Enrol Now
Gain a headstart on your UMAT Competition
|
Medical News
Misconceptions Continue To Contribute To Discrimination Against HIV-Positive People In China, UNAIDS Official Says
People living with HIV/AIDS in China continue to experience discrimination based on public misconceptions of the disease, Bernhard Schwartlander, UNAIDS China country coordinator, said on Tuesday, Xinhuanet reports.
Panel Of Experts Warns FDA Of Frequent Use Of Antipsychotics In Children
Certain antipsychotic medicines are being prescribed too frequently to children, and FDA should take action to discourage the drugs' growing use, a panel of federal drug experts told agency officials Tuesday, the New York Times reports.
Sen. Kennedy Taps Senators To Lead Various Working Groups Aimed At Improving U.S. Health Care
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Tuesday named committee members to lead three working groups that will target specific aspects of the health care system in writing overhaul legislation, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.
GenVec Announces Interim Survival Data In Pivotal Trial Of TNFerade? In Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq:GNVC) announced today top-line results of an interim analysis from its ongoing Phase III Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Trial with TNFerade? (PACT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
Children Of Centenarians Live Longer, Have Lower Risk Of Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes
A recent study appearing in the November issue of Journal of American Geriatrics Society revealed that centenarian offspring (children of parents who lived to be at least 97 years old) retain important cardiovascular advantages from their parents compared to a similarly-aged cohort.
Randomized Phase 2 Study Of IMC-A12 For HER2-Expressing Advanced Breast Cancer Commences Patient Enrollment
ImClone Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: IMCL), a global leader in the development and commercialization of novel antibodies to treat cancer, today announced that its disease-directed randomized Phase 2 clinical trial of IMC-A12 in patients with previously treated HER2-expressing locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer has commenced patient enrollment.
Bovie Medical Corporation Announces FDA 510(K) Clearance To Market SEER Tissue Resection Device
Bovie Medical Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE Alternext US: BVX), a manufacturer and marketer of electrosurgical products, today announced the Company received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its SEER tissue resection device intended for initial use in liver oncology surgery.
Gore Receives Approval To Market GORE EXCLUDER(R) AAA Endoprosthesis And GORE TAG(R) Thoracic Endoprosthesis In Canada
W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced at the 35th annual VEITHsymposium? in New York that it has received regulatory clearance from Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate to market the GORE EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis and GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis in Canada.
Red Cross Awards Inaugural Humanitarian Prizes
Recognizing the achievements of individuals who have tangibly improved life and living conditions in one of the world's most challenging regions, the American Red Cross, in partnership with The Atlantic, announces the first annual American Red Cross Humanitarian Prize. Younis Al Khatib, President, Palestine Red Crescent Society, and Dr.
Successfull Completion Of Phase I Development Of In Vivo Glucose Sensing RFID Microchip
VeriChip Corporation ("VeriChip") (NASDAQ:CHIP), a provider of RFID systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, and its development partner RECEPTORS LLC, a technology company whose AFFINITY by DESIGN? chemistry platform can be applied to the development of selective binding products, ann
Innovative Drugs-of-Abuse Testing System Announced By Philips And Concateno
Concateno plc, Europe's largest provider of drug and alcohol testing programmes, and Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) have today announced an innovative handheld drugs-of-abuse detection device.
Walgreens Offers Assistance In Sorting Through Changes To Medicare Part D Plans
The six-week open enrollment period for Medicare Part D is under way and seniors are facing the annual task of evaluating prescription plans to nail down their choices for the coming year. Medicare enrollees have until Dec. 31 to review their current plan for any changes in cost or coverage and make certain it still meets their needs.
Gannett Desert Sun Examines Antiretroviral Isentress
Gannett/Desert Sun on Monday examined Merck's antiretroviral drug Isentress, which was approved by FDA last year. According to Gannett/Desert Sun, since FDA approved the drug, some HIV-positive people and "medical experts say it appears to work, improving the condition of some HIV patients and sparking hope that drugmakers may develop similar medications.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds New Hampshire Law Prohibiting Sales Of Physicians' Prescribing Histories
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston on Tuesday upheld a New Hampshire law prohibiting the sale of information about physicians' prescribing practices for use in prescription drug marketing, the AP/Lexington Herald-Leader reports (Love, AP/Lexington Herald-Leader, 11/18).
Breast Cancer Drug Raises Blood Clot Risk, Should Have 'Black Box' Warning, JAMA Study Says
Genentech's cancer drug Avastin -- which FDA approved in February for treatment of advanced breast cancer -- increases a patient's risk of developing blood clots in veins, a condition known as venous thromboembolism, or VTE, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, HealthDay News/U.S. News and World Report reports. According to HealthDay News/U.
