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AU Summit panel focuses on water, sanitation to meet MDG targets in Africa

African countries should focus on preventing diarrhea - the biggest killer of children in Africa - in order to achieve Millennium Development Goal targets, Yunia Musaazi, WaterAid's East Africa policy advisor, told delegates at the 15th African Union Summit, PANA/Afrique en ligne reports.

26 Jul 2010

HTG patients face increased risk for heart disease, stroke: Study

It can make blood look like cream of tomato soup. Patients with high levels of triglycerides in their blood, a disease called hypertriglyceridemia face an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. HTG affects one in 20 people in North America and is also associated with obesity, diabetes and pancreatitis. Most people now understand the importance of LDL, the bad cholesterol and HDL, the good cholesterol, to their overall health.

26 Jul 2010

VA to allow patients to use medical marijuana

The Department of Veterans Affairs will formally allow patients treated at its hospitals and clinics to use medical marijuana in states where it is legal, a policy clarification that veterans have sought for several years. A department directive, expected to take effect next week, resolves the conflict in veterans facilities between federal law, which outlaws marijuana, and the 14 states that allow medicinal use of the drug, effectively deferring to the states. ...Under department rules, veterans can be denied pain medications if they are found to be using illegal drugs.

26 Jul 2010

Education makes people cope with changes in brain associated with dementia: Researchers

A team of researchers from the UK and Finland has discovered why people who stay in education longer have a lower risk of developing dementia - a question that has puzzled scientists for the past decade.

26 Jul 2010

Study explores perceptions, attitudes and awareness of developmental disabilities among general public

Just days before the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a new statewide survey reveals that Georgians have little exposure to persons with disabilities and understanding of the daily challenges they face.

26 Jul 2010

Inhibiting fatty acid synthase can reduce atherosclerosis: Study

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found a way to significantly reduce atherosclerosis in mice that does not involve lowering cholesterol levels or eliminating other obesity-related problems.

26 Jul 2010

Some insurers ending children-only coverage because of health law

UnitedHealth Group and other insurance companies have stopped offering or are considering dropping children-only health coverage in several states "because of the potential added costs of insuring sicker youngsters under the new U.S. health-care law," Bloomberg reports.

26 Jul 2010

Experimental treatment for sickle cell disease enters Phase 3 clinical trials

An experimental treatment for sickle cell disease developed at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute has entered Phase 3 clinical trials, David I. Meyer, PhD, LA BioMed president and CEO announced today.

26 Jul 2010

Ohio sets up high risk pool; Four drug companies come under scrutiny for payments to Pittsburgh doctors, nurses

"Ohioans with pre-existing health conditions, such as cancer or diabetes, can apply for coverage under a new high-risk insurance pool beginning Aug. 1." Qualifications include evidence of a pre-existing condition, proof of Ohio residency and U.S. citizenship, state of being uninsured for six months prior to the date of applying for coverage and being "ineligible for coverage under the Medicare program, the Ohio Medical Assistance Program, the Ohio Children's Health Insurance Program, or an employer-sponsored group health plan, unless subject to a mandatory initial waiting period" (7/22).

26 Jul 2010

FDA approves Aricept 23 mg tablet for Alzheimer's disease

Eisai Inc. and Pfizer Inc announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new once-daily, higher-dose Aricept 23 mg tablet for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aricept 23 mg tablet offers another dosing option for patients with moderate-to-severe AD, for whom few treatments are available

26 Jul 2010

Liberal bloggers, activists push Democrats for more changes, including public option

President Barack Obama made a surprise video appearance at Netroots Nation, a convention of about 2,000 liberal bloggers and activists in Las Vegas, trying to calm their frustrations that the Democratic administration and Congress have not achieved all the changes that progressives were hoping for, Miami Herald/McClatchy News Service report.

26 Jul 2010

Control of cell migration gene can reduce spread of oral cancer cells: Study

The spread of cancer cells in the tongue may be reduced if a gene that regulates cancer cell migration can be controlled, according to new research at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

26 Jul 2010

AIDS 2010: Obama, Clinton vow U.S. support to global fight against HIV/AIDS

During the closing ceremonies of the International AIDS Conference-AIDS 2010, President Barack Obama "on Friday pledged to redouble efforts to fight HIV and AIDS through his Global Health Initiative, despite dealing with economic hard times in the wake of a global recession," Reuters reports. According to the news service, "Obama and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said their focus was on a broad, sustainable and effective approach to the global epidemic" (Kelland, 7/23).

26 Jul 2010

Einstein scientists awarded $4.1M to test microbicide Carraguard against HPV

The National Cancer Institute has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University $4.1 million to test the microbicide Carraguard- against the human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer. The research will evaluate the efficacy of Carraguard- - a clear gel made from the seaweed derivative carrageenan - in preventing new HPV infections in women.

26 Jul 2010

Insurers scrambling to get expenses defined as patient care

The New York Times looks at current efforts by state insurance officials to set regulations requried under the new health overhaul about insurance company spending. "The legislative battle over the health care overhaul ended months ago, but it is hard to tell from the intense effort now under way by insurance companies to retool a critical provision.

26 Jul 2010

Obama signs legislation to cut improper government spending, largely in Medicare and Medicaid

President Barack Obama signed legislation Thursday that aims "to take on fraudulent and improper government spending that he said diverts money from important priorities," the Los Angeles Times reports.

23 Jul 2010

Study shows largest health benefits from light or moderate activity

A new study by researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Cambridge University and the Karolinska Institute in Sweden has found that even light or moderate intensity physical activity, such as walking or cycling, can substantially reduced the risk of early death.

23 Jul 2010

First patient enrolled in Phase 3 SyNAPSe study of BHR-100 for TBI

BHR Pharma, LLC announced today that the first patient has been enrolled in its SyNAPSe study, a global, Phase 3, pivotal trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of its intravenous progesterone infusion product (BHR-100) as a neuroprotective agent for treating severe (Glasgow Coma Scale scores of 4-8) traumatic brain injury patients.

23 Jul 2010

Health law gives consumers new rights to appeal insurer decisions

The Obama administration issued regulations yesterday addressing a top consumer gripe with health insurers: The rejected claim. "Rejection notices are often unclear, as are the procedures for challenging them." The new regulations are "designed to simplify the process and expand consumers' rights, as required by the recently enacted healthcare law." Current appeals rules differ by insurer. The regulations will standardize the process, allowing consumers to first take their complaints to the insurer, and then to an independent review panel (Levey, 7/22).

23 Jul 2010

Insurers, advocates fight over upcoming spending rules

Insurance companies are banding together to weaken a key health law rule that requires them to spend as much as 85 percent of their revenues on medical care, according to the advocacy group Health Care for America Now. At issue is the definition of 'medical loss ratio,' a figure used on Wall Street to show an insurer's profitability.

23 Jul 2010