Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Sanofi-aventis sponsors People vs. Cancer initiative

Sanofi-aventis Canada is proud to be the national sponsor of People vs. Cancer, a speaking tour of three Canadian universities featuring Stephen Lewis, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations and United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa.

22 Sep 2011

Ariel Pharmaceuticals in-licenses AP-1531 from BTG for acute migraine attacks

Ariel Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a private, specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of products for acute central nervous system (CNS) diseases and trauma, announced today that it has in-licensed its lead product, AP-1531, for the treatment of acute migraine attacks, from the specialist healthcare company BTG International Ltd.

22 Sep 2011

New initiative for effective two-way communication between patients and clinicians

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) today launched an initiative with the Ad Council to encourage clinicians and patients to engage in effective two-way communication to ensure safer care and better health outcomes.

22 Sep 2011

HHS publishes guidance for health exchange state partnership model

Meanwhile, Arizona's efforts to create an exchange are morphing into a political hot potato. Also in the news, WellPoint has purchased its own private exchange to compete with the state-run versions envisioned in the health law.

21 Sep 2011

Saladax, Bristol-Myers Squibb expand Alzheimer's diagnostic assays agreement

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and Saladax Biomedical, Inc., announced today they have expanded their multi-year agreement covering the development and commercialization of diagnostic assays for the early detection of Alzheimer's disease to include Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.

21 Sep 2011

Big monthly premium hikes likely next year for Medicare Rx plans

Although monthly premiums will go down next year for Medicare prescription drug coverage on average, seniors in the most popular plans will see sizable jumps - notably a 14 percent hike for the 4.7 million in United Healthcare's plans, a new study says.

21 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 21, 2011

For Kaiser Health News, Jackie Judd talks with PBS NewsHour's David Chalian about the GOP presidential candidates' health law repeal rhetoric, the varying level of nuance among their viewpoints and how each is attacking the President's – and each other's – stances.

21 Sep 2011

MedPAC offers possible offsets for Medicare physician pay fix

Still, Obama's deficit-reduction plan, released yesterday, includes no funding for the doc fix. Some are eyeing a Medicaid adjustment that will garner $13 billion in savings as a possible cash cow - but competition is stiff for these funds.

21 Sep 2011

Obama budget plan includes $320 billion in Medicare, Medicaid cuts over 10 years

The squeeze will be felt by future Medicare recipients, in reduced payments to drug companies and hospitals, and with higher costs to states. And, though many parts of the health sector are grumbling about the proposal, some advocates say the president's vision is less painful than some of the ideas that have recently been on the table.

21 Sep 2011

UIC wins HRSA-MCHB grant to expand disabilities training program

A successful University of Illinois at Chicago-based interdisciplinary effort to train leaders in programs that help children with developmental disabilities and autism has won a $3.3 million five-year grant from the Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration-Maternal and Child Health Bureau.

21 Sep 2011

One in five cancer patients more likely to develop venous thromboembolism

An analysis of more than 30,000 cancer patients has shown that blood clots are a more common complication than doctors may realize, causing additional hospitalizations and driving up the cost of care, according to a study led by a Duke Cancer Institute researcher.

21 Sep 2011

Roundup: HIPAA enforcement; Brownback blasted for rejecting federal grant; nurses strike in Calif.

Only two state attorneys general have pursued the authority Congress gave them two years ago to prosecute privacy and security breaches of health information - despite training from federal agencies and a consensus among privacy groups that enforcement needs to improve. The expansion of jurisdiction to state attorneys general was awarded in concert with a $27 billion stimulus program initiated in 2009 to reward health care providers for switching from print to computerized health records.

21 Sep 2011

HIMSS Asia Pac’11 focuses on eHealth records

The HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) Asia Pac ’11 Conference and Exhibition incorporating the HIMAA 2011 National Conference, opened on Tuesday, bringing together leading international experts in healthcare information systems and technology.

21 Sep 2011

Niiki Pharma announces positive data from ongoing trial of novel anti-cancer agent NKP-1339

Niiki Pharma Inc. announced interim results from the ongoing Phase I clinical trial of its lead product, NKP-1339. NKP-1339 is a first-in-class transferrin targeted small molecule that down-regulates GRP78, a key regulator of mis-folded protein processing and a tumor survival factor.

20 Sep 2011

GE Healthcare unveils ultra-low dose CT technology with profound image clarity

Emphasizing its commitment to low-dose medical imaging, GE Healthcare today announced 510(k) clearance of its revolutionary Computed Tomography (CT) technology, called Veo,* which may help physicians deliver accurate diagnoses by enabling profound CT image clarity at dramatically lower dose. Veo represents the CT industry’s first Model-based Iterative Reconstruction (MBIR) technique, and is already available on GE Discovery CT750 HD systems in Europe, Canada and regions of Asia.

20 Sep 2011

Akeso Medical Imaging closes first financing round to develop imaging device for rheumatoid arthritis disease activity monitoring and control

Akeso Medical Imaging BV, a spin-off from Philips Research, announces today the closure of its first financing round led by Thuja Capital Healthcare Seed Fund with additional financing from the Brabant Spin-Off Fund and Point-One Innovation Fund.

20 Sep 2011

IQL conference explores development of ACO model

The American Medical Group Association is convening nearly 600 participants, representing the leaders of the nation's preeminent healthcare provider organizations, at IQL 2011: Creating High-Performing Care Organizations, September 19 - 21 at the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas.

20 Sep 2011

Medication non-adherence interventions should be based on personal systems approach

For medications to be effective, they must be taken in the correct dosage at the right time, as prescribed by healthcare providers. The World Health Organization estimates that half of patients take their medications incorrectly, costing the U.S. health care system and consumers about $300 billion each year.

20 Sep 2011

ERWW PR forms Health Buzz Group

Euro RSCG Worldwide PR (ERWW PR) announces the formation of its Health Buzz Group, a global division created in response to growing client interest in big, splashy “wows” from small budgets in quick time frames using traditional and social media to generate momentum.

20 Sep 2011

TJUH adopts new equipment from Roche Diagnostics for laboratory testing services

Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) is advancing its laboratory testing services with new state-of-the-art equipment from Roche Diagnostics designed to help labs increase their testing capacity and deliver reliable results with greater efficiency.

From Roche Sequencing and Life Science 20 Sep 2011