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Enrollment at U.S. medical schools to reach 30% increase by 2016

New data released today show that enrollment at U.S. medical schools is on target to reach an increase of 30 percent by 2016, according to the annual Medical School Enrollment Survey conducted by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) Center for Workforce Studies.

4 May 2012

Reuters examines challenges related to estimating number of undernourished people worldwide

"Calculating the number of hungry people around the world at any given moment, let alone predicting how that number is likely to change in the future, is no easy task," Reuters reports in an article examining the numerous challenges of estimating the number of undernourished people worldwide and noting the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is expected to release new data and methodology in October "as part of its annual report on food insecurity."

4 May 2012

WFP, UNHCR concerned about food, water insecurity in border areas between Sudan, South Sudan

The U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) "has warned clashes along the border between Sudan and South Sudan threaten to plunge the region into widespread hunger" and "said it is scaling up its humanitarian operation in South Sudan to assist a growing number of refugees and displaced people," VOA News reports.

4 May 2012

Viewpoints: Doctor-led frugality; George will on his son's life with Down syndrome; Facebook spurs organ donors

In case you missed it, a recommendation came out last month that physicians cut back on using 45 common tests and treatments. ... Most doctors will agree with the recommendations on the list. But the problem of overuse is less one of bad doctors although there are a few; the problem is more one of good doctors working in a bad system. ... But we have to start somewhere - and this list is a good start. Now it needs to be extended.

4 May 2012

Abbott to purchase AP214 hormone analogue from Action Pharma

Abbott and Action Pharma A/S, a privately owned company, today announced that they have entered into an agreement in which Abbott will acquire AP214 from Action Pharma.

4 May 2012

Health care quality varies widely despite high spending in the U.S.

The United States spends more on health care than 12 other industrialized countries yet does not provide "notably superior" care, according to a new study from The Commonwealth Fund.

4 May 2012

Researchers create new systematic assessment for malnutrition

A new systematic assessment of malnutrition, created by researchers at Penn State, will aid dietitians and other health care providers in diagnosis and treatment.

4 May 2012

Clinical trial to investigate statins in patients with acute severe respiratory failure

Queen's University and NUI Galway and are leading a clinical trial to investigate the possibility that statins, a drug commonly used to combat cholesterol, might help patients with acute severe respiratory failure.

4 May 2012

UCLA creates crowd-sourced online gaming system to detect malaria

Online crowd-sourcing - in which a task is presented to the public, who respond, for free, with various solutions and suggestions - has been used to evaluate potential consumer products, develop software algorithms and solve vexing research-and-development challenges. But diagnosing infectious diseases?

4 May 2012

Comorbidities common among patients with COPD

Comorbidities are common among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a number of these comorbidities are independently associated with an increased mortality risk, according to a new study.

4 May 2012

AHA, ASA honor Cedars-Sinai’s Stroke Program with Gold Award

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Stroke Program was spotlighted by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association April 18 for earning the highest achievement in the association's initiative to improve outcomes for patients suffering strokes: the Get With the Guidelines Gold Plus award.

4 May 2012

At least 1M children at risk of death in Sahel drought crisis; European Commission donates over $20M to UNICEF appeal

"At least one million children are at risk of dying of malnutrition in the central-western part of Africa's Sahel region due to a drought crisis, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said Wednesday, adding that more resources are urgently needed to help those in need," the U.N. News Centre reports.

4 May 2012

Scientists address mental health and well-being at Association for Psychological Science's annual meeting

Are our existing treatments for mental health issues working? Can we design new and better approaches to intervention? Can we even tell which factors promote mental health? Clinical psychological scientists will be addressing these and many other questions related to mental health and well-being at the Association for Psychological Science's 24th annual meeting in Chicago, May 24-27, 2012.

3 May 2012

Event launches report on U.S. global health R&D

A post on the Global Health Technologies Coalition's (GHTC) "Breakthroughs" blog describes an event to launch a recent report from GHTC and Policy Cures on "data on U.S. investments over the past 10 years in global health research and development (R&D)."

3 May 2012

Political cartoon: 'Truth In Labeling?'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Truth In Labeling?" by Chris Weyant.

3 May 2012

First Edition: May 3, 2012

Today's headlines include a report exploring how the Medicare payment system could suffer unintended consequences if the Supreme Court overturns the health law.

3 May 2012

Impact of Texas family planning affiliation regulation

As a federal appeals court considers the legality of Texas' family planning "affiliation regulation," a new report provides a preliminary assessment of the impact of the Texas rule on preventive care access by low-income women.

3 May 2012

Latest skirmish over 'war on women' touches a number of health policy concerns

NPR reports that the latest flashpoint involves a $15 billion cut from the health law's prevention trust fund. Meanwhile, The Washington Post offers a fact check on stats offered by the Romney campaign about the Obama administration and women.

3 May 2012

AIDS, health groups submit comments to FDA prior to agency's review of PrEP

"In public comments submitted this week, a group of 14 leading HIV/AIDS and health organizations stated their support for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate [TDF/FTC] ... as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection in adult men and women," a press release from AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention states.

3 May 2012

Senior Health Implementation Center to disseminate Aging Brain Care Program tools

The resources developed for an innovative collaborative model of dementia care, which reduces emergency room and hospital visits and improves the quality of care for those with dementia, are now available to institutions, clinicians and caregivers around the globe with the establishment of the Aging Brain Care Program.

3 May 2012