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One million seniors get more generous prescription drug benefits

As of Jan. 1, more than 1 million low-income seniors "are newly eligible for more generous prescription drug benefits under the 'extra help' program" in Medicare, The Associated Press reports.

9 Jan 2010

VA expected to move soon to cover more effects of Agent Orange

The Department of Veterans Affairs may need to pay heavily to treat veterans who have been adversely affected by Agent Orange. McClatchy/Beaufort (S.C.) Gazette report: "The cost of war -- on veterans' health and taxpayer wallets -- will loom a little larger in the new year when the Department of Veterans Affairs issues a final rule to claim adjudicators to presume three more diseases of Vietnam veterans, including heart disease, were caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

8 Jan 2010

Possible loopholes, insurance costs in Senate health bill

"A critical loophole in the current version of the Senate health-care bill would allow insurers to charge more for those who don't participate in wellness programs, essentially negating the measure's key goal of eliminating higher costs for those with pre-existing conditions, a group of health experts said Thursday," MarketWatch reports.

8 Jan 2010

Hurdles to clear in the Senate's reform endgame, and possible 2010 consequences

President Barack Obama met Thursday with Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn., the chairmen who steered the Senate's version of the health overhaul through the finance and health committees, Roll Call reports. It is one sign of Obama becoming an increasingly active participant as the debate nears its endgame (Drucker and Koffler, 1/7).

8 Jan 2010

Genentech's ACTEMRA approved to treat RA

Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ACTEMRA® (tocilizumab) for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have had an inadequate response to one or more tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist therapies.

8 Jan 2010

Synta Pharmaceuticals announces pricing of public offering of shares

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 5,555,556 shares of its common stock at a price to the public of $4.50 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $25 million.

8 Jan 2010

Health policy research roundup: Long-term care, diabetes disparities, health IT

Annals of Internal Medicine: Cultural Competency Training and Performance Reports to Improve Diabetes Care for Black Patients - In this study, researchers measure the effects cultural competency training and performance training for physicians has on the clinical outcomes for black patients with diabetes.

8 Jan 2010

CDC encourages public to receive H1N1 vaccine; PBS examines arrival of vaccine in developing countries

During a media briefing Thursday, Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC, warned against complacency over the H1N1 (swine flu), and encouraged Americans who had not yet received the H1N1 vaccine to do so, CNN reports.

8 Jan 2010

White House rallies Democratic governors around health reform

Politico: "One day after California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, delivered a stinging attack on federal health care reform, Obama administration officials huddled with his Democratic counterparts to address their complaints about the legislation — and enlist them in the public campaign to support it.

8 Jan 2010

New findings may provide a standardized way to diagnose autism in children

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) process sound and language a fraction of a second slower than children without ASDs, and measuring magnetic signals that mark this delay may become a standardized way to diagnose autism.

8 Jan 2010

About 3 million lose health coverage in California

About 3 million poor Californians lost health benefits or access to health care, and thousands more lost their jobs due to state budget cuts imposed six months ago, according to a report released Thursday.

8 Jan 2010

Specialized software provides 3D images of individual patients' livers

Odysseus has developed systems to construct 3D images of individual patients' livers, with their tumours or other pathologies, from MRI or CT-scans. The reconstructions can be transmitted to external experts in any location, for consultation in real time just before surgery.

8 Jan 2010

John C. Lechleiter to deliver keynote address on human dimensions of medical innovation

John C. Lechleiter, PhD, Chairman, President & CEO, Eli Lilly and Company, will deliver a keynote address, "Lifespans and Livelihoods: The Human Dimensions of Medical Innovation," to TOWN HALL Los Angeles on Thursday, January 14, 2010 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

8 Jan 2010

First Edition: January 8, 2010

Today's headlines reflect the continuing developments as congressional Democrats discuss policy specifics and take steps toward finalizing their health overhaul.

8 Jan 2010

Genital complexities do matter when hooking up with opposite sex, says UC researcher

Charles Darwin spent eight years studying barnacles and their genitalia. In much less time than that, University of Cincinnati evolutionary biologist Michal Polak (and co-author Arash Rashed now at the University of California, Berkeley) have confirmed one of Darwin's theories: that genitalia complexities in some male species have developed because they assist the male in "holding her securely."

8 Jan 2010

Seminar highlights latest treatment options for common medical conditions that affect men

Dr. Y. Mark Hong, with Affiliated Urologists, a specialist in men's health issues, will be leading a free Men's Health Seminar on Thursday, January 21st. The program, to be held at 5:00 pm at the Moon Valley Country Club, will explain the latest treatment options for one of the most common conditions affecting men today: Benign Prostate Hyperplasia (also known as Enlarged Prostate). A question and answer period will follow the program.

8 Jan 2010

Growth and profitability of health insurers continue to be under pressure

As health insurers struggle with pricing resistance from employers and decreases in enrollment in group health employee benefit plans, health insurer growth and profitability continues to be under pressure, according to a new industry forecast by Conning Research & Consulting.

8 Jan 2010

Prolia drug expected to garner blockbuster sales in 2018

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms for pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that, despite the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recent request for postmarketing surveillance of Amgen's Prolia, the drug's expected launch this year in the United States and Europe for the treatment of osteoporosis will drive Prolia to garner blockbuster sales in 2018..

8 Jan 2010

Survey reveals compliance spending remains stronger than anticipated

Anyone doubting the commitment of business to compliance and ethics will be surprised by the findings of a survey which reveals spending on compliance has remained stronger than anticipated. Roughly three out of four companies either kept compliance spending even or actually increased it in 2009, and for 2010 the prognosis is even brighter.

8 Jan 2010

Aneeve Nanotechnologies selected to work in the UCLA on-campus Technology Incubator Program

Aneeve Nanotechnologies LLC has been selected to work in the UCLA on-campus Technology Incubator Program at the California NanoSystems Institute. The startup company will conduct early-stage research for the development of a novel hormone sensor/meter for biomedical applications in the areas of infertility and menopause.

8 Jan 2010