Veterans Affairs News and Research

RSS

Study calls for improved decision-making in using feeding tubes in dementia patients

Researchers from Brown University and Harvard Medical School are calling for improved decision-making in the use of feeding tubes for hospitalized nursing home residents with advanced dementia.

10 Feb 2010

Health debate travails boost lobbying firms

Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., won an upset election last month that has reshaped the health debate and that new dynamic could be a boon for lobbying firms, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Law Review columnist writes. "The thousands of lobbyists on and off Capitol Hill who labor on behalf of health-industry clients can now count on at least a few more monthly retainers.

9 Feb 2010

America’s wounded warriors to march on Capitol Hill: MOPH

The Military Order of the Purple Heart is stepping up to the call from Congress for input on how best to resolve the issues most important to the nation’s veterans. America’s wounded warriors from across the country will converge on Washington, D.C. during 8-12 February, 2010 to meet with their state’s Senators and Representatives to educate them on these important issues

8 Feb 2010

Veterans battle not yet over: Red tape in the complicated military and VA health care and disability systems

Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the nation's first and largest non-partisan, nonprofit organization representing veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, released a revealing new report highlighting the countless bureaucratic roadblocks, lengthy waits for care, and complicated disability systems facing wounded veterans.

6 Feb 2010

Budget Request for FY 2011: Veterans laud Administration's proposed funding increases and benefits

The coauthors of The Independent Budget (IB)—AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars who collectively represent millions of veterans—are applauding the Administration's recently released Budget Request for FY 2011. The budget request includes significant funding increases for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits, and for the first time, advance appropriation recommendations for the VA FY 2012 budget.

5 Feb 2010

AFGE provides solutions to tackle VA claims backlog

John McCray, a Rating Veterans Service Representative (RVSR) at the Veterans Benefits Administration, (VBA) in the Los Angeles Regional Office, testified on behalf of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) at a hearing held before the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans' Affairs. The hearing was aimed at updating Congress on the implementation on the Veterans' Benefits Improvement Act, P.L. 110-389.

5 Feb 2010

U.N. taps Bill Clinton to lead Haiti rebuilding; 200,000 people died in quake, Haitian PM says

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday asked former President Bill Clinton, currently the U.N. special envoy for Haiti, to oversee aid and rebuilding efforts in Haiti, CNN reports (2/3).

5 Feb 2010

Craft-kit therapy improves physical and mental health

Nearly 90 percent of HHV craft kit users report physical and mental improvements as a direct result of craft-kit therapy. Craft kits are an important rehabilitative tool used by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to restore coordination and impaired motor skills, improve attention spans and concentration, and relax frayed nerves in patients.

4 Feb 2010

AFGE lauds proposed $57 billion funding for VA

Today, the American Federation of Government Employees and its National VA Council applauded the White House's proposed funding increases for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The White House's proposed fiscal year 2011 budget provides $57 billion in funding for the VA. For more than two decades, AFGE, which represents over 180,000 employees in the VA, has joined veterans' groups in calling for full funding of veterans' services.

3 Feb 2010

One-third of doctors and diabetes patients prioritize health conditions differently

About one-third of doctors and their patients with diabetes do not see eye to eye on the most important health conditions to manage, according to a survey by the University of Michigan Medical School.

3 Feb 2010

Diabetes vaccine: Diamyd Medical to file for market approval in 2011

In her comments in today’s quarterly report Elisabeth Lindner, President and CEO of Diamyd Medical, says that the Company’s objective is to file the Diamyd® diabetes vaccine for market approval in 2011 - a goal that isn’t very far off now.

29 Jan 2010

Depression raises risks of advanced and severe complications from diabetes

Depression raises risks of advanced and severe complications from diabetes, according to a prospective study of Group Health primary-care patients in western Washington. These complications include kidney failure or blindness, the result of small vessel damage, as well as major vessel problems leading to heart attack or stroke.

