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Next U.S. President should establish center focused on development of cures for diseases, opinion piece states

An expansion of health insurance to more U.S. residents -- with "business, patients and government sharing the cost" -- is important, but unless "we find cures, American families will continue to be plagued by costly and debilitating fatal diseases such as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer's" disease, former Rep. Harold Ford (D-Tenn.), chair of the Democratic Leadership Council, and Al From, founder and CEO of the council, write in a Memphis Commercial Appeal opinion piece.

11 May 2008

New Hampshire House passes bill to create plan to lower insurance premiums for small businesses

The New Hampshire House on Wednesday voted 259-93 to approve a bill (SB 540) that aims to lower health costs for employees of small businesses, the Manchester Union Leader reports.

11 May 2008

Georgia Gov. Perdue signs bill establishing tax exemptions for employer-provided high-deductible policies

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) on Wednesday signed into law two measures intended to make high-deductible health insurance plans more affordable and accessible, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

11 May 2008

CDC report finds increase in reports of respiratory illness in children after hurricane Katrina; New Orleans Mayor pushes for city residents to leave trailers

The number of children in the Gulf Coast region after Hurricane Katrina who complained of symptoms of bronchitis, pneumonia and other lower respiratory illnesses rose in the years after the storm, according to a 49-page CDC report released on Thursday, the Washington Post reports.

11 May 2008

Access to generic HIV/AIDS drugs increasing following Thailand's decision to issue compulsory licenses, health official Says

Access to some antiretroviral drugs is increasing in Thailand because of the country's decision to issue compulsory licenses for certain medications, Winai Sawasdiworn, deputy secretary-general of the National Health Security Office, said recently, the Bangkok Post reports (Apiradee, Bangkok Post, 5/8).

11 May 2008

Southeast Asian officials meet in Laos to discuss HIV/AIDS prevention

Officials with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations recently met in Laos to examine methods of addressing the increasing rate of HIV/AIDS in the region, Xinhuanet reports.

11 May 2008

Kenya launches campaign to increase tuberculosis screening among HIV-positive people

The Kenyan government on Tuesday launched a 60 million shilling -- or about $975,000 -- campaign to increase the number of HIV-positive people who are screened for tuberculosis at public hospitals, Kenya's Nation reports. The campaign also aims to educate health workers to test people with TB for HIV.

11 May 2008

Latino Commission on AIDS Project focuses on HIV/AIDS among Hispanic immigrants in deep south

NPR's "Tell Me More" on Wednesday included a discussion with Tim Frasca of the Latino Commission on AIDS about the organization's Deep South Project. The project aims to develop strategies to address HIV/AIDS among Hispanics in Mississippi and six other Southern states with rapidly growing populations of new immigrants, Frasca, program coordinator for the project, said.

11 May 2008

South Carolina legislature approves $2.4 million for state ADAP

South Carolina lawmakers have approved $2.4 million for the state's AIDS Drug Assistance Program, the Columbia State reports (Reid, Columbia State, 5/8). ADAPs are federal- and state-funded programs that provide HIV/AIDS-related medications to low-income, uninsured and underinsured HIV-positive individuals (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/9).

11 May 2008

microRNAs provide more clues to genetics of schizophrenia

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have illuminated a window into how abnormalities in microRNAs, a family of molecules that regulate expression of numerous genes, may contribute to the behavioral and neuronal deficits associated with schizophrenia and possibly other brain disorders.

11 May 2008

FDA approves new formulation of genetically engineered version of Factor VIIa plasma protein

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new formulation of the genetically engineered version of Factor VIIa, a plasma protein essential for the clotting of blood. The new formulation allows the product to be stored at room temperature (up to 81 degrees Fahrenheit) for up to two years.

9 May 2008

New guidelines for treatment of tobacco dependence released

The U.S. Public Health Service today released an updated version of the clinical guidelines for treating tobacco dependence. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update contains strategies and recommendations designed to guide doctors and other medical professionals to help smokers quit.

