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Offering support to partners of newly diagnosed RA patients

Partners of patients newly diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis are equally emotionally affected by the diagnosis and go through the same grieving process as the patients themselves, according to the results of a study presented today at EULAR 2010, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Rome, Italy.

18 Jun 2010

New multimillion dollar BSL-3 laboratory complex at Nigerian National TB and Leprosy Training Center

This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Director, Dr. Tom Frieden, visited the Nigerian National TB and Leprosy Training Center (NTBLTC) to tour a multimillion dollar laboratory complex established by the Institute of Human Virology (IHV) of the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland, and the Institute of Human Virology-Nigeria. This U.S.-Nigeria partnership was established in 2004 through funding from the CDC and the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

18 Jun 2010

NAN warns health care practitioners about dangers posed by EPHINEPHrine shortage

A National Alert for Serious Medication Errors was issued yesterday by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices, warning health care practitioners about dangerous medication errors that could be caused by a shortage of EPINEPHrine pre-filled syringes.

18 Jun 2010

ACP supports announcements of $250M in investments to expand primary care workforce

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today said it supports the announcements of $250 million in investments to expand the primary care workforce by President Obama and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

18 Jun 2010

Research examines relationship between body-image distortion and weight-loss behaviors

Normal weight and underweight teenage girls who falsely believe they are overweight are at significantly greater risk of succumbing to unnecessary and unsafe weight-loss behaviors than girls who can accurately assess their weight status, according to new research by a University of Illinois expert in eating disorders and body-image perception.

18 Jun 2010

AAIM identifies core principles that delineate shortfalls of GME funding

The Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine has identified core principles that delineate the shortfalls of graduate medical education funding. In light of the current state of Medicare GME financing and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's June 2010 report, AAIM encourages GME reform to address these shortfalls in light of societal health care needs.

18 Jun 2010

Data on BYETTA and SYMLIN injections, BYDUREON drug candidate to be presented at ADA 2010

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the Company will present data for its FDA-approved diabetes drugs, BYETTA (exenatide) injection and SYMLIN (pramlintide acetate) injection, and its investigational diabetes drug candidate BYDUREON (exenatide extended-release for injectable suspension) at the American Diabetes Association's 70th Annual Scientific Sessions being held in Orlando, FL from June 25 to June 29.

18 Jun 2010

KHN column: Market-based reform initiatives are key to success of health law

In her latest Kaiser Health News column, Grace-Marie Turner writes: "Consumer-directed health plans have been useful in controlling the rise of health costs over the last several years, but the survival of these plans is threatened by the new health overhaul law" (6/17).

18 Jun 2010

WSJ: Study on eye medicine reveals possible savings for Medicare

The Wall Street Journal reports that Medicare could save $500 million a year by switching from one type of eye medicine to another, both made by Genentech, "according to a draft study by federal officials and a University of Miami eye doctor.

18 Jun 2010

Light cigarettes to be phased out as part of Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

Effective June 22, 2010, the most popular selling cigarettes – light cigarettes – will be phased out as part of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, which was signed into law on June 22, 2009. This historic day provides an opportunity for the 70 percent of smokers who want to quit to finally end their addiction to these deadly products.

18 Jun 2010

Nurse-monitored ART found to be as safe, effective as therapy monitored by doctors in South African trial

"HIV drugs can be administered as effectively by nurses as by doctors, a finding that could yield major benefits in the fight against AIDS in Africa," according to a study published online Wednesday in the Lancet, Agence France-Presse reports.

18 Jun 2010

NPR's Morning Edition examines Global Health Initiative

NPR's Morning Edition examines the Obama administration's Global Health Initiative (GHI) and efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. The $63 billion dollar "initiative preserves the Bush AIDS relief plan," known as PEPFAR, and aims "to allow patients to get care at one location rather than having to seek care at different places. For example, family planning at one facility and HIV care at another," NPR notes.

18 Jun 2010

New VA surgery rating system affects where vets get care; Abortion changes considered for military

"A new rating system now restricts the types of surgery performed at certain Veterans Affairs facilities in five states," NPR reports. "The new policy will prompt some veterans to travel farther to reach other VA facilities or civilian hospitals for more complex surgeries. The policy comes after investigations found that surgical mistakes had caused nine deaths in the department's Marion, Ill., hospital a few years ago.

