Health and Human Services News and Research

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GOG to conduct Phase II trial on primary peritoneal cancer

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. announced today that the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) intends to conduct a randomized Phase II trial of weekly paclitaxel versus weekly paclitaxel with REOLYSIN(R) in patients with persistent or recurrent, ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer (GOG186H).

3 Sep 2010

BARDA awards contract to develop treatment for ionizing radiation exposure

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) today awarded a $153 million contract to Cellerant Therapeutics, Inc. of San Carlos, Calif., to continue developing a new way to treat an illness caused by exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation which can damage the body's cells - the type of radiation that would come from a nuclear blast.

3 Sep 2010

NSU receives grant to improve geriatrics care

Nova Southeastern University recently received a $2.1-million federal grant to provide training to improve care for South Florida's large geriatric population now and for the future.

3 Sep 2010

Greater Cincinnati receives award to improve health care system

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today that the Greater Cincinnati community was awarded a $13.8 million Beacon Community cooperative agreement.

3 Sep 2010

International consortium publishes third-generation map of human genetic variation

An international consortium today published a third-generation map of human genetic variation, called the HapMap, which includes data from an additional seven global populations, increasing the total number to 11 populations. The improved resolution will help researchers interpret current genome studies aimed at finding common and rarer genetic variants associated with complex diseases.

2 Sep 2010

Cellerant Therapeutics signs contract with BARDA to develop CLT-008 therapy for ARS

Cellerant Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company developing novel hematopoietic stem cell-based cellular and antibody therapies for blood disorders and cancer, announced today that it has signed a contract valued at up to $153 million over five years with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) in the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response of the Department of Health and Human Services, to develop CLT-008, a cellular therapy for the treatment of Acute Radiation Syndrome (ARS).

2 Sep 2010

UnitedHealth Group, CSRHA team up to support Critical Access Hospitals

UnitedHealth Group has announced it will invest $10 million to help California's Critical Access Hospitals improve their health information technology (IT) systems and adopt electronic health records.

2 Sep 2010

Neutralizing key toxin associated with Staph aureus bacteria reduces severity of skin and soft-tissue damage

Scientists from the National Institutes of Health and University of Chicago have found a promising treatment method that in laboratory mice reduces the severity of skin and soft-tissue damage caused by USA300, the leading cause of community-associated Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States.

2 Sep 2010

Employers from nearly every sector of economy applying for health overhaul's early retiree subsidies

Seven states that are suing the federal government to throw out the health overhaul are also readying to take subsidies that will help them afford medical costs for retirees, The Associated Press reports. "An administration official said Tuesday seven states suing the federal government are among 16 already approved for subsidies to help with the health care costs of early retirees. The seven are Arizona, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and Nevada."

2 Sep 2010

Researchers find new fusion protein for E.coli bacterium vaccine development

South Dakota State University research is exploring a "fusion strategy" for making improved vaccines to protect pigs and humans against some strains of E. coli.

2 Sep 2010

FDA launches performance management system in support of open government initiative

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched an innovative performance management system designed to advance the President's commitment to transparency, public participation, and collaboration in the work of government.

2 Sep 2010

Support falls for health overhaul as Obama administration prepares for midterms

Kaiser Health News: Public support for the new health law slipped in August, "a development sure to stir concerns among the Obama administration and congressional Democrats seeking to shore up support for the law in the months leading up to the mid-term elections." The latest poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation found 43 percent of Americans viewed the law favorably, which is down from 50 percent in July.

2 Sep 2010

Federal domestic spending increased a record 16%

The Census Bureau reported Thursday that federal "domestic spending increased a record 16 percent, to $3.2 trillion, in 2009 … largely because of a boost in aid to the unemployed and the huge economic stimulus package enacted to rescue the sinking economy," The Washington Post reports.

1 Sep 2010

Anti-smoking measures beefed up

Tasmanians are looking at one of the tightest tobacco control measures ever adopted. The Tasmanian Government is proposing a no-smoking zone at almost all public places including shopping malls and sporting venues and introducing smoke-free buffer zone around children's playgrounds.

31 Aug 2010

Medicago included in President's report that examines drugs to prevent spread of infectious diseases

Medicago Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing highly effective and affordable vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles, today announced that it was included in a report of President Obama's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology entitled "Report to the President on Reengineering the Influenza Vaccine Production Enterprise to Meet the Challenges of Pandemic Influenza", which was released earlier this month. U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and other public health officials held a briefing to discuss this report and the $2 billion plan to accelerate the development of drugs and vaccines to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

31 Aug 2010

Ingen Technologies receives CCR confirmation, listing in Military Purchasing Directory

Ingen Technologies, Inc., a medical device manufacturer with an emerging new medical product line targeting the $8 billion respiratory market, announced today that it has received a letter of confirmation from the Armed Services Association in Washington, D.C. stating that the company is now registered with the U.S. Central Contractor Registry (CCR), which qualifies it to do business with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

31 Aug 2010

BARDA awards $27 million contract to Achaogen for antibiotic development

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) today awarded a contract to develop an antibiotic that could be used against possibly two types of bioterrorism as well as common infections that are becoming resistant to antibiotics.

31 Aug 2010

Achaogen receives contract from BARDA for developing ACHN-490 antibiotic treatment

Achaogen, a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing innovative antibiotics to treat life-threatening, multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections, today announced the award of a contract with The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

31 Aug 2010

Medicare beneficiaries receive prescription drug cost relief under Affordable Care Act

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced that more than 1 million Medicare beneficiaries have received prescription drug cost relief through the Affordable Care Act.

31 Aug 2010

Record number taking anti-poverty programs, COBRA coverage alternatives examined

One in six Americans is now taking advantage of government anti-poverty programs, including more than 50 million on Medicaid, for which enrollment is up 17 percent since the recession began in December 2007, USA Today reports. "The program has grown even before the new health care law adds about 16 million people, beginning in 2014. That has strained doctors. … As caseloads for all the programs have soared, so have costs. The federal price tag for Medicaid has jumped 36% in two years, to $273 billion. Jobless benefits have soared from $43 billion to $160 billion.

30 Aug 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

GOG to conduct Phase II trial on primary peritoneal cancer

BARDA awards contract to develop treatment for ionizing radiation exposure

NSU receives grant to improve geriatrics care

Greater Cincinnati receives award to improve health care system

International consortium publishes third-generation map of human genetic variation

Cellerant Therapeutics signs contract with BARDA to develop CLT-008 therapy for ARS

UnitedHealth Group, CSRHA team up to support Critical Access Hospitals

Neutralizing key toxin associated with Staph aureus bacteria reduces severity of skin and soft-tissue damage

Employers from nearly every sector of economy applying for health overhaul's early retiree subsidies

Researchers find new fusion protein for E.coli bacterium vaccine development

FDA launches performance management system in support of open government initiative

Support falls for health overhaul as Obama administration prepares for midterms

Federal domestic spending increased a record 16%

Anti-smoking measures beefed up

Medicago included in President's report that examines drugs to prevent spread of infectious diseases

Ingen Technologies receives CCR confirmation, listing in Military Purchasing Directory

BARDA awards $27 million contract to Achaogen for antibiotic development

Achaogen receives contract from BARDA for developing ACHN-490 antibiotic treatment

Medicare beneficiaries receive prescription drug cost relief under Affordable Care Act

Record number taking anti-poverty programs, COBRA coverage alternatives examined

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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