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Researching the causes of Alzheimer's disease

The standard explanation for what causes Alzheimer's is known as the amyloid hypothesis, which posits that the disease results from of an accumulation of the peptide amyloid beta, the toxic protein fragments that deposit in the brain and become the sticky plaques that have defined Alzheimer's for more than 100 years.

23 Sep 2009

Former senior manager sentenced for defrauding Hitachi America Group Health and Welfare Plan

Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Dennis M. Dowd, formerly the senior manager of human resources of Hitachi America Ltd. (Hitachi America), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 57 months in prison for defrauding the Hitachi America Group Health and Welfare Plan (the Plan) of more than $6 million.

23 Sep 2009

Decision Points helps patients with important medical decisions

Healthwise has released a new, interactive generation of its Decision Points to help people make better decisions with their doctors.

23 Sep 2009

Rwandan President outlines 'improved' U.S.-Africa relationship in opinion piece

To begin an "improved" U.S.-Africa relationship "of shared ideas, vision and investments that increase ... mutual prosperities" both the U.S. and Africa "must accept urgent and substantial changes in the nature of our bond," Paul Kagame, president of Rwanda, writes in a Washington Post opinion piece.

23 Sep 2009

For some families, 'Cadillac' health insurance is priceless

Also part of the special series, "Are You Covered?" Kaiser Health News and NPR report that "for two families, 'gold-plated' health insurance has made a huge difference in the health care they receive. But it's not always the rich who get these benefits, and they worry about what a possible tax on plans would do to their health coverage (Gold, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

Pelosi says House health bill will have public option

'No bill can pass the House of Representatives without a public option in it,' Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a press conference after a private tour of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital with a group of physicians and local Congressional Democrats.

23 Sep 2009

Children’s Hospital offers tips on H1N1 and seasonal flu

With the early onset of flu season coinciding with the start of school this year, parents are concerned about the flu. Experts from The Children’s Hospital in Denver, Colo., offer a pediatric perspective on all types of flu, including H1N1, also known as swine flu.

23 Sep 2009

McLaren Health Care and ProTom partner to bring Proton beam therapy to Michigan

Cancer patients residing in and near Michigan are one step closer to receiving one of the most advanced forms of treatment available with a new partnership being formed between McLaren Health Care and ProTom International, a Texas-based health care technology company.

23 Sep 2009

Women lag behind men in protecting their wages: Study

Women have made gains in the job market, now holding half of our nation’s 132 million jobs, according to recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. However, a gap remains in their understanding and use of benefits that protect their income, according to research by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: HIG).

23 Sep 2009

CIGNA announces initial results of its multi-year strategy to improve customer's experience

CIGNA (NYSE:CI) today announced the initial results of its multi-year strategy that places an entirely new focus on improving customers’ experience. The effort has led to an improvement in customer understanding of their benefits in excess of 100 percent, a 50 percent reduction in the number of printed materials customers receive, and the use of simpler language that doesn’t rely on insurance jargon. It also led CIGNA to become the first in its industry to offer 24 hour-a-day, seven day-a-week customer service.

23 Sep 2009

UNAIDS, NGOs partner to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa

UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe in New York on Monday signed a partnership agreement with several non-governmental organizations (NGOs) pledging to work towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa, Agence France-Presse reports. Presidents Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal and Yoweri Museveni of Uganda attended the signing ceremony.

23 Sep 2009

Snowe: Baucus Bill is 'solid starting point' but process should slow down

"Republican Senator Olympia Snowe says the Finance Committee's health care bill is a 'solid starting point' but needs to be improved," The Associated Press reports. "The Maine senator is seen as the only Republican on the panel who could end up voting for the bill, so her comments are closely watched." In her opening statement at the Finance Committee mark-up today, "Snowe praised the bill for holding down costs and taking a stab at medical malpractice reform.

23 Sep 2009

Also in global health news: Combating sleeping sickness in eastern Africa; China commits to developing countries; Latin America development

The African Development Bank on Tuesday announced it will award eastern African countries $70 million to help fight the neglected tropical disease, trypanasomiasis, commonly known as sleeping sickness, over six years, the Monitor/allAfrica.com reports (Pacutho, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

Academy of Friends announces its 2009-2010 fundraising for 11 Bay Area HIV/AIDS service organizations

Academy of Friends proudly announces its 2009-2010 fundraising for 11 Bay Area HIV/AIDS service organizations. Known for its annual Academy Awards® Night Charity Gala and monthly social events, AOF raised more than $7.5 million benefitting over 70 organizations serving more than 250,000 people over the last 30 years.

23 Sep 2009

Many amendments already introduced to Senate Finance bill

The Salt Lake Tribune: "Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, has 51 ways he wants to change the latest health reform proposal including one amendment that would ease a tax on high-end insurance plans for 'any state with a name that begins with the letter 'U.'

23 Sep 2009

Abbott, Coherex Medical sign multi-year distribution agreement

Salt Lake City-based Coherex Medical, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a multi-year distribution agreement with global health care company Abbott for the Coherex FlatStent™ EF PFO Closure System.

23 Sep 2009

Amnesty International report highlights maternal mortality 'emergency' in Sierra Leone

"One in eight women in Sierra Leone risks dying of pregnancy and childbirth complications exacerbated by a combination of poverty, discrimination, inequality and government mismanagement," according to an Amnesty International report, released Tuesday, Reuters AlertNet reports (Fominyen, 9/22).

23 Sep 2009

New heart surgery method raises questions for reformers

A new method for performing cardiac catheterizations may be more comfortable, shows a lower chance of complications such as severe bleeding, and allows patients to be discharged more quickly, potentially saving money, the Washington Post reports.

23 Sep 2009

Clinton Global Initiative meeting begins, will address investment in women, girls

The Clinton Global Initiative's (CGI) 2009 meeting, which begins Tuesday in New York, has added a new theme to its agenda - "investing in women and girls to narrow the gender gap," Bloomberg reports in an article examining the conference.

23 Sep 2009

Oncology Metrics and Altos Solutions to merge

Altos Solutions and Oncology Metrics llc, today announced the planned merger of the two companies, creating a combined technology and knowledge data company serving community-based oncology practices. The merged company will be known as Altos Solutions and will be headquartered in Los Altos, California.

23 Sep 2009