Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

RDoC research initiative aims to help guide classification of patients in clinical studies

A new effort by the National Institutes of Health will facilitate communication among scientists, clinicians, and the public to reframe mental health research, from diagnosis to treatment. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) unit was recently established by the National Institute of Mental Health, part of NIH, to support the development of the institute's RDoC initiative.

31 Oct 2014

Broad Institute, UC Berkeley and UCSC receive NCI Cancer Genomics Cloud Pilot contract

A team from the Broad Institute, the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of California, Santa Cruz, was awarded one of three National Cancer Institute Cancer Genomics Cloud Pilot contracts with the goal of building a system that will enable large-scale analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas and other datasets by co-locating the data and the required computing resources in one cloud environment.

31 Oct 2014

Dosing of antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV infection differs by sex

A mathematical model developed by NIH grantees predicts that women must take the antiretroviral medication Truvada daily to prevent HIV infection via vaginal sex, whereas just two doses per week can protect men from HIV infection via anal sex.

31 Oct 2014

Researchers use DNA sequencing to uncover genes that heighten autism risk

In the largest study of its kind to date, researchers have used DNA sequencing to uncover dozens of genes that heighten the risk for autism. Joseph Buxbaum, Ph.D., Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, Mark Daly, Ph.D., Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, and their colleagues examined more than 14,000 DNA samples from affected children, parents and unrelated people.

29 Oct 2014

Study reveals subtypes, potential diagnostic and treatment clues for papillary thyroid carcinomas

A comprehensive analysis of the genomes of nearly 500 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) – the most common form of thyroid cancer – has provided new insights into the roles of frequently mutated cancer genes and other genomic alterations that drive disease development.

25 Oct 2014

Human trial of second investigational Ebola vaccine candidate under way

Human testing of a second investigational Ebola vaccine candidate is under way at the National Institutes of Health's Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

23 Oct 2014

ADI develops ELISA test kits for detection of Ebola viral protein antibodies

San Antonio, Texas-based Biotech Company Alpha Diagnostic Int'l has developed and released several convenient, rapid, and sensitive ELISA test kits for the detection of major Ebola viral protein antibodies (Glycoprotein, GP; Nucleoprotein, NP, and Viral Protein 40 or VP40).

23 Oct 2014

Couple renews multi-million dollar commitment to screen newborn babies for SCID disorders

Frustrated with the slow pace of implementation of Newborn Screening for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID), Vicki and Fred Modell renewed a multi-million dollar commitment to screen every baby born in every state for this life threatening condition, often referred to as "Bubble Boy" disease.

21 Oct 2014

Study predicts substantial disruption in individual health insurance if ACA subsidies are eliminated

Eliminating subsidies that help low- and moderate-income people purchase coverage through government-run health insurance marketplaces would sharply boost costs for consumers and cause more than 11 million Americans to lose their health insurance, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

21 Oct 2014

Researchers propose new milestones to augment National Alzheimer's Plan

The U.S. Government has initiated a major effort to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's disease by 2025. However, a workgroup of nearly 40 Alzheimer's researchers and scientists says the research milestones in the U.S. Government's National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease must be broadened in scope, increased in scale, and adequately funded in order to successfully achieve this goal.

20 Oct 2014

Key experts to discuss Ebola response plan at one-day workshop

At the request of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council will host a one-day workshop on Nov. 3 to examine the areas of biomedical and public health research that should be conducted to best prepare the United States to safeguard the public as a result of the emergence of Ebola Virus Disease.

17 Oct 2014

NIAID announces license agreement to develop dual-purpose candidate vaccines for rabies, Ebola

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, today announced a new license agreement aimed at advancing dual-purpose candidate vaccines to protect against rabies and Ebola viruses.

17 Oct 2014

D.C. exchange accused of favoritism to Congress; sticker shock for PreferredOne customers

The conservative group, Judicial Watch, files a taxpayer lawsuit challenging what it describes as the District of Columbia's special treatment of more than 12,000 members of Congress, staffers and families, who buy policies in the district's small business exchange.