18 Jun 2010

State round up: Colo. to delay Medicaid pay to doctors; La. Legislature passes law requiring ultrasounds before an abortion

"Colorado has declared a fiscal emergency and delayed payments to doctors and clinics taking care of the state's neediest patients. Under state law, the Medicaid department can delay reimbursements to doctors, hospitals and clinics during a fiscal emergency. Physicians treating patients with the health-insurance plan for the poor will not receive normally scheduled payments on June 25 or July 2, a hardship for safety-net clinics in particular that rely on public funds. State officials said they would begin catching up on payments July 9 after a new fiscal year begins" (Brown, 6/17).

18 Jun 2010

Gary Coleman's death highlights importance of end-of-life decisions

Actor Gary Coleman's death is highlighting the importance of who makes your end-of-life decisions and is drawing attention to the fact that having a "living will" does not always guarantee that your wishes will be carried out, CNN reports.

18 Jun 2010

U.S. officials announce new agriculture research initiative to aid farmers in developing countries

Citing USAID's Feed the Future initiative as "central" to U.S. foreign policy, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday announced plans to "leverage the work" of U.S. researchers to "benefit farmers in developing countries worldwide," PTI/The Hindu reports.

18 Jun 2010

Maternal, infant ART drives down mother-to-child HIV transmission through breast-feeding, studies show

According to two new studies, "giving pregnant and nursing women triple antiretroviral drug therapy, or treating breast-fed infants with an antiretroviral medication, can dramatically cut transmission rates, enabling moms to both breast-feed and to protect nearly all children from infection," HealthDay News/Bloomberg Businessweek reports (Goodwin, 6/16).

18 Jun 2010

Drug makers face tightened regulations by FDA and less clout at medical meetings

The Washington Post: "The Food and Drug Administration this week began posting online the results of safety evaluations of recently approved drugs and vaccines. The action follows a law enacted in 2007 that requires the agency to provide more safety information to consumers and health professionals. The evaluations must be conducted 18 months after a new drug comes on the market.

18 Jun 2010

Loss of Manhattan hospital crowds other ERs; Utah discourages Medicaid patients from unnecessary ER visits

"Emergency rooms in downtown Manhattan have become more crowded since St. Vincent's Hospital closed in April, but ambulances are getting patients into the remaining ERs faster than they did when the 161-year-old Greenwich Village hospital was open." Bellevue Hospital Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York Downtown Hospital and New York University Langone Medical Center are the "four downtown ERs left to pick up the slack" and have experienced increases in patient visits in May compared with 2008 levels.

18 Jun 2010

Obama thanks nurses for health law support, nurse practitioners push role

President Obama Wednesday thanked the American Nurses Association for supporting the health reform effort, The Associated Press reports. "Obama said nurses are the 'beating heart' of the health care system. … The Obama administration on Wednesday also announced new funding (Today's Daily Report includes summaries of coverage related to this announcement.) to help educate and train full-time nurses" (Simmons, 6/17).

18 Jun 2010

Health Care News and Research

Offering support to partners of newly diagnosed RA patients

New multimillion dollar BSL-3 laboratory complex at Nigerian National TB and Leprosy Training Center

NAN warns health care practitioners about dangers posed by EPHINEPHrine shortage

ACP supports announcements of $250M in investments to expand primary care workforce

Research examines relationship between body-image distortion and weight-loss behaviors

AAIM identifies core principles that delineate shortfalls of GME funding

Data on BYETTA and SYMLIN injections, BYDUREON drug candidate to be presented at ADA 2010

KHN column: Market-based reform initiatives are key to success of health law

WSJ: Study on eye medicine reveals possible savings for Medicare

Light cigarettes to be phased out as part of Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

Nurse-monitored ART found to be as safe, effective as therapy monitored by doctors in South African trial

NPR's Morning Edition examines Global Health Initiative

New VA surgery rating system affects where vets get care; Abortion changes considered for military

State round up: Colo. to delay Medicaid pay to doctors; La. Legislature passes law requiring ultrasounds before an abortion

Gary Coleman's death highlights importance of end-of-life decisions

U.S. officials announce new agriculture research initiative to aid farmers in developing countries

Maternal, infant ART drives down mother-to-child HIV transmission through breast-feeding, studies show

Drug makers face tightened regulations by FDA and less clout at medical meetings

Loss of Manhattan hospital crowds other ERs; Utah discourages Medicaid patients from unnecessary ER visits

Obama thanks nurses for health law support, nurse practitioners push role

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