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Health Policy Experts to comment on topics related to health insurance reform

As the debate over healthcare insurance reform continues, faculty members of The George Washington University Medical Center are available to comment on topics regarding health insurance reform, including: general policy/political analysis, Medicare, Medicaid, compliance, community health centers, state health reform, affordability, finance and health technology information.

1 Apr 2010

Insight into how mutations in LRRK2 gene may cause familial Parkinson's disease

Using new one-of-a-kind "mouse models" that promise to have a significant impact on future Parkinson's disease research, Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers are among the first to discover how mutations in a gene called LRRK2 may cause inherited (or "familial") Parkinson's disease, the most common form of the disease. The study, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, is the first in vivo evidence that LRRK2 regulates dopamine transmission and controls motor performance, and that the mutation of LRRK2 eliminates the normal function of LRRK2, leading to Parkinson's disease.

1 Apr 2010

Mislabeled high fire risk kids nightwear recalled by Big W

Big W stores in Australia have apologized after selling inflammable children’s night wear labeled as “low fire danger”. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deputy chair Peter Kell said in a statement, "The ACCC enforces a mandatory standard for the labelling of children's nightwear,” "It is designed to reduce the risk of burns injuries to children by providing specific information on the fire hazard," he said. "There is considerable research which shows that clear labelling helps minimise the risk of these injuries, which is why the ACCC regularly monitors compliance."

1 Apr 2010

Masimo PVI predicts hemodynamic effects of PEEP in mechanically ventilated patients

Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry™ and Measure-Through Motion and Low Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced today that a new clinical study published in the March 2010 issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, shows Masimo PVI successfully predicts the hemodynamic effects of Positive End-Expiratory Pressure in mechanically ventilated patients after cardiac surgery.

1 Apr 2010

Phase 1/2 human clinical trial of Symphogen's Sym004 initiated in the US

Symphogen A/S today announced that it has initiated a Phase 1/2 human clinical trial in the US to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of its drug candidate Sym004 for the treatment of advanced solid tumors. Sym004 is composed of two anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies targeting different nonoverlapping EGFR epitopes.

1 Apr 2010

Thomson Reuters selects Rush University Medical Center as one of 100 Top Hospitals in the U.S.

Rush University Medical Center was selected as one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the United States by Thomson Reuters. The annual Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Benchmarks study identifies the 100 best U.S. hospitals based on their overall organizational performance. Rush was one of only 15 major teaching hospitals in the country to be named.

1 Apr 2010

New health care reform law includes patient safety provisions

While most of the attention surrounding the landmark health care reform measure just signed into law has focused on how it expands access to affordable insurance coverage, it also enacts important initiatives that will improve patient safety, according to Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.

1 Apr 2010

Refinements to CTC-chip may better monitor how CTC levels react to prostate cancer treatment

Technical improvements to a microchip-based device for detecting and analyzing tumor cells in the bloodstream are revealing cellular differences that may reflect a tumor's aggressiveness and long-term response to treatment.

1 Apr 2010

Market segment winners of seventh annual Best-in-Class Awards announced

GHX today announced the market segment winners of the seventh annual Best-in-Class Awards, recognizing medical-surgical manufacturers that achieved the top-share position in six specific markets: Hospital, Long-Term Care, Treatment Centers, Home Health Care, Physician Office and Clinical Laboratory, which is a new category this year.

1 Apr 2010

Major breakthrough may help develop low toxicity drugs for sleeping sickness

Scientists from the Drug Discovery Unit at the University of Dundee - working together with partners at the University of York and the Structural Genomics Consortium in Toronto - have made a major breakthrough in identifying new treatments for a fatal disease which infects tens of thousands of Africans each year.

1 Apr 2010

Repros Therapeutics announces response to FDA critique on proposed Phase II Androxal study

Repros Therapeutics Inc. today announced that the Company is sending a reply to the FDA's Division of Metabolism and Endocrinology Products following the Company's receipt of FDA's comments on the proposed Phase II study of Androxal® (enclomiphene) in the treatment of Type II diabetes under Repros' open IND. On February 2, 2010 the Company announced that Repros received confirmation from the Agency that the new IND is effective.

1 Apr 2010

Rudd proposes that GP’s take on care of diabetics

In a bid to ease the strain caused by diabetes on the hospitals, Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd has proposed that GP’s take on care of diabetics. For every diabetes patient that a GP handles, the government will pay the doctor $1200 a year to cover day-to-day costs. Each GP will receive up to $10,800 annually based on performance.

1 Apr 2010

States face health care budget cuts, seek health-related legislation

Parents, caregivers and advocates joined hospital executives and legislators Tuesday to complain about the potential impact of [Louisiana] Gov. Bobby Jindal's proposed budget cuts and privatization initiatives on Louisiana's most vulnerable residents.

1 Apr 2010

FDA accepts for review Abbott's novel diagnostic test for rapid detection of NGAL

A novel diagnostic test to rapidly detect neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), an early biomarker that identifies patients at risk for acute kidney injury (AKI), has been accepted for review by the United States Food and Drug Administration. If approved, this would be the first test available for use in the United States for the detection of NGAL.

1 Apr 2010

IGEN Networks signs MOU with Bio Business Development

IGEN Networks Corp. is pleased to announce that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bio Business Development Corp. International, Inc. to negotiate the acquisition of the exclusive global distribution rights to the patented lateral-flow diagnostic testing platform technology for rapid detection of the infectious prion protein diseases.

1 Apr 2010

Crack, cocaine usage increases risk of HIV in adolescents

Teens with a history of crack or cocaine use are significantly more likely to engage in unprotected sex than youth who have never used these drugs, putting themselves at increased risk for HIV, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of Child and Adolescent Substance Abuse.

1 Apr 2010

Early use of CT and MRI scans may reduce duration of hospital stay and hospitalization costs

Advanced imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) might shorten the length of a person's hospital stay and decrease the high costs associated with hospitalization if used early, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Radiology (www.jacr.org).

1 Apr 2010

Worker health checks reveal 50% men at risk of developing diabetes

Over the last one year 100,000 State Government financed worker health check ups have been conducted. The results have been an eye-opener. 800 workers after their check ups have been asked to consult their physicians immediately. These check ups included measurements of blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar and waist circumference. The workers were also questioned regarding their eating, drinking and exercising habits.

1 Apr 2010

Likely CMS pick Berwick has advised governments around the world

The Boston Globe explores the background of President Barack Obama's likely pick for head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. "Governments around the world have long sought Donald Berwick's expertise to help solve stubborn health care problems — from hospital-acquired infections to medication errors."

1 Apr 2010

MDA awards 42 medical researchers and labs over $21M for critical neuromuscular research

Forty-two medical researchers and their labs have been awarded over $21 million by the Muscular Dystrophy Association to continue critical neuromuscular research. Many of the grants are multi-year awards to be dispersed over the next three years.

1 Apr 2010