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Medicare to cover 2 expensive cancer drugs

Medicare confirmed on Thursday that it would continue to pay for two expensive cancer drugs that had been at the center of debate — Avastin from Genentech for breast cancer and Provenge from Dendreon for prostate cancer.

2 Jul 2011

Only half of obese Mexican-American adults receive diet, exercise advice from physicians

Only half of obese Mexican-American adults receive diet and exercise advice from their physicians, a new study finds, although obesity is on the rise for this group.

2 Jul 2011

LUHS and Trinity Health join to bring increased resources, greater efficiencies for patients

Loyola University Chicago (LUC) and Trinity Health, based in Novi, Mich., have announced that Loyola University Health System (LUHS), located in Maywood, Ill., has become a part of Trinity Health, effective today. LUHS was formerly a wholly owned subsidiary of the University.

2 Jul 2011

Roundup: Mass. doctors eye care management funds; Fla. groups fear Scott will block federal grants

It's clear from the data that hospitals and doctors can do a lot better at coordinating care for their patients. On the final day of hearings on controlling health care costs today, state officials estimated that at least $2 billion was spent in Massachusetts in 2009 on potentially avoidable emergency room visits, hospitalizations and readmissions.

2 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 1, 2011

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about sleep deprived medical residents, decisions by Medicare officials on covering two expensive drugs and states struggling with budget cuts.

1 Jul 2011

HEI report names Rush University Medical Center as Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality

For the third consecutive year, Rush University Medical Center has been named a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality in the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) report, an annual survey of U.S. hospitals regarding treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients and their families and hospital employees.

1 Jul 2011

Guardian development journalism contest publishes finalists

The Guardian International Development Journalism Competition 2011 on Wednesday published the long lists of finalist articles written by amateur and professional journalists, who examine "many crucial issues facing the developing world that are often overlooked or underrepresented by the media," according to the contest's main page.

1 Jul 2011

Thai health authorities plan to screen residents of northeast region for deadly fluke worms

Health officials in northeast Thailand plan to screen residents over the age of 30 for fluke worms, which can be cured with one tablet of praziquantel or lead to fatal bile duct cancer in 10 to 20 years if left untreated, Reuters reports.

1 Jul 2011

The women, girls, and gender equality of the GHI: Assessment of the GHI plus country strategies

This report from the Kaiser Family Foundation assesses how countries are responding to a GHI principle to address women, girls and gender equality. The report examines country strategies for seven of the eight "GHI Plus" nations: Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, and Nepal.

1 Jul 2011

AHRQ and Ad Council announce new campaign, 'Explore Your Treatment Options'

"Explore Your Treatment Options," a new multimedia ad campaign announced today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the Ad Council, encourages patients to become more informed about their options before choosing a treatment for a health condition or illness.

1 Jul 2011

'Exact correlation' between peacekeeper arrival and cholera outbreak in Haiti, study says

"Evidence 'strongly suggests' that a United Nations peacekeeping mission brought a cholera strain to Haiti that has killed thousands of people," according to a study conducted by a team of epidemiologists and physicians and published in the July issue of the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, the Associated Press reports.

1 Jul 2011

Nature News examines African nations' progress in science

Nature News examines African countries' scientific capacity and efforts in a series of articles. "The forecast for science in Africa has brightened over the past decade.

1 Jul 2011

U.N. Somalia coordinator warns about increasing rates of malnutrition

Mark Bowden, the U.N. humanitarian coordinator for Somalia, highlighted the "rapidly deteriorating" situation there resulting from drought and high food prices, Agence France-Presse reports.

1 Jul 2011

NPR examines controversial drug being used to save women's lives

In another installment in NPR's summer-long series "Beginnings," NPR's All Things Considered aired a story on Wednesday examining how the controversial drug misoprostol is being used worldwide to save women's lives.

1 Jul 2011

Press conference: Obama links Medicare, Medicaid cuts to new revenue

And on Capitol Hill, some Senate Democrats - mulling whether to take President Obama's challenge to stay in Washington and work on the debt ceiling negotiations - could offer a fiscal blueprint of their own.

1 Jul 2011

WFP head issues statement about humanitarian need in Horn of Africa

World Food Program (WFP) Executive Director Josette Sheeran on Wednesday voiced concern about nine million people in the Horn of Africa who urgently need humanitarian aid, Bloomberg reports.

1 Jul 2011

Using American diplomacy to fight NTDs

In a PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases editorial, Peter Hotez of the Sabin Vaccine Institute outlines the diplomatic benefits of fighting NTDs in developing countries. He discusses why the State Department and USAID should be involved and outlines how they could work to expand NTD control.

1 Jul 2011

IOM report highlights need for changes in pain management

Defining pain as "a major public health problem," the Institute of Medicine offered recommendations to make systemic and cultural changes in how pain could either be prevented or managed better.

1 Jul 2011

Women more likely to survive after major gastrointestinal surgeries than men

In the first study to consider the impact of gender on patient outcomes in major gastrointestinal surgeries, researchers at UC San Diego Health System have found that women are more likely to survive after the procedure than men.

1 Jul 2011

Women's rights becoming 'cornerstone' of U.S. foreign policy

"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is spearheading a quiet revolution in progressive foreign policy by making the empowerment of women and advancement of their rights a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy," Peter Juul, a policy analyst at American Progress, writes in a post on the American Progress National Security Strategy issue page, before listing multiple programs, including GHI and Feed the Future, that have incorporated women's rights into their core values.

1 Jul 2011