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Easier access to emergency birth control increases sexually-transmitted diseases among teenagers

Offering the morning after pill free over the counter has not reduced the number of teenage pregnancies and may be associated with a rise in sexually-transmitted diseases (STIs), according to a report by experts at The University of Nottingham.

1 Feb 2011

New feature: KHN's selection of thought-provoking magazine articles on health policy issues

Today, we begin this new weekly feature, which will provide a selection of thought-provoking articles from a variety of sources.

29 Jan 2011

Watson predicts $4.2 billion in revenues from Global Generics and Global Brand businesses

During an investor meeting held today in New York, NY, Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. provided an update on its Global businesses, including a detailed overview of its commercial operations and pipeline developments within its Global Generics and Global Brands businesses, and an update of achievements within its Global Operations. In conjunction with the meeting, the Company provided its preliminary 2011 financial and long term growth forecasts.

21 Jan 2011

Oral contraceptives do not cause weight gain, says new study

According to research conducted at the Oregon National Primate Research Center at Oregon Health & Science University, the commonly held belief that oral contraceptives cause weight gain appears to be false. The results of the study are published online and will appear in next month's edition of the journal Human Reproduction.

20 Jan 2011

Family physicians often uncomfortable in discussing IUDs with patients

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) for contraception are safe and effective, but only a small fraction of women in the United States use them.

13 Jan 2011

FRC opposes designating abortion as means of pregnancy-prevention

At a meeting today in the nation's capital of a federal advisory committee on the new health care law, Family Research Council (FRC) expressed its strong opposition to designating abortion as a means of pregnancy-prevention. The Institute of Medicine Committee on Preventive Services for Women is hearing comments about regulatory mandates for women's preventive services under Obamacare.

13 Jan 2011

WSJ: After years of decline, abortion rate rises

Rachel Jones, senior research associate at Guttmacher, said the stalled decline may be tied to several factors, such as the fact that teenage-pregnancy rates appear to have stopped falling and the absence of any gains in contraceptive use in recent years.

12 Jan 2011

First Edition: January 11, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about how a recent high court ruling may offer clues as to how the Supreme Court will view a key aspect of the health overhaul law.

11 Jan 2011

Majority of U.S. adults strongly support innovative programs to discourage teen pregnancy

Every hour in the United States, about 40 children are born to teenage mothers. Americans consistently rate teen pregnancy as one of the top 10 biggest health problems for young people and the U.S. still has the highest teen birth rate among all industrialized countries -- despite decreases in the birth rate during the past 20 years.

7 Jan 2011

Hologic announces acquisition of Interlace Medical

Hologic, Inc., a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of premium diagnostics, medical imaging systems and surgical products dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of women, announced today it has acquired Interlace Medical, Inc. (Interlace), the developer and manufacturer of the MyoSure hysteroscopic tissue removal system (MyoSure). Interlace's operations will be integrated within Hologic's GYN Surgical Products division.

From Hologic, Inc. 7 Jan 2011

Problems reported with Implanon contraceptive implant

Quite a few women have reported accidental and unwanted pregnancies while using Implanon, a hormone implant injected into the arm which is designed to last three years. Although the hormonal implant is described to be 99% effective, is thought to be due to problems with the initial implantation, rather than its efficacy once correctly inserted beneath the skin.

6 Jan 2011

Teva acquires Théramex

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Théramex, Merck KGaA's European-based women's health business.

5 Jan 2011

Pfizer's sublicensing of Tanaproget triggers $1 million upfront payment to Ligand

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that its partner Pfizer, Inc. has granted a sublicense to a multi-national pharmaceutical company for Tanaproget, also known as NSP-989. As a result, Ligand will receive an upfront payment of $1 million from Pfizer. Ligand is entitled to clinical and regulatory milestone payments from Pfizer as Tanaproget advances through the development process, as well as tiered royalties on net sales.

23 Dec 2010

Vatican issues communique to clarify Pope's statement on condoms

"The Vatican on Tuesday issued its most authoritative clarification on Pope Benedict XVI's recent remarks that condoms could sometimes be used for disease prevention, saying that the pope in no way justified their use to prevent pregnancy," the New York Times reports (Donadio, 12/21).

23 Dec 2010

FDA approves Watson's novel oral contraceptive

Watson Pharmaceuticals today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of a novel oral contraceptive product – the first and only low dose oral contraceptive to combine 0.8 mg norethindrone and 0.025 mg ethinyl estradiol in chewable form, with four 75 mg ferrous fumarate (iron) placebo tablets. Taken orally, once daily, the product is proven effective in lowering the risk of pregnancy.

22 Dec 2010

Teen birth rate at a seven decade low: Report

Figures reveal that fewer teenagers are giving birth and the numbers are a seventy year low. Reasons are not specified but two decades of public-health initiatives to curb teenage pregnancy may be paying off feel experts. Report co author Brady Hamilton, a statistician at CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics said, “One of the biggest highlights is the continuing decline in teen births -- down to record lows.”

22 Dec 2010

Parents most influence teens' decisions about sex

The teen birth rate in the United States declined 6% in 2009 and is now at a record low, according to new data released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. Rates declined among older and younger teens and among all racial and ethnic groups. For example, the birth rate among Hispanic teens declined 10% in 2009 and is now at a record low.

22 Dec 2010

Bayer's SAFYRAL oral contraceptive receives FDA approval

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new oral contraceptive (OC), SAFYRAL™ (drospirenone 3 mg/ ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg/ levomefolate calcium 451 mcg tablets and levomefolate calcium 451 mcg tablets). In women who choose an OC for birth control, SAFYRAL raises folate levels for the purpose of reducing the risk of rare neural tube defects (NTDs) in a pregnancy conceived while taking SAFYRAL or shortly after discontinuing it.

17 Dec 2010

Neonaticide is more common than previously thought

Although rare, the true incidence of neonaticides - the unlawful killing of a baby within the first 24 hours of its life - is more than five times as common as official estimates suggest, suggests research published online in the Fetal and Neonatal edition of the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

14 Dec 2010

Better approaches to ovarian cancer screening could lower cancer deaths

Cancer prevention experts have long been frustrated by the lack of a meaningful way to screen women for ovarian cancer. It is a relatively rare disease that often progresses with few symptoms until it is too late for potentially curative treatments, and elevated values of the most commonly used biomarker used in screening, CA125, are also related to other disorders.

13 Dec 2010