Femara Found To Reduce Spread Of Breast Cancer To The Lungs

Femara reduces the risk of breast cancer spreading to the lungs, the brain or the bone which has a worse prognosis than when the cancer is localised to the breast

Newly published data in the May issue of Annals of Oncology, Oxford University Press show that after two years of post-surgical therapy, postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer treated with Femara experienced 30 percent fewer early breast cancer recurrences at sites away from the breast (distant metastases) compared with tamoxifen(1).

of breast cancer to other parts of the body means that it is extremely likely that a woman will die from the disease(2). Recurrences that occur locally, regionally, or in the opposite breast (contra-lateral) are more easily treated than those that spread far from the original tumour, and they are associated with better long-term outcomes(3,4).

In the retrospective analysis of more than 7,700 women at a median follow-up of two years, approximately 75 percent of early recurrences occurred at distant sites such as bone or vital organs. However, there were 30 percent fewer distant recurrences in the Femara group than in the tamoxifen group (87 vs. 125, respectively)(1).

Maria Leadbeater, Secondary Breast Cancer Nurse Specialist at Breast Cancer Care commented, "Breast Cancer Care speaks to women with breast cancer daily and knows that they welcome any treatment development that could help to reduce the likelihood of their cancer recurring. Having been treated for breast cancer the first time round, one of the greatest fears is that the disease might return. These findings confirm earlier results from this trial, and suggest that Femara may be a treatment option for postmenopausal women with early breast cancer that could help reduce the risk of this happening to them."

Compared with tamoxifen Femara also demonstrated a significant reduction in the risk of recurrence to the same breast (local recurrence), the other breast and to the lymph nodes (regional recurrence).

"Femara is the only aromatase inhibitor shown to significantly reduce the risk of distant metastases versus tamoxifen as initial adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal women with hormone-sensitive early breast cancer. This is particularly good news since we know that this type of recurrence significantly worsens the prognosis for these women," said Dr Andrew Wardley, study investigator and consultant medical oncologist at the Christie Hospital, Manchester, and the South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The retrospective analysis also identified patients at higher risk of recurrence based on clinical and pathological disease characteristics. The results showed that patients with the highest risk of early recurrence had tumours larger than five centimetres, four or more positive nodes, positive oestrogen receptor status but negative progesterone status, grade three tumours and invasive disease. Notably, women with node positive disease, who are considered to be at a higher risk of recurrence, maintained this lower risk of relapse when treated with upfront Femara than with tamoxifen(1).

"These results provide the tip of the iceberg and for the bigger picture, physicians will be eagerly awaiting the results of the BIG 1-98 sequencing arms, which hope to indicate the optimal strategy for using Femara post surgery and are due to be ready for 2008. This is why Novartis has made a significant commitment to sponsor this important study", said Hugh O'Dowd, Business Unit Director, Novartis Oncology UK.

Notes to Editors About BIG 1-98

BIG 1-98 is the only clinical trial that incorporates both a head-to-head comparison and a sequencing of Femara and tamoxifen as adjuvant treatment for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer. The results of the primary core analysis of the head-to-head comparison based on a median follow up of 26 months were published in the December 29, 2005, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine(5). The BIG 1-98 trial was conducted by the International Breast Cancer Study Group (IBCSG) with many independent centres and was supported by Novartis.

About Femara

Femara is the only AI with the widest range of licences - before surgery, directly post-surgery, after five years of standard tamoxifen treatment and in advanced cancer(6).

A once-a-day oral AI, Femara is currently indicated in the UK for:

- Adjuvant (post-surgery) treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive invasive early breast cancer

- The treatment of early invasive breast cancer in postmenopausal women who have completed prior standard adjuvant tamoxifen therapy (extended adjuvant)

- Newly diagnosed postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer

- Postmenopausal women with advanced breast cancer in whom tamoxifen, or other anti-oestrogen therapy has failed

- Neoadjuvant (pre-operative) therapy in postmenopausal women with localised hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, to allow subsequent breast conserving surgery in women not originally considered candidates for breast-conserving therapy

About Novartis

Novartis AG is a world leader in offering medicines to protect health, cure disease and improve well-being. Our goal is to discover, develop and successfully market innovative products to treat patients, ease suffering and enhance the quality of life. We are strengthening our medicine-based portfolio, which is focused on strategic growth platforms in innovation-driven pharmaceuticals, high-quality and low-cost generics, human vaccines and leading self-medication OTC brands. Novartis is the only company with leadership positions in these areas. In 2006, the Group's businesses achieved net sales of USD 37.0 billion and net income of USD 7.2 billion. Approximately USD 5.4 billion was invested in R&D. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis Group companies employ approximately 101,000 associates and operate in over 140 countries around the world.

