Health briefs 4/25

Safe return registration day scheduled Friday

The Alzheimer's Association in Southeast Missouri is offering free registration for the nationwide Safe Return campaign.

Safe Return is an identification, support and registration program for people with Alzheimer's disease or dementia. The event is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday at the association's office, 1301 N. Kingshighway in Cape Girardeau.

Because many Alzheimer's patients lose their ability to recognize familiar faces and places, they often wander or walk away from home.

People who register for the program will receive an identification bracelet or necklace, clothing labels, key chains and wallet cards. The materials all have a 24-hour toll-free crisis number that alerts others the person might need assistance.

For information, call the Alzheimer's Association at 332-8170 or (888) 833-1641.

FDA OKs burn medicine for scar treatment

WASHINGTON -- A product used to repair the skin in burn cases can now be made available to people with severe scars, the Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday.

The FDA said it approved the additional use of the Integra Regeneration Template made by Integra LifeSciences Corp. of Plainsboro, N.J.

Severe scars often are very stiff and can prevent people from moving limbs.

The template is a two-layer membrane containing a synthetic outside layer atop a cross-linked layer of collagen fibers.

When used on scars, the damaged tissue is removed and the Integra template placed over the area. The inside layer allows blood vessels and other cells to re-grow into a new layer of skin.

After two or three weeks the outside layer is removed and a thin graft of the patient's skin is applied to the area.

-- From staff, wire reports