General Opital Council News - 20th November, 2008
Members bid farewell to Council chairman Council met on 20 November 2008 at the Durrants Hotel, London. The meeting was Rosie Varley's last as chairman, having served in the role for ten years.
Depuy Mitek Launches Healix? Br With Biocryl(R) Rapide?, Leading U.S. Biocomposite Material For Shoulder, Knee Implants
DePuy Mitek, Inc., a leading orthopedics sports medicine company, today announced the launch of the HEALIX? BR Dual Threaded Anchor System, the first suture anchor for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair made with the company's proprietary BIOCRYL® RAPIDE? biocomposite material, shown in pre-clinical trials to resorb and promote bone formation within the implant profile2.
General Optical Council Registration Fees Go Up For First Time In Four Years - UK
The GOC today announced that the annual retention fee for 2009/10 is rising from £169 to £219. This is the first time in four years that the cost of GOC registration has gone up. The new fee amount was agreed by Council at its November meeting, and applies to the next retention period, which runs from 1 April 2009 - 31 March 2010.
AARP: Value Of Family Caregiving Hits $375 Billion, More That Medicaid Spending, USA
The economic value of family caregiving in the U.S. reached $375 billion in 2007, according to a new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute. The report, which updates a groundbreaking study by AARP last year, finds that the value of family caregiving was $375 billion, 7 percent higher than the estimated value of $350 billion in 2006.
'Hospital Of The Future' Report Urges Major Changes
A report released today from The Joint Commission offers guiding principles and actions for the hospital of the future to meet the daunting challenges of older and sicker patients, patient safety and quality of care, economics and the work force. As these challenges escalate, hospitals can lead the effort to meet these demands.
Childhood Obesity In The USA Would Be Reversed If Fast Food TV Advertising Were Banned, Says Study
A ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, according to a new study being published this month in the Journal of Law and Economics. The study also reports that eliminating the tax deductibility associated with television advertising would result in a reduction of childhood obesity, though in smaller numbers.
Mending NHS Commissioning, UK
It is government policy to put clinicians and clinical judgement back at the heart of NHS decision making. That is the concept behind Practice Based Commissioning (PBC). The idea is to devolve power to GPs to commission the services their patients need. Yet the system seems unable to support PBC, as the thorough study published today by the King's Fund demonstrates.
Relapsed Ovarian Cancer - Submitted New Drug Application To FDA For Trabectedin
PharmaMar announced today that Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for trabectedin when administered in combination with DOXIL® (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) for the treatment of women with relapsed ovarian cancer (ROC).
Study Finds HIV-Positive People Taking Some Antiretrovirals Are At Increased Risk Of Diabetes, Heart Disease
HIV-positive people receiving treatment for the virus might be at an increased risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes because some antiretroviral drugs can cause fat on the arms, legs, face and buttocks to move to the stomach, researchers at Australia's Garvan Institute said Monday, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Examines Challenges Facing Independent Pharmacies
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday examined some of the challenges facing independent pharmacies nationwide, such as growing competition from large chain and mail-order pharmacies, decreased reimbursement rates, and increased state and federal regulations.
Family History Raises Breast Cancer Risk Despite Absence Of BRCA Mutations, Study Finds
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer have a four times greater risk for the disease than women in the general population, even if they do not carry a mutation of the BRCA gene, according to a study presented Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual International Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting in Washington, D.C., HealthDay/U.S.
Lower Alcohol Limit Needed To Reduce Deaths On Our Roads, Says British Medical Association
Commenting on the launch of the Road Safety Compliance consultation published today (Thursday, 20th November 2008), BMA Head of Science and Ethics, Dr Vivienne Nathanson said: "There are a number of sensible ideas in this consultation which if adopted will help improve the nation's road safety.
Higher Risk Of Certain Cancers Being Recorded In HIV-Positive People
Physicians in the U.S. are reporting a higher risk for certain types of cancers -- such as liver, head, neck and lung -- in people living with HIV/AIDS, raising concerns that a cancer epidemic is imminent in the population, the Baltimore Sun reports.
AARP Hires Outside Investigator To Examine Sales Of Limited-Coverage Plans
AARP has hired an outside investigator to look into sales of its limited-benefit health insurance plans after a Senate inquiry found evidence of deceptive marketing, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 11/19). AARP last week said it would suspend marketing and sales of the plans after Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said the plans are misleading and do not work in typical situations.
Abortion No Longer A 'Wedge Issue' In Western States, Opinion Piece Says
The defeat of abortion-related ballot initiatives in California, Colorado and South Dakota "leads to the inexorable conclusion: Abortion is finished as a wedge issue, at least in the suddenly swing-state West," Laura Chapin -- a Democratic strategist and consultant for the No on 48 Campaign, which led opposition to the Colorado measure -- writes in a U.S. News and World Report opinion piece.