28 Jan 2010

IRSF announces first 2010 ANGEL Grant for testing potential Rett Syndrome therapies

Today, the International Rett Syndrome Foundation (IRSF) announced that it will commit $446,000 in 2010 to fund a large translational research program to test potential therapeutics for Rett Syndrome in mouse models of the disease. The funds will be awarded through the IRSF's new Advanced Neurotherapeutic Grant of Excellence (ANGEL) mechanism which seeks to provide funds for translational research. IRSF is the world's largest private source of Rett syndrome research funding, supporting nearly $21 million in research programs to date. This is the first ANGEL Grant supported by IRSF in 2010.

28 Jan 2010

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine awarded 6 DOD CDMRP grants for medical research

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine has been awarded six Department of Defense (DOD) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) grants for innovative medical research. The grants, totaling nearly $2.8 million, will advance research in the field of breast cancer.

28 Jan 2010

Extensive gap exists between primary care practice and obesity care

Using combined and intensive treatments and restructuring care to treat obesity like other chronic diseases may help primary care clinicians and patients better address the condition, according to a commentary and three articles published in the January 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

27 Jan 2010

Biomoda applauds Senator for introducing legislative bill for lung cancer screening

Cancer diagnostics company Biomoda, Inc. (www.biomoda.com) today applauded Nebraska State Sen. Bob Krist and his co-sponsors for introducing legislation to screen up to 500 Nebraska veterans for early-stage lung cancer.

27 Jan 2010

Grassley says bugs in health IT software endangering patients, other HIT news

RadioIowa reports that Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley says hospital officials around the country are seeing bugs in new health information technology software that are putting patients at risk. "'Over the last few months, concerns have been brought to my attention including administrative complications, formatting and usability issues, errors in interoperability,' Grassley says. 'Some health care providers have said the software is producing incorrect medication dosages because it miscalculated body weights by interchanging kilograms and pounds.'" Grassley is asking 32 hospitals for statements on the problem (Kelley, 1/19).

21 Jan 2010

American Legion urges VA to reduce disability claims backlog

The American Legion's executive director here is urging the Department of Veterans Affairs to redouble its efforts to reduce the staggering backlog of disability claims filed by veterans. According to the Legion, more than 400,000 new claims are now pending, with an additional 200,000 denials being appealed.

21 Jan 2010

New method for diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder

Researchers at the University of Minnesota and Minneapolis VA Medical Center have identified a biological marker in the brains of those exhibiting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

20 Jan 2010

Three hospitals selected as recipients of the 2009 DVTeamCare Hospital Award

The North American Thrombosis Forum (NATF), in coordination with Eisai Inc., announced today that three hospitals have been selected as recipients of the 2009 DVTeamCare Hospital Award. This new award was established by Eisai to recognize hospitals that have made a significant commitment to preventing deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its potentially fatal complications, including pulmonary embolism (PE).

20 Jan 2010

Veterans Affairs News and Research

Study calls for improved decision-making in using feeding tubes in dementia patients

Health debate travails boost lobbying firms

America’s wounded warriors to march on Capitol Hill: MOPH

Veterans battle not yet over: Red tape in the complicated military and VA health care and disability systems

Budget Request for FY 2011: Veterans laud Administration's proposed funding increases and benefits

AFGE provides solutions to tackle VA claims backlog

U.N. taps Bill Clinton to lead Haiti rebuilding; 200,000 people died in quake, Haitian PM says

Craft-kit therapy improves physical and mental health

AFGE lauds proposed $57 billion funding for VA

One-third of doctors and diabetes patients prioritize health conditions differently

Diabetes vaccine: Diamyd Medical to file for market approval in 2011

Depression raises risks of advanced and severe complications from diabetes

IRSF announces first 2010 ANGEL Grant for testing potential Rett Syndrome therapies

Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine awarded 6 DOD CDMRP grants for medical research

Extensive gap exists between primary care practice and obesity care

Biomoda applauds Senator for introducing legislative bill for lung cancer screening

Grassley says bugs in health IT software endangering patients, other HIT news

American Legion urges VA to reduce disability claims backlog

New method for diagnosing post-traumatic stress disorder

Three hospitals selected as recipients of the 2009 DVTeamCare Hospital Award

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

Latest News