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Viewpoints: Obama 'wise' to add mental health focus to gun initiative; Calif. considers giving localities responsibility for expanded Medicaid

President Obama's sweeping proposals to combat gun violence represent a sound response to the mass shootings that have horrified the country. In his legislative proposals and executive actions announced Wednesday, the president and Vice President Biden showed a willingness to confront a difficult problem head-on -- a problem that is not only about laws but also about culture and mental-health care.

17 Jan 2013

SyNAPSe® Trial by BHR Pharma deemed to have no safety issues according to DSMB

BHR Pharma, LLC announced today that the SyNAPSe® Trial's independent Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) evaluated safety data from 803 randomized patients and determined that no issues exist; therefore, the trial may continue towards its intended completion.

17 Jan 2013

Caesarean section increases risk of persistent pelvic girdle pain compared with vaginal delivery

Caesarean section increases the risk of persistent pelvic girdle pain after delivery compared with vaginal delivery, according to a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

17 Jan 2013

Polypill could reduce CVD and stroke in Latin Americans by up to 21% at lower cost

A single combination pill could reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke in Latin Americans by up to 21 percent at a cost of about $35 per quality adjusted life year gained, according to a study led by a University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health research team.

17 Jan 2013

WHO presents '2012 In Review' photo essay

"Key public health milestones were reached in 2012, including the end of polio transmission in India and meeting the Millennium Development Goal target on drinking water ahead of schedule," the WHO reports in a summary of a "2012 In Review" photo essay.

17 Jan 2013

H1N1 flu vaccination during pregnancy does not increase risk of fetal loss

Norwegian pregnant women who received a vaccine against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus showed no increased risk of pregnancy loss, while pregnant women who experienced influenza during pregnancy had an increased risk of miscarriages and still births, a study has found. The study suggests that influenza infection may increase the risk of fetal loss.

17 Jan 2013

State roundup: Maine hospitals fighting for timely Medicaid payments

New York police plan to distribute "bait bottles" of fake pain-killers equipped with invisible GPS devices in a drive to combat the scourge of pharmacy robberies by addicts and sellers looking for oxycodone tablets, which can fetch more than $80 per pill on the street.

17 Jan 2013

FDA categorizes Cepheid's Xpert CT/NG test as 'Moderate Complexity' under CLIA

Cepheid today announced the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has categorized Cepheid's Xpert CT/NG test as 'Moderate Complexity' under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA).

17 Jan 2013

Lancet commentary cautiously optimistic about public health system in Haiti

In this Lancet commentary, John Vertefeuille, Scott Dowell, Jean Domercant and Jordan Tappero of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examine the state of the public health system in Haiti three years after a 7.0 earthquake struck the country, writing, "Haiti is starting to show that its health services have expanded far beyond those in place before the earthquake occurred."

17 Jan 2013

WHO reports unprecedented progress against 17 neglected tropical diseases

WHO reports unprecedented progress against 17 neglected tropical diseases, thanks to a new global strategy, a regular supply of quality assured, cost-effective medicines and support from global partners.

17 Jan 2013

Protein Sciences receives FDA approval for Flublok vaccine

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced that it has approved Flublok, the first trivalent influenza vaccine made using an insect virus (baculovirus) expression system and recombinant DNA technology. Flublok is approved for the prevention of seasonal influenza in people 18 through 49 years of age.

16 Jan 2013

Racial and ethnic minorities less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer in the U.S.

A new study conducted in the Center for Health Policy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Public Health has determined that racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer in the United States.

16 Jan 2013

Berries help women beat heart attack risk

Regular consumption of anthocyanin-rich strawberries and blueberries may help prevent heart attacks in young women, suggest study findings.

16 Jan 2013

Clinician demographics key to primary care career choice

The demographics of physician assistants who choose a career in primary care are similar to those of medical students who also choose primary care, US study findings show.

16 Jan 2013

Study demonstrates ways in which quality measurement from EHRs can be improved

Health care providers and hospitals are being offered up to $27 billion in federal financial incentives to use electronic health records (EHRs) in ways that demonstrably improve the quality of care. The incentives are based, in part, on the ability to electronically report clinical quality measures.

16 Jan 2013

Flu: ERs seeing more patients, N.Y. declares state of emergency

Emergency rooms around America are dealing with an influx of those with the flu while the virus forces New York officials to declare a state of emergency.

16 Jan 2013

Speech entrainment benefits stroke victims with Broca's aphasia

Stroke victims affected with loss of speech caused by Broca's aphasia have been shown to speak fluidly through the use of a process called "speech entrainment" developed by researchers at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health.

16 Jan 2013

It's still too early to evaluate whether flu season is worse than normal

New York officials declare a public health emergency as federal officials say the epidemic may have peaked.

16 Jan 2013

Health, science and genetics reporters invited to register now for ACMG annual genetics meeting

Health, science and genetics reporters are invited to register now for the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting, March 19-23, 2013 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

16 Jan 2013

Twitter use can help achieve a healthy weight

A study by researchers at the University of South Carolina's Arnold School of Public Health has found that using Twitter, the popular information network joining people throughout the world, is a valuable support system for helping people lose weight.

16 Jan 2013