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China should abandon family planning policy

In this post on the Council of Foreign Relations' "Asia Unbound" blog, Yanzhong Huang, a senior fellow for global health at the council, argues that China should abandon its so-called "one-child policy," writing, "Despite the relaxation of the law, China is increasingly suffering the consequences of a draconian policy that was put in place in the early 1980s."

17 Jul 2012

Pre-concussion baseline testing now available at three Vanderbilt clinics

The Vanderbilt Sports Concussion Center is now offering pre-concussion baseline testing to all community recreational athletes in advance of many high-impact seasonal sports resuming this fall.

17 Jul 2012

States are fertile ground for Health IT opportunities

What the decision won't do, however, is trigger a new round of federal technology spending. Some of the major contracts associated with the legislation have already been awarded, and work has already begun.

17 Jul 2012

Healthier levels of vitamin C can reduce inflammatory conditions

The recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, of vitamin C is less than half what it should be, scientists argue in a recent report, because medical experts insist on evaluating this natural, but critical nutrient in the same way they do pharmaceutical drugs and reach faulty conclusions as a result.

17 Jul 2012

Health law continues to be challenge for Romney campaign

GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney continues to confront issues about the similarities between the health reform he signed while Massachusetts governor and the 2010 federal health law. Meanwhile, The Associated Press reports about some of Romney's potential running mates and key issues in the campaign.

17 Jul 2012

High blood pressure associated with reduced mortality in extremely frail, elderly adults

A new study suggests that higher blood pressure is associated with lower mortality in extremely frail, elderly adults.

17 Jul 2012

Repeal strategies take shape -- though none will likely be easy

Yes, if Mitt Romney wins the White House and his Republican allies retake the Senate, he could shred most of President Barack Obama's health care law without having to overpower a Democratic filibuster. But it won't be as easy as some Republicans portend, and it certainly won't be quick. Why? Because any realistic effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act -- as opposed to last week's quixotic vote in the GOP-controlled House -- is sure to get jumbled together with lots of other issues, including Medicare, taxes, food stamps and defense spending.

17 Jul 2012

HCHD named among Hospitals and Health Networks’ Most Wired list

For the second year in a row, the Harris County Hospital District was named to the Most Wired list by Hospitals and Health Networks, the flagship publication of the American Hospital Association. The Harris County Hospital District joins one other healthcare system in Houston and six others in Texas to be recognized for advances in technology.

17 Jul 2012

Functionalised silicas for pharmaceutical purification

Using a specially adapted Asynt 20-litre ReactoMate™ reactor system - PhosphonicS Ltd. (Abingdon, UK) has improved turnaround time and batch-to-batch efficiency for scaling-up production of its range of functionalised silicas.

From Asynt 17 Jul 2012

Governors stake out political and policy positions on Medicaid expansion

During the National Governors Association meeting this past weekend in Williamsburg, Va., the nation's state executives continued to wrestle with what to do in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision.

17 Jul 2012

Researchers begin to uncover important clues about SCAD

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD), a tear of the layers of the artery wall that can block normal blood flow into and around the heart, is a relatively rare and poorly understood condition. It often strikes young, otherwise healthy people -- mostly women -- and can lead to significant heart damage, even sudden death.

17 Jul 2012

Health benefits: Different circumstances for public- and private-sector workers

The Wall Street Journal examines the benefits gap between state and local government employees and their counterparts in the private sector. Meanwhile, the Associated Press reports that Consolidated Edison has reinstated health insurance for New York workers locked out during contract negotiations.

17 Jul 2012

Venom protein could treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy

While Spider-Man is capturing the imagination of theatergoers, real-life spider men in Upstate New York are working intently to save a young boy's life. It all began in 2009, when Jeff Harvey, a stockbroker from the Buffalo suburbs, discovered that his grandson, JB, had Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The disease is fatal. It strikes only boys, causing their muscles to waste away.

17 Jul 2012

African leaders reaffirm commitment to eliminate malaria at African Union summit

"African leaders have reaffirmed their commitment to efforts to eliminate malaria, after they were informed that unprecedented success in scaling up malaria control interventions resulted in one-third reduction of malaria deaths in African in the last decade," PANA/Afriquejet reports.

17 Jul 2012

UIC develops new tool to guide decisions about safe and effective medication use

A new tool to guide decisions about safe and effective medication use has been developed at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

17 Jul 2012

Penn. Medicaid enrollees face reductions in dental coverage

Medicaid, a program funded jointly by the federal government and the states, covers the poor and disabled, and coverage varies by state. Most states don't pay for any dental care. Now, in Pennsylvania, Republican Gov. Tom Corbett has reduced Pennsylvania's 2 million adult Medicaid patients to basic dental care -- eliminating root canals, periodontal disease work and limiting the number of dentures a patient can receive. The plan now covers little more than cleanings, fillings -- and extractions."

17 Jul 2012

New Alzheimer's model derived from skin cells of patients may prove to be more accurate

Researchers at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference 2012 (AAIC 2012) today reported the creation of a new model of Alzheimer's derived from the skin cells of people with the disease that were reprogramed into Alzheimer's brain cells.

17 Jul 2012

Commitments announced at London summit show power of family planning evidence

"High levels of unmet need for contraception around the world have a very negative impact on women's and children's health and survival as well as on the prosperity of communities and nations," Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) writes in the Huffington Post's "Global Motherhood" blog.

17 Jul 2012

Duke University to receive CHAVI-Immunogen Discovery grant for effective HIV vaccine

A large federal grant awarded to Duke University will fund a highly focused program to discover how to induce the precise immune factors needed for effective vaccines against HIV.

17 Jul 2012

Cuba cholera outbreak sickens more than 150 people; Government says number of cases dropping

"Cuba's health ministry on Saturday reported 158 cases of cholera, nearly three times as many as previously disclosed, but said there were no new deaths and the outbreak appears to have been contained and on the wane," the Associated Press/Washington Post reports.

17 Jul 2012