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Consumer groups urge transparency in health care reform for pharmacy benefit managers

Three top consumer groups are urging Congress to include in health care reform legislation transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) participating in any new federally sponsored health plans in a public health care exchange. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), and the National Legislative Association on Prescription Drug Prices (NLARx) have sent a joint letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) supporting the provision, authored by Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) and included in the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 (H.R. 3200).

20 Aug 2009

Cambodia's maternal mortality; drugs in Uganda; cholera risk in Zimbabwe; HIV laws in Niger

A lack of outreach by public health officials and rural villagers' preference for traditional midwives have hindered efforts to reduce maternal morality in Cambodia, government officials said recently at regional conference, the Phnom Penh Post reports.

20 Aug 2009

House Democrats ask to examine health insurers' finances

House Democrats examine pay and profit for health insurers as health insurance stocks dip lower than market.

20 Aug 2009

Chemical components of elderberry, cinnamon and green tea extracts block HIV viruses from infecting cells

The development of new antiviral drugs has had a tremendous impact on the quality of life and life expectancy of HIV-positive and AIDS patients, as the drugs effectively disrupt the replication cycle of the HIV virus. Yet the regular use of those drugs - such as zidovudine (also known as azidothymidine or AZT), protease inhibitors, and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) involving multidrug therapies - has led to resistant HIV strains.

20 Aug 2009

Inovio Biomedical records $2.9 million revenues in the six months ended June 30, 2009

Inovio Biomedical Corporation (NYSE AMEX: INO) (“Inovio”) today reported financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009. Total revenue of $2.5 million and $2.9 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2009, compared to $663,000 and $1.3 million for the three and six months ended June 30, 2008, respectively.

20 Aug 2009

New report by NSF & Trucost studies GHG emissions and carbon footprints of chemical sector companies and others.

NSF International, a public health and safety organization, and Trucost Plc, a global provider of environmental data and analysis, today announced the availability of a new report entitled, Carbon Emissions – Measuring the Risks.

20 Aug 2009

Co-op proposal continues to draw White House defensiveness, Liberals' ire

The Hill reports on Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' backpedaling on comments she made Sunday that a public option "isn't essential" to a reform package: "'Here's the bottom line. Absolutely nothing has changed. We continue to support the public option that will help lower costs, give American consumers more choice and keep private insurers honest,' Sebelius said. 'The public option is a very good way to do this,' she added" (Youngman, 8/18).

20 Aug 2009

US FDA announces establishment of the Center for Tobacco Products with Lawrence Deyton as Center Director

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announcement today that it is establishing the Center for Tobacco Products and has selected Lawrence Deyton, MSPH, MD, a highly respected and experienced public health leader, as the Center Director is a demonstration of its commitment to moving quickly and vigorously to implement its new authority to regulate tobacco products, the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. This announcement comes just two months after Congress approved and President Obama signed into law historic legislation giving the FDA authority over tobacco products.

20 Aug 2009

WSNA launches new website as part of outreach campaign for health care reform

Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA), the professional organization representing more than 16,000 registered nurses in Washington State, has announced a new outreach and education campaign to support meaningful health care reform in 2009. Launching on Wednesday, August 19, the campaign will feature television ads across the Pacific Northwest and a new website, www.Nurses4HealthReform.org, with information and tools for both nurses and the general public to get involved in the health care debate.

20 Aug 2009

New Orleans city selects Upp Technology solution for improving mobile inventory management effciency

The City of New Orleans Department of Homeland Security and the City of New Orleans Fire Department have selected Upp Technology, Inc. to help improve the efficiency of their day-to-day operations. New Orleans chose Upp’s irms|EM (Emergency Management) solution, deployed on the irms|Go-Kit for a mobile inventory management system allowing the city to track inventory through the use of bar-coding at their warehouses and storerooms. Furthermore, the same Go-Kits can then be redeployed to the field in times of emergency to receive and distribute cots, water, food, and other critical supplies needed in Emergency Response.

20 Aug 2009

FDA approves Hiberix Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine

In response to a U.S. shortage of a vaccine to protect infants from Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) has received accelerated approval from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for Hiberix((R)) [Haemophilus b Conjugate Vaccine (Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate)] as a booster dose in children 15 months through four years of age. Hib is an often severe and potentially deadly bacterial infection that can cause meningitis.

