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Haitian cholera epidemic worsening with start of rainy season

According to the Haitian government, more than 5,800 people have died of cholera since the epidemic began in October, and health care workers have seen an increase in cases "[w]ith the rainy season now in progress," the Los Angeles Times reports (Gaestel, 7/24).

25 Jul 2011

Genesis Biopharma partners with Lonza for Contego to treat metastatic melanoma

Genesis Biopharma, Inc., a biotechnology company developing targeted cancer therapies, and Lonza, today announced the signing of a process development and scale-up agreement relating to the manufacture of Contego™, Genesis Biopharma's autologous cell therapy product candidate for the treatment of Stage IV metastatic melanoma.

25 Jul 2011

Male contraceptive research gaining attention from scientists

The New York Times on Saturday examined research into several different methods of male contraception. "Male contraceptives are attracting growing interest from scientists, who believe they hold promise for being safe, effective and, also important, reversible," the newspaper writes.

25 Jul 2011

Guidance needed on recent HIV prevention findings

"In the absence of the anticipated guidance from WHO, the euphoria felt by participants at Rome that the latest science can allow us for the first time to consider eliminating HIV was tempered by utter confusion among program managers as to what to do next," Nathan Ford, medical coordinator for Medecins Sans Frontiere's International Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines, writes in the PLoS "Speaking of Medicine" blog.

25 Jul 2011

African leaders must invest in malaria prevention

In a Daily Caller opinion piece, Richard Tren, director of Africa Fighting Malaria, highlights a finding in a recent malaria report that the U.S. government and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation "were responsible for 85% of the steep increase in malaria funding between 2007 and 2009." But "[i]f 30 African heads of state were to give up their private jets, a fund of well over $500 million could be generated," Tren writes.

25 Jul 2011

Threshold reports initiation of TH-302 and bevacizumab clinical trial for astrocytoma

Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced that the University of Texas at San Antonio initiated a clinical trial of TH-302 in combination with bevacizumab in patients with recurrent high grade astrocytoma including glioblastoma.

25 Jul 2011

Talks between automakers, UAW focus on health care costs

One big target for the three U.S. automakers in talks beginning this week with the United Auto Workers for new labor agreements will be the $1.54 billion collectively spent by the companies last year on health care for union members and their families.

25 Jul 2011

Sunshine Heart to sell 115 million shares of common stock in private placement

Sunshine Heart, Inc., today announced it has entered into definitive agreements with new and existing institutional investors in the United States and Canada to sell approximately 115 million shares of common stock in a private placement.

25 Jul 2011

Health providers embrace the potential of ACOs

News outlets report on some health care providers' views of the potential of accountable care organizations to improve quality and reduce costs.

25 Jul 2011

Iowa, Kentucky get extra time to comply with MLR rule

But North Dakota became the first state to have the Department of Health and Human Services deny a waiver request regarding the health law's medical loss ratio provision, which requires health plans in the individual and small-group markets to spend no more than 20 percent of premiums on administrative costs.

25 Jul 2011

Biogen Idec's FAMPYRA receives EU conditional approval for treating functional impairment in MS

Biogen Idec announced today it has received conditional approval from the European Commission for FAMPYRA® (prolonged-release fampridine tablets) to improve walking in adult patients with multiple sclerosis who have walking disability.

25 Jul 2011

Some hospitals face hard times

Walter Reed Army Medical Center will close its doors after nearly a century. By month's end, the Shriners Hospitals will stop its tradition of providing free care to children. And, lastly, hospital bonds maybe vulnerable to downgrades because of potential reduction in Medicare reimbursements and Medicaid cuts.

25 Jul 2011

First Edition: July 25, 2011

Reporting for Kaiser Health News, Joanne Silberner writes about her recent conversation with George Halvorson, who offers his take on the future of health care under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, including the role ACOs are likely to play.

25 Jul 2011

MiMedx second quarter revenue increases 85% to $1,929,000

MiMedx Group, Inc., an integrated developer, manufacturer and marketer of patent protected regenerative biomaterials and bioimplants processed from human amniotic membrane, announced today its results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2011.

25 Jul 2011

Mayo Clinic trial to evaluate folate receptor alpha-targeted breast/ovarian cancer vaccine

VaxOnco, a leading oncology biopharmaceutical company, today announced that following FDA IND approval, it will sponsor a Phase I folate receptor alpha-targeted therapeutic vaccine clinical trial in disease-free patients, previously diagnosed with either breast or ovarian cancer at Mayo Clinic.

25 Jul 2011

Researchers characterise protein complex linked to malaria and toxoplasmosis

Maryse Lebrun, Research Director at Inserm, and her fellow researchers at the Laboratoire Dynamique des interactions membranaires normales et pathologiques, have characterised a protein complex that allows the agents that cause malaria and toxoplasmosis to infect host cells.

25 Jul 2011

Federal government to enhance regulations overseeing research on human subjects

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today that the federal government is contemplating various ways of enhancing the regulations overseeing research on human subjects.

25 Jul 2011

Computer models could fundamentally change the world's healthcare

A massive network of computer programs co-created by University of Manchester scientists could revolutionise healthcare around the world, saving countless lives and billions of pounds.

25 Jul 2011

Elsevier announces availability of iSpeech Audio Reader application

Elsevier, a world leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, today announced the availability of an audio reader application from iSpeech, provider of cloud-based speech technology and mobile apps, on SciVerse Applications beta.

25 Jul 2011

Home healthcare community praises Ohio Governer's PASSPORT program

While policymakers in Washington debate cuts to the nation's Medicare program as a way to reduce the federal budget deficit, a group of national home healthcare providers is applauding Governor John Kasich's (R-OH) innovative program to keep seniors in their homes when possible, thereby reducing institutional healthcare for aging Ohioans and harnessing rising Medicaid costs.

25 Jul 2011