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SLU Hospital announces increase in number of minimally-invasive spinal procedures performed

With the recent launch of the Neurosurgical Spine Program at Saint Louis University Hospital's Center for Cerebrovascular and Skull Base Surgery, the hospital has seen a dramatic increase in the number of minimally-invasive spinal procedures, including lumbar spinal fusion surgery. Designed to stop the motion at a painful vertebral segment, this procedure is traditionally performed via a large incision on the back, stripping vital muscles away from the spine. However, the emergence of minimally-invasive neurosurgical techniques is revolutionizing spinal surgery.

21 May 2010

Onyx Pharmaceuticals announces presentations evaluating carfilzomib for multiple myeloma at 46th ASCO

Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the presentation of several studies evaluating carfilzomib, a selective, next-generation proteasome inhibitor, at the 46th American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, June 4-8, 2010 in Chicago, IL.

21 May 2010

African 'green revolution' should focus on small farmers, U.N. report says

Investments in agricultural technology should be directed to Africa's smallholder farmers in an effort to increase food security after decades of low funding, the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a report on Wednesday, Reuters reports (Lynn, 5/19).

21 May 2010

Long-term data demonstrates clinical benefits of Exelixis XL184 for medullary thyroid cancer

Exelixis, Inc. today reported long-term results in a cohort of 37 medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) patients who participated in the phase 1 study of XL184. Dr. Razelle Kurzrock from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX will present the data in a Clinical Science Symposium (Abstract #5502) on Monday, June 7 at 10:15 AM at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago.

21 May 2010

Media examines recent Oxfam report on impact of aid to developing countries

In a recent report, Oxfam "outlines how aid has contributed to economic growth in poor countries by getting 33 million more children into school, boosting access to HIV drugs tenfold, funding tens of millions of anti-malaria bed nets, and building up health services," Reuters AlertNet reports (Rowling, 5/20).

21 May 2010

Studies identify new chemical compounds that could lead to development of new malaria drugs

Researchers have identified thousands of chemical compounds that could be used to develop new malaria drugs, two studies published in the journal Nature on Wednesday show, the Wall Street Journal reports.

21 May 2010

Not all small businesses will get tax benefits promised in health law

Tax credits to help small business pay for employee health coverage fall short of the "broad eligibility" White House officials promoted, The Associated Press reports. The credit was said to apply to firms "with fewer than 25 workers and average annual wages under $50,000 that provide health coverage," like Zach Hoffman's office supply company where 24 employees earn an average of $35,000.

21 May 2010

Lawmakers agree to extend COBRA benefits, delay Medicare cuts and give states more money for Medicaid

Democratic committee leaders unveiled a tax extensions package today that would continue to allow laid-off employees "to get subsidies to buy health insurance through the COBRA program" and would also "spare doctors from a scheduled 21 percent cut in Medicare payments," The Associated Press reports. It would also give states money to cover Medicaid costs (Ohlemacher, 5/20).

21 May 2010

Narrow-band imaging could be novel tool for in vivo assessment of mucosal angiogenesis

Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in neoplastic and non-neoplastic chronic inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Several reports have shown that blockade of angiogenesis in preclinical models of IBD is a promising new therapeutic approach. Visualize angiogenesis in vivo may represent the first step for such a therapeutic approach. Narrow-band imaging (NBI) is a new endoscopic technology that highlights mucosal surface structures and microcapillaries.

21 May 2010

Medco: Big jump in kids' prescription drug use last year

Children's prescription drug use rose "several times faster" than adult use last year, "due in part to swine flu drugs and Type 2 diabetes medications, according to Medco Health Solutions Inc," The Associated Press reports. The "pharmacy benefits manager said a 5 percent increase in prescription drug use for children contributed to a 10.8 percent spending increase last year. In contrast, overall prescription drug use rose 1.3 percent, and drug spending climbed 3.7 percent. Medco released its annual drug trend report Wednesday" (Murphy, 5/19).