19 Aug 2009

New guidance for businesses to plan for and respond to upcoming flu season

Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Gary Locke, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced new guidance for businesses to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season.

19 Aug 2009

The Gambia introduces pneumococcal immunisation programme

The Gambia, Minister of Health Dr. Mariatou Jallow administered the first dose of the pneumococcal vaccine to Gambian children at a rural clinic outside Banjul today. Joined by the Gambia’s Vice President, Mrs. Isatou Njie-Saidy, Dr. Jallow and hundreds of Gambian citizens celebrated this historic event, which marks the first step in the rollout of the Gambia’s national pneumococcal immunisation programme.

19 Aug 2009

U.S. Food and Drug Administration launches new Center for Tobacco Products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today launched its new Center for Tobacco Products in an historic effort to curb the hundreds of thousands of deaths caused by those products each year.

19 Aug 2009

Obama misleads on abortion funding in health reform

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement after President Obama said that it's a "fabrication" and "distraction" to say abortion funding is included in the health care reform plans.

19 Aug 2009

Message from The White House: The President is not backing away from the public plan

"White House spokesman Robert Gibbs insists the Obama administration has not shifted its goals on health care reform or distanced itself from a government-run public insurance option." He told reporters today that stories indicating the Obama administration was backing away from including the public option in its push to overhaul the health system were "overblown."

19 Aug 2009

Kyl says GOP won't support co-op proposal

"The number two Senate Republican said Tuesday replacing a public health care option with a nonprofit private cooperative wouldn't win any more Republican support, saying they are essentially the same thing," The Wall Street Journal reports. "Sen. Jon Kyl (R., Ariz.), said Republican objections were more fundamental than simply changing the name of a new national entity to compete with private medical insurers."

19 Aug 2009

CSL Biotherapies to supply Afluria influenza vaccines from newly licensed packaging facility

CSL Biotherapies, a subsidiary of CSL Limited, one of the world's leading manufacturers of influenza vaccine, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has licensed the company’s newest vaccine filling and packaging facility, located in Kankakee, Ill. The facility, part of an investment to expand CSL’s U.S. influenza vaccine production capabilities, includes a high-speed, single-dose vaccine syringe filling line.

19 Aug 2009

TBI's new Ocular Services Division to replace its Tissue Distribution and Information Center

TBI/Tissue Banks International, Inc. today announced it has developed an Ocular Services Division to replace the Tissue Distribution and Information Center at the organization.

19 Aug 2009

Obama calls for veterans' health care expansion

President Obama Monday included health care in a speech at the Veterans of Foreign Wars' national convention Monday, The Arizona Republic reports.

19 Aug 2009

Public Health News and Research

Consumer groups urge transparency in health care reform for pharmacy benefit managers

Cambodia's maternal mortality; drugs in Uganda; cholera risk in Zimbabwe; HIV laws in Niger

House Democrats ask to examine health insurers' finances

Chemical components of elderberry, cinnamon and green tea extracts block HIV viruses from infecting cells

Inovio Biomedical records $2.9 million revenues in the six months ended June 30, 2009

New report by NSF & Trucost studies GHG emissions and carbon footprints of chemical sector companies and others.

Co-op proposal continues to draw White House defensiveness, Liberals' ire

US FDA announces establishment of the Center for Tobacco Products with Lawrence Deyton as Center Director

WSNA launches new website as part of outreach campaign for health care reform

New Orleans city selects Upp Technology solution for improving mobile inventory management effciency

FDA approves Hiberix Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine

New guidance for businesses to plan for and respond to upcoming flu season

The Gambia introduces pneumococcal immunisation programme

U.S. Food and Drug Administration launches new Center for Tobacco Products

Obama misleads on abortion funding in health reform

Message from The White House: The President is not backing away from the public plan

Kyl says GOP won't support co-op proposal

CSL Biotherapies to supply Afluria influenza vaccines from newly licensed packaging facility

TBI's new Ocular Services Division to replace its Tissue Distribution and Information Center

Obama calls for veterans' health care expansion

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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