Veterans Affairs News and Research

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The American Legion applauds the Senate for the passage of Caregiver bill

The national commander of The American Legion applauds the Senate for their overwhelming support of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009 with a resounding 98-0 vote yesterday. “This legislation will improve the lives of so many veterans and their families,” said National Commander Clarence E. Hill. “Especially those with serious health care challenges.”

20 Nov 2009

New studies suggest elevated risk of gastrointestinal cancers in diabetic patients

There are minimal data assessing the relationship between diabetes with gallbladder, biliary and pancreatic cancer. Recent small studies have suggested an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer only in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM).

20 Nov 2009

GERD is an immune-mediated injury and not the result of acid burn, says new study

Contrary to current thinking, a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) might not develop as a direct result of acidic digestive juices burning the esophagus, UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have found in an animal study.

20 Nov 2009

CWRU School of Medicine receives grant to fund a Public Health Practice Based Research Network

Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) School of Medicine (SOM) has received a Robert Wood Johnson grant to fund a Public Health Practice Based Research Network called The Ohio Research Association for Public Health Improvement (RAPHI).

19 Nov 2009

Senate approves budget for veterans programs

"The Senate on Tuesday adopted the latest in a continuing series of major budget increases to provide medical care for veterans. The move came as the Senate passed, by a rare 100-0 vote, a $134 billion spending bill for veterans programs and military construction projects" the Associated Press reports.

18 Nov 2009

Drug therapy offers substantial cost savings than angioplasty

Many patients with diabetes should forego angioplasties for heart disease and just take medicine instead, according to a new National Institutes of Health study led by Stanford University School of Medicine researcher Mark Hlatky, MD.

18 Nov 2009

Health Net’s MA product portfolio offers budget-friendly health plan choices to beneficiaries for 2010

With the kick-off of the Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP) this week, Health Net, Inc. reminds those eligible for Medicare that Health Net’s Medicare Advantage (MA) product portfolio offers a comprehensive range of budget-friendly health plan choices to beneficiaries for 2010.

17 Nov 2009

Veterans' health: Measuring the scope of mental health challenges

NPR profiles retired General Eric Shinseki, the head of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and his efforts to measure the scope of veterans' mental health issues. In his first nine months in this position, he "has spent hours just listening to veterans talk. Shinseki tells NPR's Steve Inskeep that he feels a strong obligation to 'give back' to the men and women he once served with." NPR reports on the task Shinseki faces: "Since 2001, more than 1 million new veterans have come into a system that is being stretched thin." One of Shinseki's missions to improve the care and resources available to these vets is to work with the Department of Defense to "create a computer-driven system that will track service personnel through their careers — including when they become veterans.

13 Nov 2009

First Edition: November 13, 2009

On this Friday the 13th, the headlines offer an array of health policy views -- from the possibility of including a Medicare payroll tax in health reform legislation to continuing analysis of the overhaul's winners and losers as well as the CDC's new estimate of the far-reach of the swine flu.

13 Nov 2009

arGentis Pharmaceuticals to commence human clinical evaluation of ARG301 oral altered peptide ligand

arGentis Pharmaceuticals, LLC today announced that it will collaborate with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Memphis (VAMC) to initiate the first human clinical evaluation of an oral altered peptide ligand (APL), ARG301, in a Phase I study of Rheumatoid Arthritis patients.

12 Nov 2009

Mental Health America and Prescription Audio team up to provide free sound therapy

Mental Health America today announced it is partnering with Prescription Audio, a Philadelphia-area based firm (Voorhees, N.J.), to make the company's scientifically based sound therapy available without charge as a download to veterans, active duty servicemen and women, their family members and health care providers.

12 Nov 2009

Catheter-directed therapy: First-line treatment option for massive pulmonary embolism

Catheter-directed therapy or catheter-directed thrombolysis-an interventional radiology treatment that uses targeted image-guided drug delivery with specially designed catheters to dissolve dangerous blood clots in the lungs-saves lives and should be considered a first-line treatment option for massive pulmonary embolism, note researchers in the November Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology.

