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Loophole in CHIP costs feds millions in lost revenue

"A tobacco tax loophole in President Barack Obama's children's health insurance program cost the government more than $250 million in its first year, public health officials say. The loophole allowed companies to avoid huge tax increases on loose rolling tobacco by relabeling their product as pipe tobacco. The simple marketing twist lets companies pay $2.83 per pound, rather than the $24.78 per pound levied on rolling tobacco. That proved an expensive technicality in the way the government pays for health insurance for poor children."

3 Jun 2010

Chili peppers may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup, says study

Scientists are reporting new evidence that capsaicin, the stuff that gives chili peppers their kick, may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup by triggering certain beneficial protein changes in the body. Their study, which could lead to new treatments for obesity, appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research.

3 Jun 2010

California examines 'never events' at hospitals; La. seeks funding for primary care clinics; Texas trims children's health program

San Francisco Chronicle: "Drill bits, screws, sponges, clamps, needles, catheters, electrodes. These are some of the things accidentally left inside patients after surgery at California hospitals.

3 Jun 2010

Novel anti-malarial drug developed from blood thinner by Australian scientists

Malaria caused by a parasite that is borne in female mosquitoes and that spreads in humans through mosquito bites is a major public health problem and it kills more than a million people world wide each year. With the rise of resistance of many of the strains of the malaria parasite to most of the anti-malarial drugs the problem is escalating at an alarming pace.

2 Jun 2010

CDC data shows frequent binge drinkers more likely to report suboptimal self-rated health

Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that excessive drinking is responsible for approximately 79,000 deaths annually in the United States. Binge drinking accounts for more than half of those deaths. A new study has looked at the frequency of binge drinking in relation to drinkers' own perceptions of their overall health status.

2 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 2, 2010

In today's news, insurance regulators fail to meet an early deadline for setting standards on premium spending rules within the new health law.

2 Jun 2010

Santarus commences enrollment in rifamycin SV MMX Phase III clinical program for travelers' diarrhea

Santarus, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, today announced that is has begun to enroll patients in the first study in its Phase III clinical program to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rifamycin SV MMX® for the treatment of patients with travelers' diarrhea.

2 Jun 2010

Faith-based organizations can play important role in response to HIV/AIDS in Central America: RAND study

Faith-based organizations such as churches and religious relief and development groups can play an important role in the response to HIV and AIDS in Central America, according to a new RAND Corporation report.

2 Jun 2010

NFP receives $2M gift to support public health program around the U.S.

Nurse-Family Partnership, a leading non-profit organization addressing the needs of low income, first-time parents and their children, has received a $2 million gift from Jim Hagedorn, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company in Marysville, Ohio, and a member of the Nurse-Family Partnership Board of Directors.

2 Jun 2010

New study provides further evidence of link between indoor tanning and melanoma

A new study has provided further evidence of a link between indoor tanning and melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Scientists at the University of Minnesota's School of Public Health and Masonic Cancer Centre claim that their study, which is published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, "definitively links" the use of sunbeds to melanoma.

2 Jun 2010

FDA approves Prolia for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Prolia, an injectable treatment for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fractures.

2 Jun 2010

GOP candidates for California governor struggle with budget issues, including health care

The two candidates in California's Republican gubernatorial primary, Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman, "agree on several budget fixes, including a spending cap, a hiring freeze, and reforms to welfare, pensions and prison health care." Both candidates seek to rid waste and create a leaner, more cost efficient budget, but cuts can come at a cost. "Reaction to Schwarzenegger's proposed budget revision this month indicates what the next governor is in for.

2 Jun 2010

Study results show calcium consumption increases prostate cancer risk in Chinese

Among Chinese men, calcium consumption — even at relatively low levels and from non-dairy food sources such as soy, grains and green vegetables — may increase prostate cancer risk, according to results published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

2 Jun 2010

Europe spends just 5% of total cancer research funds on metastases

On average, about five percent of total cancer research funding is spent on investigating metastases (the spread of cancer cells around the body) in Europe, yet metastatic disease is the direct or indirect cause of 90 percent of all cancer deaths, according to an editorial in the European Journal of Cancer (EJC).

1 Jun 2010

AAPA honors Idaho's Hal Joseph with 2010 PA Service to the Underserved Award

Hal Joseph, PA-C/CDE of Orofino, Idaho, received the American Academy of Physician Assistants' 2010 PA Service to the Underserved Award at the organization's 38th Annual Physician Assistant Conference in Atlanta yesterday. Joseph dedicated his career to helping those suffering from diabetes, a medical condition he has lived with since age 12, better manage their illness.

1 Jun 2010

Odds of surviving cardiac arrest may depend on neighborhood: Study

The odds of surviving cardiac arrest may depend on which part of town you call home and whether anyone in the neighborhood comes to your rescue by attempting to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, according to a first-of-its-kind study in the June issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

1 Jun 2010

Risky alcohol-related traffic behaviors among college students continue to be major public-health concern

Alcohol-impaired driving and associated motor-vehicle accidents are a major public-health problem. National studies have shown that approximately 25 percent of college students report that they have driven while intoxicated in the past month, and an even greater percentage report having driven after having any amount of alcohol and/or ridden with a driver believed intoxicated.

1 Jun 2010

AHF's Magic Johnson Testing America Tour arrives in Wilmington to offer free HIV testing

AHF's Magic Johnson 'Testing America' Tour, a six month, 48 state national cross country HIV testing tour, arrives in Wilmington, Delaware tomorrow and will offer free HIV testing, along with local partner AIDS Delaware from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM in Rodney Square, 2 East 11th St. across from the DuPont Building.

31 May 2010

Overall increase of cesarean births not due to maternal request

Fewer than two per cent of cesarean births in British Columbia were a result of maternal request, but the number of cesarean and assisted vaginal deliveries varied widely across health regions in B.C., according to a new study by University of British Columbia researchers.

31 May 2010

Active-living neighborhoods help increase youth physical activity and reduce obesity

Choosing a neighborhood that has places to walk to and safe routes to get there can help your child maintain a healthy weight during adolescence.

29 May 2010

Public Health News and Research

Loophole in CHIP costs feds millions in lost revenue

Chili peppers may cause weight loss and fight fat buildup, says study

California examines 'never events' at hospitals; La. seeks funding for primary care clinics; Texas trims children's health program

Novel anti-malarial drug developed from blood thinner by Australian scientists

CDC data shows frequent binge drinkers more likely to report suboptimal self-rated health

First Edition: June 2, 2010

Santarus commences enrollment in rifamycin SV MMX Phase III clinical program for travelers' diarrhea

Faith-based organizations can play important role in response to HIV/AIDS in Central America: RAND study

NFP receives $2M gift to support public health program around the U.S.

New study provides further evidence of link between indoor tanning and melanoma

FDA approves Prolia for postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

GOP candidates for California governor struggle with budget issues, including health care

Study results show calcium consumption increases prostate cancer risk in Chinese

Europe spends just 5% of total cancer research funds on metastases

AAPA honors Idaho's Hal Joseph with 2010 PA Service to the Underserved Award

Odds of surviving cardiac arrest may depend on neighborhood: Study

Risky alcohol-related traffic behaviors among college students continue to be major public-health concern

AHF's Magic Johnson Testing America Tour arrives in Wilmington to offer free HIV testing

Overall increase of cesarean births not due to maternal request

Active-living neighborhoods help increase youth physical activity and reduce obesity

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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