References

(1). Mauriac L, et al. Predictors of early relapse in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in the BIG 1-98 trial. Annal of Oncology 2007. Feb 14 online edition

(2). American Cancer Society. Breast Cancer Detailed Guide. How is Breast Cancer Staged? http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_7x_CRC_Breast_Cancer_PDF.as p. Accessed 23.04.07

(3). National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer PDQ: Treatment, Health Professional version. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/HealthProfessional. Accessed 23.04.07

(4). Imaginis, the breast cancer resource. http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/metastatic.asp. Accessed 23.04.07

(5). Thurlimann B et al. Adjuvant letrozole reduces the risk of relapse in postmenopausal women with receptor positive early breast cancer compared with tamoxifen: first results of the BIG 1-98 trial. N Engl J Med, December 2005

(6). Femara Summary of Product Characteristics. December 2005 For more information contact: Press Office Novartis Oncology Tel: +44(0)1276-698691 Sabrina Gallon Ruder Finn Tel: +44(0)20-7462-8965 e-mail: sgallon@ruderfinn.co.uk Amy Lawrence Ruder Finn Tel: +44(0)20-7462-8906 e-mail: alawrence@ruderfinn.co.uk

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European Commission Approves SEBIVO(R) (telbivudine) For Hepatitis B Treatment

The European Commission today approved SEBIVO(R) (telbivudine), a new once-a-day oral treatment for adult patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and evidence of viral replication and active liver disease. The European Commission decision applies to all 27 countries in the European Union as well as Iceland and Norway. Launches are expected to start in the second quarter of 2007 beginning with the United Kingdom and Germany. The approval of SEBIVO in Europe triggers a milestone payment from Novartis Pharma AG to Idenix.
In addition to the European Union, SEBIVO is currently approved in more than 15 major markets, including the United States [where it is marketed as TYZEKA(R) (telbivudine)], Canada, Switzerland and China.

"The approval of SEBIVO now offers Europeans infected with chronic hepatitis B a new treatment option," said Professor Thierry Poynard of Hopital Pitie-Salpetriere, University of Paris VI, France and an investigator in the phase III GLOBE study. "There is no cure for chronic hepatitis B. High hepatitis B viral load increases the risk of serious complications. To reduce this risk, the goal of therapy is to suppress the hepatitis B virus as much as possible, and to maintain that decrease over time."

Worldwide regulatory submissions have been based primarily on one-year data from the GLOBE study, the largest worldwide registration trial including hepatitis B e-antigen (HBeAg)-positive and HBeAg-negative patients with CHB. The worldwide phase III GLOBE study compared telbivudine to lamivudine, a commonly used antiviral therapy for the treatment of CHB, in 1,367 patients. In the European Union, participating countries included the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK.

"The European approval of SEBIVO is another significant achievement for Idenix," said Jean-Pierre Sommadossi, chief executive officer and chairman of Idenix. "Working with our alliance partner, Novartis, we have gained approval of SEBIVO in more than 40 countries in less than 18 months. The speed with which we have gained these approvals is a testament to our strength and focus on developing new antiviral agents."

About Idenix

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., headquartered in Cambridge, MA, is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral and other infectious diseases. Idenix's current focus is on the treatment of infections caused by hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). For further information about Idenix, please refer to http://www.idenix.com/.

About Idenix/Novartis Collaboration

Idenix and Novartis Pharma AG are co-promoting SEBIVO/TYZEKA for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B, and co-developing valtorcitabine, a second hepatitis B compound, and valopicitabine, a hepatitis C compound, under a development and commercialization arrangement established in May 2003. Under this agreement, Novartis and Idenix will co-promote SEBIVO/TYZEKA and, if approved, valtorcitabine and valopicitabine in the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Novartis has the exclusive right to commercialize SEBIVO, valtorcitabine and valopicitabine in the rest of the world.

