In the press recently there has been an announcement of the development of a new "medical device" or pills that is taken with food to reduce the effects of acetaldehyde.

The following is an extract from their press releases. From our perdpective however we know many people take antacids whilst travelling and this may on occassions mask moree severe problems. With the increased use of these and hence the reduced amount of screted acid due to these treatments or more physiological reasosn this is quite and exciting development. It is not availabel outside Finland yet but we shall notify you when it is.

" Acetaldehyde is an established risk factor for oesophageal and gastric cancer In recent years, Biohit Oyj, in collaboration with its scientific advisers, has developed an array of innovative methods, which significantly help to reduce the exposure of the gastrointestinal tract (the mouth, pharynx, oesophagus and low-acid or acid-free stomach) to cancer-causing (carcinogenic) acetaldehyde.

An acid-free stomach is the primary risk factor for gastric cancer, and according to recent research, it also increases the risk for oesophageal cancer. In October 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (WHO/IARC) classified acetaldehyde generated or ingested along with alcoholic beverages as a Group I human carcinogen.

The microbes in the gastrointestinal tract generate acetaldehyde from alcohol and sugar locally in the mouth and in an acid-free stomach. Additionally, many nutrients and alcoholic beverages themselves contain mutagenic concentrations of acetaldehyde. Several target groups benefit from the Acetium innovation The Acetium capsule is taken with a meal. The grainy L-cysteine in the capsule spreads slowly and evenly in the stomach. Thus, the L-cysteine effectively binds on to the acetaldehyde molecule and renders it inactive. The primary target group for Acetium is persons suffering from gastric mucosal injury and a functional disorder (atrophic gastritis) and the resulting acid-free stomach caused by Helicobacter pylori infection or an autoimmune disease. In Finland, the number of estimated sufferers reaches nearly 100,000.

Atrophic gastritis is more common in Eastern Europe and Asia than in western countries. Globally, the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection extends to over 50 per cent of the population. The second target group for Acetium comprises persons who use medications reducing gastric acid secretion (Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) drugs or H2-blockers). These drugs are used to reduce the acidity of the stomach and the related complications e.g. people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease. In Finland, PPI users alone account for approximately 460,000 people. In industrialised countries, the target group is thought to include 5-10 per cent of the adult population. Read more.....