Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

ORVACS launches ERAMUNE 01 Phase II study to decrease HIV viral reservoirs

ORVACS has launched a Phase II study designed to test the hypotheses that combination therapy with potent antiviral agents and immunomodulator can lead to a decrease in the HIV viral reservoirs and, ultimately, to eradication of the virus. The study is currently being conducted at clinical sites in France, Spain, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

9 Nov 2010

AHF joins breakthrough research for HIV control

A study published in Science yesterday, reveals what could be the key to why some HIV/AIDS patients' immune systems keep the disease at bay without medication.

9 Nov 2010

GE Healthcare announces collaboration with The Health Management Academy

GE Healthcare today announced it will expand its collaboration with The Health Management Academy (The Academy) over the next five years. This extended commitment emphasizes GE's dedication to working alongside the nation's health systems to address or eliminate challenges to delivering better health and outcomes to more people at lower cost.

9 Nov 2010

Merrimack receives $2.44 million under QTDP program to support cancer research

Merrimack Pharmaceuticals was awarded $2.44 million to support research on 10 of its cancer programs through the Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project, a grant program created as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 to advance research in areas of unmet medical need.

9 Nov 2010

CMS to review cancer vaccine, analysis shows high Medicare drug spending not correlated with better care

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are conducting an unusual review to determine whether the government should pay for an expensive new vaccine for treating prostate cancer, rekindling debate over whether some therapies are too costly.

9 Nov 2010

Feds crack down on fraud by issuing new Medicaid rules, helping medical students catch fraud

The Hill Healthwatch: "The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Friday proposed new rules for the use of private contractors that work for states to audit Medicaid payments. The Recovery Audit Contractors will function similarly to the way they do in the Medicare program, where they audit payments that may have been underpaid or overpaid, and recover overpayments or correct underpayments. … Under the new law, states must establish Medicaid RAC programs by submitting state plan amendments to CMS by December 31" (Pecquet, 11/5).

9 Nov 2010

Study finds canola-type rapeseed oil decreases fibrinogen level

According to research on fatty acids conducted at the universities of Helsinki and Tampere, the consumption of canola-type rapeseed oil decreases the level of fibrinogen detrimental to health in the body. The increased fibrinogen level, caused by an imbalance in essential fats in one's diet, decreases when saturated fatty acids are replaced with rapeseed oil.

9 Nov 2010

CHCF invests $10-million to improve health care in California

The California HealthCare Foundation (CHCF) has launched a $10-million investment fund targeting nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies with innovative services, devices, and technologies that can significantly reduce costs and improve access to care in California.

9 Nov 2010

Government cutting premiums for Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan

The federal government is trying to spur enrollment in a new health insurance program for uninsured people with pre-existing medical conditions by slashing rates.

8 Nov 2010

Republicans talk strategy to repeal – or revise – health law

Republicans do not have enough seats to marshal through a full repeal if Democrats remain steadfast in their support. Even if Republicans were able to sway enough Democrats to support their effort, it would face a certain veto from Obama.

8 Nov 2010

Flaws in the selection process of surgical specialists

One of the Canberra orthopedic surgeons who missed out on being selected for a contract with ACT Health has alleged that the selection process is unfair. Two of the orthopedic surgeons were given contracts to work as visiting medical officers (VMO) in ACT Health. These doctors were colleagues of some members of the selection panel. The question of conflict of interest on these grounds was raised by the two unsuccessful candidates. One of them was Dr Paul Miniter.

8 Nov 2010

Eli Lilly to acquire Avid Radiopharmaceuticals

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., a holding company that builds value in growth-stage life sciences and technology companies, today announced that partner company Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. has signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Eli Lilly and Company.

8 Nov 2010

TB Alliance launches three-drug combination trial for drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant TB

In advance of the 41st Union World Conference, the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) today announced the launch of the first clinical trial to test a novel tuberculosis regimen in a new development paradigm designed to speed new treatments to patients. This novel three-drug combination shows promise to treat both drug-sensitive (DS-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), and alter the course of the TB pandemic by shortening and simplifying treatment worldwide.

8 Nov 2010

MedCath to sell Texsan Heart Hospital

MedCath Corporation announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell substantially all the assets of Texsan Heart Hospital, owned by MedCath and its physician investors, to Methodist Healthcare System of San Antonio. The transaction is expected to close during MedCath's second fiscal quarter of 2011, which ends March 31, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.

8 Nov 2010

First Edition: November 8, 2010

Today's health policy headlines include more post-mortem reports about the health law's impact on the election.

8 Nov 2010

West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust selects Carefx Fusionfx clinical portal

Carefx Corp., a leading provider of interoperable workflow solutions, today announced that West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust (West Herts) has chosen the Fusionfx solution suite to provide simplified access to an aggregate view of patient information within a singular portal. The portal is a component of the Trust's strategy to "Connect All," rather than "Replace All."

8 Nov 2010

Chindex 2011 second quarter revenue increases 18.6% to $45.2 million

Chindex International, Inc. a leading independent American provider of Western healthcare products and services in the People's Republic of China, today announced financial results for the second quarter and first half of fiscal year 2011, which ended September 30, 2010.

8 Nov 2010

HHS gives states technical guidance for Medicaid system while some video game companies start to focus on medical field

Modern Healthcare: "HHS will give states financial aid and technical guidance to help them set up information technology systems to streamline enrollment in Medicaid or health insurance exchanges under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, according to a news release from the department. HHS proposes that states will be able to receive federal dollars to cover 90% of design and development costs and 75% of operating and maintenance costs of Medicaid eligibility systems.

8 Nov 2010

Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II announces acquisition of Athens Long-Term Acute Care Hospital

Grubb & Ellis Healthcare REIT II, Inc. today announced that it has acquired Athens Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, a single-story, 32,000-square-foot, Class A single-tenant medical facility in Athens. The acquisition closed on Oct. 29.

8 Nov 2010

Screening heavy smokers for lung cancer reduces chance of death, federal study finds

The Boston Globe: "Screening heavy smokers with sophisticated medical scanners modestly reduced their chance of dying from lung cancer, according to a federal study released yesterday that provides the first convincing evidence that testing could reduce the toll from the leading cause of cancer deaths. The preliminary findings from the National Cancer Institute were based on a gold-standard study that randomly assigned 53,000 current or former smokers without symptoms to be screened with a CT scanner or standard chest X-ray.

8 Nov 2010