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FDA approves first drug with digital ingestion tracking system

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first drug in the U.S. with a digital ingestion tracking system. Abilify MyCite (aripiprazole tablets with sensor) has an ingestible sensor embedded in the pill that records that the medication was taken.

14 Nov 2017

Scientists improve resolution of optical microscope using mirrored coverslip and computer algorithms

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and the University of Chicago improved the speed, resolution, and light efficiency of an optical microscope by switching from a conventional glass coverslip to a reflective, mirrored coverslip and applying new computer algorithms to process the resulting data.

13 Nov 2017

Brokers are reluctant players in a most challenging ACA open-enrollment season

Lee Nathans, like insurance brokers in many states, expects to be crazy busy for the next several weeks, fielding calls from "people who are not going to be happy."

13 Nov 2017

Healthcare organizations urge Congress to take immediate action on drug shortages

ASHP, together with five other healthcare organizations, today sent a letter to Reps. Morgan Griffith and Diana DeGette - the Vice Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations - asking Congress to take immediate action to address the public health crisis caused by persistent shortages of critical medications.

10 Nov 2017

Corneal donor tissue can be safely stored for longer period, study finds

Results from a large, national clinical trial show that corneal donor tissue can be safely stored for 11 days without negatively impacting the success of transplantation surgery to restore vision in people with diseases of the cornea.

10 Nov 2017

Pressure builds to cut Medicare patients in on prescription deals

Medicare enrollees, who have watched their out-of-pocket spending on prescription drugs climb in recent years, might be in for a break.

10 Nov 2017

LoaScope could be valuable approach in the fight against river blindness

River blindness, or onchocerciasis, is a disease caused by a parasitic worm found primarily in Africa. The worm (Onchocerca volvulus) is transmitted to humans as immature larvae through bites of infected black flies.

9 Nov 2017

FDA grants approval to first treatment for rare blood cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today expanded the approval of Zelboraf (vemurafenib) to include the treatment of certain adult patients with Erdheim-Chester Disease (ECD), a rare cancer of the blood.

7 Nov 2017

FDA grants clearance to new blood cell count test that allows faster availability of results

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today cleared a complete blood cell count (CBC) test that, based on its categorization, can be run in more health care settings, including physicians' offices, clinics or other types of health care facilities, by a wider range of personnel (e.g. support staff). This broadened test access will allow for faster availability of results.

6 Nov 2017

Molecular method reveals brain circuitry essential for alertness

Using a molecular method likely to become widely adopted by the field, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health have discovered brain circuitry essential for alertness, or vigilance - and for brain states more generally.

3 Nov 2017

Big premium hike? Blame it on the kids

Dede Kennedy-Simington, an insurance agent in Pasadena, Calif., was "totally dismayed" when she learned recently that the premium on her family's Blue Shield PPO would rise $391 a month next year — driven largely by huge increases for her two teenage children.

3 Nov 2017

FDA issues warning letters to companies illegally selling products that claim to cure cancer

As part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's ongoing efforts to protect consumers from health fraud, the agency today issued warning letters to four companies illegally selling products online that claim to prevent, diagnose, treat, or cure cancer without evidence to support these outcomes.

2 Nov 2017

Healthcare professionals most likely to work while sick, study finds

A new study suggests that healthcare professionals (HCPs) should heed to their own advice: stay home when sick.

1 Nov 2017

FDA grants accelerated approval to new treatment for mantle cell lymphoma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted accelerated approval to Calquence (acalabrutinib) for the treatment of adults with mantle cell lymphoma who have received at least one prior therapy.

1 Nov 2017

UTHealth awarded federal grant to provide HIV treatment, education for individuals with substance abuse

A $2.5 million federal grant will allow a multidisciplinary team at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston to provide prevention and treatment information about HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases to underserved individuals with substance abuse or mental disorders.

31 Oct 2017

Neuronal cross-talk in the sleeping brain may play role in memory formation

Using an innovative "NeuroGrid" technology, scientists showed that sleep boosts communication between two brain regions whose connection is critical for the formation of memories.

30 Oct 2017

Brief intervention delivered by peers can help reduce smoking among youth

Participating in a brief intervention delivered by their peers in community settings can help reduce smoking among youth and young adults, a new study from a team of tobacco-cessation researchers shows.

27 Oct 2017

AACI, CDC, and ACS honor pediatricians who adopt effective HPV vaccination practices

Today the Association of American Cancer Institutes, the American Cancer Society, Inc., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases announced 10 award winners as part of its HPV Vaccine Is Cancer Prevention campaign.

27 Oct 2017

New network aims to develop innovative treatments and devices for children

For a variety of reasons, medications and devices specifically developed for children have traditionally lagged behind similar products for adults. A new federally funded program intends to address these unmet medical needs by improving quality and efficiency in developing innovative pediatric medicines and devices.

26 Oct 2017

New study sheds light on normal function of Parkinson's gene

A new study published in the journal Neuron sheds light on the normal function of LRRK2, the most common genetic cause for late-onset Parkinson's disease. The study was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of the National Institutes of Health.

26 Oct 2017