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State highlights: Docs prescribe narcotics too often, CDC chief says; Fla. hospices get close scrutiny; Calif. Medi-Cal provider rate bump delayed

The nation's top public health official on Tuesday sharply criticized the widespread treatment of aches and pains with narcotics, saying that doctors are prescribing such drugs too soon, too often and for too long -- putting patients at risk of addiction and overdose. Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that doctors are relying on these powerful drugs to treat chronic pain when physical therapy, exercise and other remedies would be safer and in many cases more effective (Girion and Glover, 7/2).

4 Jul 2013

Study reveals health benefits of a good night's sleep

A good night's sleep can increase the benefit of exercise, healthy diet, moderate alcohol consumption and non-smoking in their protection against cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to results of a large population follow-up study. Results showed that the combination of the four traditional healthy lifestyle habits was associated with a 57% lower risk of cardiovascular disease (fatal and non-fatal) and a 67% lower risk of fatal events. But, when "sufficient sleep" (defined as seven or more hours a night) was added to the other four lifestyle factors, the overall protective benefit was even further increased - and resulted in a 65% lower risk of composite CVD and a 83% lower risk of fatal events.

4 Jul 2013

3-gene signature test will improve care of kidney transplant patients

A breakthrough non-invasive test can detect whether transplanted kidneys are in the process of being rejected, as well as identify patients at risk for rejection weeks to months before they show symptoms, according to a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).

4 Jul 2013

Reading books and participating in brain-stimulating activities may preserve memory

New research suggests that reading books, writing and participating in brain-stimulating activities at any age may preserve memory. The study is published in the July 3, 2013, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

4 Jul 2013

Scientists uncover easy strategies to prevent harmful side-effects of antibiotics responses

A team of scientists at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has discovered why long-term treatment with many common antibiotics can cause harmful side effects-and they have uncovered two easy strategies that could help prevent these dangerous responses.

4 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Dems' abortion policies on the wrong side of public opinion; Doctors need to be more accurate in death reports

Last week saw two major developments in the legal and political battle over the Obama administration's sound decision to require most employers to provide free insurance coverage of contraceptives for women under the new health care law -; one of them positive and the other a blow to the mandate and to religious liberty (7/1).

3 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 3, 2013

Today's headlines detail the Obama administration announcement that it would delay the health law rule requiring businesses provide insurance to workers.

3 Jul 2013

Study examines link between smoking cessation, weight gain and CHD risk in postmenopausal women

"Cigarette smoking is an important cause of cardiovascular disease, and smoking cessation reduces the risk. However, weight gain after smoking cessation may increase the risk of diabetes and weaken the benefit of quitting," write Juhua Luo, Ph.D., of the Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington, Ind., and colleagues.

3 Jul 2013

State highlights: Dartmouth joins N.H. Medicaid managed care

New Hampshire's largest health care provider signed contracts Monday with three health care plans to join the state's managed care network for Medicaid -- a key to getting the network operating. Dartmouth-Hitchcock announced it will work with Well Sense Health Plan, Granite State Health Plan and Meridian Health Plan of New Hampshire to provide coordinated care for eligible Medicaid beneficiaries (Love, 7/1).

3 Jul 2013

Imaxio receives FP7 grant to support the development of S. aureus vaccine

Imaxio, a biopharmaceutical company specialized in vaccines, together with its partners from the Jenner Institute at Oxford University, the European Vaccine Initiative and Preclin Biosystems, is pleased to announce today a European Union award of EUR 5.5 million to support the ‘Bellerophon Project’ consortium to develop a vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).

3 Jul 2013

Key HIV drug prices continue to fall, but newer medicines still priced too high

International medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières today released its annual report Untangling the Web of ARV Price Reductions,at the International AIDS Society conference in Kuala Lumpur.

3 Jul 2013

Researchers study existence of cross-protection between multiple strains of infectious disease

Using a unique data set spanning 40 years of dengue fever incidence in Thailand, an international team led by biostatistician Nicholas Reich at the University of Massachusetts Amherst has for the first time estimated from data that after an initial dengue infection, a person is protected from infection with other strains for between one and three years.

