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Omeros to develop new drugs for major diseases

The Life Sciences Discovery Fund (LSDF) today announced a $5 million grant to Seattle-based Omeros Corporation (NASDAQ: OMER) to discover, develop, and commercialize new drugs to treat a variety of major diseases. With successful generation of proceeds through partnering and the sales of drugs in the marketplace, an additional outcome of the grant would be establishment of a new non-profit initiative to advance the life sciences sector and improve health and economic growth in Washington state.

26 Oct 2010

Contraband tobacco accounts for 43% of cigarettes consumed by Ontario students

A new study from The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found that contraband tobacco accounts for 43% of all cigarettes consumed by Ontario high school daily smokers in grades 9 to 12.

26 Oct 2010

COPD Alliance calls upon primary care clinicians to STEP forward in fight against COPD

Five international health-care societies, representing 200,000 primary care and specialty clinicians, have announced their formal partnership in the fight against chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

26 Oct 2010

Smokers with anxiety disorders less likely to quit smoking

Researchers may have pinpointed a reason many smokers struggle to quit. According to new research published in the journal Addiction, smokers with a history of anxiety disorders are less likely to quit smoking. The study, conducted by the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention (UW-CTRI), offered free coaching and medications to smokers in Madison and Milwaukee.

26 Oct 2010

Health politics: Obama challenges GOP on health law; insurers backing republicans; Democrat Manchin opposes law

In an interview with President Barack Obama, The National Journal asked about the GOP agenda, including repealing the health law. What is clear to me is that in the abstract, everybody on the Republican side is for repeal, Obama said.

26 Oct 2010

Researchers investigate impact of fungal toxin on birth defects

A Creighton University School of Medicine researcher has been awarded a $2.7 million grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate a possible link between the ingestion of tortillas and corn-based food products contaminated with a fungal toxin and increased risk for birth defects.

26 Oct 2010

Alzheimer’s risk raised 157% with smoking: Study

A Kaiser Permanente study reported this Monday that heavy smoking in midlife more than doubles the odds of developing Alzheimer's disease. This study is one of the first of its kind to examine the long-term consequences of heavy smoking on Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia explained the study's principal investigator, Rachel Whitmer, a research scientist with Kaiser Permanente in Oakland. The research is published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

25 Oct 2010

Junk food taxes not the answer for childhood obesity: Report

A Productivity Commission report, “Childhood Obesity: an Economic Perspective”, released this Monday said that junk food taxes were not a cure for childhood obesity. It read, “Bans or taxes on particular energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, for example, face design difficulties, affect all consumers regardless of their weight status, and in the case of taxes, can have perverse budgetary and health effects particularly for the neediest groups.”

25 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 25, 2010

Today's headlines include the latest on health overhaul policies and politics as the mid-term election grows closer.

25 Oct 2010

Study finds metabolic syndrome may indicate breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women

Metabolic syndrome, associated with the sedentary lifestyle and energy dense diet of Western industrialized societies, may be an indicator of breast cancer risk in post-menopausal women, according to a new study to be released at the National Italian American Foundation event, "Let's Talk About It: A Spotlight on Women's Health" on October 22nd at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

25 Oct 2010

Maven Semantic updates Antiviral research database

Maven Semantic announces updates to their Antiviral research database. The new database is now available to marketing, business development, competitor intelligence, KOL, medical affairs and related departments in the life sciences sector.

25 Oct 2010

RNAO dismayed at government's decision to shelve report recommending sound anti-smoking measures

The health of thousands of Ontarians hangs in the balance after the McGuinty government's decision to shelve a report recommending dozens of sound anti-smoking measures, nurses say.

21 Oct 2010

'Harm reduction cigarettes' more harmful

To reduce the toxicity of cigarette smoke, tobacco companies have introduced "harm reduction cigarettes," often marketed as safer than conventional brands.

21 Oct 2010

Plant-derived compound for treatment of nicotine addiction also effective against alcoholism

South Dakota State University researchers have demonstrated for the first time that a plant-derived compound used to treat nicotine addiction also has significant effects against alcohol addiction.

21 Oct 2010

ACS CAN asks federal and state candidates to state positions on cancer issues

The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is asking federal and state candidates to go on the record with their positions on cancer issues. ACS CAN, the nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, has reached out to more than 500 candidates across the country in a nationwide effort to educate voters about laws and policies that help people fight cancer.

20 Oct 2010

Smokers have more complications and higher death rate after surgery than non-smokers

Results from a clinical study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2010 found that smokers have significantly more complications post-surgery than non-smokers, including a higher death rate.

20 Oct 2010

Legacy joins in collective call to ban menthol in all tobacco products

As the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) weighs the evidence on the deadly impact of menthol cigarettes, three African American organizations have spoken out against a potential ban, urging the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee to consider the negative implications of a ban and to discount any unsubstantiated evidence on menthol.

19 Oct 2010

An overview on American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific meeting

The association between obesity and gastrointestinal-related cancers and coronary artery disease; the link between an overweight or obese body mass index and the severity of Crohn's disease; and whether inflammatory bowel disease is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, were among the highlights of new research that was presented this week at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio.

19 Oct 2010

Studies explore impact of upper GI conditions on sleep

The impact of upper GI conditions, like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia, on sleep—and treatments aimed at providing relief to heartburn/acid reflux patients who suffer from disordered sleep—were explored in three new studies related to sleep dysfunction presented today at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas.

18 Oct 2010

Deductible-free screening encourages use of preventive care services

When they do not have to pay a health insurance deductible, people are more likely to undergo screening for conditions like cancer and high cholesterol. However, the increase is modest, and in high-deductible plans, it is quite small, according to a new study in the journal Health Services Research.

18 Oct 2010