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Cheney surgery sparks discussion of age and heart transplants

Over the weekend, former Vice President Dick Cheney, who is 71, received a new heart after he had waited 20 months.

26 Mar 2012

States brace for impact of health law ruling

Even with the health law's future in question, news reports indicate that some states are pressing forward with implementation, while another -- Massachusetts -- considers itself untouched by what becomes of the federal law. All the while, the politics of the health overhaul will play a significant role at the state level, too.

26 Mar 2012

AstraZeneca's lawsuit against FDA dismissed without prejudice

AstraZeneca today announced that on March 23, 2012 the US District Court for the District of Columbia issued an opinion and order in AstraZeneca's lawsuit against the US Food and Drug Administration regarding final marketing approval of generic quetiapine. The Court denied the Company's request for a preliminary injunction and dismissed the lawsuit without prejudice.

26 Mar 2012

Population-wide community and clinical prevention program reduces cardiovascular risk profile

A population-wide community and clinical prevention program involving 10,000 adults meaningfully reduced the cardiovascular (CV) risk profile among a substantial portion of the population as indicated by those participating in screenings. Findings also indicate the level of improvements differ by gender for specific cardiovascular risk factors.

26 Mar 2012

Multifaceted intervention improves use of evidence-based medicines

Among patients with acute coronary syndromes (such as heart attack or unstable angina) treated at public hospitals in Brazil, implementation of a multifaceted intervention that included educational materials, checklists and reminders resulted in improvement in the use of evidence-based medicines during the first 24 hours of hospitalization, according to a study appearing in JAMA.

26 Mar 2012

First Edition: March 26, 2012

Today marks the beginning of the Supreme Court's three days of oral arguments regarding the health law. Headlines break down the key points of those arguments, as well as the political and historical context in which they will be advanced.

26 Mar 2012

Doctors may be driven out of practice by tests

Your doctor, after a decade of rigorous training and 20 years of experience, may be driven out of practice by a $300 million industry that sells tests.

26 Mar 2012

OSI Systems receives FDA clearance for Arkon anesthesia delivery system

OSI Systems, Inc., a vertically-integrated provider of specialized electronic products for critical applications in the Security and Healthcare industries, today announced that its Healthcare division, Spacelabs Healthcare, received clearance under Section 510(k) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to market the Arkon high-performance anesthesia delivery system.

26 Mar 2012

Top SPRG priorities for future NINDS stroke rehabilitation research

In 2011, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) convened the Stroke Progress Review Group (SPRG) to conduct a final 10-year review of the state of stroke research.

26 Mar 2012

Periodontal treatment may decrease medical care costs for people with diabetes

Medical costs are lower for people with diabetes who receive treatment for gum disease, according to a study presented today to the American Association for Dental Research by Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat of the University of Pennsylvania.

26 Mar 2012

$Economic burden of fragility fractures in Europe far exceeds previous estimates$

Economic burden of fragility fractures in Europe far exceeds previous estimates

Researchers at the European Congress of Osteoporosis & Osteoarthritis in Bordeaux have presented new data * which shows that the economic burden of fragility fractures in the 27 member states of the European Union far exceeds previous estimates, with hip fractures accounting for around 55% of costs.

26 Mar 2012

Routine counseling on fertility preservation needed for young women with cancer

A new study has found that very few young women with cancer take steps to preserve their fertility while undergoing cancer therapy. Also, certain groups of young women are more likely to do so than others. Published early online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study indicates that efforts are needed to provide counseling on fertility preservation in reproductive-aged women diagnosed with cancer.

26 Mar 2012

ACC endorses The Doctors Company as preferred medical liability insurer

The Doctors Company, the nation's largest insurer of physician and surgeon medical liability, is pleased to announce that it is now exclusively endorsed by the American College of Cardiology (ACC) as the preferred medical liability insurer for ACC members.

26 Mar 2012

Additional help does not improve success rates for smokers trying to quit

A major research trial to test whether extra support for smokers calling an NHS quitline - on top of what is already offered by the service - has found the additional help does not improve success rates for quitting the habit.

26 Mar 2012

Epsilon Imaging introduces EchoInsight for cardiology community

Epsilon Imaging, Inc., an advanced visualization and analysis technologies provider for cardiology, today announced the debut of EchoInsight, a suite of applications for practical strain imaging and streamlined workflow in the clinical environment.

26 Mar 2012

Komen facing fundraising challenges, resignations of executives

U.S. breast cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure is feeling a pinch on donations following a controversy over its funding for Planned Parenthood, a leading provider of birth-control and abortion services. A few of the group's flagship "Race for the Cure" fundraising events have failed to meet targets, a Komen spokeswoman said on Friday.

26 Mar 2012

Fairfax Family Practice Centers, Cigna launch collaborative accountable care initiative

Cigna and Fairfax Family Practice Centers, a primary care family medical practice based in Northern Virginia, have launched a collaborative accountable care initiative to expand patient access to health care, improve care coordination, and achieve the "triple aim" of improved health outcomes (quality), lower total medical costs and increased patient satisfaction.

26 Mar 2012

Plouffe defends, Graham and Bachmann attack health law

As the Supreme Court takes up President Obama's health care law this week, the White House dispatched a top political aide to the Sunday talk shows to make the case for the law that will go far in defining Obama's legacy. "As it relates to the Supreme Court, we're confident that it's going to be upheld," senior Obama adviser David Plouffe said on ABC's This Week. ... In the meantime, Republican presidential candidates -- while hoping that the Supreme Court strikes down the law -- have vowed to repeal the law.

26 Mar 2012

Romney assails health law; Obama embraces 'Obamacare'

Mr. Romney used much of the event to mark the two-year anniversary of Democrats' national health care law, something he described as the "centerpiece" of President Barack Obama's failure as a president. "It's amazing how many things are wrong with it," Mr. Romney said. "I got a whole list here." That list did not include the law's requirement for individuals to buy health insurance, the subject of a closely watched Supreme Court case. While Mr. Romney was governor of Massachusetts, he signed a state law with a similar mandate.

26 Mar 2012

Court's review of Medicaid expansion could affect other federal programs

A major issue in the Supreme Court battle over the new health care law is whether Congress can force states to make a huge expansion of Medicaid, to add millions of low-income people to the rolls. States say the federal law is unconstitutionally coercive because all their Medicaid money would be at risk if they flout the new requirement. The states argument has implications that go far beyond health care.

26 Mar 2012