12 Nov 2009

LCA launches webpage with information on lung cancer meant for veterans

Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) salutes all veterans today on Veterans Day and announces the launch of a new webpage with information specifically for veterans on lung cancer -- the leading cause of cancer death among veterans.

12 Nov 2009

Tentative agreement reached with Oklahoma lawmaker stalling veterans' health bill

Congressional Quarterly: "Senate Democratic leaders reached a tentative agreement with Tom Coburn, R-Okla., on Tuesday night that averted the necessity of filing cloture on a veterans' health care omnibus measure and could lead to passage of the bill early next week. ... On Monday, Coburn said he objected to the bill because its five-year, $3.7 billion cost was not offset" (Oliveri, 11/10).

12 Nov 2009

Post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans on the rise, reveals survey

Recent survey results reveal that the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased 4 to 7 times following the invasion of Iraq.

11 Nov 2009

Premier healthcare alliance expert's efforts to enhance patient safety receives recognition from DoD

The United States Department of Defense (DoD) has recognized a Premier healthcare alliance expert for his efforts to enhance patient safety while reducing healthcare costs.

11 Nov 2009

Veteran peer support is key to combat social isolation and post-traumatic stress disorder

Last month in Washington, Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki made a staggering announcement: more veterans have committed suicide since 2001 than have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

11 Nov 2009

Two VA employees lose their lives in Ft. Hood shooting

In the midst of providing mental health services and other support to the Ft. Hood community following the recent shooting, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) learned about its own losses from the violence. Two VA employees, both serving on active duty with their Army Reserve units, were among the slain. A third VA health care worker on reserve duty was seriously wounded.

11 Nov 2009

$9M ARRA funds to reduce healthcare-associated infections in ambulatory surgical centers

To reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in stand-alone or same-day surgical centers, the HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the availability of up to $9 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to state survey agencies in 43 states. HAIs are infections some patients acquire when they are in a health care setting such as a hospital or outpatient clinic.

11 Nov 2009

Wounded Warrior Project calls for the Congress to pass the Family Caregiver Legislation

As Veterans Day approaches, Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), a nonprofit organization whose mission is to honor and empower wounded warriors, is urging Congress to pass crucial legislation that will assist the family caregivers of the most severely injured veterans.

11 Nov 2009

Veterans Affairs News and Research

The American Legion applauds the Senate for the passage of Caregiver bill

New studies suggest elevated risk of gastrointestinal cancers in diabetic patients

GERD is an immune-mediated injury and not the result of acid burn, says new study

CWRU School of Medicine receives grant to fund a Public Health Practice Based Research Network

Senate approves budget for veterans programs

Drug therapy offers substantial cost savings than angioplasty

Health Net’s MA product portfolio offers budget-friendly health plan choices to beneficiaries for 2010

Veterans' health: Measuring the scope of mental health challenges

First Edition: November 13, 2009

arGentis Pharmaceuticals to commence human clinical evaluation of ARG301 oral altered peptide ligand

Mental Health America and Prescription Audio team up to provide free sound therapy

Catheter-directed therapy: First-line treatment option for massive pulmonary embolism

LCA launches webpage with information on lung cancer meant for veterans

Tentative agreement reached with Oklahoma lawmaker stalling veterans' health bill

Post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans on the rise, reveals survey

Premier healthcare alliance expert's efforts to enhance patient safety receives recognition from DoD

Veteran peer support is key to combat social isolation and post-traumatic stress disorder

Two VA employees lose their lives in Ft. Hood shooting

$9M ARRA funds to reduce healthcare-associated infections in ambulatory surgical centers

Wounded Warrior Project calls for the Congress to pass the Family Caregiver Legislation

Revolutionizing Life Science: An Interview with SCIEX on ASMS, the SCIEX 7500+ System, and AI-Driven Quantitation

From Discovery Biology to ELRIG Chair

Breathing New Life into Diagnostics: Plasmion's SICRIT Technology

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