Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Alcoholic hepatitis linked to hepatitis C risk

Hepatitis C virus is more common in patients with alcoholic hepatitis than the general population, but infections may be going undetected, US data show.

9 Jul 2012

For states, High Court's Medicaid ruling creates choices, makes waves

States are responding to the court's decision in varying ways. Some interpretations are leading states to pare back their existing Medicaid programs, according to the Wall Street Journal. Others find themselves in limbo.

9 Jul 2012

Luminex to acquire molecular diagnostics company, GenturaDx

Luminex Corporation today announced a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held, GenturaDx, a molecular diagnostics company focused on making nucleic acid testing both affordable and practical for any laboratory. GenturaDx is in late stage development of a fully integrated, highly automated, real-time PCR system that employs a single-use cassette for true sample-to-answer workflow.

From Luminex 9 Jul 2012

NADDI lauds real-time, drug stop-sale system in North Carolina

The National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators (NADDI) – a nonprofit organization that facilitates cooperation between law enforcement, healthcare professionals, state regulatory agencies and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the prevention and investigation of drug diversion – today lauded the latest results achieved by the real-time, stop-sale system in North Carolina.

9 Jul 2012

Health law debate returns to center stage in House

With lawmakers returning to Washington this week after the July 4 break, Republican leaders in the House have scheduled a vote -- the 31st such attempt -- to repeal the health law. The effort is unexpected to get any traction in the Democrat-led Senate.

9 Jul 2012

Novel system to treat hair loss receives CE Mark approval

Restoration Robotics, Inc., a privately-held medical device company, today announced its revolutionary ARTAS System received CE Mark Certificate to market in the European Union. The ARTAS System is the first physician controlled, computer assisted technology that allows harvesting individual follicular units directly from the scalp.

9 Jul 2012

Spacelabs receives FDA 510(k) clearance for Blease900 Ventilator

Spacelabs Healthcare today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the Blease900 Ventilator - an integral component of its BleaseFocus anesthesia system - paving the way for launch of the new BleaseFocus anesthesia system to healthcare facilities in the United States.

9 Jul 2012

First Edition: July 9, 2012

Kaiser Health News "Insuring Your Health" columnist Michelle Andrews answers a reader question about doctors who charge extra fees for more personalized care.

9 Jul 2012

Long Beach Memorial uses Toshiba's Aquilion ONE to expand stroke care capabilities

To expand its stroke care capabilities for fast diagnoses and more accurate treatment, Long Beach Memorial, a primary stroke care center for MemorialCare Health System, is using Toshiba's Aquilion ONE dynamic volume CT system for both acute stroke diagnoses and interventional planning.

9 Jul 2012

Recovery may be lifelong process for children with brain injury

In the last ten years, a new understanding of pediatric brain injury and recovery has emerged. Professionals now understand that recovery may be a lifelong process for the child's entire circle of family, friends, and healthcare providers. The latest efforts to advance medical and rehabilitative services to move children from medical care and rehabilitation to community reintegration are discussed by the leading experts in a recently published special issue of NeuroRehabilitation.

9 Jul 2012

Genkyotex closes CHF25M Series C extension

Genkyotex, the leading developer of NOX inhibitors to treat oxygen-radical mediated diseases, announced today the closing of a CHF25 million (USD26 million) extension to its Series C financing. Investors in the Series C round, including Eclosion, Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners, Vesalius Biocapital Partners, MP Healthcare Venture, all participated in the financing extension.

9 Jul 2012

Researchers describe inflammatory mechanism of sunburn

The biological mechanism of sunburn - the reddish, painful, protective immune response from ultraviolet (UV) radiation - is a consequence of RNA damage to skin cells, report researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and elsewhere in the July 8, 2012 Advance Online Publication of Nature Medicine.

9 Jul 2012

MDI and CSIRO ink tech deal for next generation production of 'Green Whistle'

Australian healthcare company Medical Developments International (MDI) and CSIRO have signed a technology deal to develop a new production process for the drug methoxyflurane - the pain-relieving ingredient used in Penthrox™ (commonly known as the green whistle).

9 Jul 2012

Medicare cuts, competing views on overhaul keep health issues hot in campaign

"Obamacare cuts Medicare - cuts Medicare - by approximately $500 billion," Mr. Romney has told audiences. That is a reprise of Republicans' mantra of the 2010 midterm elections, which gave them big gains at both the state and federal levels and a majority in the House.

8 Jul 2012

Bayer commences enrollment in BAY94-9027 Phase II/III trial for hemophilia A

Bayer HealthCare today announced the company has started to enroll patients in an international Phase II/III trial to evaluate its investigational compound BAY94-9027 for the treatment of hemophilia A.

8 Jul 2012

Comparative study on meditation

New to meditation and already thinking about quitting? You may have simply chosen the wrong method. A new study published online July 7 in EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing highlights the importance of ensuring that new meditators select methods with which they are most comfortable, rather than those that are most popular.

8 Jul 2012

Research roundup: Crowded emergency departments, expensive HIV drugs, high deductible insurance plans

Skin In The Game: How Consumer-Directed Plans Affect The Cost And Use Of Health Care -- Consumer-directed health plans, which feature lower premiums and higher deductibles than traditional plans, are designed to reduce costs by discouraging unnecessary care. This brief describes a study of more than 800,000 households that switched from a traditional employer-based plan to a consumer-based plan.

7 Jul 2012

SAGE sponsors symposium on cardiovascular disease prevention

European experts in cardiovascular medicine will today gather at a two day symposium to address the national agenda on cardiovascular disease prevention, held at Imperial College London and sponsored by leading independent academic and professional publisher SAGE.

7 Jul 2012

Roundup: Feds rank Texas last in health care delivery; Mass. health care costs eat almost 43 percent of state budget

Texas ranked dead last in the federal government's latest report card on the delivery of health services, falling short in areas ranging from acute hospital care to home treatment of the chronically ill. Texas scored 31.61 -- less than half of top-ranked Minnesota's 67.31 -- out of a possible 100 points in the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality annual rankings.

7 Jul 2012

Study reveals connection among sugar, cancer, and dependence on breathing machines

A new research report published online in the FASEB Journal reveals a connection among sugar, cancer, and dependence on breathing machines--microRNA-320a.

7 Jul 2012