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Positive top-line results from Biogen BG-12 Phase 3 trial in RRMS

Biogen Idec announced today positive top-line results from DEFINE, the first of two pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials designed to evaluate the investigational oral compound BG-12 as a monotherapy in people with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

11 Apr 2011

Gilenya can reduce risk of disability progression in patients with RRMS

A new analysis demonstrated that Gilenya reduced the risk of disability progression in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, regardless of treatment history. This analysis of the phase III two-year FREEDOMS study is one of 11 abstracts on Gilenya being presented at the 63rd annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology.

11 Apr 2011

New survey to understand patterns of disability and aging in older Americans

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health have been selected to lead a new national survey of older Americans to understand patterns of disability and aging.

11 Apr 2011

Survivors of severe critical illness requiring intensive care do not regain physical or psychological health

A unique and richly detailed long-term study of survivors of severe critical illness requiring intensive care found that even those who were previously healthy, young and working did not regain the physical or psychological health they had before their illness.

8 Apr 2011

Vascular Disease Foundation invites applicants for ambassador program

If you or someone you love have been affected by vascular disease and have a willingness to help others, the Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF) is calling for applications to join its ambassador program to help promote vascular disease awareness.

8 Apr 2011

Small businesses can benefit from high-quality employee wellness programs

A new study published today supports the premise that high-quality employee wellness programs in small businesses improve employee health and well-being, which drives improvements in organizational outcomes such as absenteeism, healthcare costs and disability claims.

8 Apr 2011

Antidepressant medication improves physical recovery from stroke

A University of Iowa study finds that patients treated with a short course of antidepressants after a stroke have significantly greater improvement in physical recovery than patients treated with a placebo. Moreover, the study is the first to demonstrate that this physical recovery continues to improve for at least nine months after the antidepressant medication is stopped.

8 Apr 2011

Genzyme's alemtuzumab Phase 2 trial data in MS to be presented at AAN meeting

Genzyme, a subsidiary of sanofi-aventis Group, announced today that it will present new data from its completed Phase 2 trial of the investigational drug alemtuzumab for multiple sclerosis at the American Academy of Neurology's 63rd Annual Meeting in Hawaii, April 9 - 16, 2011.

8 Apr 2011

Study: DBS surgery allows 77% of patients to stop anti-tremor medication use

Deep brain stimulation, a surgical procedure to suppress faulty nerve signals, allowed 77 percent of patients to stop the medications used to treat their essential tremors within one year following the surgery, University of South Florida researchers report.

8 Apr 2011

Patients with stroke can benefit from antidepressants

8 Apr 2011

New Pipeline Embolization Device receives FDA approval for treatment of brain aneurysms

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new device that provides neurointerventional surgeons with another tool to treat brain aneurysms without performing open surgery.

7 Apr 2011

Work, social and family disability affect 50% of patients with bipolar disorder

Such was the conclusion obtained in a study conducted at the University of Granada that was recently awarded a prize in the IV Spain-Portugal Meeting on Therapeutical Adherence held in Oporto.

6 Apr 2011

Socioeconomic factors still influence autism diagnosis

While there is an increasing equality in terms of the likelihood that children from communities and families across the socioeconomic spectrum will be diagnosed with autism, a new study finds that such factors still influence the chance of an autism diagnosis, though to a much lesser extent than they did at the height of rising prevalence.

6 Apr 2011

New medical guidelines for diabetes care

Today the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists released new medical guidelines for developing comprehensive care plan for management of diabetes mellitus.

6 Apr 2011

State roundup: Report urges Mass. city employees to pay more health costs

Officially, Minnesota doesn't pay for an intensive type of autism therapy. Yet it has -- but only for some families. Two years ago, a single mother in the Twin Cities asked the state Medicaid program to pay for an intensive type of autism therapy for her 2-year-old son. She was turned down. State officials said the treatment -- known as Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA -- is "not now, and never has been,'' a covered service.

6 Apr 2011

Treating obstructive sleep apnea in stroke patients improves recovery from stroke

A new study shows that patients in stroke rehabilitation treated for their co-existing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) recovered better from stroke than those whose OSA was not treated.

6 Apr 2011

Viewpoints: Ryan on his budget plan; Maryland, Wash. state making tough budget choices

The open-ended, blank-check nature of the Medicare subsidy threatens the solvency of this critical program and creates inexcusable levels of waste. This budget takes action where others have ducked. But because government should not force people to reorganize their lives, its reforms will not affect those in or near retirement in any way.

6 Apr 2011

Sleep apnea people may face risk of suffering ischemic stroke

According to research presented at the School of Medicine and the University of Navarra Hospital by Dr. Roberto Muñoz, a physician of the Neurology Service of the Hospital Complex of Navarra, those persons with serious cases of sleep apnea have more than twice the possibility of suffering an ischemic stroke. Specifically, 2.5 times more.

6 Apr 2011

AlwaysCare implements Plexis Healthcare Systems' Quantum Choice claims processing software

AlwaysCare Benefits, Inc., one of the country's fastest-growing insurance providers, announced the successful implementation of Plexis Healthcare Systems' Quantum Choice claims processing software to enhance efficient administration of vision benefits on behalf of its insured Members and dependents and its rapidly growing national network of vision care Providers.

5 Apr 2011

Acamprosate can help treat patients with autism, Fragile X syndrome

In small, early clinical trials, adults and children with autism and Fragile X syndrome have shown improved communication and social behavior when treated with acamprosate, according to Craig Erickson, M.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at the Indiana University School of Medicine and chief of the Riley Hospital for Children Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center at Indiana University Health.

5 Apr 2011