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U.N. leaders, HIV advocates laud official end to HIV travel ban

A travel ban in place since 1987 that prevented non-U.S. citizens with HIV/AIDS from entering the country officially ended Monday, The Hill's "Blog Briefing Room" reports (Romm, 1/4).

6 Jan 2010

Medicare begins to reimburse for HIV screening

The Hartford Courant reports that "testing for the virus among those 65 and older lags far behind testing of other Americans, and experts say they worry that HIV cases in older adults go undiagnosed — some because of the stigma that the disease still carries, some because patients might dismiss the symptoms of the virus as signs of other conditions more frequently associated with aging and some because doctors can be hesitant to talk to older patients about sex or link their symptoms with HIV."

6 Jan 2010

Multidisciplinary care, patient decision aids rarely offered by breast cancer surgeons

Most breast cancer surgeons' practices do not follow standards associated with the best quality of care, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

6 Jan 2010

USPTO issues a patent to CyDex Pharmaceuticals' Captisol technology

CyDex Pharmaceuticals Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent to CyDex entitled “Sulfoalkyl Ether Cyclodextrin Compositions.” This patent, along with other previously issued technology patents, will provide broad protection for CyDex’s Captisol® technology until 2029.

6 Jan 2010

Clinton foundation releases donor list

Former president Bill Clinton on Friday released a list of the donors who have given money to his foundation "under an agreement with President Obama to prevent the appearance of conflicts with Hillary Rodham Clinton's role as secretary of state," the Washington Post reports.

6 Jan 2010

Also in global health news: Aid in S. Somalia; virus-resistant mosquitoes; composting toilets in Haiti; U.S. Congressional Group visits India

The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) announced Tuesday that it has been forced to halt "aid distribution to about 1 million people in southern Somalia because of attacks against staff and demands by armed groups that aid groups remove women from their teams," the Associated Press reports.

5 Jan 2010

AHF launches second HIV Testing Tour across the US

In an effort to raise local and national awareness about the importance—and ease—of HIV testing and to challenge attitudes about moving toward a streamlined model of HIV testing and counseling nationwide, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is proud to report its launch of a second HIV Testing Tour across the US after its successful completion of its recent and ambitious 14 city AHF Magic Johnson HIV Testing Caravan in mid-2009.

5 Jan 2010

NPR examines future of U.S. global AIDS strategy

NPR's "All Things Considered" examines the Obama administration's global HIV/AIDS policy. "Instead of relying on one program, such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR, [U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric] Goosby says the U.S. has a new five-year strategy that would help low and middle income countries build their own health care systems that incorporate international health programs," according to NPR.

5 Jan 2010

AP series examines worldwide impact of drug resistance

The Associated Press reports on how the misuse of drugs worldwide has contributed to drug-resistant diseases in a series of articles following a six-month investigation by the news service.

5 Jan 2010

Health care and nursing jobs continue to be in demand

The new year promises new health care industry jobs around the country, but in some places, such as Indiana, a shortage of nursing instructors could lead to fewer trained nurses to fill those jobs.

4 Jan 2010

CDC aims for improved efficiency, increased support of science

Changes "aimed at increasing the agency's efficiency and making it more user-friendly" include combining "the work of the malaria branch, the epidemiology program and HIV/AIDS efforts" under the newly formed Center for Global Health, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Poole, 1/1).

4 Jan 2010

Senate health care bill will increase patient access and help create high-wage, high-value jobs

“These provisions mean increased access for the patients of today and renewed hope for the patients of tomorrow. In addition, they will help create high-wage, high-value jobs in our nation’s burgeoning biotech sector and help maintain U.S. global leadership in innovation.”

28 Dec 2009

Also in Global Health news: Food shortages in Eritrea; Kenya HIV testing; aid in Malawi, Nepal; U.S. agriculture appointment

BBC examines Eritrea's decision to pass on international food aid in an effort to produce enough food for its population. According to Girma Asmerom, Eritrea's ambassador to the EU, "foreign food aid demonises the local people and makes them lazy." The government's strategy for addressing food shortages, includes distributing food from some areas in the country that had a bumper harvest, he said.

28 Dec 2009

American Medical News examines PEPFAR five-year strategy

American Medical News examines the future of PEPFAR, as outlined in a five-year strategy released Dec. 1. "The plan's five-year strategy report calls for strengthening other countries' abilities to lead [a] response to the AIDS epidemic and other health issues, and expanding prevention, care and treatment,"

27 Dec 2009

Opinion: Food aid; HIV vaccine, microbicide research; Global Tobacco Surveillance

In a Washington Post letter to the editor, Alan Bernstein, executive director of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, and Rafi Ahmed, science committee chairman of the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise, challenge a recent Washington Post editorial that questioned the scientific progress being made in the search for an HIV vaccine and microbicide. "The search for a safe and effective method to prevent HIV infection and AIDS is a long journey in which we should expect both success and failure," the authors write, before highlighting the lessons learned from the recent microbicide gel study and AIDS vaccine trial in Thailand.

27 Dec 2009

Perspective of the future influences health decisions

When New Year's Eve rolls around and you're deciding whether to have another glass of champagne, your decision may be predicted by your perspective of the future.

24 Dec 2009

Study: Protein channel aids nerve sensors in controlling blood pressure

University of Iowa researchers have shown that a protein channel helps nerve sensors in blood vessels keep blood pressure in check. Without the protein channel, known as ASIC2, the sensors are unable to send the brain the signals it needs to properly control blood pressure.

24 Dec 2009

Planet Green to be acquired by IMAGIN Molecular

IMAGIN Molecular Corporation (OTCBB: IMGM) has agreed in a letter of intent to issue 49% of the post capitalization of IMGM in exchange for 84,000,000 Positron Corporation common shares plus 100% of the equity of the Planet Green Bottle, all IMGM shares to be distributed to shareholders or affiliates of Planet Green.

24 Dec 2009

Autism study and gene therapy in vision are top scientific achievements in 2009

A landmark autism study and a dramatic success for gene therapy in reversing inherited blindness, both at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, were recognized among the top scientific achievements in 2009, according to three national publications: Time magazine, Discover magazine and the journal Science.

23 Dec 2009

MSU researchers expand global health outreach

Expanding Michigan State University's global health outreach, a team of researchers is working in the Dominican Republic to establish a model for HIV/AIDS care that can be exported to other resource-limited countries.

23 Dec 2009