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2009 American Cancer Society Pathfinder in Palliative Care awarded to James A. Block

James A. Block, M.D., president of J.A. Block Health Associates, will receive the inaugural 2009 American Cancer Society Pathfinder in Palliative Care Award, which recognizes individuals who have demonstrated innovation and ingenuity in their contributions to the advancement of the field of palliative care.

14 Oct 2009

Pelosi's statement after Senate Finance Committee passes the health insurance reform proposal

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement today after the Senate Finance Committee voted to pass the committee's health insurance reform proposal.

14 Oct 2009

Researchers identify genetic mechanisms involved in the formation and survival of L-form bacteria

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have for the first time identified the genetic mechanisms involved in the formation and survival of L-form bacteria. Their findings are described in a study published October 6 in the journal PLoS ONE.

14 Oct 2009

TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, Rutgers and UMDNJ to develop and commercialize a novel antimicrobial technology

TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TAXIS), Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement for worldwide rights to develop and commercialize a novel antimicrobial technology addressing multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections.

14 Oct 2009

Study shows elevated levels of antioxidant urate can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease

By examining data from a 20-year-old clinical trial, a research team based at the MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases (MGH-MIND) and Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH), has found evidence supporting the findings of their 2008 study - that elevated levels of the antioxidant urate may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

14 Oct 2009

CDC chooses NAVTEQ map data for its Geospatial Research, Analysis, & Services Program

NAVTEQ, the leading global provider of digital map, traffic and location data for in-vehicle, portable, wireless and enterprise solutions, today announced that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has selected the NAVTEQ® map data for use within its geospatial program, GRASP (Geospatial Research, Analysis, & Services Program).

14 Oct 2009

H1N1 patients with ARDS survive illness when treated with ECMO

Despite the severity of disease and the intensity of treatment, most patients in Australia and New Zealand who experienced respiratory failure as a result of 2009 influenza A(H1N1) and were treated with a system that adds oxygen to the patient's blood survived the disease, according to a study to appear in the November 4 issue of JAMA.

14 Oct 2009

Statewide H1N1 Vaccine Provider Registration System from Upp Technology

Supporting directives from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Upp Software, a business unit of Upp Technology, Inc., has developed, delivered and now offers a Statewide H1N1 Vaccine Provider Registration System to accommodate thousands of vaccine providers' ordering and reporting needs.

14 Oct 2009

Portico Healthnet to launch Minnesota Coalition for Kids Health Coverage

Portico Healthnet, a non-profit agency working to reduce the number of people without coverage for health care services, has been awarded more than $988,000 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to launch the Minnesota Coalition for Kids Health Coverage, a partnership of community agencies from around the state, to identify and enroll uninsured children into the Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare state health coverage safety net programs.

14 Oct 2009

Good nutrition and exercise vital to stay young and healthy

Keeping fit at a young age may be one of the secrets to living a long and healthy life, according to new research co-authored by researcher Oscar Franco, MD, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor in Public Health at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom.

14 Oct 2009

Parkinson's patients with higher urate levels in their blood and CSF had slower functional decline

Individuals with Parkinson's disease who have higher levels of a metabolite called urate in their blood and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) have a slower rate of disease progression, according to a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

14 Oct 2009

Also in Global Health News: Ban addresses women's health; Afghanistan's health services; PMI Africa grants; Q&As

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon on Monday called for countries around the world to "renew their commitment to educate girls, end sexual violence, and provide access to modern birth control," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports.

14 Oct 2009

Today's selection of opinions and editorials

"Yes, we are going to crack down on health insurance company abuses and extend health insurance coverage. But, just as important, we are going to give our citizens access to a 21st century health care system — one that is focused on preventing obesity and disease, and helping us to live healthy, active, productive lives" (Sen. Tom Harkin, 10/12).

14 Oct 2009

African leaders, Chirac unite to fight fake drug manufacturing, distribution

Leaders from Benin, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Congo-Republic, Niger and Senegal on Monday joined former French President Jacques Chirac in Cotonou, Benin, in a campaign against the manufacturing and sale of fake pharmaceutical products, Reuters reports (Lewis, 10/12).

14 Oct 2009

AHF praises the California Governor for signing rapid HIV testing bill

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the operator of the largest non-government HIV testing program in California, today praised the California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signing Assembly Bill 221, legislation which updates and streamlines the training of counselors for rapid HIV testing by exempting persons administering finger stick rapid HIV tests from the requirement for certification as a limited phlebotomy technician (LPT).

13 Oct 2009

Prescription drug ads drive up U.S. health costs

NPR reports on how prescription drug advertising drives up consumer demand, which drives up medical costs. The story, done in partnership with the public radio program, This American Life, is the third in a three-part series about why American health care costs are so high. "Prescription drug spending is the third most expensive cost in the U.S. health care system.

13 Oct 2009

Cochlear implant inventor chosen for neuroscience research

Dr. Michael Merzenich, PhD - renowned neuroscientist, university professor, cochlear implant inventor, brain plasticity expert and tech entrepreneur - was formally inducted in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) today in Washington, D.C.

13 Oct 2009

Massive mismanagement leads to catastrophic decline in freshwater biodiversity

The world will miss its agreed target to stem biodiversity loss by next year, according to experts convening in Cape Town for a landmark conference devoted to biodiversity science.

13 Oct 2009

Hasty approval of beer mergers: Marin Institute warns of adverse consequences

Marin Institute, the alcohol industry watchdog, released a report today criticizing the hasty approval of two beer mergers that left 80 percent of the United States beer market in the hands of two foreign companies -- MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev. Big Beer Duopoly: A Primer for Policymakers and Regulators describes the drastic shift in U.S. beer market ownership to this powerful duo of global corporations.

13 Oct 2009

Contaminated pre-filled heparin and saline syringes cause bloodstream infections

An outbreak of bloodstream infections appears to have been caused by the contamination of pre-filled heparin and saline syringes made by a single company, according to a report in the October 12 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The subsequent investigation revealed that the company was not in compliance with safety regulations and identified challenges and areas for improvement in medication monitoring systems.

13 Oct 2009

Public Health News and Research

2009 American Cancer Society Pathfinder in Palliative Care awarded to James A. Block

Pelosi's statement after Senate Finance Committee passes the health insurance reform proposal

Researchers identify genetic mechanisms involved in the formation and survival of L-form bacteria

TAXIS Pharmaceuticals, Rutgers and UMDNJ to develop and commercialize a novel antimicrobial technology

Study shows elevated levels of antioxidant urate can slow the progression of Parkinson's disease

CDC chooses NAVTEQ map data for its Geospatial Research, Analysis, & Services Program

H1N1 patients with ARDS survive illness when treated with ECMO

Statewide H1N1 Vaccine Provider Registration System from Upp Technology

Portico Healthnet to launch Minnesota Coalition for Kids Health Coverage

Good nutrition and exercise vital to stay young and healthy

Parkinson's patients with higher urate levels in their blood and CSF had slower functional decline

Also in Global Health News: Ban addresses women's health; Afghanistan's health services; PMI Africa grants; Q&As

Today's selection of opinions and editorials

African leaders, Chirac unite to fight fake drug manufacturing, distribution

AHF praises the California Governor for signing rapid HIV testing bill

Prescription drug ads drive up U.S. health costs

Cochlear implant inventor chosen for neuroscience research

Massive mismanagement leads to catastrophic decline in freshwater biodiversity

Hasty approval of beer mergers: Marin Institute warns of adverse consequences

Contaminated pre-filled heparin and saline syringes cause bloodstream infections

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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