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Experimental drug to restore function of nerves damaged in spinal cord injuries shows promise

Researchers have shown how an experimental drug might restore the function of nerves damaged in spinal cord injuries by preventing short circuits caused when tiny "potassium channels" in the fibers are exposed.

20 Nov 2009

Experts available to discuss health effects of abuse and domestic violence

Did you know that in 2007-08, there were 62,000 Canadian women living in shelters to escape domestic violence and abusive situations, according to Statistics Canada? While violence appears in different forms and locations, the results are always the same: physical and psychological damage to the victims. How can we break the vicious circle of violence and improve the lives and health of our populations?

19 Nov 2009

New bone matrix implant offers hope for babies born with skull deformities

A synthetic bone matrix offers hope for babies born with craniosynostosis, a condition that causes the plates in the skull to fuse too soon. Implants replacing some of the infant's bone with the biodegradable matrix could eliminate some of the operations currently used to treat the condition.

19 Nov 2009

Health care spending in Canada expected to reach $183.1 billion in 2009: CIHI

Health care spending in Canada is expected to reach $183.1 billion in 2009, an estimated increase of $9.5 billion, or 5.5%, since 2008, according to new figures released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

19 Nov 2009

Ligon Discovery raises $1 million

Ligon Discovery, Inc., which uses proprietary small molecule microarray technology to find drugs against high-value targets, today announced that it has raised $1M in seed financing led by incTANK Ventures. The company will use the capital to complete its initial discovery campaign that will screen over 100 high-value disease protein targets. With this investment, incTANK Ventures General Partner Christian Bailey joins the board.

19 Nov 2009

Pfizer,DNDi partner to Identify NTD drugs; Sanofi-Aventis, medicines for malaria launch drug study

Pfizer and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) on Wednesday announced plans to team up in an effort to identify new drug candidates for the treatment of three tropical diseases, the Associated Press/Business Week reports. The scientists will test the efficacy of Pfizer drug candidates against sleeping sickness, visceral leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease.

19 Nov 2009

Op-Eds: HIV travel ban; improving sanitation; counterfeit drugs

A "blot" on U.S. HIV/AIDS leadership "ended last month when President [Barack] Obama lifted the prohibition" that kept HIV-positive foreigners from visiting the U.S. or seeking residency, according to a Washington Post editorial. "The process for eliminating the travel ban started under President George W. Bush in July 2008, when he signed legislation that repealed the original statute."

19 Nov 2009

A look at how key provisions compare in the House and Senate bills

The New York Times reports that "the health care proposals from the House and the Senate are broadly similar but differ on some major issues." It reports on five issues - the public plan, employer contribution, abortion, illegal immigrants and financing - and puts differences in bold type (11/19).

19 Nov 2009

Lawmakers call for inquiry into pharmaceutical company price hikes

Congressional Democrats are seeking government investigations into recent price increases of brand-name prescription drugs, as Congress finalizes an overhaul of the healthcare system. Lawmakers are concerned the companies are trying to reap gains ahead of reforms aimed at lowering drug prices and forcing drugmakers to partly fund changes that aim to boost the number of Americans covered by health insurance.

19 Nov 2009

Positive results from Sciele Pharma's second pivotal study of PSD502 for the treatment of PE

At the annual meeting of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, Inc. in San Diego, Sciele Pharma, Inc., a Shionogi Company, and Plethora Solutions Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Plethora Solutions Holdings PLC, today presented data from its second positive pivotal study of PSD502 for the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).

19 Nov 2009

First Edition: November 19, 2009

Today's headlines are overwhelmingly focused on yesterday's major health policy development: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally unveiled the much-anticipated Senate health bill.

19 Nov 2009

System to help identify patients at high risk of developing delirium

A specialist in caring for elderly patients, Turner-Hubbard is a geriatric nurse practitioner trained to quickly spot the sudden changes in mental status that signal the onset of the sudden, severe confusion known as delirium. She knows the hospital “triggers” that can bring on fluctuations in behavior: blood loss during surgery, anesthesia, pain medications and anti-anxiety drugs, infections, dehydration, IV lines and catheters, as well as being immobilized for an extended period of time.

19 Nov 2009

eHealthInsurance releases six-point checklist to get the most out of Medicare coverage

eHealthInsurance, the leading online source of health insurance for individuals, families, and small businesses, that now offers a new online Medicare resource, www.eHealthMedicare.com, today released a six-point checklist to help Medicare recipients make informed decisions about their Medicare options.

19 Nov 2009

Six new degree programs to be offered by High-Tech Institute in Minneapolis

High-Tech Institute in Minneapolis will begin offering six new degree programs, with a class start set for January 11, 2010 for all programs. The school is located at 5100 Gamble Drive, Suite 200 in St. Louis Park, Minn.

19 Nov 2009

Binge drinking, cannabis and prescription drugs still remain a concern among teenagers

While fewer teens are drinking alcohol in 2009 than a decade ago, binge drinking, use of cannabis and prescription drugs remain a concern, according to the 2009 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey (OSDUHS) released today by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

19 Nov 2009

USP releases new CRMs for carbamazepine, phenytoin, and theophylline

To help bring greater certainty to the measurement of medication levels in a patient's bloodstream for three drugs with narrow therapeutic ranges, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) is releasing new certified reference materials (CRMs).

19 Nov 2009

New biomarkers can predict patients' response to certain drugs

Recent advances in cancer therapeutics have led to the discovery of biomarkers that can predict patient response to certain drugs. Screening for mutations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGRF) prior to non-small cell lung cancer treatment, for example, has been shown to indentify patients who are likely to respond to treatment with erlontinib. This maximizes the drug's impact, and spares patients who are not likely to benefit from being subjected to potentially debilitating side effects.

19 Nov 2009

instaCare reports third quarter 2009 financial results

instaCare Corp., (OTC Bulletin Board: ISCR), a leading distributor of life-saving prescription drugs and at-home testing diagnostics for the chronically ill, and a leading developer of patentable technologies for e-pharmacy, e-health and EMR applications, reported financial results for the third quarter period-ended September 30, 2009.

19 Nov 2009

Study: EP4 agonist may reduce gastric bleeding and inflammation

Over 300 million patients use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the world to treat pain, arthritis, fever and other diseases. Nearly 30% of the users suffer from gastric lesions and bleeding.

19 Nov 2009

Malaria experts urge Congress to increase funding for malaria programs

While efforts to control and eliminate malaria have made great strides during the past five years, the looming specter of drug resistance heightens the importance of continued research and development for new tools to assure continued success, according to malaria scientists and public health experts appearing today on Capitol Hill.

19 Nov 2009