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U.N. says it will investigate source of Haitian cholera epidemic as death toll rises

The U.N. is looking into establishing an independent commission to identify the source of Haiti's cholera epidemic, Alain Le Roy, the U.N. under-secretary-general for peacekeeping operations, said on Wednesday, the Associated Press/Washington Post reports. "We are urging and we are calling for what we could call an international panel," Le Roy said at a news conference at the U.N. headquarters in New York. "We are in discussions with (the U.N. World Health Organization) to find the best experts to be in a panel to be completely independent," he added.

17 Dec 2010

Cancer Treatment Centers of America deploys Intel's personal health system solution

Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) is deploying the Intel® Health Guide - a next-generation personal health system solution that allows physicians and clinicians to proactively monitor their patients' care at home - as part of its commitment to provide patients with the information and resources they need to make educated decisions about their cancer care.

17 Dec 2010

City Tech Nursing Professor provides community-based care plan to study difference in health outcomes

Patients with diabetes who follow a self-care regimen generally have success in controlling their disease. But what about patients whose other health conditions, such as cognitive impairment and/or depression, create barriers to effective treatment?

17 Dec 2010

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota praises fix of orphan drug discount under 340B program

Families who were facing the prospect of huge increases in the cost of life-saving drugs for their children can breath easier thanks to a new law that will preserve discounts on specialized, so-called "orphan drugs."

17 Dec 2010

Global Fund approves 79 grants with two-year commitment of $1.7B

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Board of Directors on Wednesday approved 79 grants with a two-year commitment of "$1.7 billion dollars for projects against the diseases, amid warnings that some hard-hit African countries were being left out," Agence France-Presse reports. The commitment, according to Ethiopian Health Minister Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who chairs the Global Fund's board, "shows that even in hard economic times, we can continue to expand the fight against the three diseases" (12/15).

17 Dec 2010

Researchers discover new molecular mechanism of Alzheimer's disease through protein interaction

Through a complex analysis of protein interactions, researchers from IRB Barcelona and the Joint Programme IRB-BSC have discovered new molecular mechanisms that may be involved in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

17 Dec 2010

President signs one-year 'pay-fix'; Medicare tests competitive bidding for common medical equipment

The Kansas City Star reports on a new Medicare program that will apply competitive bidding to common medical equipment and supplies. Meanwhile, President Obama signed into law yesterday a one-year delay in Medicare payment cuts for physicians.

17 Dec 2010

U.S., South Africa sign PEPFAR partnership agreement

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and South African International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane on Tuesday signed a "partnership agreement that will guide efforts on fighting HIV/AIDS in the African nation," Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports (Wessels, 12/15).

17 Dec 2010

White House to hold meetings with stakeholders on overhaul implementation

News outlets offer reports about action on the implementation front, including White House stakeholder meetings and a vote by state insurance officials regarding the information health plans should provide consumers.

17 Dec 2010

Iowa moves forward on health exchange; Texas medical school highlights geriatrics; Concerns grow about prisoners' mental health needs

Republican lawmakers on the state level are largely against the new health reform law—but they aren't against all of the behemoth legislation. Virginia dominated headlines this week when a federal judge ruled the individual mandate to buy insurance unconstitutional on Monday. Much less noticed: the very next day, a task force appointed by Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell recommended that the state implement a health insurance exchange earlier than federal guidelines require (Kliff, 12/16).

17 Dec 2010

Florida Judge hears arguments in 20-state health law challenge; says ruling will take time

The Associated Press: Attorneys for 20 states involved in a challenge to the new health law argued Thursday morning before U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson that it will "expand the government's powers in dangerous and unintended ways." The states were seeking "a summary judgment throwing out the health care law without a full trial. They argue it violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties."

17 Dec 2010

Collaboration seeks to uncover the best strategies to improve health care, lower costs

A group of health care organizations are joining forces to compile evidence on the strategies the work best to address a variety of common, and usually expensive, medical conditions. Meanwhile, the nation's new Medicare chief is hitting the road to hear ideas about improving the health care system.

