Tuesday, September 1, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 7
Birth control pill remains popular despite other contraceptive choices
Depo-Provera has good, bad points
By Sue Franke
Kansan staff writer
About 90 percent of the women who come to Watkins Memorial Health Center for contraception request "the pill," said Henry Buck, coordinator of gynecology for Watkins.
The combined birth control pill contains the synthetic hormones estrogen and progesterone.
Nicole Feare, Barrington, ill., senior, said that while she was not currently sexually active, if she were, she would use the pill.
"I would use the pill for protection from getting pregnant and for peace of mind," she said.
Buck said the pill was best for persistent, consistent use and that, depending on which pill was used, students could pay as little as $7 for a one-month prescription at Watkins.
Contraceptive Information
However, some women experience side effects from the pill.
Ann Turner, Kansas City freshman, said she was on the pill three years ago and had incredible mood swings, so she stopped taking it.
"If I were prepared to be sexually active, I would go back on the pill and use condoms," said Turner. "I was younger before, but I think I could handle the pill now."
As a second choice, Buck said he was seeing an increase in the
Women interested in learning more about contraceptives available at Watkins Memorial Health Center can call 864-9507 for a gynecology appointment from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
request for Depo-Provera, a progesterone shot taken every three months to suppress ovulation. He said that less than 10 percent of the women who visited Watkins for birth control requested it.
"I'm not saying it should be the No. 2 method," Buck said. "For anyone who wants effective hormonal contraception, I would really talk in favor of the pill."
Buck said side effects such as bleeding between menstrual periods and weight gain could occur with Depo-Provera, but that there were some people who forgot to take pills and some who didn't want to have to deal with taking something every day.
"From an effectiveness point of view, Depo-Provera is on par with combined birth control pills," Buck said.
The Morning After Pill also is available at Watkins but according to a brochure from the American College Health Association, it is emergency contraception and not
"For anyone who wants effective hormonal contraceptive, I would really talk hard in favor of the pill."
Henry Buck Coordinator of gynecology
meant for repeated use.
"If a condom broke during sexual intercourse or nothing was used, and a woman thinks she could be pregnant, it can be used." Buck said. "There's a two-week period of time around ovulation where the Morning After Pill might be considered."
He said he wanted to emphasize that if a woman requested the Morning After Pill more than once, she needed to get on a form of birth control that would be effective for her.
Mental illnesses and growth research give direction to 77-year-old institute
Life Span investigates the autistic and elderly in addition to children
By Julie M. Sachs
Kansan staff writer
Throughout life. growth never ends.
The belief in continuous human growth molds the existence of the Life Span Institute at the University of Kansas.
Proposed in 1921 as the Bureau of Child Research, the institute focused on the study of mentally disabled children.
Now the range of study at the institute, which is located in the Dole Human Development Center, exceeds child research. The research spectrum has evolved to include the elderly.
"Everybody's life is made up of a whole lot of growth curves," said Stephen Schroeder, director of the institute. "That's really what Life Span studies are about."
Richard Schiefelbusch, who helped begin
the institute and is now retired, said that Life Span brought the mentally disabled into community life and out of institutionalization.
"It was and is a program with a lot of heart," Schieflusch said.
Originally involved in running the speech and hearing clinic at the University, Schiefelbusch eventually became the director of the institute in its earliest days.
"I didn't feel I was an experienced scientist or researcher." Schiefelbusch said. "I didn't know how to secure funds, but one learns those things."
During Schiefelbusch's leadership, the institute received several large grants. Research at the institute has been funded mostly through grants. These grants continue to bring money back to the University, Schroeder said.
In 1990, Schroeder officially replaced Schiefelbusch as the director of the institute. Although the leadership changed, the basis for the institute did not.
Both young and old continue to benefit from the various research and intervention programs of the institute.
"In this program we can get kids to communicate who haven't been communicating at a young age."
Stephen Schroeder
Director
Many autistic children have benefited from the intervention programs of the institute.
"In this program we can get kids to communicate who haven't been communicating at a young age," Schroeder said.
These have been proven to reduce extreme behaviors, he said.
"We've seen kids who are really severe head bangers who bang their heads 1,000 times a day." Schroeder said.
Intervention also has been used to help the elderly.
No research can be done on children without permission from parents.
"We've been able to slow down Alzheimer's in some people by getting them engaged in challenging things," Schroeder said.
University professor researches cancer drugs
Disease fighters found in bark marine creatures
By Julie M. Sachs
Kansan staff writer
A substance found in tree bark may cure cancer.
A mixture in the bark was found
At least that's what some University of Kansas researchers think.
Among the medications that Gunda Georg, professor of medicinal chemistry, and her research staff are testing in Malott Hall is a cancer drug called Poilitaxel.
Poclitakia was isolated from the bark of the pacific yew, a tree that grows in the Northwestern United States. Georg said.
to interrupt the growth of cancer cells.
It took more than 30 years from the original discovery of Pocitaxel to finally put it on the market in the '90s. Georg said that this was because the bark only held a small amount of the drug.
"The first excitement about the drug is that it is effective against ovarian cancer." Georg said.
In addition, breast cancer cells responded to the drug. It's also a promising agent against lung cancer.
Georg and her researchers work to improve Poclitaxel.
"We chemically manipulate it to make it a better drug, to make it more specific for just cancer," she said.
Most cancer agents work throughout the whole body instead of focusing only on the cancer. Georg said most of these cancer agents were toxic to the body.
The body suffers because of these
"Thope that we're able to learn more about more effective treatments of cancer and how to improve those or make them more active."
Emily Reed
Emily Reed Fairfield, Iowa , graduate student
"One compound we are working on comes from a marine organism found off the coast of Australia," Georg said.
The group also works with a compound found in a bacterial substance.
drugs, and the cancer eventually builds up immunity to them.
Besides Poclitaxel, Georg and her researchers also are working with two other anti-cancer agents.
"They're active in tests against cells that exhibit resistance." said Emily Reed, Fairfield, Iowa, graduate student. "We are finding out if it can be used as a drug. It looks to be very active, but you know it's pretty variable."
Georg said some of the research could mean great things for the University of Kansas.
"If we got a patent and license the treatment to a company, money would come back to the University," she said.
Optimism runs high among her researchers that the drugs will one day be successful.
"I hope that we're able to learn more about more effective treatments of cancer and how to improve those or make them more active." Reed said.
Georg said doing the research is worthwhile.
"We'll cross our fingers and hope by the end of the year we'll have it," she said.
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