Quintiles, SAS Announce Development Of First-Ever Clinical Trials Statistical Programming Certification
Quintiles, the world's No. 1 pharmaceutical services company, and SAS are developing a unique program to produce certified specialists in the use of SAS programming to evaluate clinical trials results, the companies announced today.
TaconicArtemis Announces Publication In PNAS: Inducible Gene Silencing In Transgenic Rats Via RNAi
TaconicArtemis GmbH, a subsidiary of Taconic today announced the publication of a scientific breakthrough achieved in a collaboration with the Universities Goettingen and Wuerzburg (Germany). For the first time it is now possible to inactivate disease-related genes in an inducible and reversible fashion in transgenic rats as rodent model organisms.
Gentium Provides An Update On The Phase 3 Treatment Trial Of Defibrotide For Severe Veno-Occlusive Disease
Gentium S.p.A. (NASDAQ: GENT) announced today interim results from an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) review of the Company's Phase 3 treatment trial of Defibrotide for Severe Veno-Occlusive Disease (VOD). The DSMB reported that in order for the study to be 80% powered to detect a p-value of .
Ovarian Cancer Cells Destroyed By New Platinum-Phosphate Compounds
A new class of compounds called phosphaplatins can effectively kill ovarian, testicular, head and neck cancer cells with potentially less toxicity than conventional drugs, according to a new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Invitrogen Launches In Vivo RNAi Delivery Reagent - Products To Simplify And Enable Research On All Sequencing Platforms
Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN), a provider of essential life science technologies for research, production and diagnostics, today announced the introduction of its Invivofectamine? delivery reagent which enables short interference ribonucleic acid (siRNA) experiments in vivo.
Evidence Of Gulf War Syndrome Isolated By Deep Brain Mapping
Researchers at Southern Methodist University in Dallas are pioneering the use of spatial statistical modeling to analyze brain scan data from Persian Gulf War veterans, aiming to pinpoint specific areas of the their brains affected by Gulf War Syndrome.
Media Violence Cited As 'Critical Risk Factor' For Aggression
Paul Boxer's large-scale study shows conclusive link between media violence and real violence in adolescents. You are what you watch, when it comes to violence in the media and its influence on violent behavior in young people, and a new paper, lead-authored by Rutgers University, Newark, researcher Paul Boxer, provides new evidence that violent media does indeed impact adolescent behavior.
Study Looks At How Medicare Beneficiaries' Familiarity With The Program Affects Their Access To Care
"Does Poorer Familiarity With Medicare Translate Into Worse Access to Health Care?" Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: Robert Morgan, a professor of management, policy and community health at the University of Texas School of Public Health, and colleagues surveyed 2,997 white, black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries.
Study Examines Effect Of Medicaid Payment Delays On Physician Participation
"Do Reimbursement Delays Discourage Medicaid Participation By Physicians?" Health Affairs: The study, released by the Center for Studying Health System Change, examines how variation in average reimbursement times across states affects physicians' willingness to accept Medicaid beneficiaries.
GE To Partner With Medical Institutions, Spend $200M Over Five Years To Develop Electronic Systems For Medical Information, Patient Records
General Electric and GE Healthcare officials on Tuesday at a conference in New York City announced plans to partner with several U.S. medical institutions on an effort to develop a national electronic health record system, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.
GOP Lawmakers Say China Should Not Receive UNFPA Funds, Cite Recent Coercive Abortion Case
The Chinese government reportedly has abandoned plans to force a woman who is six months pregnant to have an abortion under the nation's one-child policy, CNSNews.com reports. Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) -- both members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China -- said the case demonstrates that the U.S.
Biotechnology Industry Organization Congratulates Former Senator Tom Daschle On His Nomination To Serve As HHS Secretary
The following statement was issued today by Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim Greenwood following President-elect Barack Obama's nomination of former Senator Tom Daschle for Secretary of the U.S.
News From The American Chemical Society, Nov. 19, 2008
Microcapsules act as "roach motel" to kill harmful bacteria Researchers in New Mexico and Florida are reporting development of microscopic particles that act as chemical booby traps for bacteria. The traps attract and kill up to 95 percent of nearby bacteria, including microbes responsible for worrisome hospital-based infections.
FDA Advisory Committee Provides Opinion On Oritavancin For The Treatment Of Complicated Skin And Skin Structure Infections
Targanta Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: TARG) today announced that oritavancin, the Company's investigational antibiotic therapy for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by gram-positive pathogens, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRS
Pfizer Drops Application To Switch Viagra 50mg To Non-Prescription Status In Europe
Pfizer announced today that it has withdrawn its application to switch the legal status of the 50 mg tablet strength of Viagra from 'prescription only' to 'non-prescription' in the European Union (EU).
