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Russian Ministry of Health approves Medivir's simeprevir for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection

Medivir AB announced today that the Russian Ministry of Health has approved Sovriad (simeprevir) for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C genotype 1 infection, in combination with peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, in adults with compensated liver disease (including cirrhosis) who are treatment naïve or who have failed previous interferon therapy (pegylated or non-pegylated) with or without ribavirin. Russia will be the first country within EMEA to gain access to simeprevir, which represents a significant advance in hepatitis C treatment.

24 Mar 2014

FDA approves Xolair for treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Xolair (omalizumab) for the treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria, a form of chronic hives.

24 Mar 2014

Gov. Kitzhaber sweeps out Cover Oregon leadership, promises reforms

An analysis of the state marketplace by First Data released Thursday found serious problems with management and communications.

24 Mar 2014

State highlights: Ark. court reverses $1.2B Medicaid drug judgment; Fla. officials overhauling child welfare agency

The Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a $1.2 billion judgment against Johnson & Johnson on Thursday, finding that the state attorney general erred by suing under a law that applied to health care facilities, not drug companies. The judgment, one of the largest in history for a state fraud case, was imposed in 2012 after a jury concluded that Johnson & Johnson had improperly marketed and concealed the risks of Risperdal, an antipsychotic drug (Thomas, 3/2).

24 Mar 2014

CUMC researchers devise new system for classifying periodontal disease

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have devised a new system for classifying periodontal disease based on the genetic signature of affected tissue, rather than on clinical signs and symptoms. The new classification system, the first of its kind, may allow for earlier detection and more individualized treatment of severe periodontitis, before loss of teeth and supportive bone occurs.

24 Mar 2014

Researchers estimate that around 1 million children suffer from TB annually

Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston have estimated that around one million children suffer from tuberculosis (TB) annually- twice the number previously thought to have tuberculosis and three times the number that are diagnosed every year.

24 Mar 2014

Bariatric surgery reduces uterine cancer risk by 71%

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center report that bariatric surgery resulting in dramatic weight loss in formerly severely obese women reduces the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer by 71 percent and as much as 81 percent if normal weight is maintained after surgery.

24 Mar 2014

Biogen Idec's ALPROLIX gets Health Canada approval for hemophilia B

Today Biogen Idec announced that Health Canada has approved ALPROLIX [Coagulation Factor IX (Recombinant), Fc Fusion Protein], for the control and prevention of bleeding episodes and routine prophylaxis in adults, and children aged 12 and older, with hemophilia B.

21 Mar 2014

First Edition: March 21, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a new examination of Ezekiel Emanuel's book about the crafting of the health law and President Obama's latest push to boost enrollment.

21 Mar 2014

WTC first responders at higher risk for obstructive sleep apnea, PTSD

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai researchers have linked high levels of exposure to inhaled particulate matter by first responders at Ground Zero to the risk of obstructed sleep apnea and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), both conditions that may impact cardiovascular health.

21 Mar 2014

Treat or eat: Many people forced to choose between food or medicine

Chronically ill adults who reported food insecurity in their household (not having consistent access to food due to lack of financial stability) were significantly more likely to report cost-related medication underuse, according to a new study in The American Journal of Medicine,. The term cost-related medication underuse refers to taking less medication than prescribed, or not taking it at all due to financial concerns.

21 Mar 2014

Viewpoints: Romneycare and cutting workers; Fla.'s surprising ruling on malpractice reform

Health reform in Massachusetts in 2006 did not cause many workers to have their work hours cut, but that is no comfort for those workers nationwide who will begin to experience this side effect of the federal Affordable Care Act (Casey B. Mulligan, 3/19).

21 Mar 2014

Tooth loss associated with depression and anxiety, study finds

Today, at the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, R. Constance Wiener, from West Virginia University, Morgantown, will present a research study titled "Association of Tooth Loss and Depression and Anxiety."

21 Mar 2014

Study: Fatty fold of tissue can help heal diseased kidneys

A fatty fold of tissue within the abdomen that is a rich source of stem cells can help heal diseased kidneys when fused to the organs, according to a study conducted in rats.

21 Mar 2014

New treatment could halt progression of dementia

Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have discovered a way to potentially halt the progression of dementia caused by accumulation of a protein known as tau.

21 Mar 2014

Neuroscientist explores how the brain restores blood flow to damaged tissue following stroke

A neuroscientist at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech says she hopes that a better understanding of how the brain restores blood flow to damaged tissue following a stroke will offer new treatment clues for a leading cause of death in the United States.

21 Mar 2014

Low levels of oxygen, nitric oxide appear to have unfortunate synergy for patients with sickle cell disease

Low levels of both oxygen and the powerful blood vessel dilator nitric oxide appear to have an unfortunate synergy for patients with sickle cell disease, researchers report.

21 Mar 2014

Obesity: fat mass in cells expands with disuse

Over 35 percent of American adults and 17 percent of American children are considered obese, according to the latest survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Associated with diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even certain types of cancer, obesity places a major burden on the health care system and economy. It's usually treated through a combination of diet, nutrition, exercise, and other techniques.

20 Mar 2014

GHIT Fund announces grants to speed up innovative drug development for neglected diseases

The Global Health Innovative Technology Fund, a new public health partnership that is bringing Japanese know-how and investment to the global fight against infectious diseases, today announced three grants worth a total of US$6.8 million to speed the development of innovative drugs for some of the world’s most neglected diseases—schistosomiasis, Chagas disease and parasitic roundworms.

20 Mar 2014

New mobile phone app could monitor diabetes, kidney disease and urinary tract infections

A recently-developed mobile phone application could make monitoring conditions such as diabetes, kidney disease, and urinary tract infections much clearer and easier for both patients and doctors, and could eventually be used to slow or limit the spread of pandemics in the developing world.

20 Mar 2014