Information about TYZEKA/SEBIVO (telbivudine)

In the European Union, SEBIVO is indicated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B in adult patients with compensated liver disease and evidence of viral replication, persistently elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and histological evidence of active inflammation and/or fibrosis.

This indication is based on virologic, serologic, biochemical, and histologic responses after one year of treatment in nucleoside treatment-naïve adult patients with HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative CHB with compensated liver disease.

The following information about telbivudine is adapted from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved product label. Similar language related to the product's important safety information will pertain to the product in the European Union.

Important Safety Information about Telbivudine

Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues alone or in combination with antiretrovirals.

Severe acute exacerbations of hepatitis B have been reported in patients who have discontinued anti-hepatitis B therapy, including telbivudine. Hepatic function should be monitored closely with both clinical and laboratory follow- up for at least several months in patients who discontinue anti-hepatitis B therapy. If appropriate, resumption of anti-hepatitis B therapy may be warranted.

-- Cases of myopathy have been reported with telbivudine use several weeks to months after starting therapy. Myopathy has also been reported with some other drugs in this class. Physicians considering concomitant treatment with agents associated with myopathy should weigh carefully the potential benefits and risks and should monitor and advise patients to report any signs or symptoms of unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness, particularly during periods of upward dosage titration. Telbivudine therapy should be interrupted if myopathy is suspected, and discontinued if myopathy is diagnosed. -- Because telbivudine is eliminated primarily by renal excretion, co- administration of telbivudine with drugs that affect renal function may alter plasma concentrations of telbivudine and/or the coadministered drug. Dose interval adjustment is required in patients with creatinine clearance <50ml/min,>/=5%) in the GLOBE trial, regardless of attributability to telbivudine, were upper respiratory tract infection (14%), fatigue and malaise (12%), abdominal pain (12%), nasopharyngitis (11%), headache (11%), blood CPK increased (9%), cough (7%), nausea and vomiting (7%), influenza and influenza-like symptoms (7%), post- procedural pain (7%), diarrhea and loose stools (7%), and pharyngolaryngeal pain (5%). -- Creatine kinase (CK) elevations were more frequent among subjects on telbivudine treatment. Grade 3/4 CK elevations occurred in 9% of telbivudine-treated patients. -- The relationship of initial treatment response to outcomes such as hepatocellular carcinoma and decompensated cirrhosis are unknown. Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "goal," "estimate," "anticipate," "expected," "believe," "will," or similar expressions, or by express or implied statements with respect to potential approvals of TYZEKA/SEBIVO for other indications or other development product candidates by the European Commission or in additional markets, potential future revenues from TYZEKA/SEBIVO or other development product candidates, or expectations with respect to additional milestone payments. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantees that SEBIVO or other development product candidates will be brought to market in the European Union or in any other markets, or that TYZEKA/SEBIVO will achieve any particular level of sales, or that our development product candidates will ever achieve any sales. In particular, management's expectations could be affected by unexpectedly unsuccessful efforts to commercialize TYZEKA/SEBIVO; unexpected regulatory actions or delays; uncertainties relating to results of clinical trials, including additional data relating to the ongoing clinical trials evaluating its product candidates; the company's ability to obtain additional funding required to conduct its research, development and commercialization activities; the company's dependence on its collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG; the ability of the company to attract and retain qualified personnel; competition in general; and the company's ability to obtain, maintain and enforce patent and other intellectual property protection for its other product candidates and its discoveries. These and other risks which may impact management's expectations are described in greater detail under the caption "Risk Factors" in the company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006 and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and other filings that the company makes with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All forward-looking statements reflect the company's expectations only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as reflecting the company's views, expectations or beliefs at any date subsequent to the date of this release. Idenix anticipates that subsequent events and developments may cause these views, expectations and beliefs to change. However, while Idenix may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, it specifically disclaims any obligation to do so.