Improving Your Fitness And Environmental Impact With Support And Encouragement From Your Cell Phone
Planning on gobbling a few extra treats this holiday season? Soon, your cell phone may be able to help you maintain your exercise routine and keep the pounds off over winter months, without your having to lift a finger to keep track.
BioTime CEO Dr. Michael West Discusses State Of Stem Cell Industry Under Obama Administration At Wisconsin Academy Of Sciences, Arts, And Letters
BioTime, Inc. (OTCBB:BTIM) Chief Executive Officer Michael West, Ph.D. delivered the keynote presentation on Wednesday, November 19, at a meeting in Madison, Wisconsin commemorating the 10th anniversary of the publication describing the first derivation and culturing of human embryonic stem cells. Dr.
Stem Cell Pilot Study Tackles Devastating Genetic Paraplegia
BRISBANE'S National Centre for Adult Stem Cell Research will commence a pilot study into a devastating genetic disease in which active young people progressively develop paraplegia. The little-known disease, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, has about 1000 diagnosed sufferers in Australia, but the mutations responsible may lurk in the genes of an unknown percentage of the population.
Brown Physicists Explain How Bacteria Swim
Imagine yourself swimming in a pool: It's the movement of your arms and legs, not the viscosity of the water, that mostly dictates the speed and direction that you swim. For tiny organisms, the situation is different. Microbes' speed and direction are subjected more to the physical vagaries of the fluid around them.
Adult Stem Cells - Biology And Clinical Applications Conference, Griffith University, Australia
The National Centre for Adult Stem Cell Research looks forward to welcoming delegates to the first Adult Stem Cell - Biology and Clinical Applications Conference from the 26-28 November 2008 at the Ian Hanger Recital Hall, Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University.
Flexible Electronics For Medical Sensors
They've made electronics that can bend. They've made electronics that can stretch. And now, they've reached the ultimate goal -- electronics that can be subjected to any complex deformation, including twisting.
Fears Over Asthma Misdiagnosis Lead To British Lung Foundation Calls For Mass Retesting
The British Lung Foundation is calling for everyone over 35 with Asthma or the progressive illness Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to be retested following evidence of confusion over diagnosis and treatment of the two respiratory diseases. A survey of 776 GPs from all over the UK carried out for the charity by Doctors.net.
Benefits Of Early HIV Testing And Treatment For Infected Infants
Testing very young babies for HIV and giving antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately to those found infected with the virus dramatically prevents illness and death, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Adults Need Vaccines Too
Many adults are unaware of the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases, the need for booster doses to maintain maximum protection, and the availability of newer vaccines.
Pocket-Sized Echocardiograph Provides Quick And Qualitative Assessment
The European Journal of Echocardiography* recently published a paper studying the performance of Siemens' ACUSON P10? ultrasound system at the Morriston Cardiac Centre in Swansea. Results revealed that the P10 was, within a four minute examination, able to assess the size and function of the left ventricle in more than three quarters of cardiac patients.
Biomedical Research Profits From The Exploration Of The Deep Sea
A study published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE highlights how the exploration of the ocean depths can benefit humankind. This is the story of a voyage of discovery, starting with marine animals that glow, the identification of the molecules responsible and their application as marker in living cells.
Implementing A Ban On Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse Childhood Obesity Trends
A ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, according to a new study being published this month in the Journal of Law and Economics. The study also reports that eliminating the tax deductibility associated with television advertising would result in a reduction of childhood obesity, though in smaller numbers.
The Government's Obesity Strategy, More Of The Same Rhetoric - British Medical Journal
Nigel Hawkes chronicles a decade of the UK Government's attempts to tackle obesity, including its latest bid to turn the tide on obesity "which is so smothered in jargon" that it is hard to understand. He says: "The danger of wrapping an issue such as obesity up in the language of sociology and systems analysis is that it all begins to seem impossibly complicated.
Maryland Conference Addresses Issue Of Providing Culturally Competent Health Care Services
Participants at Adventist HealthCare's Center on Health Disparities fall conference in Maryland discussed the issue of culture-based health care services on Tuesday, the Montgomery County Gazette reports. "Even with the help of good translators, cultural differences can stymie the delivery of care," the Gazette reports.
Medicare Must Be Addressed Before U.S. Can Overhaul Health Care System, Opinion Piece States
"Fiscally speaking, the U.S.
Misconceptions Continue To Contribute To Discrimination Against HIV-Positive People In China, UNAIDS Official Says
People living with HIV/AIDS in China continue to experience discrimination based on public misconceptions of the disease, Bernhard Schwartlander, UNAIDS China country coordinator, said on Tuesday, Xinhuanet reports.
