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Researchers to develop vaginal microbicide gels to reduce HIV risk

With the support of an $11.8 million, five-year federal grant, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh and their collaborators are developing a quick-dissolving vaginal film containing a powerful drug that reduces the risk of HIV infection, and they plan to begin testing it locally within a year.

17 Sep 2010

Opiate usage increases in workplace and ER

More American workers and job applicants are testing positive for prescription opiates, according to U.S. general workforce data in the 2009 annual Drug Testing Index™ (DTI) released today by Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the nation's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services. Results from more than 5.5 million urine drug tests reveal an 18 percent jump in opiate positives in the general U.S. workforce in a single year (2008 to 2009), and a more than 40 percent climb from 2005 to 2009.

17 Sep 2010

Society for Vascular Nursing partners with local hospitals to create P.A.D awareness

Approximately 9 million Americans have peripheral arterial disease (P.A.D.), a common and dangerous vascular disease that can lead to heart attack, stroke, amputation and death. Unfortunately, many with the disease do not even know they have it. September is P.A.D. Awareness Month, and the P.A.D. Coalition and the Society for Vascular Nursing are joining forces with local hospitals to inform Americans about the risk factors, warning signs and consequences of P.A.D.

17 Sep 2010

Vital Therapies expands SILVER clinical trial to Middle East

Vital Therapies, Inc., is pleased to announce that the first subject has been enrolled at National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the further expansion of its SILVER clinical trial to the Middle East. The trial is evaluating whether VTI's biological cellular therapy product, ELAD, can prevent deterioration of liver function and improve the survival of patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure.

17 Sep 2010

PCF applauds new prostate cancer legislation

As hundreds of prostate cancer researchers, advocates and supporters Advance on Washington this week and push for more progress in fighting the disease, the Prostate Cancer Foundation applauds the prostate cancer legislation introduced on Tuesday by Senator Jon Tester of Montana.

17 Sep 2010

American Lung Association data shows improvement in health benefits

The American Lung Association in California released new data today showing significant public health benefits from pursuing a smart growth future for California. The American Lung Association data shows health benefits, including reduced asthma attacks and premature deaths linked to the Vision California "mixed growth" and "growing smart" scenarios in 2035 that include more compact, sustainable development patterns.

17 Sep 2010

CARE invests $1.8 billion to reduce maternal mortality by 2015

Today the humanitarian organization CARE announced that it will invest $1.8 billion to expand its maternal, newborn and child health programs to more than 30 countries in five years. This investment will deepen CARE's commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at reducing child and maternal mortality by 2015 and will support the United Nations Secretary General's Global Strategy on Women's and Children's Health, which will be unveiled at next week's MDG Summit.

17 Sep 2010

HearPO and American Diabetes Association enter National Strategic Partnership

HearPO is proud to announce a National Strategic Partnership with the American Diabetes Association. This National Strategic Partnership will provide additional resources and avenues to educate people with diabetes, medical practitioners and the general public about the connection between diabetes and hearing loss.

17 Sep 2010

Healthier people select high-deductible health plans

Healthier people are more likely to select a high-deductible health plan over a conventional plan, according to data from several employers that first offered the option in 2006. Participants choosing one of the new plans were eligible for contributions to a tax-free health savings account (HSA).

17 Sep 2010

WHO urges development programs to include mental and psychosocial disabled patients

People with mental and psychosocial disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in developing countries. Even though development actors have pledged to focus their work on the most vulnerable in a community, many programmes continue to ignore and exclude this vulnerable group.

17 Sep 2010

Federal health care reform legislation can help removing financial barriers to treat Americans

New government data released today demonstrate the continued, urgent need for more Americans to have access to drug and alcohol addiction treatment, according to an analysis by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative. If implemented properly, federal health care reform legislation could help remove financial barriers to treatment for millions of Americans.

17 Sep 2010

Media outlets examine how maternal health, efforts to reduce global poverty will be central to next week's MDG Summit

Media outlets continued to look ahead to next week's U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) Summit, with a focus on two of the central themes to be addressed at the meeting - maternal health and poverty.

17 Sep 2010

New anti-pathogenic drugs render MRSA harmless without killing bacteria

Menachem Shoham, PhD, associate professor and researcher in the department of biochemistry at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, has identified new anti-pathogenic drugs that, without killing the bacteria, render Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) harmless by preventing the production of toxins that cause disease.

17 Sep 2010

Fat-derived stem cells can aid breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Fat-derived stem cells can be safely used to aid reconstruction of breast tissue after mastectomy as long as there is no evidence of active cancer, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

17 Sep 2010

Aetna extends contract with University of Pennsylvania Health System

Aetna announced today that it has signed a five-year contract extension with the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS), assuring continued in-network access for its members in the Philadelphia area.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers discover chronic stress accelerates breast cancer progression

Chronic stress acts as a sort of fertilizer that feeds breast cancer progression, significantly accelerating the spread of disease in animal models, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have found.

17 Sep 2010

FEMR and State of Illinois proclaim first-ever Fall Prevention Awareness Day

The Foundation for Education and Musculoskeletal Research (FEMR) and the state of Illinois officially proclaimed the first day of autumn, September 22, 2010, as Fall Prevention Awareness Day. FEMR will be raising awareness for fall prevention and the need for osteoporosis screening and treatment in an effort to reduce the incidence of fragility bone fractures among older residents of Illinois.

17 Sep 2010

Metabolism imbalance increases asthma risk in children: Research

Even children of a healthy weight who have an imbalanced metabolism due to poor diet or exercise may be at increased risk of asthma, according to new research, which challenges the widespread assumption that obesity itself is a risk factor for asthma.

17 Sep 2010

FDA grants AGTC $1M for Phase II human clinical trial in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Applied Genetic Technologies Corporation, a privately-held, clinical stage biotechnology company developing novel systems to deliver human therapeutics, announces that it has received a grant of $1 million from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA Orphan Drugs Program) to fund a Phase II Human Clinical Trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of a treatment for Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AAT), a genetic disease known to result in serious lung and/or liver disease.

17 Sep 2010

Abbott to present two drug eluting stents data at TCT symposium

Abbott today announced the company's schedule of key data presentations at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation's 22nd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium in Washington, D.C., to be held Sept. 21 – 25.

17 Sep 2010