References

(1) Van Damme P, et al. Hepatitis B prevention in Europe: a preliminary economic evaluation. Vaccine, Vol. 13, Supplement 1, pp. S54-S57, 1995 International Journal of Epidemiology; V.32; 2003; p118

Idenix Pharmaceuticals' Contact: Investors: Amy Sullivan (+1-617-995-9838) Media: Teri Dahlman (+1-617-995-9905)

Source: Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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Antidepressants Do More Good Than Harm In Kids

Julie Steenhuysen

The benefits of antidepressants for children and teens far outweigh the risk of suicide, and U.S. regulators should revise strong warnings that may have scared off some doctors and patients, researchers said on Tuesday.

A wide-reaching review of studies on antidepressants in young patients showed the risk of suicidal behavior is smaller than previously thought and should be viewed in light of the relief these drugs can offer, the researchers said.

"The benefits seem to be much stronger than the risks," said Dr. David Brent, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, whose study appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The research calls into question "black box" warnings on the labels of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs that caution of a higher risk of suicidal behavior among children and teen-agers.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said there is no reason for a change in the labeling and said doctors are still free to prescribe the drugs to young patients.

The FDA introduced the warnings on the most popular antidepressants in October 2004 after studies in the United States and Britain suggested the drugs may raise the risk of suicide in children and adults.

Millions of Americans use antidepressants, which include Wyeth's Effexor, Pfizer Inc.'s Zoloft, GlaxoSmithKline Plc's

Paxil, Eli Lilly and Co's Prozac and Forest Laboratories Lexapro.

MORE HARM THAN GOOD?

"Clearly, their intent was to protect people, but you have to then re-evaluate whether your warning may be doing more harm than good," Brent said in a telephone interview.

According to data from Medco Health Solutions Inc., the number of children 19 and under taking antidepressants fell by 13 percent from 2004 to 2005.

Brent noted that suicide rates in adolescents have, at the same time, begun to rise. "That is after 10 consecutive years of a decline in the rate," he said.

He pointed to a February study in the journal Pediatrics that found deaths from suicide in 10 to 19-year-olds rose 18.2 percent in 2004 from 2003. No other causes of child death increased during that period.

"It is possible that people who would benefit from this medication are being frightened away," he said.

But the FDA disagreed.

"At this time nothing indicates a need for change in the 'black box' warning, which urges attention to patients starting treatment," said Dr. Thomas Laughren, director of the FDA's division of psychiatry products, in a statement e-mailed to Reuters.

For the study, Brent and colleagues reviewed data from 27 major clinical trials assessing antidepressant use in 4,400 children and adolescents with major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders.

The analysis, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, included data from an additional 700 patients not available when the FDA issued its warning.

The study showed an increased risk for suicidal thoughts and attempts, but the size of the effect was smaller than in the FDA report. There were no completed suicides.

Brent said young people on the drugs should be monitored closely and taken off them if they derive no benefit, but stressed that depression is the leading cause of suicide. "The risk of no treatment can be deadly," he said.

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Know The Best Weight Loss Supplements

If you are struggling with your weight and looking for some extra help while you are following a healthy diet regimen of good food and exercise, a dietary supplement can benefit you greatly. A word of warning about any type of pill that you may consider taking: If you are currently on medication, please speak with you general practitioner before using any type of diet pill or dietary supplement, even if it is natural or derived from harmless herbal remedies.

There are many dietary supplements or diet pills available with many of them falling into one of two categories. These are over-the-counter diet pills and prescription only diet pills.

What Makes A Diet Pill Work? The ingredients that are found in a diet pill are what make the preparation effective. The ingredients will not only determine whether the diet pill is effective but will also give you an idea of possible side effects that may result from taking them.

The main reason that diet pills are taken while dieting is to help suppress the appetite or to help you not crave foods that contain high portions of fat, carbohydrates and calories. Diet pills aid the body in burning fat and increasing the metabolism, which is vital in weight loss. Lets take a look at some of the diet pills on the market and what their properties are in aiding your weight loss.

Prescription diet pills are most probably the safest type of diet pills on the market. This is because they are not only closely regulated, but have been tested thoroughly by the FDA and found to be safe and relatively low in severe side effects.

There are four main functions of prescription diet pills. These are appetite suppression, fat burning, increased energy levels and a way to suppress cravings. It is important to take a vitamin supplement while taking prescription diet pills. One of the side effects that are commonly encountered is the blockage of vitamin absorption.

