucleus of the cell.

Associate Professor Ingley said the findings were a leap forward in the understanding of how blood cells develop and divide, which could offer them a key to turning off cancerous cell growth.

Jakarta- South-East Asian nations are working together to deal with swine flu amid fears the disease could spread to the region, the Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) said Thursday. "I am now also coordinating with all ASEAN ministers of health in order to provide the necessary cooperation and support," ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said in a statement.

Taipei - Taiwan Wednesday celebrated its first victory in its fight to rejoin international organizations after it was allowed to re-join the World Health Organization (WHO) as an observer. The breakthrough is regarded as the result of improved Taipei-Beijing ties and pressure from the United States, Japan, the European Union and Taiwan's 23 diplomatic allies and may pave the way for Taiwan's return to other international organizations.

WHO Secretary-General Margaret Chan invited Taiwan's health minister Yeh Chin-chuan to attend the 62nd World Health Assembly (WHA), opening in Geneva on May 18.

Geneva - Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche announced Wednesday that it had increased its preparedness level in response to the World Health Organization (WHO) decision to raise the pandemic influenza alert by one level to phase 4. Roche, in a statement, said it was working with "the WHO and governments around the world to make the oral anti-viral medication Tamiflu available to patients in need."

Tamiflu, produced by Roche, has been deemed to be effective against swine flu.

The company said that to date it had filled 220 million treatment courses of the drug ordered by governments.