Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Smaller and faster clinical drug trials could improve gains in cancer survival

With the advent of personalised medicine, gains in cancer survival over the long term could be improved by running smaller, faster trials with less stringent evidence criteria, a researcher told the 2011 European Multidisciplinary Cancer Congress.

26 Sep 2011

Radical change needed to deliver affordable cancer care in developed countries

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death and morbidity worldwide, and its economic burden grows year by year. In 2008, the worldwide cost of cancer due to premature death and disability, excluding direct medical costs, was estimated to be US$895 billion.

26 Sep 2011

First ever medically intelligent search solution

Apixio Inc., the leading provider of clinical integration and search solutions for private health data, and Chinese Community Health Care Association (CCHCA), a provider of healthcare to the community of San Francisco, have launched the first ever medically intelligent search solution that enables physicians to securely retrieve clinical information from other providers on a patient's care team.

26 Sep 2011

First Edition: September 26, 2011

In today's headlines, KHN kicks off a three-day series, "The Big Money World Of Kid's Care."

26 Sep 2011

Study shows substantial differences in use of rectal cancer therapies across Europe

First results from an international comparison of the care of patients with rectal cancer have shown there are substantial differences in the use of chemotherapy and radiotherapy between European countries.

26 Sep 2011

SAMHSA announces new grants to support expansion of health information technology

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is announcing up to $13.2 million in new grants to support the expansion of health information technology (HIT) in health care settings that serve people with mental and substance use disorders.

26 Sep 2011

Research highlights health care disparities in patients with spinal cord injury

Several studies in the current issue of Topics of Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation put a needed spotlight on the health and health care disparities experienced by individuals with spinal cord injury. This research highlights the disparities in access for patients and lack of awareness about SCI by health care providers.

26 Sep 2011

'Time matters' in the fight against pulmonary hypertension

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association Europe (PHA EU) has launched ‘Time Matters’ a new campaign which encourages people with Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) and their friends and family to share hopes and dreams for the future in order to raise awareness of this deadly and rapidly progressive condition. By logging on to the website http://phtimematters.org and posting an entry, everybody can help the patient association take a step towards increased awareness and understanding of this devastating condition.

26 Sep 2011

Britain’s health workers urged to get flu shots to protect patients

Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) is urging its staff to take their flu shots amid fresh warnings that low vaccination rates among health professionals could lead to vulnerable patients getting infected and dying. The NHS's employers, health trade unions and the Department of Health have launched a campaign to tackle low immunization rates among frontline staff such as doctors and nurses.

26 Sep 2011

Administration faces Monday deadline on health lawsuit

Obama administration lawyers face a decision by Monday that carries a high political risk and will probably determine whether the Supreme Court decides on the constitutionality of the healthcare law before next year's presidential election. ... Under the appeals court's rules, the Justice Department must notify the 11th Circuit by Monday whether it will seek a full court review.

26 Sep 2011

Rotavirus vaccine saved 65,000 hospitalizations and $278 million in healthcare costs: Study

The latest research shows that since the 2006 introduction of routine inoculation against rotavirus -- a leading cause of diarrhea in infants and young children -- almost 65,000 fewer American children have been hospitalized and about $278 million in healthcare costs have been saved.

26 Sep 2011

Embryonic stem cell therapy for incurable Stargardt eye disease

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26 Sep 2011

The Journal of Pain publishes results from Butrans Transdermal System Phase 3 clinical study

Butrans (Buprenorphine) Transdermal System CIII 20 mcg/hour provided significantly lower "average pain over the last 24 hours" scores compared to Butrans 5 mcg/hour when used in opioid-experienced patients with moderate-to-severe chronic low back pain, according to a pivotal Phase 3 clinical study published in the online, August issue of The Journal of Pain.

26 Sep 2011

Letrozole reduces risk of breast cancer recurrences and death in post-menopausal women

Results from the longest-running trial comparing tamoxifen with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole show unequivocally that letrozole has withstood the test of time and continues to prevent breast cancer recurrences and reduce the risk of death in post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.

26 Sep 2011

Seniors deeply concerned about Medicare, Medicaid future as 'super committee' decisions loom

Seniors, gathered in downtown Los Angeles this week for the annual conference of the AARP, expressed fear and anxiety about aging when Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are under attack both in Washington and on the campaign trail. More than 20,000 seniors are attending ... Seniors are increasingly relying on Social Security and Medicare to finance their retirement and healthcare, AARP chief executive officer A. Barry Rand told a packed house.

26 Sep 2011

Roundup: Texas House Dems ask CMS to reject Medicaid waiver request; Jobs lost as Ariz. mental health Medicaid cuts kick in

The nine House Democrats from Texas want the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reject their state's request that Medicaid beneficiaries get their prescription drugs through managed care plans.

23 Sep 2011

New poll reveals continued public confusion about health law, little faith in 'Super Committee'

A second survey, this one from National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, found that public opinion opposes cutting Medicare and Social Security to reduce the deficit, and that this view cuts across partisan lines.

23 Sep 2011

Health law legal action moves to D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals

Politico Pro reports that, although this case is unlikely to be the "one" that goes to the Supreme Court, both sides have a lot at stake in the outcome: "the potential to chalk up another appeals court victory and maybe 'flip' a prominent appeals judge."

23 Sep 2011

Capital BlueCross goes live with TriZetto's care management application

The TriZetto Group, Inc. today announced that Capital BlueCross, the leading health insurer in central Pennsylvania and the Lehigh Valley, recently went live with TriZetto's Clinical CareAdvance® 4.61 care management application.

23 Sep 2011

FDA denies FOIA regarding Gilead Sciences' Truvada correspondence, AHF sues

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today filed a lawsuit against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its denial of AHF's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests regarding correspondence between the FDA and Gilead Sciences regarding its potential application to the FDA to expand the use of its AIDS drug, Truvada, for use as an HIV prevention pill for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in uninfected individuals.

23 Sep 2011