Over-the-counter diet pills can have a varying degree of results because of the variation of ingredients used in them. The main ingredients found in over-the-counter diet pills are herbal extracts, so they are not addictive. Care should be taken to carefully select the types of pills that are relatively free of side effects and use safe ingredients. Cheaply made diet pills that are offering you miraculous results that sound too good to be true, most probably are.

Propolene diet pills work by suppressing the appetite and trapping fat, resulting in weight loss. The capsules are taken with water and, once they reach the stomach, they form a filling fiber mass that helps the stomach feel full. This results in the body burning fat that is stored since there is an absence of glucose in the blood to use as fuel. Propolene diet pills do not contain stimulants and are recommended for people who want to lose large amounts of weight.

The Hoodia Gordonii diet pills are natural hunger suppressants that are derived from a cactus-like plant found in the Kalahari Desert of Africa. These pills are said to have very good results and are considered to be free of side effects. There has been a lot of media coverage recently on the great results of these diet pills for those who want to lose weight.

Didrex diet pills work differently than most diet pills. Instead of suppressing the appetite, they work by stimulating the central nervous system. Didrex is also known in some cases to help lower blood pressure in some patients.

Phentermine diet pills are prescription only and are mainly used by people have a body mass index of over 28. The diet pill works by suppressing the appetite of the patient and mentally stimulating them. Results form this particular preparation are very rapid weight loss. Patients are monitored carefully by their health care provider and are treated with diet therapy to keep the weight loss stable and long term.

Cortislim is a natural dietary supplement that works to increase metabolism and balance blood sugar levels to help reduce food cravings. There are no known side effects when taking this supplement, although caution should be taken if you are on other medications or have any medical conditions.

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) pills are used in many diet pills and weight loss supplements on the market. According to studies, there has been evidence to suggest that this preparation can reduce body fat, as well as lower insulin levels in those suffering from type 2 diabetes. However, there are some severe side effects that occur frequently while on this medication.

Meridia is a dietary supplement that helps lose weight by changing chemical reactions in the body. This preparation is only used for as a short-term supplement to diet and exercise in treating obese people. There are side effects that are common with this medication and it is not recommended for people who suffer from high blood pressure or heart disease. It is also recommended that people who are on medication should discuss taking Meridia with their doctor first.

Apple cider vinegar is a healthy weight loss supplement that has been used for centuries. It dates back as early as the ancient Egyptians. It is a safe supplement for anyone and can be used by children, as well as adults and has no known side effects. Apple cider vinegar is also a great supplement for many other illnesses and ailments.

There are even more kinds of weight loss supplements on the market. Find out the facts first, before buying any. Once you start using the right one for you, there is a good possibility you will start to lose weight.

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Oregon Should Stand Up To Fluoridation

GORDON EMPEY

Despite the proven benefits of the addition of a chemical to increase the concentration of fluoride ions in drinking water to reduce the incidence of tooth decay, Oregon continues to lag behind the rest of the nation and the world in giving residents a safe, effective and inexpensive way to prevent tooth decay and the health problems associated with it.

It's time to put a stop to this. That's the purpose of legislation (House Bill 3099) being debated this month in Salem.

Consider these facts:

# Currently 66 percent of United States residents, more than 170 million people, receive their water from public water supplies that have fluoridated water.

# Communities with fluoridated drinking water in the United States, Australia, Britain, Canada, Ireland and New Zealand have 15 percent to 40 percent less tooth decay than communities without fluoridated water.

# The annual cost of fluoridation is approximately 50 cents per person per year in larger communities and $3 per person annually in smaller communities.

# In most cities, every dollar invested in water fluoridation saves $38 in dental-treatment costs.

The problems created by lack of fluoridation are particularly acute in children between ages 5 and 17 where tooth decay is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. Failing to protect our children can result in more than just rotten teeth. It also can mean untreated mouth infections that imperil a youngster's overall health and add to the estimated 51 million school hours lost each year because of dental-related illnesses.

Fluoride benefits adults as well. Oral disease can put pregnant women at risk for premature delivery and their infants at risk for low birth weight. Oral disease also can worsen problems for individuals with heart conditions or diabetes. For seniors, oral disease reduces the ability to get adequate nutrition and creates other problems that endanger people's ability to lead independent, healthy and safe lives.

