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Democrats work to reauthorize, expand SCHIP while Bush administration tries to limit program growth

Congressional efforts to reauthorize SCHIP, which expires on Sept. 30, are "intensifying," but the Bush administration "has taken several steps to slow momentum for expansion of the program," the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 7/9).

10 Jul 2007

Discovery of enzyme critical in DNA replication

In this week's issue of Science, researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and Umea University in Sweden report an important discovery about a critical new role that an enzyme called DNA polymerase epsilon plays in replicating DNA in higher organisms such as yeast and perhaps even humans.

9 Jul 2007

FDA stops Chinese seafood importation

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today announced a broader import control of all farm-raised catfish, basa, shrimp, dace (related to carp), and eel from China.

29 Jun 2007

Study to investigate how dietary iron is used by cells

A four-year study on iron metabolism within cells, an essential process that impacts both iron deficiency and iron toxicity, conditions responsible for a multitude of human diseases, is underway at the University at Buffalo funded by a $1.16 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

23 Jun 2007

Goltz syndrome gene found

Researchers funded in part by the National Institutes of Health have identified the gene that accounts for most cases of Goltz syndrome, a rare skin disorder that can also affect bone and eye development.

23 Jun 2007

Research links childhood social skills and learning abilities

While federal programs such as No Child Left Behind emphasize the importance of academic skills to school success and achievement, there is growing interest in how social skills develop and how they contribute to learning.

23 Jun 2007

Entecavir can compromise HIV treatment

Treating hepatitis B patients with the drug entecavir can cause those who are also infected with HIV to become resistant to two of the most important drugs in the anti-HIV arsenal, according to a new report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

23 Jun 2007

Drug warning prompts treatment changes for those infected with hepatitis B and HIV

Cross-resistance alarms raised earlier this year by Johns Hopkins researchers about a widely used antiviral therapy for hepatitis B liver infections have prompted swift treatment revisions by the drug's maker and governmental agencies.

23 Jun 2007

Senate Appropriations Committee approves spending bill that would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 26-3 to approve the fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education spending bill, which includes a provision that would expand the number of human embryonic stem cell lines eligible for federal funding, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 6/21).

22 Jun 2007

Senate appropriations committee approves labor-HHS-education spending bill

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 26-3 to approve a $152 billion fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill after the addition of an amendment that would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, CongressDaily reports (Cohn, CongressDaily, 6/22).

22 Jun 2007

New HHS contracts to prepare for a flu pandemic

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced the award of two contracts to expand the domestic influenza vaccine manufacturing capacity that could be used in the event of a potential influenza pandemic.

19 Jun 2007

Mediterranean diet may cause changes in the colon that prevent cancer

Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center are beginning a study to look at whether diet can impact a person's risk of developing colon cancer.

17 Jun 2007

Newspaper articles on organ transplantation mostly positive

A content analysis of newspaper stories about organ and tissue donation, conducted by researchers at the University at Buffalo, found an almost 4:1 ratio of positive-to-negative articles on the subject.

14 Jun 2007

TB jet traveller case...just how competent are U.S. authorities at protecting the public?

In the case of the jet flying traveler with TB a great deal of criticism has been leveled at U.S. authorities.

7 Jun 2007

$101 million in Medicare fraud charges

Authorities announce criminal health care fraud charges against 16 defendants for fraudulently billing Medicare approximately $101 million.

28 May 2007

Chinese food imports a cause for concern in the U.S.

China is being pressurised by the U.S. government to improve the safety of it's food exports.

25 May 2007

Cigarette use may explain asthma epidemic in children

The rise in cigarette use by adults over the past century may explain the asthma epidemic in children according to a study by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health.

22 May 2007

Large trial to identify the long-term health effects of West Nile virus infection

UT Southwestern Medical Center has joined a national clinical trial to identify the long-term health effects of West Nile virus infection and to learn more about the disease's progression, symptoms and mortality.

18 May 2007

FDA announces results of investigation into illegal promotion of OxyContin

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) has announced that The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc. has agreed to pay more than $700 million to resolve criminal charges and civil liabilities in connection with several illegal schemes to promote, market and sell OxyContin, a powerful prescription pain reliever that the company produces.

11 May 2007

America's Health Insurance Plans statement on health care

At a roundtable of key business, labor, government, community, and health care leaders from across the nation sponsored by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Karen Ignagni, President and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), issued the following statement on progress in providing the highest value health care to patients:

10 May 2007