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Astellas' Protopic receives Health Canada approval for prevention of eczema flares

Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc. has announced that it has received approval from Health Canada for a new indication for its topical eczema therapy, Protopic® (tacrolimus ointment 0.03% and 0.1%). The new indication means that tacrolimus ointment can be prescribed for maintenance therapy to prevent flares and prolong flare free intervals in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (commonly called eczema).

17 Feb 2011

Study: Preterm mothers’ milk contains low concentrations of coenzyme Q10

A study conducted at the University of Granada and at the University Hospital San Cecilio revealed that preterm mothers' milk contains low concentrations of coenzyme Q10. This is a complex of great medical importance, due both to its antioxidant capacity and to its role as a component of the electron transport chain, among other functions.

17 Feb 2011

FDA approves GORE VIABAHN device to treat peripheral artery disease

W. L. Gore & Associates today announced it has received FDA approval for the GORE VIABAHN Endoprosthesis with Heparin Bioactive Surface on a lower profile delivery system.

17 Feb 2011

1000th clinical trial added to Cancer Research UK's patient information website

Cancer Research UK has added the 1000th clinical trial to its award winning patient information website, CancerHelp UK, on the 10th anniversary of the launch of its clinical trials database today.

17 Feb 2011

Inspire fourth quarter revenues increase 2% to $30.3 million

Inspire Pharmaceuticals, announced today financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2010. For the quarter ended December 31, 2010, the Company reported a net loss of $4.3 million, or per common share, compared to a net loss of $2.6 million, or per common share, for the same period in 2009.

17 Feb 2011

PM Pediatrics launches new location in Bayside, Queens

PM Pediatrics, the preeminent provider of after-hours pediatric urgent care in New York, operating urgent care practices in Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties, today announced the launch of its newest location in Bayside, Queens. Beginning Friday, March 11, 2011, the urgent care site, located at 210-31 26th Avenue in the popular Bay Terrace Shopping Center, will open its doors to the community.

17 Feb 2011

Third trimester amniotic fluid a reliable source of stem cells

In a study that was presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine's annual meeting in San Francisco, Biocell Center, the leader in amniotic fluid banking, together with a group of collaborators, confirmed that amniotic fluid collected during the third trimester of pregnancy is a reliable source of stem cells for regenerative medicine and stem cell banking.

17 Feb 2011

Metallic copper surfaces kill bacteria on contact

Metallic copper surfaces kill microbes on contact, decimating their populations, according to a paper in the February 2011 issue of the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. They do so literally in minutes, by causing massive membrane damage after about a minute's exposure, says the study's corresponding author, Gregor Grass of the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. This is the first study to demonstrate this mechanism of bacteriocide.

17 Feb 2011

Researchers develop new pneumococcal vaccine through novel discovery approach

Pneumococcus accounts for as much as 11 percent of mortality in young children worldwide. While successful vaccines like Prevnar exist, they are expensive and only work against specific pneumococcal strains, with the risk of becoming less effective as new strains emerge.

17 Feb 2011

CMS selects BWH to participate in Medicare Imaging Demonstration project

Brigham and Women's Hospital was selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as one of five conveners of a demonstration project that promotes appropriate utilization of advanced imaging services, CMS announced February 2, 2011.

17 Feb 2011

FAK enzyme plays a key role in preparing lung tissue for metastatic development

A Massachusetts General Hospital study has identified a new role for an important enzyme in preparing lung tissue for the development of metastases.

17 Feb 2011

Viewpoints: NY Times on high-risk pools; GOP on Medicaid 'flexibility;' health workers' rights

As part of the new health care reform, the federal government and 27 state governments are establishing temporary high-risk pools to offer coverage for people with pre-existing conditions until the law takes full effect in 2014.

17 Feb 2011

ASN opposes proposed $1.6 billion reduction to NIH budget

Proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget for 2011 will limit the nation's ability to advance patient care and public health.

17 Feb 2011

Clinical trial finds atorvastatin may inhibit HIV progression, help in infection's management

A recent multicenter clinical trial of atorvastatin, a type of cholesterol-lowering drug, found that although the drug did not inhibit plasma HIV RNA levels, it did inhibit expression of cellular markers of immune activation and inflammation in patients with HIV infection.

17 Feb 2011

Roundup: Calif. kids' care; high Mass. health workers' costs; Iowa nursing home inspectors

The push is on to enroll thousands of children who previously could not get health coverage or whose parents paid much higher premiums because of their children's pre-existing medical conditions. Under new federal rules that took effect last fall, children with chronic health conditions cannot be denied coverage.

17 Feb 2011

Study: 35% of imaging costs ordered for defensive purposes

Nearly 35 percent of all the imaging costs ordered for 2,068 orthopaedic patient encounters in Pennsylvania were ordered for defensive purposes, according to a new study presented today at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

17 Feb 2011

Single donor gifts lungs for two lung transplants

The University of Michigan Transplant Center celebrated a milestone recently, performing its 500th lung transplant. But there's much more to this story than a number.

17 Feb 2011

Study finds poor security practices in clinical trial file sharing methods

Patients who participate in clinical trials expect that their personal information will remain confidential, but a recent study led by Dr. Khaled El-Emam, Canada Research Chair in Electronic Health Information at the CHEO Research Institute, found that the security practices used to transfer and share sensitive files were inadequate.

17 Feb 2011

New computer application automatically detects subtle epileptic brain lesions in MRI scans

Researchers from the Department of Neurology at NYU Langone Medical Center identified potential benefits of a new computer application that automatically detects subtle brain lesions in MRI scans in patients with epilepsy. In a study published in the February 2011 issue of PLoS ONE, the authors discuss the software's potential to assist radiologists in better identifying and locating visually undetectable, operable lesions.

17 Feb 2011

New study: Latino siblings of children with disability may face risk of negative outcomes

Latino siblings of children developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome and autism may face their own challenges, including anxiety and lower school performance, according to a new study led by researchers with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center.

17 Feb 2011