Panel Of Experts Warns FDA Of Frequent Use Of Antipsychotics In Children
Certain antipsychotic medicines are being prescribed too frequently to children, and FDA should take action to discourage the drugs' growing use, a panel of federal drug experts told agency officials Tuesday, the New York Times reports.
Sen. Kennedy Taps Senators To Lead Various Working Groups Aimed At Improving U.S. Health Care
Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) on Tuesday named committee members to lead three working groups that will target specific aspects of the health care system in writing overhaul legislation, including Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.
GenVec Announces Interim Survival Data In Pivotal Trial Of TNFerade? In Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer
GenVec, Inc. (Nasdaq:GNVC) announced today top-line results of an interim analysis from its ongoing Phase III Pancreatic Cancer Clinical Trial with TNFerade? (PACT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.
Children Of Centenarians Live Longer, Have Lower Risk Of Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes
A recent study appearing in the November issue of Journal of American Geriatrics Society revealed that centenarian offspring (children of parents who lived to be at least 97 years old) retain important cardiovascular advantages from their parents compared to a similarly-aged cohort.
Randomized Phase 2 Study Of IMC-A12 For HER2-Expressing Advanced Breast Cancer Commences Patient Enrollment
ImClone Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ: IMCL), a global leader in the development and commercialization of novel antibodies to treat cancer, today announced that its disease-directed randomized Phase 2 clinical trial of IMC-A12 in patients with previously treated HER2-expressing locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer has commenced patient enrollment.
Bovie Medical Corporation Announces FDA 510(K) Clearance To Market SEER Tissue Resection Device
Bovie Medical Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE Alternext US: BVX), a manufacturer and marketer of electrosurgical products, today announced the Company received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its SEER tissue resection device intended for initial use in liver oncology surgery.
Gore Receives Approval To Market GORE EXCLUDER(R) AAA Endoprosthesis And GORE TAG(R) Thoracic Endoprosthesis In Canada
W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced at the 35th annual VEITHsymposium? in New York that it has received regulatory clearance from Health Canada's Therapeutic Products Directorate to market the GORE EXCLUDER AAA Endoprosthesis and GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis in Canada.
Red Cross Awards Inaugural Humanitarian Prizes
Recognizing the achievements of individuals who have tangibly improved life and living conditions in one of the world's most challenging regions, the American Red Cross, in partnership with The Atlantic, announces the first annual American Red Cross Humanitarian Prize. Younis Al Khatib, President, Palestine Red Crescent Society, and Dr.
Successfull Completion Of Phase I Development Of In Vivo Glucose Sensing RFID Microchip
VeriChip Corporation ("VeriChip") (NASDAQ:CHIP), a provider of RFID systems for healthcare and patient-related needs, and its development partner RECEPTORS LLC, a technology company whose AFFINITY by DESIGN? chemistry platform can be applied to the development of selective binding products, ann
Innovative Drugs-of-Abuse Testing System Announced By Philips And Concateno
Concateno plc, Europe's largest provider of drug and alcohol testing programmes, and Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE:PHG, AEX:PHI) have today announced an innovative handheld drugs-of-abuse detection device.
Walgreens Offers Assistance In Sorting Through Changes To Medicare Part D Plans
The six-week open enrollment period for Medicare Part D is under way and seniors are facing the annual task of evaluating prescription plans to nail down their choices for the coming year. Medicare enrollees have until Dec. 31 to review their current plan for any changes in cost or coverage and make certain it still meets their needs.
Gannett Desert Sun Examines Antiretroviral Isentress
Gannett/Desert Sun on Monday examined Merck's antiretroviral drug Isentress, which was approved by FDA last year. According to Gannett/Desert Sun, since FDA approved the drug, some HIV-positive people and "medical experts say it appears to work, improving the condition of some HIV patients and sparking hope that drugmakers may develop similar medications.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds New Hampshire Law Prohibiting Sales Of Physicians' Prescribing Histories
The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston on Tuesday upheld a New Hampshire law prohibiting the sale of information about physicians' prescribing practices for use in prescription drug marketing, the AP/Lexington Herald-Leader reports (Love, AP/Lexington Herald-Leader, 11/18).
Breast Cancer Drug Raises Blood Clot Risk, Should Have 'Black Box' Warning, JAMA Study Says
Genentech's cancer drug Avastin -- which FDA approved in February for treatment of advanced breast cancer -- increases a patient's risk of developing blood clots in veins, a condition known as venous thromboembolism, or VTE, according to a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, HealthDay News/U.S. News and World Report reports. According to HealthDay News/U.