21 May 2010

Ariz. tax hike only a band-aid, and other state tales of budget woes

The Wall Street Journal: States are being squeezed by "shrinking state budgets and rising health-care costs" and often vulnerable residents are paying the price. Barbara Hickey, 67 of Florence, S.C., is one of them. She is confined to a motorized wheelchair, lives alone and "relies on certified nurse's assistants to get her in and out of bed, bathed, clothed and fed."

21 May 2010

McMaster University announces affiliation agreement with Centre for Drug Research and Development

McMaster University and the Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) today announced that McMaster University has signed an affiliation agreement with CDRD that will facilitate seamless collaboration by and between McMaster's academic investigators and the industry experienced drug development professionals at CDRD.

21 May 2010

Role of voice in mate selection and attraction

Flirtation may seem largely visual - the preening, the coy eye contact - but voice plays a role, too.

21 May 2010

Today's Opinions and Editorials: Legal challenges to health reform; Medicare pay fix; California's budgetary 'Sophie's Choice'

We believe the reform law has been carefully framed to stay within constitutional bounds (5/19).

21 May 2010

Analysis looks at how Democrats won health reform battle

In an analysis in The New Republic, Jonathan Cohn examines how Democrats ultimately won the health reform battle. "Of course, we know how this narrative concludes, with Obama sitting in the East Room, inscribing his signature onto the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 — completing a quest that eluded Harry Truman and a trio of his successors.

21 May 2010

Medicare to evaluate how beneficiaries used personal health records

The Department of Health and Human Services is preparing to evaluate a 17-month-old pilot program that has tested whether beneficiaries use personal health records (PHR) in Utah and Arizona, Modern Healthcare reports.

21 May 2010

States examine new law's impact on residents' health, budget bottom lines

States around the nation are examining the health reform law for its impact on their residents' health and their budgets' bottom lines.

21 May 2010

Medicare 'doc fix' remains sticking point on tax legislation

CongressDaily: The Medicare reimbursement rate for doctors remains a point of contention on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers cautioned Wednesday that a five-year "fix," currently being bandied about in the House, is unlikely to survive Senate scrutiny, and Republicans, including Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, are demanding that any adjustment in doctor payments must be paid for.

21 May 2010

WHA addresses counterfeit medicines

Discussions about combatting counterfeit medicines continued at the 63rd World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva on Wednesday, Agence France-Press reports

21 May 2010

Niacin fortification foods can cause obesity

Dietary factors have long been known to play a major role in the development of obesity. The global increasing prevalence of obesity suggests that there should be some common changes in diet worldwide.

21 May 2010

Research News and Research

SLU Hospital announces increase in number of minimally-invasive spinal procedures performed

Onyx Pharmaceuticals announces presentations evaluating carfilzomib for multiple myeloma at 46th ASCO

African 'green revolution' should focus on small farmers, U.N. report says

Long-term data demonstrates clinical benefits of Exelixis XL184 for medullary thyroid cancer

Media examines recent Oxfam report on impact of aid to developing countries

Studies identify new chemical compounds that could lead to development of new malaria drugs

Not all small businesses will get tax benefits promised in health law

Lawmakers agree to extend COBRA benefits, delay Medicare cuts and give states more money for Medicaid

Narrow-band imaging could be novel tool for in vivo assessment of mucosal angiogenesis

Medco: Big jump in kids' prescription drug use last year

Ariz. tax hike only a band-aid, and other state tales of budget woes

McMaster University announces affiliation agreement with Centre for Drug Research and Development

Role of voice in mate selection and attraction

Today's Opinions and Editorials: Legal challenges to health reform; Medicare pay fix; California's budgetary 'Sophie's Choice'

Analysis looks at how Democrats won health reform battle

Medicare to evaluate how beneficiaries used personal health records

States examine new law's impact on residents' health, budget bottom lines

Medicare 'doc fix' remains sticking point on tax legislation

WHA addresses counterfeit medicines

Niacin fortification foods can cause obesity

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