Sadly, only about 20 percent of Oregonians are served by fluoridated public water systems. Recent statistics show that 56 percent of Oregon children 6 to 8 years old have some level of tooth decay. By age 15, it's 69 percent. Among Oregonians older than 60, 18 percent have lost all of their teeth because of preventable dental disease.

It's hard to believe that a state with as progressive a record and reputation as Oregon could be so far behind the curve when it comes to protecting the health of its citizens. Hopefully, Oregon lawmakers will support HB 3099 and help Oregon communities catch up with the rest of the nation.

The reality is that fluoridation of public water systems is effective and cost-efficient. Systems with recommended levels of fluoride do not harm the environment. Fluoridation also is a way to give everyone, regardless of their income level, a proven method of preventing tooth decay and its related health problems.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider fluoridation one of 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. In other words, it's been proven to work and it's time to give more Oregonians an opportunity to let it work for them.

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Canonsburg Hospital Offer Course On Bloodless Medicine And Surgery

Lynda Guydon Taylor,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Blood transfusion can be an issue for some patients facing surgery either on religious grounds or because of safety concerns.

For anyone considering it, Canonsburg General Hospital will host a two-hour program at 1:30 p.m. April 14 on alteratives to transfusion.

The Allegheny General Hospital Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery will sponsor the free program. Normally, such programs are well attended, drawing as many as 100 people, said Deborah Tatro, a center coordinator.

Last year, more than 200 patients, a majority of whom were Jehovah's Witnesses, requested bloodless surgery, Ms. Tatro said. Although Canonsburg as part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System is hosting the program, it does not offer the procedures involving alternatives.

If someone has concerns about transfusion, Ms. Tatro said, he or she is encouraged to choose a hospital with available equipment and which does the procedure all the time.

Procedures involving bloodless surgery and medicine have been evolving since the 1950s, she said. The term bloodless medicine was coined by Dr. Denton Cooley, who did open heart surgery in the 1950s. There are a number of techniques used in bloodless surgery and medicine. A few of the methods follow:

The cell saver system, also known as intraoperative blood salvage, captures blood lost during an operation and returns it to the patient during surgery.

To reduce blood loss during surgery, certain devices are used to clot blood vessels.

Hemodilution temporarily replaces blood with intravenous fluids to limit blood loss during surgery.

There are several benefits to bloodless surgery. When it comes to cost, Ms. Tatro said, bloodless surgery is no more costly than transfusion and in many ways can be less expensive. Furthermore, those who do not receive transfusions tend to recover faster and experience a shorter hospital stay. Bloodless surgery also can reduce infections and complications.

One group of patients with historic concerns about blood transfusion are Jehovah's Witnesses. The church has established hospital liaison committees in 125 cities worldwide to advise patients about biblical law on which Jehovah's Witnesses oppose transfusion.

The committee's role is to act as liaison between a follower and the patient's hospital.

As chairman of Pittsburgh's Hospital Liaison Committee, Paul Jones advises Jehovah's Witnesses in the city and surrounding area. Opposition is based on passages in Genesis, Leviticus and Acts referring to not consuming or partaking of blood. For example, blood must be drained from animal meat before consumption.

"We believe when blood is spilled, it needs to be poured out and not used," said Mr. Jones, Pittsburgh Jehovah's Witness overseer.

Some procedures involve using fractions of blood in which white and red blood cells and platelets are removed, leaving plasma, a yellowish liquid. Each person has to decide whether he or she will accept those minor fractions, he said.

"Once you get beyond blood transfusion, we leave it up to one's conscience," Mr. Jones said, stressing Jehovah's Witnesses are not opposed to medical treatment, just to transfusion and abortion.

The religion does, however, allow for the cell-saver system.

Coincidentally, Charles Taze Russell established the modern day religion in the 1870s on Pittsburgh's North Side.

"Pittsburgh has always been on the leading edge [regarding transfusion]. The philosophy in Western Pennsylvania is treating the whole person and honoring their request," Mr. Jones said.

The first hour of the Canonsburg presentation by Dr. Lance Weaver, a general surgeon, will be devoted to alternatives to transfusion while the second hour will focus on helping Jehovah's Witnesses make a decision, Ms. Tatro said.

Anyone interested in attending the program should register by calling 1-877-284-2100.

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