17 Dec 2010

Holder, Sebelius convene day-long summit on health care fraud

High-ranking Obama administration officials are convening a day-long meeting in Massachusetts to brainstorm about ways to prevent health care fraud and abuse. In other news, a federal district judge upholds the prohibition on three former executives from the company that made the painkiller OxyContin — they will continue to be barred from involvement with any government-financed health care program.

17 Dec 2010

Vertical Health acquires prominent pain journal

Vertical Health, a leading health information company focused on pain management, musculoskeletal diseases and endocrine diseases, is pleased to announce the acquisition of Practical Pain Management, the most prominent pain journal for the practicing pain physician. This acquisition marks the next phase in Vertical Health's mission to serve the health information needs of patients suffering from pain and the physicians who treat them.

17 Dec 2010

Clinton outlines QDDR recommendations at launch event

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) on Wednesday at the State Department, "pledging to focus more on conflict prevention and elevate the roles of U.S. ambassadors in coordinating the work of all U.S. agencies working abroad," the Washington Post reports (Sheridan, 12/16).

17 Dec 2010

Positive economic signs evident in health sector

News outlets report that the health care sector has recently been posting more jobs and been the focus of more private equity investment interest.

17 Dec 2010

Houston Chronicle: Testing flex money limits

The IRS hasn't officially weighed in. Neither has Congress. But it looks as if most — if not all — of the annual retainers people are paying for special attention from their doctors is not reimbursable under flexible spending accounts.

17 Dec 2010

Health law challenges shift to Florida courtroom

Today marks a "new day in court" as oral arguments will be heard in a Florida courtroom regarding the 20-state legal challenge. This lawsuit includes issues surrounding the health law's individual mandate and Medicaid expansions. Meanwhile, analysis continues regarding Monday's decision by a federal court judge in Virginia and a new round of debate regarding whether the health overhaul lawsuits bring to light issues of judicial bias.

16 Dec 2010

Today's Opinions: Health law spending; Funding threats undercut U.S. legal tradition; Medicaid falls short

Rising entitlement spending is already driving the federal budget off a cliff. But Obamacare would add fuel to the fire with the largest entitlement expansion since the 1960s. So it takes a special kind of audacity for Obamacare's apologists to continue to insist that the new law will cut the projected budget deficits.

16 Dec 2010

Web-based screening tools for determining TBI or PTS among military service members

Military service members from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars attending this week's 6th annual Road to Recovery Conference and Tribute at Walt Disney World are being given access to two web-based screening tools that enable them to quickly and confidentially determine if they might have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) or have Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS). The three day event is being co-presented by the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes and The American Legion.

16 Dec 2010

Health Care News and Research

U.N. says it will investigate source of Haitian cholera epidemic as death toll rises

Cancer Treatment Centers of America deploys Intel's personal health system solution

City Tech Nursing Professor provides community-based care plan to study difference in health outcomes

Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota praises fix of orphan drug discount under 340B program

Global Fund approves 79 grants with two-year commitment of $1.7B

Researchers discover new molecular mechanism of Alzheimer's disease through protein interaction

President signs one-year 'pay-fix'; Medicare tests competitive bidding for common medical equipment

U.S., South Africa sign PEPFAR partnership agreement

White House to hold meetings with stakeholders on overhaul implementation

Iowa moves forward on health exchange; Texas medical school highlights geriatrics; Concerns grow about prisoners' mental health needs

Florida Judge hears arguments in 20-state health law challenge; says ruling will take time

Collaboration seeks to uncover the best strategies to improve health care, lower costs

Holder, Sebelius convene day-long summit on health care fraud

Vertical Health acquires prominent pain journal

Clinton outlines QDDR recommendations at launch event

Positive economic signs evident in health sector

Houston Chronicle: Testing flex money limits

Health law challenges shift to Florida courtroom

Today's Opinions: Health law spending; Funding threats undercut U.S. legal tradition; Medicaid falls short

Web-based screening tools for determining TBI or PTS among military service members

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

Advancing Neuroscience Research Through Collaboration and Patient-Centered Innovation

The impact of vibration on microscopy

How Omics Technologies Are Transforming Biological Research and Drug Discovery

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