http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Albinism-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Fri, 25 May 2012 04:04:40 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/Is-Albinism-Treatment-On-The-Anvil-91238-1.htm Individuals with oculocutaneous albinism, type 1 (OCA1) have white hair, very pale skin, and light-colored irises because they have none, or very little, of the pigment melanin in their skin, hair, and eyes. Affected individuals have impaired eyesight and a substantially increased risk of skin cancer. Current treatment options are limited to attempts to correct eyesight and counseling to promote the use of sun protective measures. A team of researchers, led by Brian Brooks, at the National Eye Institute, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Is-Albinism-Treatment-On-The-Anvil-91238-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Witch-Doctors-Butcher-Tanzanias-Albinos-for-Lucky-Potions-47152-1.htm Treading with fear as he walks down a street in northern Tanzania, Alfred Kapole knows that his legs, arms, skin, tongue and hair are worth thousands of dollars to local witch doctors. As an albino, he used to have to hide from the sun but now he is also being hunted as an ingredient for "lucky potions" to make people rich, a macabre trade for which more than 40 albinos have been slaughtered over the past year. "Once we were walking down the street, with the albino society's secretary and ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Witch-Doctors-Butcher-Tanzanias-Albinos-for-Lucky-Potions-47152-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Albinos-in-Burundi-Take-Refuge-from-Sorcerers-and-Organ-Traders-42889-1.htm Albinos in Burundi are being targeted by killer gangs as well as organ traders and are fleeing these people in large numbers. Albino Richard Ciza was alerted by neighbours last week that a posse was looking for him. He ran and hid for two days in the forest of eastern Burundi. As an albino rhe 19-year-old knows exactly the kind of death he would have suffered if the marauding horde had caught up with him. "Some neighbours came to warn me that a group of killers was after me and so I ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Albinos-in-Burundi-Take-Refuge-from-Sorcerers-and-Organ-Traders-42889-1.htm