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Idera Pharmaceuticals reports net loss of $1.9M for first-quarter 2010

Idera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the discovery and development of DNA- and RNA-based drug candidates targeted to Toll-like Receptors, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

5 May 2010

Widespread support for a full flu vaccine side effects enquiry

After nearly 250 children suffered from serious side effects of the seasonal flu shots including one death the Western Australian Government’s step to suspend further vaccinations and investigate the issue has received widespread support. The enquiry will look into the Health Department's handling of the flu vaccination program as well.

4 May 2010

Response Biomedical first-quarter total revenue down 43%

Response Biomedical Corporation today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

4 May 2010

CVS Caremark's net revenues increase $366M to $23.8 billion for first-quarter 2010

CVS Caremark Corporation, today announced revenues, operating profit, and net income for the three months ended March 31, 2010.

4 May 2010

Tenet Healthcare reports adjusted EBITDA of $298 million for first-quarter 2010

Tenet Healthcare Corporation today reported adjusted EBITDA of $298 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2010, an increase of $20 million, or 7.2 percent, as compared to $278 million for the first quarter of 2009. Net income attributable to common shareholders for the first quarter of 2010 was $88 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, compared to $44 million, or $0.09 per diluted share, excluding a gain of $134 million, or $0.28 per diluted share, in the first quarter of 2009 related to the early extinguishment of debt.

4 May 2010

Author of new study calls for responsible media coverage of public health emergencies

A study of emergency department activity before and during the H1N1 influenza pandemic highlights the role public fear can play in unnecessarily straining medical facilities and will aid in ongoing preparations for public health emergencies, according to the authors.

4 May 2010

H1N1 positivity highest among children

More than 99 percent of specimens tested for influenza were positive for H1N1 over approximately the past 11 months, according to a report released today from Quest Diagnostics Incorporated ( DGX). The Quest Diagnostics Health Trends™ Report suggests that H1N1 "crowded out" other influenza viruses to be the dominant flu virus of the 2009-2010 flu season.

4 May 2010

Older children hospitalized with pandemic H1N1 influenza in 2009: Study

Children hospitalized with pandemic H1N1 influenza in 2009 were older and more likely to have underlying medical conditions than children hospitalized with seasonal influenza during prior flu seasons, according to a study to be presented Tuesday, May 4 at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

4 May 2010

Fate of the unused swine flu vaccines

The United States Government in an announcement on Monday revealed that the U.S. still has 71 million doses of unused H1N1 swine flu vaccine but there is still time left before it is wasted. They have urged the providers to keep the vaccines and continue to supply them to people until pharmaceutical manufacturers start distributing seasonal vaccine for the coming influenza season in the autumn.

4 May 2010

Seasonal flu vaccine ups the risk of getting H1N1 flu

Initial reports linking seasonal flu vaccine and getting swine flu or H1N1 flu emerged September 2009 in Canada. In spring 2009 many people who acquired pandemic H1N1 flu had been initially vaccinated with seasonal flu vaccine. This triggered four additional studies in Canada to explore the link further. The studies included 2,700 patients with or without H1N1. The first of the studies showed a surprising 68 percent rise of risk of development of H1N1 flu in those vaccinated with seasonal flu shot. The other 3 studies showed increase of risk of H1N1 flu by 1.4 to 1.5 times with the original flu shot.

2 May 2010

Amerigroup reports net income of $42.2M for first-quarter 2010

Amerigroup Corporation today announced that net income for the first quarter of 2010 was $42.2 million, or $0.82 per diluted share, versus $40.2 million, or $0.79 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2009.

30 Apr 2010

CDC report shows increase in seasonal flu vaccinations, greatest increase among children

More Americans were vaccinated against seasonal flu during the 2009-10 season (40 percent of eligible population) than during the previous flu season (33 percent of eligible population), according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

30 Apr 2010

Practicing NPIs may help limit transmission of pandemic flu: Study

Practicing non-pharmaceutical interventions such as hand-washing and mouth covering may help limit the transmission of the pandemic flu, but more research on these measures is critical according to a new study appearing in the May issue of AJIC: American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc.

30 Apr 2010

West Pharmaceutical Services reports 13.3% increase in first-quarter consolidated sales

West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. today announced its results for the first quarter of 2010.

30 Apr 2010

EMSC generates net revenue of $679.4 million for first-quarter 2010

Emergency Medical Services Corporation today announces results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

29 Apr 2010

BD second-quarter revenues up 7.0% to $1.845 billion

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) today reported quarterly revenues of $1.845 billion for the second fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2010, representing an increase of 7.0 percent from the prior-year period, or 6.6 percent on a foreign currency-neutral basis.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 29 Apr 2010

CD8+T cells may aid in developing AIDS vaccine: New Journal of Physics

Limited success in modelling the behaviour of the complex, unusual and unpredictable HIV virus has slowed efforts to develop an effective vaccine to prevent AIDS.

29 Apr 2010

WellPoint profits rise 51 percent amid scrutiny on several fronts

WellPoint, the U.S. health insurer with the biggest membership, announced Wednesday that its first-quarter earnings rose 51 percent compared to last year and were boosted by a mild flu season, The Wall Street Journal reports. Medical membership fell 2.1% to 33.8 million as of March 31 from a year earlier but rose by 165,000 during the quarter. The company trimmed its year-end medical membership projection to 33.1 million from 33.3 million."

29 Apr 2010

Seasonal flu shots: Are they responsible for the adverse reactions? Investigations on

After the seasonal flu vaccines caused over 250 cases of fever, vomiting and convulsions and one reported death in under-fives there has been intense investigations to detect the cause. Further vaccinations were stopped last Friday.

28 Apr 2010

Stalk structure of Mx protein restrains components of influenza virus in infected cells

When the human body becomes infected with new influenza viruses, the immune system rapidly activates an inborn protective mechanism to inhibit the intruding pathogen. A protein known as Mx plays an important role in this process, keeping the spread of viruses in check. Exactly how Mx accomplishes this task was previously unknown.

28 Apr 2010