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Use of massage therapy reduces among men: AMTA survey

Results from the 14th annual consumer survey conducted by the American Massage Therapy Association indicate the use of massage among men has dropped from 18 percent in 2009 to 10 percent in 2010, a drop that is attributed to the lagging economy these past two years. The survey results were announced at the AMTA National Convention in Minneapolis, September 22-25, 2010.

24 Sep 2010

Pharmaceutical manufacturers to provide 50% discount on brand-name prescription drugs

Vice President Joe Biden, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that the nation's pharmaceutical manufacturers will provide 50 percent discounts on the cost of covered brand-name prescription drugs for beneficiaries in the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or donut hole, starting in 2011.

24 Sep 2010

U.N. MDGs summit concludes with 'outcome document'

The three-day U.N. Summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ended Wednesday with world leaders "adopting a declaration agreed [to] earlier this month, which promised intensified efforts by the 192 U.N. member states to achieve the world body's so-called Millennium Development Goals by 2015," Reuters reports (Worsnip/Wroughton, 9/22).

24 Sep 2010

Olympus Healthcare Solutions declared HIPAA Compliant

Olympus Healthcare Solutions is pleased to announce that it has achieved Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act Certification. Olympus Healthcare Solutions, which includes its Olympus Managed Health Care, Inc., Healthcare Concierge Services, and Axiom Risk Management operating units, is now among a prestigious group of organizations that comply with the HIPAA regulations.

From Evident Corporation - Life Sciences 24 Sep 2010

Increased awareness, improved treatments not mammograms responsible for drop in breast cancer deaths, Study finds

A new study suggests that increased awareness and improved treatments rather than mammograms are the main force in reducing the breast cancer death rate.

24 Sep 2010

Takeda underscores commitment to ACTOS following FDA and EMA announcements for rosiglitazone

Following today’s announcements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for rosiglitazone in the U.S. and Europe, Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America, Inc. and Takeda Pharmaceuticals Europe Limited underscore the company’s commitment to ACTOS® (pioglitazone HCl) and ACTOS-containing medications, and to the millions of people living with type 2 diabetes.

24 Sep 2010

Technologic innovation — Telephones! — could save health system money

Health-coaching more patients over the phone could help save the system money according to a study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine and noticed by the Wall Street Journal's Health Blog. "Typically this kind of care management, as it's called, is offered to people who have trouble managing their chronic conditions or who are facing a big treatment decision — such as surgery or medical management for lower back pain.

24 Sep 2010

Pres. Obama unveils new U.S. Global Development Policy at U.N. MDGs summit

During a U.N. Summit on the Millennium Development Goals address in New York on Wednesday, President Barack Obama outlined "changes in how the United States will pursue international development" and "urged wealthy countries ... to maintain development assistance to poor nations," the Washington Post reports.

24 Sep 2010

House passes fraud bill to keep executives associated with wrongdoing from future Medicare business

The Hill's Healthwatch Blog: The House Wednesday passed a bill that would ban executives from "doing business with Medicare if their companies were convicted of fraud, even if the conviction takes place after their departure. The bill was introduced by the Ways and Means health panel's chairman and ranking member, Reps. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) and Wally Herger (R-Calif.)."

24 Sep 2010

CGI summit looks at businesses' involvement in philanthropy

A growing number of companies are putting more emphasis on philanthropic investments, former President Bill Clinton and business leaders said on Wednesday during the second day of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) meeting in New York, Reuters reports.

24 Sep 2010

GOP lawmakers formally 'pledge' to repeal health law, and more

In their just-released campaign manifesto, "A Pledge to America," Republican lawmakers say repealing the health overhaul law would be among their goals if they retake Congress, The New York Times reports. Repeal comes alongside goals like the permanent extension of Bush tax cuts, spending caps, and the recouping of unspent money from President Obama's stimulus last year.

24 Sep 2010

Reform positions play into campaign rhetoric

Rep. Tom Perriello, D-Va., spent Wednesday touting the new health reform law as he campaigns to win re-election, unlike other Democrats. Perriello's visit occurred the same day that President Barack Obama appeared in Northern Virginia in an attempt to regain some momentum for the health reforms, which have been a top issue in mid-term congressional races across the country.

24 Sep 2010

Researchers discover molecular signature to predict TB infection

Dallas scientists recently discovered a molecular signature in the blood of patients with tuberculosis (TB) that may explain why some people develop an active TB infection, while others exposed to the bacteria which causes the dangerous respiratory virus do not.

24 Sep 2010

New website offers real-life case studies and immunology breakthroughs on HIV

Amid a devastating HIV epidemic, some South African pediatricians treat as many as 100 children per day. With such overwhelming case loads, the physicians have little time to review the information they were offered in medical school on the topic of immunology. Recognizing the potential value of an understanding of up-to-date immunology in the treatment of HIV, immunologist Clive Gray developed Immunopaedia, a Web site that quickly and efficiently gives doctors a working knowledge of immunology through real-life case studies and news of immunology breakthroughs.

24 Sep 2010

Insurers face barrage of challenges in overhaul's rollout

The first big wave of new rules under the federal health care law goes into effect on Thursday, leaving many insurers scrambling to get ahead of the changes. Insurers are cutting administrative staff to lower overhead costs, investing in big technology upgrades and training employees to field the expected influx of customer inquiries.

24 Sep 2010

Opinions: Financial transaction tax; reframing antipoverty efforts; MDGs

The world's largest financial institutions regularly buy and sell massive amounts of world currencies seeking to make quick profits. A tiny tax on these transactions, many of which are purely speculative, would raise billions of dollars to invest in key domestic and global priorities, such as fighting disease, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and protecting our children from poverty.

24 Sep 2010