17 Oct 2014

Viewpoints: Health law opposition not propelling GOP; keep politics out of the fight against Ebola

As recently as April, Obamacare was going to be the silver bullet for Republicans in this year's midterm elections. The leader of conservative advocacy group Americans for Prosperity said his plan was to make Obamacare "the No. 1 issue in the country." Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., declared that the law would be "a huge disaster in 2014" and the deciding factor in November. Well, that was then. Now, three weeks from Election Day, some GOP challengers trying to knock off Democratic incumbent senators have scaled back their anti-Obamacare ads in favor of new targets such as the economy and national security (10/13).

15 Oct 2014

Viewpoints: Ebola myths; Sen. McCain's 'opportunistic alarmism'; Gov. Jindal on CDC's misspent resources

Hubris is the greatest danger in wealthy countries - a sort of smug assumption that advanced technologies and emergency-preparedness plans guarantee that Ebola and other germs will not spread. It was hubris that left Toronto's top hospitals battling SARS in 2003, long after the virus was conquered in poorer Vietnam. It was hubris that led the World Health Assembly in 2013 to cut the WHO's outbreak-response budget in favor of more programs to treat cancer and heart disease.

14 Oct 2014

Preparing for the health law's second lap

With open enrollment fast approaching for the online insurance marketplaces, news outlets are examining the preparations that have been made in order to ensure a smoother process this time around.

13 Oct 2014

Drugmakers sue to stop expansion of drug discount program

The trade group for pharmaceutical companies, PhRMA, has filed another lawsuit to try to block a government rule meant to widen the number of products included in a federal drug discount program for so-called safety net hospitals and clinics.

13 Oct 2014

Intensive parenting and education provided in homes reduces drug use in pregnant teens

Intensive parenting and health education provided in homes of pregnant American Indian teens reduced the mothers' illegal drug use, depression and behavior problems, and set their young children on track to meet behavioral and emotional milestones they may have otherwise missed.

13 Oct 2014

Iowa premium increases affect small number

Less than 2 percent of Iowans will be affected by the steep premium increases announced this week, according to the Des Moines Register. Meanwhile, the Cover Oregon Exchange Board may drop plans to make a recommendation to the legislature this fall about the future of the state's insurance exchange, and Indiana officials continue discussing alternatives to Medicaid expansion.

12 Oct 2014

New Aspen Dental office opens in Estero, FL

A new Aspen Dental office is opening in Estero, FL on Thursday, October 23. Located at 22911 Lyden Drive Ste B, the conveniently located practice will provide dental services that range from dentures and preventive care to general dentistry and restoration.

12 Oct 2014

Health and Human Services News and Research

RDoC research initiative aims to help guide classification of patients in clinical studies

Broad Institute, UC Berkeley and UCSC receive NCI Cancer Genomics Cloud Pilot contract

Dosing of antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV infection differs by sex

Researchers use DNA sequencing to uncover genes that heighten autism risk

Study reveals subtypes, potential diagnostic and treatment clues for papillary thyroid carcinomas

Human trial of second investigational Ebola vaccine candidate under way

ADI develops ELISA test kits for detection of Ebola viral protein antibodies

Couple renews multi-million dollar commitment to screen newborn babies for SCID disorders

Study predicts substantial disruption in individual health insurance if ACA subsidies are eliminated

Researchers propose new milestones to augment National Alzheimer's Plan

Key experts to discuss Ebola response plan at one-day workshop

NIAID announces license agreement to develop dual-purpose candidate vaccines for rabies, Ebola

D.C. exchange accused of favoritism to Congress; sticker shock for PreferredOne customers

Viewpoints: Health law opposition not propelling GOP; keep politics out of the fight against Ebola

Viewpoints: Ebola myths; Sen. McCain's 'opportunistic alarmism'; Gov. Jindal on CDC's misspent resources

Preparing for the health law's second lap

Drugmakers sue to stop expansion of drug discount program

Intensive parenting and education provided in homes reduces drug use in pregnant teens

Iowa premium increases affect small number

New Aspen Dental office opens in Estero, FL

Event guide: 6th Operationalize Expanded Access Programs Summit East eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

Latest News