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Cholesterol-lowering statins may prolong lives of people with diabetic cardiovascular disease

Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death and disability among people with Type 2 diabetes. In fact, at least 65 percent of people with diabetes die from some form of heart disease or stroke, according to the American Heart Association.

17 Jul 2014

Telecare intervention leads to improvement in chronic musculoskeletal pain

A telephone-delivered intervention, which included automated symptom monitoring, produced clinically meaningful improvements in chronic musculoskeletal pain compared to usual care, according to a study in the July 16 issue of JAMA.

16 Jul 2014

Study confirms Stretta therapy as safe, effective treatment for GERD

A newly published peer-reviewed paper concludes that Stretta therapy is a safe, effective and durable treatment for gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD). The paper states that Stretta addresses a significant unmet need where patients receive inadequate control from PPI therapy and find surgery an undesirable option.

15 Jul 2014

New '3D Printed Anatomy Series' can revolutionise medical education and training

The creators of a unique kit containing anatomical body parts produced by 3D printing say it will revolutionise medical education and training, especially in countries where cadaver use is problematical.

15 Jul 2014

Glitch in Connecticut exchange resulted in thousands of problems

Access Health CT is reaching out to 5,784 customers who were either inaccurately enrolled in Medicaid, or who received inaccurate bills because their insurers received incorrect information from the exchange, officials say. Meanwhile, developments related to Minnesota's and Colorado's exchanges are also covered.

15 Jul 2014

Some doctors refuse to see Obamacare enrollees

Subscribers are running into closed doors from some doctors listed in their plans' networks, reports The Miami Herald. Meanwhile, Connecticut advocates express concern about how a proposed overhaul of the state's health care system could change Medicaid, and in Washington state, providers scramble to keep up with demand.

15 Jul 2014

Michigan surpasses Medicaid enrollment goal in 4 months

More people have enrolled in Medicaid's expansion in less than four months than were expected to sign up in the entire first year of the program, the Snyder administration announced Thursday.

13 Jul 2014

Veran announces positive, final results for initial study of SPiNPerc procedure

Veran Medical Technologies, a U.S. based medical device company, announced today the positive, cost-effective final results for the initial study of its innovative SPiNPerc procedure.

11 Jul 2014

Mayo Clinic calls for safer pediatric imaging

The benefits of medical imaging far outweigh the risks when children receive The Right Exam, ordered The Right Way, with The Right Radiation Dose. However, overuse and misuse of imaging change the benefit-risk ratio and Mayo Clinic is leading a collaborative effort to ensure a national protocol is put into action.

11 Jul 2014

Those with mental illness face 80% unemployment

But, the report says that while 60 percent of those with mental illnesses want to work, only 2 percent of people in the public mental health system get help to find work.

11 Jul 2014

Aviv acquires two ALFs and one post-acute and long-term care SNF for $82 million

Aviv REIT, Inc. announced today it has acquired two assisted living facilities ("ALFs") and one post-acute and long-term care skilled nursing facility ("SNF") for $82.0 million (the "Acquisition"), and two parcels of land and the entitlements for the construction of two new ALFs and a 50 unit addition to one of the existing ALFs for $12.2 million (the "New Construction Projects"), all of which are located in Massachusetts, for a total of $94.2 million.

11 Jul 2014

VA whistleblowers to tell all to House

These whistleblowers say they were often placed on administrative leave for bringing up their concerns. Also, wait times at Connecticut VA clinics explode, even after the recent scandal came to light.

8 Jul 2014

Oncolytics completes patient enrollment in phase II metastatic pancreatic cancer study

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. today announced completion of patient enrollment in a two-arm randomized phase II study of carboplatin, paclitaxel plus REOLYSIN versus carboplatin and paclitaxel alone in the first line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic pancreatic cancer (OSU-10045).

8 Jul 2014

Review proposes imaging tools to help visualize peripheral nerve regeneration process

Researchers at the Institute of Polymer Science and Engineering in Taipei, Taiwan, led by Dr. Hsu have been involved in peripheral nerve regeneration research for more than ten years. Dr. Hsu and her team have focused on development of polymeric nerve conduits to facilitate peripheral nerve regeneration.

8 Jul 2014

Headbanging to Motörhead thought to have caused bleeding in the brain

A recent report in the Lancet describes the case of a man who developed bleeding in the brain after headbanging at a Motörhead concert.

4 Jul 2014

Eligibility for subsidies not properly checked, audit finds

The HHS inspector general issues two reports concluding the federal health marketplace and some state exchanges had inadequate safeguards to stop people who were ineligible from getting tax credits to help pay for premiums.

3 Jul 2014

Justices rule home health care aides can't be forced to pay union dues

The high court's ruling will make it more difficult for unions in some states to continue organizing the aides, a rapidly growing segment of the workforce.

1 Jul 2014

Other religious challenges to mandate still await court decisions

Those cases generally involve nonprofit and religious organizations. Meanwhile, some employers who say their religious beliefs prevented them from complying with the contraceptive mandate say they plan to halt coverage of some methods following the Supreme Court decision, reports The Wall Street Journal, Meanwhile, attention moves to the administration as it attempts to draft new rules.

1 Jul 2014

Bone marrow transplantation shows promising results among patients with severe sickle cell disease

Use of a lower intensity bone marrow transplantation method showed promising results among 30 patients (16-65 years of age) with severe sickle cell disease, according to a study in the July 2 issue of JAMA.

1 Jul 2014

First Edition: Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including numerous reports about the Supreme Court's decision on the health law's contraception mandate and its effect for coverage and on national politics.

1 Jul 2014