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Global child mortality rate is shrinking, but not enough to reach MDG, UNICEF/WHO report says

"The annual number of children who die before they reach age five is shrinking, falling to 7.6 million global deaths in 2010 from more than 12 million in 1990, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday" in their annual report on child mortality, Reuters reports. "Overall, 12,000 fewer children under age five die each day than a decade ago," according to the report, the news agency notes.

16 Sep 2011

Symposium to raise awareness on post-infectious neurological syndromes

This symposium will provide information to educate physicians, psychiatrists and other medical and mental health-care professionals about the possibility of neurological repercussions to post-infectious syndromes.

16 Sep 2011

Number of breast, cervical cancer cases rose significantly over past 30 years, global study says

"The number of cases and deaths from breast and cervical cancer is rising in most countries across the world, especially in poorer nations where more women are dying at younger ages, according to a global study of the diseases" by researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, Reuters reports.

16 Sep 2011

Women urged to use clinics for birthing, family planning counseling in refugee camps along Somalia-Kenya border

IRIN examines how community health workers and international aid organizations, such as Medecins Sans Frontieres and the International Rescue Committee, are working to provide safe and adequate health facilities in refugee camps on the Kenya-Somalia border where women can give birth.

16 Sep 2011

New GE healthymagination initiative aims to improve cancer innovation and care

GE and leading healthcare and financial partners today launched a new healthymagination initiative aimed at accelerating cancer innovation and improving care for 10 million cancer patients around the world by 2020.

16 Sep 2011

Mich. launches program to fight childhood obesity; hospitals in Minn., Wis. make changes to serve overweight patients

In an attempt to combat Michigan's childhood obesity epidemic, Gov. Rick Snyder announced today that the state would begin tracking kids' body mass index through the Michigan Care Improvement Registry.

16 Sep 2011

iPad revolution for Weill Cornell Medical students

Weill Cornell Medical College students will now have a wealth of medical information and educational tools at their fingertips. Starting this fall 2011 semester, all incoming first- and second-year students are being provided with a new iPad 2 in place of the printed course notes and texts used by most students around the country.

15 Sep 2011

Elekta acquires Nucletron

Elekta AB today announced it has successfully completed its acquisition of Nucletron, the world leader in brachytherapy treatment planning and delivery. Through the combination Elekta will offer a complete range of radiotherapy planning and delivery technologies.

From Elekta 15 Sep 2011

GOP debate audience's reaction to treating uninsured sparks controversy

When presidential hopeful Rep. Ron Paul was asked if society should let an uninsured man who needs treatment die, some members of the audience cheered.

15 Sep 2011

Gates Foundation names Novartis AG executive to head global health program

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Tuesday announced that Trevor Mundel, a senior executive at the pharmaceutical company Novartis AG, will join the foundation on December 1 "as president of the philanthropy's global health group, a position that can influence the health of millions of people worldwide," the Wall Street Journal reports (Guth, 9/14).

15 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 15, 2011

In today's news, reports about what might be included in President Obama's detailed plan to tame the federal federal budget. Here's a hint: Social Security changes are unlikely, but what about Medicare?

15 Sep 2011

Survey: State Medicaid programs increasingly reliant on managed care

The survey, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation, found that states are turning to managed care programs to control their Medicaid costs.

15 Sep 2011

Census data trigger discussion about nation's uninsured population

The data, released yesterday, also focuses attention on issues of poverty in the United States, on the role of government programs and on the future of employer-sponsored insurance.

15 Sep 2011

Perry's HPV vaccine order still resonating, health officials slam Bachmann

The controversy over Texas Gov. Rick Perry's 2007 attempt to vaccinate girls against the human papillomavirus, which surfaced again at Monday's GOP presidential candidate debate, grew on Monday as a result of comments by Rep. Michele Bachmann.

15 Sep 2011

Integrated health, education and water/sanitation programs can defeat disease and poverty

As governments prepare to gather at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 19 and 20, a new report published by a group of six influential aid agencies provides clear and compelling evidence that a combined approach to tackling poverty and disease-that brings together work on water and sanitation, health, education, and nutrition/food security-achieves better results for the world's poorest.

15 Sep 2011

Suicidal teens are not likely to get mental healthcare they need

Suicidal teens are not likely to get the mental healthcare they need. This is according to a team of researchers at Seattle Children's Research Institute, the University of Washington (UW), and Group Health Research Institute.

15 Sep 2011

Obama's jobs bill pay-for: Taxing health benefits of the wealthy

The Obama administration request for a tax on top earners' health insurance benefits is stirring Democratic opposition.

15 Sep 2011

E.U. announces launch of 126M Euro program to fight AIDS, TB in South Africa

European Development Commissioner Andris Piebalgs announced during a visit to South Africa on Monday that the European Union (E.U.) "will contribute 126 million euros to South Africa's fight against AIDS and tuberculosis (TB)," money that "will be used to improve South Africa's primary health care system, increasing access for patients," Reuters reports.

15 Sep 2011

HHS closes off public access to National Practitioner Data Bank

By law, the records are supposed to be confidential though available to researchers. However, in recent years, reporters across the country have managed to manipulate the data to reveal names of providers in stories. Patient advocacy groups are protesting the shutdown.

15 Sep 2011

Administration steps up focus on improper health care payments

The Obama administration is targeting programs that help the poor and unemployed as it seeks to recover billions of dollars in improper payments. The effort, part of a government-wide focus on wasteful spending led by Vice President Biden, will get a high-profile boost today when the entire Cabinet meets for the first time on that subject alone.

15 Sep 2011