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IRSF announces new grants for research into Rett syndrome

The International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) announced today that it is awarding over $1.5M to support 18 new grants designed to study a variety of diverse topics from basic science and disease pathology to developing treatments and outcome measures for Rett syndrome.

20 Dec 2011

New procedure helps reconstruct cricoid cartilage in a cancer patient

When Sherry Wittenberg was diagnosed with a rare cancer in the cricoid cartilage of her larynx, doctors told her the only way to treat the condition was to remove her voice box. The operation would leave her unable to speak normally and would require her to breathe through a hole in her neck for the rest of her life.

17 Dec 2011

Ensign declares quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share

The Ensign Group, Inc., the parent company of the Ensign group of skilled nursing, rehabilitative care services and assisted living companies, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.06 per share of Ensign common stock, payable on or before January 31, 2012 to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2011.

16 Dec 2011

Debate on freedom of speech regarding vaccines at Woodford Folk Festival

The Woodford Folk Festival is one of Australia's largest and most popular festivals with approximately 130,000 people attending over six days and six nights. On this year's speakers list is anti-vaccine lobbyist Meryl Dorey, spokesperson for the Northern NSW-based Australian Vaccination Network (AVN).

15 Dec 2011

Medicaid news: HHS grants Texas waiver for managed care, denies family planning request; Florida pilot program criticized

The federal government on Monday granted Texas a waiver that could mean billions more in Medicaid dollars to hospitals over the next few years in return for having them work together to provide better care for the poor. ... State lawmakers cut deeply into the Medicaid budget this year, in part by requiring all Texas Medicaid patients to be enrolled in private health maintenance organizations for their doctor care. In recent years, patients in most urban areas were covered by HMOs, while patients in many rural counties and the Rio Grande Valley had their doctor bills paid directly by Medicaid.

14 Dec 2011

Many parents do not think their teens are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss

National data demonstrate that 1 in 6 U.S. adolescents has high-frequency hearing loss. A new report from the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health shows that many parents don't think their teens are at risk.

13 Dec 2011

Global Fund official delivers speech at ICASA closing plenary session

The 16th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) ended on Thursday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where "the final plenary session ... left the audience with a notion of hope and urgency that despite the Global Fund's cancellation of Round 11 disbursements, the organization will continue to campaign, raise funds and place pressure on governments in both the donor and recipient arenas," an ICASA news article reports (12/8).

9 Dec 2011

Berwick blasts Republicans in IHI speech

The former CMS administrator, at a speech in Orlando Wednesday, singled out those who generated "groundless fear" over "death panels."

9 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 9, 2011

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations include artilces about a new GOP tax plan that includes a Medicare pay fix for doctors and President Obama's support of a decision to keep the "Morning After Pill" from minors.

9 Dec 2011

Perry makes brief GOP health care caucus visit

In other campaign trail news, media outlets examine who is supporting and opposing GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich's run, and how health policies are playing into their decisions.

9 Dec 2011

Race, ethnicity, and insurance status influence follow-up care

According to the results of a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, African-Americans, Hispanics and uninsured patients use fewer post-hospitalization services after traumatic injury, including home health care, skilled nursing care, and rehabilitation.

8 Dec 2011

Global plan of action needed to end AIDS

After "President Obama threw the full weight of the U.S. government behind a vision" to end the AIDS epidemic in a World AIDS Day speech, "[n]ow the question is: How will we achieve this goal? What are the priority actions to take today, tomorrow, and years from now?" Mitchell Warren, executive director of AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention, writes in the Huffington Post's "Impact" blog.

8 Dec 2011

Obama administration to promote and protect LGBT rights through foreign aid, diplomacy

"The Obama administration said Tuesday that it will intensify efforts to fight discrimination against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender people as a major element of its foreign policy," the Washington Post reports.

8 Dec 2011

Cameron says all NHS patients should share their medical data for research

According to British Prime Minister David Cameron, every NHS patient should be a “research patient” with their medical details “opened up” to private healthcare firms. The PM announced that all those who use the NHS in England will be helping in the fight against disease by helping advance research. He hopes the result will be that patients get faster access to new treatments and Britain's life sciences sector will become a world leader.

6 Dec 2011

Tips to keep kids safe during cold-weather

Cold winds, icy rain and, in some places, snow—Old Man Winter has arrived. His entry reminds us to get our furnaces checked and winterize our car, but what about the kids? "Children are even more vulnerable than adults to cold-weather and winter-related injuries," said Dr. Karen Judy, pediatrician at Loyola University Health System and professor of pediatrics at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.

6 Dec 2011

EnVivo presents positive EVP-6124 Phase 2b trial data on schizophrenia at 50th ACNP meeting

EnVivo Pharmaceuticals, a company dedicated to developing a broad range of novel central nervous system (CNS) therapies, announced today that it is presenting the comprehensive analysis of a recently completed Phase 2b clinical trial of EVP-6124, a novel, orally bioavailable nicotinic alpha-7 agonist, in schizophrenia at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology 50th Anniversary Annual Meeting.

5 Dec 2011

Targacept commences two clinical studies of TC-5619 for schizophrenia and ADHD

Targacept, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel NNR Therapeutics, today announced the initiation of two clinical studies of TC-5619, a Phase 2b study evaluating the product candidate as a treatment for negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia and a Phase 2 study evaluating the product candidate in adults as a treatment for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), inattentive-predominant.

5 Dec 2011

Review highlights importance of examining totality of evidence prior to use of CPRs in clinical practice

Research carried out by the HRB Centre for Primary Care Research, based in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), recently published in the journal Family Practice aims to help patients that have suffered a transient ischaemic attack (TIA), otherwise known as a "mini-stroke" by assessing their risk of subsequent stroke.

5 Dec 2011

Berwick's exit interview with NY Times: 'I came with an agenda' for improvement

The official in charge of Medicare and Medicaid for the last 17 months says that 20 percent to 30 percent of health spending is "waste" that yields no benefit to patients, and that some of the needless spending is a result of onerous, archaic regulations enforced by his agency. The official, Dr. Donald M. Berwick, listed five reasons for what he described as the "extremely high level of waste." They are overtreatment of patients, the failure to coordinate care, the administrative complexity of the health care system, burdensome rules and fraud.

5 Dec 2011

Obama announces new U.S. commitments to end AIDS domestically, globally

Speaking at the ONE campaign and (RED)'s "Beginning of the End of AIDS" event at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., to mark World AIDS Day on Thursday, "President Obama ... announced a deepened U.S. commitment to fighting the pandemic, declaring 'make no mistake, we are going to win this fight,'" ABC News reports (Bruce, 12/1).

3 Dec 2011