General Opital Council News - 20th November, 2008
Members bid farewell to Council chairman Council met on 20 November 2008 at the Durrants Hotel, London. The meeting was Rosie Varley's last as chairman, having served in the role for ten years.
Depuy Mitek Launches Healix? Br With Biocryl(R) Rapide?, Leading U.S. Biocomposite Material For Shoulder, Knee Implants
DePuy Mitek, Inc., a leading orthopedics sports medicine company, today announced the launch of the HEALIX? BR Dual Threaded Anchor System, the first suture anchor for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair made with the company's proprietary BIOCRYL® RAPIDE? biocomposite material, shown in pre-clinical trials to resorb and promote bone formation within the implant profile2.
General Optical Council Registration Fees Go Up For First Time In Four Years - UK
The GOC today announced that the annual retention fee for 2009/10 is rising from £169 to £219. This is the first time in four years that the cost of GOC registration has gone up. The new fee amount was agreed by Council at its November meeting, and applies to the next retention period, which runs from 1 April 2009 - 31 March 2010.
AARP: Value Of Family Caregiving Hits $375 Billion, More That Medicaid Spending, USA
The economic value of family caregiving in the U.S. reached $375 billion in 2007, according to a new report by AARP's Public Policy Institute. The report, which updates a groundbreaking study by AARP last year, finds that the value of family caregiving was $375 billion, 7 percent higher than the estimated value of $350 billion in 2006.
'Hospital Of The Future' Report Urges Major Changes
A report released today from The Joint Commission offers guiding principles and actions for the hospital of the future to meet the daunting challenges of older and sicker patients, patient safety and quality of care, economics and the work force. As these challenges escalate, hospitals can lead the effort to meet these demands.
Childhood Obesity In The USA Would Be Reversed If Fast Food TV Advertising Were Banned, Says Study
A ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, according to a new study being published this month in the Journal of Law and Economics. The study also reports that eliminating the tax deductibility associated with television advertising would result in a reduction of childhood obesity, though in smaller numbers.
Mending NHS Commissioning, UK
It is government policy to put clinicians and clinical judgement back at the heart of NHS decision making. That is the concept behind Practice Based Commissioning (PBC). The idea is to devolve power to GPs to commission the services their patients need. Yet the system seems unable to support PBC, as the thorough study published today by the King's Fund demonstrates.
Relapsed Ovarian Cancer - Submitted New Drug Application To FDA For Trabectedin
PharmaMar announced today that Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. has submitted a new drug application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for trabectedin when administered in combination with DOXIL® (pegylated liposomal doxorubicin) for the treatment of women with relapsed ovarian cancer (ROC).
Study Finds HIV-Positive People Taking Some Antiretrovirals Are At Increased Risk Of Diabetes, Heart Disease
HIV-positive people receiving treatment for the virus might be at an increased risk of developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes because some antiretroviral drugs can cause fat on the arms, legs, face and buttocks to move to the stomach, researchers at Australia's Garvan Institute said Monday, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Examines Challenges Facing Independent Pharmacies
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Monday examined some of the challenges facing independent pharmacies nationwide, such as growing competition from large chain and mail-order pharmacies, decreased reimbursement rates, and increased state and federal regulations.
Family History Raises Breast Cancer Risk Despite Absence Of BRCA Mutations, Study Finds
Women with a strong family history of breast cancer have a four times greater risk for the disease than women in the general population, even if they do not carry a mutation of the BRCA gene, according to a study presented Monday at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual International Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research meeting in Washington, D.C., HealthDay/U.S.
Lower Alcohol Limit Needed To Reduce Deaths On Our Roads, Says British Medical Association
Commenting on the launch of the Road Safety Compliance consultation published today (Thursday, 20th November 2008), BMA Head of Science and Ethics, Dr Vivienne Nathanson said: "There are a number of sensible ideas in this consultation which if adopted will help improve the nation's road safety.
Higher Risk Of Certain Cancers Being Recorded In HIV-Positive People
Physicians in the U.S. are reporting a higher risk for certain types of cancers -- such as liver, head, neck and lung -- in people living with HIV/AIDS, raising concerns that a cancer epidemic is imminent in the population, the Baltimore Sun reports.
AARP Hires Outside Investigator To Examine Sales Of Limited-Coverage Plans
AARP has hired an outside investigator to look into sales of its limited-benefit health insurance plans after a Senate inquiry found evidence of deceptive marketing, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 11/19). AARP last week said it would suspend marketing and sales of the plans after Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said the plans are misleading and do not work in typical situations.
Abortion No Longer A 'Wedge Issue' In Western States, Opinion Piece Says
The defeat of abortion-related ballot initiatives in California, Colorado and South Dakota "leads to the inexorable conclusion: Abortion is finished as a wedge issue, at least in the suddenly swing-state West," Laura Chapin -- a Democratic strategist and consultant for the No on 48 Campaign, which led opposition to the Colorado measure -- writes in a U.S. News and World Report opinion piece.
