L.L. News and Research

RSS

Health care, Medicare will pose major challenges to the winner

The victor of the presidential contest will face huge policy decisions including how to maintain Medicare's solvency and whether to implement the 2010 health law. News outlets analyze where President Barack Obama and GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney stand on these issues.

15 Oct 2012

First Edition: October 15, 2012

Today's headlines include the latest developments and polling news from the presidential campaign trail as well as details about how Medicare and other health issues are shaping up in House and Senate races.

15 Oct 2012

S. African National AIDS Council CEO speaks to PlusNews about reform, funding

Fareed Abdullah, CEO of the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), who took office in July, spoke with PlusNews regarding the body's reform, the revival of provincial AIDS councils, resource mobilization, and the appointment of a new board that allows SANAC to operate independently.

15 Oct 2012

Funding neglected disease R&D beneficial to Europe, developing countries, report says

In this bulletin from Science Business, Karen Hoehn, vice executive director and director of international affairs at the German Foundation for World Population, highlights "a study by the independent research group Policy Cures, 'Saving Lives and Creating Impact: E.U. Investment in Poverty-Related and Neglected Disease.'"

29 Sep 2012

Tranexamic acid: an interview with Prof Ian Roberts

Tranexamic acid is a medicine that reduces blood clot breakdown. In this way it helps in patients with bleeding.

19 Sep 2012

Pergamum initiates LL-37 Phase I/II trial in hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers

Pergamum AB announced today that dosing has begun in a randomized Phase I/II trial of LL-37 for the treatment of patients with hard-to-heal venous leg ulcers.

11 Sep 2012

Antibiotics: facts and fictions: an interview with Dr Philippa Binns, clinical adviser at NPS MedicineWise

Antibiotics are medicines used to treat infections or diseases caused by bacteria, such as some respiratory tract infections (including pneumonia and whooping cough), urinary tract infections, skin infections and infected wounds.

6 Sep 2012

Hint of tafamidis benefit in rare polyneuropathy

The results of a randomized trial suggest that tafamidis treatment may slow the progression of early-stage V30M transthyretin familial amyloid polyneuropathy.

2 Aug 2012

Genetic tests for Alzheimer’s disease a comfort for the majority

Several genetic tests are available for Alzheimer’s disease, both for the general public and for those with a family history of the disease. As direct-to-consumer testing over the internet rises, so have concerns over how people will handle information related to their risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

17 Jul 2012

TTU researchers’ Romneycare results now available in Health Care Management Review

With the U.S. Supreme Court decision looming on the fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) - informally known as Obamacare - two Texas Tech University researchers and a former colleague have published research that shows a similar plan implemented by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts did not work well for hospital productivity in the short term.

28 Jun 2012

Advances in robotic spine surgery

1. Please could you give a brief outline of robotic spine surgery and its recent history? Robotic spine surgery is very new, less than 10 years old. There are only 10 hospitals in the US offering it and we are the second hospital in California to offer this technology.

15 Jun 2012

People on calorie restriction have better heart rate variability

People who restrict their caloric intake in an effort to live longer have hearts that function more like those in people who are 20 years younger.

7 Jun 2012

Roundup: Calif. cigarette tax hike too close to call; Mass. insurance mandate not as contentious; Sept. 11 health fund cancer coverage ruling delayed

Tobacco companies poured nearly $47 million into defeating Proposition 29, a $1-a-pack tax hike on cigarettes, but the measure was narrowly leading in early returns Tuesday despite the hard-fought campaign. The tax increase would raise $810 million a year for cancer research and smoking cessation programs, and it would give California -- which currently has a lower tobacco tax than 32 other states -- the 16th-highest cigarette tax in the nation. … The vote would be a huge win for the public health groups that sponsored the measure, including the American Cancer Society.

6 Jun 2012

High-deductible health plans pick up steam

Seventy percent of large companies participating in a recent survey said they'll offer high-deductible insurance by 2013 combined with accounts that let patients buy medical services with pre-tax dollars.

5 Jun 2012

First Edition: June 1, 2012

Today's headlines include reports about the latest health policy developments on Capitol Hill and news on the health insurance marketplace.

1 Jun 2012

Longer looks: The cost of dying; Insuring fertility

During those four days Terence had his blood drawn - eight times. Urine collected at least twice. There was a CT scan of his chest and an MRI of his brain. A physical therapist dropped by several times. A nutritionist talked about cancer fatigue, decompensation, and calorie needs. Over the stay, at least 29 professionals - nurses, physical therapists, a nutritionist, and nine M.D.s - attended to his needs.

1 Jun 2012