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Kaiser Permanente caregivers pledge to vote for SEIU-UHW

The majority of Kaiser Permanente caregivers voting in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election that starts this week have pledged to vote for Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers-West (SEIU-UHW), according to member-organizers across California who have collected pledge cards from their co-workers.

14 Sep 2010

Study shows Americans with muscular dystrophy live longer than African-Americans

A new study shows that white men and boys are living longer with muscular dystrophy due to technological advances in recent years, but that the lives of African-American men and boys with muscular dystrophy have not been extended at the same rate. The research will be published in the September 14, 2010, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

14 Sep 2010

Orion extends use of Medidata Rave enterprise-wide EDC and clinical data management system

Medidata Solutions, a leading global provider of SaaS-based clinical development solutions, today announced that European pharmaceutical company Orion has extended its use of Medidata Rave® as its enterprise-wide electronic data capture (EDC) and clinical data management (CDM) system, which Orion successfully brought in-house and deployed for all clinical trials for the past three and a half years.

13 Sep 2010

InterMune's development program for pirfenidone, IPF to be presented at Annual Congress of ERS

InterMune, Inc. today announced that four oral presentations related to the company's development program for pirfenidone and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis will be presented at the Annual Congress of the European Respiratory Society, to be held September 18-22 in Barcelona, Spain.

13 Sep 2010

Myconostica presents data of MycAssay for Pneumocystis detection

Myconostica Ltd, the UK-based medical diagnostic company developing and commercialising rapid and highly specific tests for life-threatening fungal infections, today presented positive data from a multi-centre prospective evaluation of MycAssay Pneumocystis, the Company's CE marked diagnostic product for detection of Pneumocystis DNA in respiratory samples.

13 Sep 2010

Genotoxic effects of exposure to disinfection by-products in indoor swimming pools

Swimming in indoor chlorinated pools may induce genotoxicity (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) as well as respiratory effects, but the positive health effects of swimming can be maintained by reducing pool levels of the chemicals behind these potential health risks, according to a new study published in a set of three articles online September 12 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).

13 Sep 2010

Improving palliative care may reduce healthcare costs, improve outcomes

There may be no simple one-size-fits-all approach to improving end-of-life care in ICU settings, according to a recent study from some of the world's leading researchers in palliative care.

13 Sep 2010

C-section rates on the rise

According to a California Watch analysis, profit making hospitals across the state are performing Cesarean sections at higher rates than non-profit hospitals. The analysis compiled a database of state birthing records and showed that women were at least 17 percent more likely to have a Cesarean section at a for-profit hospital than at a non-profit or public hospital from 2005 to 2007.

12 Sep 2010

Varian to highlight new TrueBeam medical linear accelerator at ESTRO 2010

Varian Medical Systems is spotlighting its new TrueBeam™ medical linear accelerator for fast, powerful and efficient cancer treatments at the European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology exhibition in Barcelona next week. A fully-featured TrueBeam system will be the centerpiece of Varian's booth at the annual ESTRO meeting (Booth No. 320).

10 Sep 2010

Translational Research issue focuses field of stem cell research, therapy

The use of stem cells for research and their possible application in the treatment of disease are hotly debated topics. In a special issue of Translational Research published this month an international group of medical experts presents an in-depth and balanced view of the rapidly evolving field of stem cell research and considers the potential of harnessing stem cells for therapy of human diseases including cardiovascular diseases, renal failure, neurologic disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, pulmonary diseases, neoplastic diseases, and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

10 Sep 2010

SDI's VaccineTrack data reports on season's flu vaccination

More than 690,000 Americans have already received this season's flu vaccine from their doctor, according to SDI's VaccineTrack data through Sept. 4. VaccineTrack provides syndicated weekly vaccine usage by physicians based on medical office electronic healthcare reimbursement claims data.

9 Sep 2010

Illegal drug usage in older people reduces quality of life: Research

Health and social services are facing a new challenge, as many illicit drug users get older and face chronic health problems and a reduced quality of life. That is one of the key findings of research published in the September issue of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

9 Sep 2010

Consumption of medications for treatment of insomnia or anxiety increases mortality risk

Taking medications to treat insomnia and anxiety increases mortality risk by 36%, according to a study conducted by Genevi-ve Belleville, a professor at Universit- Laval's School of Psychology. The details of this study are published in the latest edition of the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry.

9 Sep 2010

Tetraphase announces 13 data presentations on TP-434 broad spectrum antibiotic at ICAAC 2010

Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that 12 poster presentations and an oral summary presentation on preclinical and clinical data for its lead drug candidate, TP-434, will be presented at the 2010 Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) in Boston, MA, being held September 12 -15 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

9 Sep 2010

ResMed completes two-for-one stock split of common stock

ResMed Inc. announced today that its two-for-one stock split of the company's outstanding shares of common stock, payable in the form of a 100% stock dividend was completed on August 30, 2010.

From ResMed Corp 9 Sep 2010

Update on Enobia Pharma's effort to develop ENB-0040 for treating HPP patients

Enobia Pharma today provided an update on key developments in its comprehensive effort to develop ENB-0040 (asfotase alfa), an experimental bone-targeted enzyme replacement therapy, for the treatment of hypophosphatasia. Hypophosphatasia is a rare, inherited, and sometimes fatal metabolic bone disease that affects individuals of all ages.

8 Sep 2010

PPD establishes preferred provider relationships for conducting Phase I trials

PPD, Inc. today announced it has established preferred provider relationships with a network of sites across North America for conducting Phase I trials in patients to meet growing client demand for these services.

8 Sep 2010

Reports on smoking rates among Americans reveal dramatic progress in fight against tobacco

Two new reports released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that while the United States has made dramatic progress in the fight against tobacco, too many Americans still smoke and too many non-smokers including more than half of all young children are still exposed to secondhand smoke.

8 Sep 2010

Global warming may eliminate plague

While many climate experts and environmentalists explore the negative effects of global warming, a new study reveals a positive outcome of the warming of the planet: the potential elimination of the plague. Global warming affects temperatures and precipitation regimes that play a pivotal role in the lives of rodents and fleas; rodents and fleas are responsible for maintenance and spread of plague to human populations. Plague can be fatal if the symptoms are not recognized and treated within 24 hours.

8 Sep 2010

NIH to launch study on Gulf oil spill health effects

The National Institutes of Health will launch a multi-year study this fall to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf region. The Gulf Worker Study, announced by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., in June, is in response to the largest oil spill in U.S. history, caused by the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Dr. Collins pledged $10 million in NIH funding for the study's initial phases.

8 Sep 2010