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FDA recommends removal of breast cancer indication from Avastin label

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that the agency is recommending removing the breast cancer indication from the label for Avastin (bevacizumab) because the drug has not been shown to be safe and effective for that use.

17 Dec 2010

COPAN announces US patent for evoluton in flocked swab technology

COPAN has enjoyed widespread use of its flocked swabs line, branded as FLOQSwabs, in microbiology for the collection and transportation of bacterial and viral samples.

17 Dec 2010

Clinton outlines QDDR recommendations at launch event

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton released the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review (QDDR) on Wednesday at the State Department, "pledging to focus more on conflict prevention and elevate the roles of U.S. ambassadors in coordinating the work of all U.S. agencies working abroad," the Washington Post reports (Sheridan, 12/16).

17 Dec 2010

Positive economic signs evident in health sector

News outlets report that the health care sector has recently been posting more jobs and been the focus of more private equity investment interest.

17 Dec 2010

Study: Natural high hemoglobin levels safe for kidney disease patients on dialysis

Naturally occurring high hemoglobin levels are safe for kidney disease patients on dialysis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology.

17 Dec 2010

Houston Chronicle: Testing flex money limits

The IRS hasn't officially weighed in. Neither has Congress. But it looks as if most — if not all — of the annual retainers people are paying for special attention from their doctors is not reimbursable under flexible spending accounts.

17 Dec 2010

Over quarter million women who gave birth in hospitals had pre-existing diabetes or developed gestational diabetes

More than a quarter million women who gave birth in U.S. hospitals in 2008 had pre-existing diabetes or developed it during their pregnancy - a condition called gestational diabetes, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This equals 6.4 percent of the 4.2 million women who gave birth in that year.

17 Dec 2010

High-dose rate brachytherapy procedure to treat prostate cancer

Beaumont Hospital radiation oncologists have launched a research study to treat men with low to intermediate risk prostate cancer with a single dose of radiation.

17 Dec 2010

Health law challenges shift to Florida courtroom

Today marks a "new day in court" as oral arguments will be heard in a Florida courtroom regarding the 20-state legal challenge. This lawsuit includes issues surrounding the health law's individual mandate and Medicaid expansions. Meanwhile, analysis continues regarding Monday's decision by a federal court judge in Virginia and a new round of debate regarding whether the health overhaul lawsuits bring to light issues of judicial bias.

16 Dec 2010

Researchers discover allium vegetable consumption may lower hip osteoarthritis

Researchers at King's College London and the University of East Anglia have discovered that women who consume a diet high in allium vegetables, such as garlic, onions and leeks, have lower levels of hip osteoarthritis

16 Dec 2010

Today's Opinions: Health law spending; Funding threats undercut U.S. legal tradition; Medicaid falls short

Rising entitlement spending is already driving the federal budget off a cliff. But Obamacare would add fuel to the fire with the largest entitlement expansion since the 1960s. So it takes a special kind of audacity for Obamacare's apologists to continue to insist that the new law will cut the projected budget deficits.

16 Dec 2010

FDA issues CRL for AstraZeneca's ticagrelor NDA

AstraZeneca announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a complete response letter (CRL) for the New Drug Application (NDA) for ticagrelor (BRILINTA™).

16 Dec 2010

Researchers begin placebo-controlled trial to test drug treatment for Rett syndrome

Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have begun a randomized, placebo-controlled trial to test a potential drug treatment for Rett syndrome, the leading known genetic cause of autism in girls.

16 Dec 2010

Study reveals immune cell provides new therapeutic strategy for SLE

A new study provides fascinating insight into the underlying pathology associated with the autoimmune disease, systemic lupus erythematosus.

16 Dec 2010

Genetic breakthrough in lung cancer

For the study the team studied samples of lung tumors and nearby healthy lung tissue from 30 patients and examined the samples for the presence of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) associated with 48 known genes for molecules called nuclear hormone receptors. Then they compared the active genes with patient outcomes and found that the expression of genes for certain nuclear hormone receptors helped predict patient survival.

16 Dec 2010

Recent mergers and acquisitions in the ultrasound market

The recent shake-up of the global ultrasound market following the merger of Aloka and Hitachi Medical, and the recently announced acquisition of Medison by Samsung Electronics, points to an intriguing future. Research Analyst Stephen Holloway, author of InMedica’s acclaimed “World Market for Ultrasound Imaging Equipment – 2010 edition” assesses the repercussions.

16 Dec 2010

Gene variant linked to liver cirrhosis in Caucasians

A new study by German researchers found that a variation in the PNPLA3 (adiponutrin) gene was associated with cirrhosis of the liver and elevated transaminase (liver enzyme) levels in alcoholic Caucasians. The risk of cirrhosis in alcoholics in the genetic high risk group might be as high as 25 to 50%. Full findings are published in the January 2011 issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

16 Dec 2010

Liver cancer in cirrhotic patients effectively treated with radiofrequency ablation

Researchers from Italy determined that radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a safe and effective therapy for managing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in cirrhotic patients. The high repeatability of RFA is advantageous in controlling recurrences of cancerous tumors in the liver. Results of this 10-year retrospective study are available in the January 2011 issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

16 Dec 2010

Quarter of all British school children obese: Report

A quarter of all British school children are obese and by the final year of primary school, the proportion rises to a third. Experts believe that this is not even the actual figure because many children opt out of being weighed. Urban children were much more likely to be overweight than those living in more rural areas.

16 Dec 2010

HIV patient cured!

German researchers working with stem cell therapy have claimed they have cured an American patient with HIV and leukemia. Experts are wary of accepting the development at its face value and caution that there is a need for further research. Dr David Scadden, a co-director of the Harvard University Stem Cell Institute added, “Cured is a strong word. But this is very encouraging… from all indications, there was no residual virus… It’s as good an outcome as one could hope for.”

16 Dec 2010