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NABJ to hold annual conference on Health Disparities

The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) will hold its annual conference on Health Disparities, March 4-6, 2010 at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center at Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C. The conference will provide journalists the tools to effectively report on the impact of health, health policy and health care reform on communities of color.

21 Jan 2010

ABC publishes Pycnogenol monograph

The nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC) has just published a monograph summarizing selected scientific and clinical studies of Pycnogenol®, a patented dietary ingredient from French maritime pine bark.

21 Jan 2010

Grassley says bugs in health IT software endangering patients, other HIT news

RadioIowa reports that Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says hospital officials around the country are seeing bugs in new health information technology software that are putting patients at risk. "'Over the last few months, concerns have been brought to my attention including administrative complications, formatting and usability issues, errors in interoperability,' Grassley says. 'Some health care providers have said the software is producing incorrect medication dosages because it miscalculated body weights by interchanging kilograms and pounds.'" Grassley is asking 32 hospitals for statements on the problem (Kelley, 1/19).

21 Jan 2010

Discovery of new class of compounds may help fight hepatitis C

Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have discovered a novel class of compounds that, in experiments in vitro, inhibit replication of the virus responsible for hepatitis C. If these compounds prove effective in infected humans as well, they may dramatically accelerate efforts to confront this virus’s propensity to rapidly acquire drug resistance, while possibly skirting some of the troubling side effects common among therapies in current use and in late-stage development.

21 Jan 2010

Medizone International files second patent application for AsepticSure

Following the recently announced success achieved during the third round of trials at its research facility at Queen's University (Kingston Ontario, Canada) Medizone International, Inc. announces that a second patent application has been filed which in combination with its previous patent application for AsepticSure™ filed in July of 2009, affords the Company greatly enhanced protection for both the hospital version of AsepticSure™ and the government variant intended for bio-terrorism countermeasures.

21 Jan 2010

NHC urges congress to continue work on meaningful healthcare reform

The National Health Council (NHC), an organization providing a united voice for the more than 133 million people with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers, today sent a letter to Congress urging the House and Senate to "continue working to accomplish the long-sought goal of health care reform."

21 Jan 2010

Study shows nutrition has a direct influence on the immune system

Bonn researchers have discovered an elementary mechanism which regulates vital immune functions in healthy people. In situations of hunger which mean stress for the body's cells, the body releases more antimicrobial peptides in order to protect itself. The scientists will publish their results in the journal Nature.

21 Jan 2010

Medco Health Solutions launches Medco TRC for oncology patients

Medco Health Solutions, Inc. today announced the launch of the Medco Therapeutic Resource Center® (TRC) for oncology patients headquartered in Whitestown, Ind., where specialist pharmacists will manage the company's more than 850,000 patients currently living with cancer, one of the fastest growing segments of healthcare.

21 Jan 2010

Research shows strong links between COPD and heart function

A common lung condition, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) diminishes the heart's ability to pump effectively even when the disease has no or mild symptoms, according to research published in the Jan. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Jan 2010

One-legged cycling can improve overall fitness in COPD patients

People with chronic-obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often find themselves in a downward spiral when it comes to their health. COPD, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, means that the elasticity of the lungs is destroyed.

21 Jan 2010

Study: Heart's ability to pump effectively is diminished among people with common lung disease

A new study from Columbia University Medical Center researchers, has found that the heart's ability to pump effectively is diminished among people with a common lung disease, even in people with no or mild symptoms.

21 Jan 2010

Research shows controlled breathing can reduce pain

Research performed by a scientist at Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center has shown that controlled breathing at a slowed rate can significantly reduce feelings of pain.

21 Jan 2010

$SIR supports use of vertebral augmentation for patients with spine fractures$

SIR supports use of vertebral augmentation for patients with spine fractures

Given the current controversy over vertebroplasty-a minimally invasive treatment performed by interventional radiologists in individuals with painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures that fail to respond to conventional medical therapy-what's a patient to do?

20 Jan 2010

Most Americans knowledgeable about heart health, but do not exercise or maintain a healthy diet

A new survey of American adults revealed that while most feel knowledgeable when it comes to heart health, many do not put their knowledge into practice. In fact, 81 percent of respondents reported feeling well-informed about ways to maintain heart health and almost nine out of 10 knew they could help reduce the risk of heart disease by exercising and maintaining a healthy diet.

20 Jan 2010

InVivo Therapeutics sponsors fundraising event to support patients with spinal cord injuries

InVivo Therapeutics will be the lead champion level sponsor for the black tie gala fundraiser to support the Greater Boston Chapter of the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, a non-profit organization that offers programs and services to those with spinal cord injury/disease (SCI).

20 Jan 2010

Taking opioids long term could hold small risk of addition

Coping with chronic non-cancer pain is a way of life for millions of Americans. Unfortunately, many older adults, in particular, hesitate to take opioids — a kind of narcotic — for fear of addiction. However, a new review finds that taking opioids long term is associated with clinically significant pain relief in some patients with a very small risk of addition.

20 Jan 2010

Intelligent panic disorder treatment by using biofeedback analysis and web technologies

An online treatment system for patients suffering with panic disorder and anxiety problems combine biofeedback therapy with web technologies and allows patients and medical professionals to communicate effectively, according to research published in the International Journal of Business Intelligence and Data Mining.

20 Jan 2010

Data may help identify severity of ulcerative colitis in high-risk patients

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease involving the large intestine which causes inflammation along with local and systemic symptoms. It affects individuals worldwide, with a higher prevalence in Canada. The course of this disease has long been unpredictable, with remission possible in some patients and frequent recurrence in others.

20 Jan 2010

Diamyd Medical executes share split

Diamyd Medical announces today that the company executes a 2:1 division of shares (i.e. a split), meaning that each share is divided into two shares of the same class.

20 Jan 2010

LABEC Pharma meets European regulatory guidelines to sell Interleukin Genetics' Heart Health genetic test

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. and LABEC Pharma, S.L. announced today that LABEC Pharma has met European regulatory guidelines to sell Interleukin Genetics' Heart Health genetic test. The test, which helps to identify individuals at elevated risk for early heart attack, will be marketed to physicians in Spain and Portugal by LABEC Pharma under the product name Cardio Health™.

20 Jan 2010