Medical News

RSS

Merck Serono enters development agreement with Threshold for hypoxia-targeted drug

Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced that a global agreement was signed with Threshold Pharmaceuticals, Inc., South San Francisco, to co-develop and commercialize TH-302, Threshold's small molecule hypoxia-targeted drug.

3 Feb 2012

Presentation highlights contributions of FBOs to global health

This post on the Center for Strategic & International Studies' "Smart Global Health" blog reports on a presentation hosted by the Global Health Policy Center on Monday which "highlight[ed] the contributions faith-based-organizations (FBOs) make to global health, including the fight against HIV/AIDS."

3 Feb 2012

Study examines link between blood pressure and risk of ESRD under 'real world' conditions

An upward revision of the blood pressure numbers used to identify risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) might actually help doctors provide better care for their patients, said the authors of a study in patients with chronic kidney disease.

3 Feb 2012

AHF calls for top to bottom shake-up of management at FDA

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today called for a top to bottom shake-up of the management at the Food and Drug Administration as well as a Congressional investigation following the publication of a Washington Post news article (1/31/12) that reported, "…the Food and Drug Administration secretly monitored the personal e-mail of a group of its own scientists and doctors after they warned Congress that the agency was approving medical devices that they believed posed unacceptable risks to patients."

3 Feb 2012

New drug might effectively prevent clot-related strokes in patients with AF

For patients with a type of irregular heart beat called atrial fibrillation (AF), a new anti-clotting drug might be better at preventing clot-related strokes while minimizing the risk of causing a bleeding stroke.

3 Feb 2012

Dr. Reddy’s third quarter revenues increase 46% to $522 million

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd. today announced its unaudited consolidated financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2011 under International Financial Reporting Standards.

3 Feb 2012

Opinion pieces discuss bird flu research controversy

In December 2011, the U.S. National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) advised that two research teams that had genetically altered the H5N1 virus to be easily transmissible among ferrets redact some of the research details before publishing in the journals Science and Nature.

3 Feb 2012

Stryker announces results from clinical study of Trevo System on acute ischemic stroke

On February 2, at the Late-Breaking Science Session at the International Stroke Conference, Stryker announced the results of the TREVO Study (Thrombectomy REvascularization of large Vessel Occlusions in acute ischemic stroke). This was one of the first prospective, multi-center clinical studies of clot-removing stent retriever technology.

From Stryker 3 Feb 2012

QR-code real-time care experience feedback technology wins 2012 REACH Developer Challenge

"Real-Time Care Experience Feedback Using QR Codes," a Penn State project that allows hospital patients to inform hospital personnel of their experiences -- good or bad -- in real time, is the winner of the 2012 REACH Developer Challenge, sponsored by AcademyHealth and part of the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge.

3 Feb 2012

The health law implementation challenges states face

States' ability to implement the major changes that take effect in 2014 are tied to the decisions they face now. Meanwhile, governors' "state of the state" speeches reflect an overall cautious mood.

3 Feb 2012

CSL Behring announces results of rIX-FP Phase I study on hemophilia B

CSL Behring today announced the results of a Phase I study evaluating recombinant fusion protein linking coagulation Factor IX with albumin (rIX-FP) in patients with severe hemophilia B.

3 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Censoring flu research; Assailing Komen's move to cut Planned Parenthood funding

In December, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity made an unprecedented request: it asked the editors of the journals Nature and Science not to publish certain details in two papers describing experiments in which scientists created a highly transmissible form of the deadly H5N1 influenza virus. ... Such caution, though well intentioned, is misplaced.

3 Feb 2012

CNA/NNU announce support for Millionaires Tax of 2012 initiative

With ongoing cuts to healthcare, education, and other basic services, and greater national income disparity than during the Depression, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United today announced its support for the Millionaires Tax of 2012 initiative.

3 Feb 2012

Medicaid managed care takes hold in Louisiana; Florida report notes problems in longer waits for long-term care help

The first-stage of Gov. Jindal's Medicaid restructing begins today. In Florida, the legislative report casts doubt on some efforts there to revamp the system. Meanwhile, Illinois' governor is urging changes to Medicaid to help fix the state's budget.

3 Feb 2012

Interim results from Spectranetics laser atherectomy catheter study on ISR

Spectranetics Corporation today announced six month interim results from the PATENT (Photo-Ablation using the TURBO-Booster and Excimer Laser for In-Stent Restenosis Treatment) study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Spectranetics peripheral laser atherectomy catheters for the treatment of in-stent restenosis (ISR) in the femoropopliteal artery in the leg.

3 Feb 2012

Media outlets examine Global Fund's future as it enters second decade

The Guardian examines the future of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as it enters its second decade, writing, "Despite its staggering successes -- including helping put 3.3 million people on AIDS treatment, 8.6 million on anti-tuberculosis treatment and providing 230 million insecticide-treated nets for the prevention of malaria -- the fund's recent troubles had threatened to overshadow its accomplishments as it prepared to mark a decade as the world's main financier of programs to fight these three global epidemics."

3 Feb 2012

Enrollment opens in sorafenib vs. radioembolization in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma trial

'SARAH' - a French national collaborative randomized controlled trial of radioembolization with yttrium-90 resin microspheres versus sorafenib in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma is now open for recruitment

3 Feb 2012

Uproar follows Komen-Planned Parenthood rift

Anti-abortion activists applaud the move, but many other women's health advocates are angered the well-known breast cancer advocacy group has opted against helping another prominent women's health organization.

3 Feb 2012

FDA intends to grant Priority Review designation for ThromboGenics' ocriplasmin

ThromboGenics NV, a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative ophthalmic medicines, today announces that the FDA intended to grant its recently-submitted ocriplasmin BLA (Biological License Application) for Priority Review.

3 Feb 2012

PLoS editorial examines inequities in global disease burden

In this PLoS Medicine editorial, the editors review progress toward the journal's goal of reflecting and addressing inequity in the burden of ill-health around the world as part of the Global Burden of Disease project -- a "comprehensive work studying the burden of ill-health and death resulting from specific conditions, injuries, and risk factors," a PLoS press release writes.

3 Feb 2012