Quintiles, SAS Announce Development Of First-Ever Clinical Trials Statistical Programming Certification
Quintiles, the world's No. 1 pharmaceutical services company, and SAS are developing a unique program to produce certified specialists in the use of SAS programming to evaluate clinical trials results, the companies announced today.
TaconicArtemis Announces Publication In PNAS: Inducible Gene Silencing In Transgenic Rats Via RNAi
TaconicArtemis GmbH, a subsidiary of Taconic today announced the publication of a scientific breakthrough achieved in a collaboration with the Universities Goettingen and Wuerzburg (Germany). For the first time it is now possible to inactivate disease-related genes in an inducible and reversible fashion in transgenic rats as rodent model organisms.
Gentium Provides An Update On The Phase 3 Treatment Trial Of Defibrotide For Severe Veno-Occlusive Disease
Gentium S.p.A. (NASDAQ: GENT) announced today interim results from an independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) review of the Company's Phase 3 treatment trial of Defibrotide for Severe Veno-Occlusive Disease (VOD). The DSMB reported that in order for the study to be 80% powered to detect a p-value of .
Ovarian Cancer Cells Destroyed By New Platinum-Phosphate Compounds
A new class of compounds called phosphaplatins can effectively kill ovarian, testicular, head and neck cancer cells with potentially less toxicity than conventional drugs, according to a new study published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Invitrogen Launches In Vivo RNAi Delivery Reagent - Products To Simplify And Enable Research On All Sequencing Platforms
Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN), a provider of essential life science technologies for research, production and diagnostics, today announced the introduction of its Invivofectamine? delivery reagent which enables short interference ribonucleic acid (siRNA) experiments in vivo.
Evidence Of Gulf War Syndrome Isolated By Deep Brain Mapping
Researchers at Southern Methodist University in Dallas are pioneering the use of spatial statistical modeling to analyze brain scan data from Persian Gulf War veterans, aiming to pinpoint specific areas of the their brains affected by Gulf War Syndrome.
Media Violence Cited As 'Critical Risk Factor' For Aggression
Paul Boxer's large-scale study shows conclusive link between media violence and real violence in adolescents. You are what you watch, when it comes to violence in the media and its influence on violent behavior in young people, and a new paper, lead-authored by Rutgers University, Newark, researcher Paul Boxer, provides new evidence that violent media does indeed impact adolescent behavior.
Study Looks At How Medicare Beneficiaries' Familiarity With The Program Affects Their Access To Care
"Does Poorer Familiarity With Medicare Translate Into Worse Access to Health Care?" Journal of the American Geriatrics Society: Robert Morgan, a professor of management, policy and community health at the University of Texas School of Public Health, and colleagues surveyed 2,997 white, black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries.
Study Examines Effect Of Medicaid Payment Delays On Physician Participation
"Do Reimbursement Delays Discourage Medicaid Participation By Physicians?" Health Affairs: The study, released by the Center for Studying Health System Change, examines how variation in average reimbursement times across states affects physicians' willingness to accept Medicaid beneficiaries.
GE To Partner With Medical Institutions, Spend $200M Over Five Years To Develop Electronic Systems For Medical Information, Patient Records
General Electric and GE Healthcare officials on Tuesday at a conference in New York City announced plans to partner with several U.S. medical institutions on an effort to develop a national electronic health record system, the AP/Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports.
GOP Lawmakers Say China Should Not Receive UNFPA Funds, Cite Recent Coercive Abortion Case
The Chinese government reportedly has abandoned plans to force a woman who is six months pregnant to have an abortion under the nation's one-child policy, CNSNews.com reports. Reps. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) -- both members of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China -- said the case demonstrates that the U.S.
Biotechnology Industry Organization Congratulates Former Senator Tom Daschle On His Nomination To Serve As HHS Secretary
The following statement was issued today by Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim Greenwood following President-elect Barack Obama's nomination of former Senator Tom Daschle for Secretary of the U.S.
News From The American Chemical Society, Nov. 19, 2008
Microcapsules act as "roach motel" to kill harmful bacteria Researchers in New Mexico and Florida are reporting development of microscopic particles that act as chemical booby traps for bacteria. The traps attract and kill up to 95 percent of nearby bacteria, including microbes responsible for worrisome hospital-based infections.
