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New York Times examines new surveillance measures in WHO's world malaria report 2008

The New York Times on Tuesday examined the data collection methods used in the World Malaria Report 2008, which was released last week by the World Health Organization (McNeil, New York Times, 9/23).

24 Sep 2008

New tool for 'right first time' drug manufacture

A technology which provides high quality images of the crystallisation process marks the next step towards a 'right first time' approach to drug manufacture, according to engineers at the University of Leeds.

From Malvern Panalytical 23 Sep 2008

Three million HIV positive injecting drug users

New research suggests there could be three million injecting drug users (IDUs) worldwide who are HIV positive; and that the number of countries reporting injecting drug use has increased over the last decade.

23 Sep 2008

Research evaluates acupressure for chemo induced nausea

New research commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme is evaluating acupressure wristbands for the management of chemotherapy-induced acute and delayed nausea.

23 Sep 2008

Study finds Medicare's benefits are less generous than large-employer plans

Medicare on average provides less generous benefits to seniors than they would receive under a typical large-employer health plan or the most popular plan available to federal employees – even with the program’s new drug benefit, according to a new Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.

22 Sep 2008

Associated Press examines drug disposal practices of hospitals, long-term care facilities

Hospitals, hospices and nursing homes dump at least 250 million pounds of unused medications and contaminated packaging into the U.S. drinking water supply each year, according to an ongoing Associated Press investigation, the AP/San Francisco Chronicle reports.

22 Sep 2008

House members send letter to Condoleezza Rice requesting information on antiretrovirals supplied to PEPFAR by Ranbaxy

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on Friday sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice requesting information about alleged safety problems with antiretrovirals manufactured by the Indian generic pharmaceutical company Ranbaxy and distributed through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports (AP/International Herald Tribune, 9/19).

22 Sep 2008

Newsweek examines the effect of aging on people living with HIV/AIDS

Newsweek on Thursday examined the effects of aging on HIV-positive people older than age 50, who currently comprise the fastest-growing group of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. From 1990 to 2005, the number of HIV cases among people older than 50 increased by more than 700%, according to local Department of Health studies.

22 Sep 2008

Supply shortages, poverty interrupt antiretroviral treatments in Swaziland

Health facilities in Swaziland are experiencing shortages in antiretroviral drugs and other medications despite insistence from the country's health department that the shortage has been resolved, IRIN/PlusNews reports.

22 Sep 2008

Tuberculosis researchers discuss challenges, next steps for addressing XDR-TB, MDR-TB in Africa at TB symposium

As many as 30% of people with drug-resistant tuberculosis can be successfully treated with first-line drugs, Paul van Helden of the University of Stellenbosch's Center of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research said recently while presenting research on drug-resistant TB at a TB symposium in Maputo, Mozambique, Africa Science News Service reports.

22 Sep 2008

U.S. authorities gunning for makers of bogus cancer cures

Government authorities in the United States are gunning for companies peddling bogus cancer cures.

22 Sep 2008

Pharmacy benefits managers promote low-cost generics, adherence to drug plans

Pharmacy benefits managers have begun offering tools to help consumers find low-cost generic drugs, adhere to drug regimens and increase consumer choice, all of which can help increase profit margins, the Wall Street Journal reports.

22 Sep 2008

Utah preferred prescription drug list savings less than projected

Utah's Medicaid preferred prescription drug list in its first year has reduced spending by nearly $546,000, but the savings fell about $2.75 million short of original estimates by the Utah Department of Health, according to Michael Hales, the director of the state Division of Health Care Financing, the Salt Lake Tribune reports.

22 Sep 2008

Supreme Court prepares to hear pre-emption case that could give pharmaceutical companies protection against liability

The case of a Vermont women who won a $6 million award from Wyeth for failure to adequately warn her of the risk of one of its products is the "latest in a brisk parade of similar ones" in which the U.S. Supreme Court will examine the principle of pre-emption, which states that FDA approval of drugs or medical devices pre-empts the ability for individuals to sue manufacturers for liability in state courts, the New York Times reports.

22 Sep 2008

Number of annual malaria cases worldwide decreases

There were about 247 million malaria cases worldwide in 2006, according to the World Malaria Report 2008, which was released by the World Health Organization on Thursday, Reuters reports (MacInnis, Reuters, 9/18). According to the report, 3.3 billion people worldwide were at risk for malaria in 2006, and the disease remains a major burden among children younger than age five and in many African countries (AFP/Google.com, 9/18).

22 Sep 2008

Congress approves legislation that would expand Americans with Disabilities Act

The House on Wednesday gave final approval to Senate legislation (S 3406) expanding the definition of disability for people claiming discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York Times reports.

22 Sep 2008

Senate hearing discusses recommendations for increased regulations on direct-to-consumer ads for medical devices

Lawmakers and witnesses on Wednesday at a Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing discussed recommendations for increased regulations on direct-to-consumer advertisements for medical devices, Dow Jones reports (Corbett Dooren, Dow Jones, 9/17).

22 Sep 2008

Uganda to provide malaria drug coartem to clinics at reduced price

Uganda's Ministry of Health will provide the artemisinin-based combination therapy Coartem to private health clinics at subsidized prices to curb the spread of malaria in the country, Minister of State for Primary Health Care Emmanuel Otaala said Wednesday, New Vision reports.

22 Sep 2008

China should provide medical care, compensation to HIV-positive blood donors, Piot says

UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot on Thursday encouraged the Chinese government to provide compensation and medical care to thousands of people who contracted HIV through the government-supported blood transfusions in the late 1990s and early 2000s, AFP/AsiaOne News reports.

22 Sep 2008

Mozambique's progress on HIV/AIDS insufficient, World Bank official says

Mozambique has made insufficient progress in efforts to address HIV/AIDS over the past year despite increased efforts to expand access to antiretroviral drugs, a World Bank official said on Wednesday at a meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique, to review the country's progress in implementing World Bank-financed projects over the last year, the Independent Online reports.

22 Sep 2008