3 Jul 2013

Study says screening heart with natriuretic peptide may reduce risk of dysfunction, heart failure

Among patients at risk of heart failure, collaborative care based on screening for certain levels of brain-type natriuretic peptide reduced the combined rates of left ventricular systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, and heart failure as well as emergency cardiovascular hospitalizations, according to a study in the July 3 issue of JAMA.

3 Jul 2013

Postmenopausal women who quit smoking can reduce risk of heart disease, regardless of diabetes

Postmenopausal women who quit smoking reduced their risk of heart disease, regardless of whether they had diabetes, according to a new study conducted by Juhua Luo, an epidemiologist at the Indiana University School of Public Health-Bloomington.

3 Jul 2013

Study shows lower-income residents more likely to care about their communities than higher-earning neighbors

Some may assume that low-income residents of run-down, crime-ridden neighborhoods do not care about their communities. However, research from the University of Missouri suggests otherwise.

3 Jul 2013

Researchers report that aerobic exercise can lessen or worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms

Aerobic exercise can lessen - or worsen - the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis, depending on the circumstances under which the exercise is undertaken, researchers report.

3 Jul 2013

BUSM professor receives Ewald W. Busse Research Award for continued contributions to aging research

Thomas Perls, MD, MPH, a geriatrician at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM), has been honored with the Ewald W. Busse Research Award.

3 Jul 2013

Researchers find NRF2 signaling plays a role in growth of tumor cells by altering metabolic pathways

Cancer cells have alteration in metabolic pathways as a result of oncogenes that promote tumor growth. NRF2 (nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2) works as a "master gene" that turns on stress response by increasing numerous antioxidants and pollutant-detoxifying genes to protect the lungs from variety of air pollutants such as diesel exhaust and cigarette smoke.

3 Jul 2013

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals' Iclusig gets EC marketing authorization for CML and Ph+ ALL treatment

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the European Commission has granted a marketing authorization for Iclusig (ponatinib) as an orphan medicinal product for two indications.

2 Jul 2013

State highlights: Calif. bill to fine firms with workers on Medi-Cal fails; Pa. eyes disallowing apologies used against doctors in court-proceedings

A California proposal to fine large companies that have workers on Medi-Cal came up short in an initial vote in the Assembly amid strong business opposition. The proposed fines could reach about $5,000 per full-time employee who receives Medi-Cal, the state Medicaid program for the poor. The bill, AB 880, garnered 46 votes in the 80-member chamber Thursday, short of the 54 votes, or two-thirds majority, needed. The measure could come up for reconsideration as early as next week (Terhune, 6/27).

2 Jul 2013

Public Health News and Research

State highlights: Docs prescribe narcotics too often, CDC chief says; Fla. hospices get close scrutiny; Calif. Medi-Cal provider rate bump delayed

Study reveals health benefits of a good night's sleep

3-gene signature test will improve care of kidney transplant patients

Reading books and participating in brain-stimulating activities may preserve memory

Scientists uncover easy strategies to prevent harmful side-effects of antibiotics responses

Viewpoints: Dems' abortion policies on the wrong side of public opinion; Doctors need to be more accurate in death reports

First Edition: July 3, 2013

Study examines link between smoking cessation, weight gain and CHD risk in postmenopausal women

State highlights: Dartmouth joins N.H. Medicaid managed care

Imaxio receives FP7 grant to support the development of S. aureus vaccine

Key HIV drug prices continue to fall, but newer medicines still priced too high

Researchers study existence of cross-protection between multiple strains of infectious disease

Study says screening heart with natriuretic peptide may reduce risk of dysfunction, heart failure

Postmenopausal women who quit smoking can reduce risk of heart disease, regardless of diabetes

Study shows lower-income residents more likely to care about their communities than higher-earning neighbors

Researchers report that aerobic exercise can lessen or worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms

BUSM professor receives Ewald W. Busse Research Award for continued contributions to aging research

Researchers find NRF2 signaling plays a role in growth of tumor cells by altering metabolic pathways

ARIAD Pharmaceuticals' Iclusig gets EC marketing authorization for CML and Ph+ ALL treatment

State highlights: Calif. bill to fine firms with workers on Medi-Cal fails; Pa. eyes disallowing apologies used against doctors in court-proceedings

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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