9 May 2008

Hearing to focus on direct-to-consumer ads for prescription drugs

Officials for Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Schering-Plough on Thursday will testify at a House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing that Democrats hope will "lay the groundwork for future legislation to tighten controls on drug marketing," the Wall Street Journal reports.

8 May 2008

Senate version of supplemental war appropriations bill would delay Medicaid regulations, increase FDA funds

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday plans to mark up a supplemental war appropriations bill that will include language to block for one year seven new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush administration, as well as additional funds for FDA, CQ Today reports (Higa, CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

Letter from Bush administration indicates states have more flexibility to prove they enrolled 95% of currently eligible children in SCHIP

The Bush administration on Wednesday sent letters to state health officials to clarify a policy directive issued last year that restricts states' ability to expand their SCHIP programs, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 5/7).

8 May 2008

Senate Finance Committee discusses offsets for estimated $15M to $18M cost of Medicare payment delay; Bush administration requests June 16 deadline

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Wednesday said a Medicare package that would delay for 18 months a 10.6% cut to physician fees would cost between $15 billion and $18 billion over five years, prompting committee members to begin discussions on how to offset those costs, CQ Today reports (Wayne/Armstrong, CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

House Energy and Commerce Committee approves bill to reauthorize community health centers program

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday by voice vote approved a bill (HR 1343) that would reauthorize the federal community health centers program through fiscal year 2012, CQ Today reports (Mattingly [1], CQ Today, 5/7).

8 May 2008

HIV/AIDS funding in Tanzania expected to total $476 million, government report says

Funding for HIV/AIDS in Tanzania from the government and international donors from 2007 to 2008 is expected to total more than 568 billion Tanzanian shillings, or about $476 million, according to a recently released government report, the Africa Science News Service reports.

8 May 2008

HIV on the rise in Germany

The number of new HIV cases reported in Germany increased by 4% in 2007, according to data recently released by the Robert Koch Institute, Xinhua/People's Daily reports. The country recorded 2,752 new HIV cases last year, compared with 2,643 in 2006, the institute said (Xinhua/People's Daily, 5/6).

8 May 2008

Namibia to launch pilot HIV testing, counseling project

The Namibian Ministry of Health and Social Services will launch a pilot project to provide no-cost HIV testing and counseling in certain regions of the country to mark its National HIV Testing Day on May 9, Namibia's New Era reports.

8 May 2008

Health Care News and Research

Next U.S. President should establish center focused on development of cures for diseases, opinion piece states

New Hampshire House passes bill to create plan to lower insurance premiums for small businesses

Georgia Gov. Perdue signs bill establishing tax exemptions for employer-provided high-deductible policies

CDC report finds increase in reports of respiratory illness in children after hurricane Katrina; New Orleans Mayor pushes for city residents to leave trailers

Access to generic HIV/AIDS drugs increasing following Thailand's decision to issue compulsory licenses, health official Says

Southeast Asian officials meet in Laos to discuss HIV/AIDS prevention

Kenya launches campaign to increase tuberculosis screening among HIV-positive people

Latino Commission on AIDS Project focuses on HIV/AIDS among Hispanic immigrants in deep south

South Carolina legislature approves $2.4 million for state ADAP

microRNAs provide more clues to genetics of schizophrenia

FDA approves new formulation of genetically engineered version of Factor VIIa plasma protein

New guidelines for treatment of tobacco dependence released

Hearing to focus on direct-to-consumer ads for prescription drugs

Senate version of supplemental war appropriations bill would delay Medicaid regulations, increase FDA funds

Letter from Bush administration indicates states have more flexibility to prove they enrolled 95% of currently eligible children in SCHIP

Senate Finance Committee discusses offsets for estimated $15M to $18M cost of Medicare payment delay; Bush administration requests June 16 deadline

House Energy and Commerce Committee approves bill to reauthorize community health centers program

HIV/AIDS funding in Tanzania expected to total $476 million, government report says

HIV on the rise in Germany

Namibia to launch pilot HIV testing, counseling project

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