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Non-generic drugs increase Medicaid costs

A new study by the American Enterprise Institute found that using brand-name drugs instead of generics may have added as much as $329 million in extra spending in 2009.

30 Mar 2011

Study finds increased risk of VTE during first year of combination oral contraceptive usage

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that interim results from a large, prospective, observational cohort safety study offer insights into the increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), or blood clots, which is a well-established risk in women who use combination oral contraceptives (COCs), also known as "the Pill".

25 Mar 2011

Medical experts: Nation needs to offer more confidential care for sexually active teens

After reviewing existing research regarding the common practices of health care providers who see adolescent patients across the country, Rebecca Allen, MD, MPH, a clinician and researcher at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, and her colleague, Michelle Forcier, MD, MPH, an adolescent medicine specialist at Hasbro Children's Hospital, asserted that the nation needs to offer more confidential care for teenagers who are sexually active.

25 Mar 2011

Oral contraceptive use before pregnancy does not pose respiratory problems in children

A new study by researchers at RTI International, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and the Norwegian Institute of Public Health refutes previous findings that oral contraceptive use before pregnancy is linked to respiratory problems in children.

24 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Too many CT scans; single payer is 'best solution'; WSJ on Wash. state 'overregulation'

Studies indicate patients are receiving more CT scans than ever before in emergency rooms, hospitals and outpatient settings. This burgeoning application of CT scanning has important implications for patients, diagnostically and in terms of radiation exposure, as well as consequences for the country's overall medical budget.

19 Mar 2011

EMA CHMP adopts positive opinion for Teva's NOMAC-E2 contraceptive pill

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. today announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion for NOMAC-E2, an investigational contraceptive pill combining 1.5 mg of 17-beta-estradiol with 2.5 mg of nomegestrol acetate in a 24/4 monophasic regimen.

18 Mar 2011

Research highlights new parameters for HIV study

A research article co-authored by Brenna Anderson, MD, director of Reproductive Infectious Diseases Consultation in the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, was included in the recently published special issue of the American Journal of Reproductive Immunology.

17 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Are waivers weakening health law?; Ill. 'Dangerous Docs'; Arizona transplants

It is irresponsible for the feds to dole out hundreds of millions without the assurance of insurance, payment and system reform, as well as universal coverage. That's the problem with Republican proposals to use a "block grant" approach in giving Medicaid dollars to the states to do with as they will. The president should use his precious time to encourage the law's implementation as soon as possible in areas of the country that are already on this road -- like our own Upper Midwest -- not to coddle his political enemies.

9 Mar 2011

Triptolide isolated from Chinese medicinal plant blocks gene control machinery in cells

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine have discovered that a natural product isolated from a traditional Chinese medicinal plant commonly known as thunder god vine, or lei gong teng, and used for hundreds of years to treat many conditions including rheumatoid arthritis works by blocking gene control machinery in the cell. The report, published as a cover story of the March issue of Nature Chemical Biology, suggests that the natural product could be a starting point for developing new anticancer drugs.

4 Mar 2011

Viewpoints: Obama's 'flexibility' offer; Virginia's abortion law 'mischief'; primary care cuts

President Obama had a splendid idea this week. He challenged governors who oppose his health care reforms, most of whom are Republicans, to come up with a better alternative.

3 Mar 2011

Warner Chilcott fourth quarter revenue increases 1% to $694.4 million

Warner Chilcott plc today announced its results for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2010. As discussed more fully below, our financial position and results of operations in the quarter ended December 31, 2010 as compared to the prior year quarter were significantly impacted by several important transactions in 2009 and 2010.

25 Feb 2011

Viewpoints: GOP's 'war' on family planning; state workers' health costs; health law already hurting U.S.

A bill passed by the Republican-controlled House last week would cut $75 million in funding to Planned Parenthood that is spent for family planning assistance.

24 Feb 2011

UCSF study shows increased contraceptive supply decreases unintended pregnancy rates

Rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions decrease significantly when women receive a one-year supply of oral contraceptives, instead of being prescribed one- or three-month supplies, a UCSF study shows.

24 Feb 2011

Japan MHLW approves Sosei's NorLevo emergency contraceptive pill

Sosei Group Corporation, the biopharmaceutical company, today announced that Sosei Co., Ltd., its wholly owned Japanese subsidiary, was granted approval for its emergency contraceptive pill, NorLevo(R) TABLETS 0.75mg, by the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). NorLevo(R) has thus become the fist emergency contraceptive pill available in Japan.

23 Feb 2011

New research suggests prevention of unwanted births may decline fertility rates

While many researchers generally credit the desire for smaller families for the decline in fertility rates in developing, low-income countries, new research suggests that prevention of unwanted births may actually be a larger factor.

21 Feb 2011

HHS overturns Bush 'conscience' rule for workers opposing abortion

The Obama administration on Friday rescinded most of a 2008 rule that granted sweeping protections to health care providers who opposed abortion, sterilization and other medical procedures on religious or moral grounds.

20 Feb 2011

Planned Parenthood funding sparks passionate debate on House floor

Almost unnoticed in the wars over the federal budget has been a pitched battle over money for Planned Parenthood, which provides contraception, medical services and abortions at 800 clinics around the country. ... At stake is more than $75 million that Planned Parenthood receives to provide family planning assistance to low-income women, money that its opponents say only frees up funds for abortions (Eckholm, 2/17).

19 Feb 2011

Boys get greater rush and more energy from caffeine than girls

Results of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-response study of the response of youth to caffeine found that, in general, boys get a greater rush and more energy from caffeine than girls.

18 Feb 2011

WH statement says Obama would veto FY11 budget that 'undermines critical priorities or national security'

The Office of Management and Budget released a statement on Tuesday warning that President Barack Obama would "veto the continuing resolution funding bill now being debated in the House if it contains drastic cuts to national security, but it remains unclear if large cuts in diplomacy and foreign aid programs would be enough to force White House action," Foreign Policy's blog "The Cable" reports.

17 Feb 2011

Bone remodeling inflammatory protein linked to metastatic lung cancer development in mice with breast cancer

When doctors discover high concentrations of regulatory T cells in the tumors of breast cancer patients, the prognosis is often grim, though why exactly has long been unclear.

16 Feb 2011