FDA Advisory Committee Provides Opinion On Oritavancin For The Treatment Of Complicated Skin And Skin Structure Infections
Targanta Therapeutics Corporation (Nasdaq: TARG) today announced that oritavancin, the Company's investigational antibiotic therapy for the treatment of complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI) caused by gram-positive pathogens, including methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRS
Pfizer Drops Application To Switch Viagra 50mg To Non-Prescription Status In Europe
Pfizer announced today that it has withdrawn its application to switch the legal status of the 50 mg tablet strength of Viagra from 'prescription only' to 'non-prescription' in the European Union (EU).
Improving Your Fitness And Environmental Impact With Support And Encouragement From Your Cell Phone
Planning on gobbling a few extra treats this holiday season? Soon, your cell phone may be able to help you maintain your exercise routine and keep the pounds off over winter months, without your having to lift a finger to keep track.
BioTime CEO Dr. Michael West Discusses State Of Stem Cell Industry Under Obama Administration At Wisconsin Academy Of Sciences, Arts, And Letters
BioTime, Inc. (OTCBB:BTIM) Chief Executive Officer Michael West, Ph.D. delivered the keynote presentation on Wednesday, November 19, at a meeting in Madison, Wisconsin commemorating the 10th anniversary of the publication describing the first derivation and culturing of human embryonic stem cells. Dr.
Stem Cell Pilot Study Tackles Devastating Genetic Paraplegia
BRISBANE'S National Centre for Adult Stem Cell Research will commence a pilot study into a devastating genetic disease in which active young people progressively develop paraplegia. The little-known disease, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, has about 1000 diagnosed sufferers in Australia, but the mutations responsible may lurk in the genes of an unknown percentage of the population.
Brown Physicists Explain How Bacteria Swim
Imagine yourself swimming in a pool: It's the movement of your arms and legs, not the viscosity of the water, that mostly dictates the speed and direction that you swim. For tiny organisms, the situation is different. Microbes' speed and direction are subjected more to the physical vagaries of the fluid around them.
Adult Stem Cells - Biology And Clinical Applications Conference, Griffith University, Australia
The National Centre for Adult Stem Cell Research looks forward to welcoming delegates to the first Adult Stem Cell - Biology and Clinical Applications Conference from the 26-28 November 2008 at the Ian Hanger Recital Hall, Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University.
Flexible Electronics For Medical Sensors
They've made electronics that can bend. They've made electronics that can stretch. And now, they've reached the ultimate goal -- electronics that can be subjected to any complex deformation, including twisting.
Fears Over Asthma Misdiagnosis Lead To British Lung Foundation Calls For Mass Retesting
The British Lung Foundation is calling for everyone over 35 with Asthma or the progressive illness Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to be retested following evidence of confusion over diagnosis and treatment of the two respiratory diseases. A survey of 776 GPs from all over the UK carried out for the charity by Doctors.net.
Benefits Of Early HIV Testing And Treatment For Infected Infants
Testing very young babies for HIV and giving antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately to those found infected with the virus dramatically prevents illness and death, according to a report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Adults Need Vaccines Too
Many adults are unaware of the potential risks of vaccine-preventable diseases, the need for booster doses to maintain maximum protection, and the availability of newer vaccines.
Pocket-Sized Echocardiograph Provides Quick And Qualitative Assessment
The European Journal of Echocardiography* recently published a paper studying the performance of Siemens' ACUSON P10? ultrasound system at the Morriston Cardiac Centre in Swansea. Results revealed that the P10 was, within a four minute examination, able to assess the size and function of the left ventricle in more than three quarters of cardiac patients.
Biomedical Research Profits From The Exploration Of The Deep Sea
A study published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE highlights how the exploration of the ocean depths can benefit humankind. This is the story of a voyage of discovery, starting with marine animals that glow, the identification of the molecules responsible and their application as marker in living cells.
Implementing A Ban On Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse Childhood Obesity Trends
A ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18 percent, according to a new study being published this month in the Journal of Law and Economics. The study also reports that eliminating the tax deductibility associated with television advertising would result in a reduction of childhood obesity, though in smaller numbers.
The Government's Obesity Strategy, More Of The Same Rhetoric - British Medical Journal
Nigel Hawkes chronicles a decade of the UK Government's attempts to tackle obesity, including its latest bid to turn the tide on obesity "which is so smothered in jargon" that it is hard to understand. He says: "The danger of wrapping an issue such as obesity up in the language of sociology and systems analysis is that it all begins to seem impossibly complicated.
Maryland Conference Addresses Issue Of Providing Culturally Competent Health Care Services
Participants at Adventist HealthCare's Center on Health Disparities fall conference in Maryland discussed the issue of culture-based health care services on Tuesday, the Montgomery County Gazette reports. "Even with the help of good translators, cultural differences can stymie the delivery of care," the Gazette reports.
Medicare Must Be Addressed Before U.S. Can Overhaul Health Care System, Opinion Piece States
"Fiscally speaking, the U.S.
|
|
