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New study confirms key risk factors for heavy drinking among adolescents

A low level of response (LR) to alcohol is one of several genetically influenced characteristics that may increase an individual's risk for heavy drinking and alcohol problems. A new study has confirmed key elements of a LR-based model of risk through examination of a large sample of adolescent boys and girls in the United Kingdom, moving beyond smaller U.S.-based samples and to younger subjects.

16 Jul 2011

Report criticizes Miami hospital's international marketing effort

The Miami-Dade inspector general finds fault with company that used to run Jackson Health System's international marketing program.

16 Jul 2011

Propranolol can block brain from retrieving cocaine-associated memories

New discoveries by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) offer potential for development of a first-ever pharmacological treatment for cocaine addiction.

16 Jul 2011

WHO says it is better prepared for influenza pandemic

"More than 100 public health experts have wrapped up a three-day meeting in Geneva to review a Global Action Plan for Influenza Vaccines that was developed in 2006, and to develop a strategic plan of action for the next five years," VOA News reports, noting that the WHO "says the world is better prepared for the next influenza pandemic than it was in the past".

16 Jul 2011

Successful strategies for launching fixed dose combination products to market

The pharmaceutical industry is under constant pressure to produce new products and fixed dose combination therapies are one of the industry's strategies to offset lackluster pipelines and patent loss.

16 Jul 2011

What do proposed cuts mean for Medicare's future?

The LA Times examines whether recent proposals to raise Medicare's eligibility age might find traction in the future — maybe now, maybe after the 2012 election. Meanwhile, CQ HealthBeat offers an analysis about why cutting Medicare is so difficult.

16 Jul 2011

Six UC institutions to improve hospital care

A key component of health care reform involves the improvement of quality, access and value when delivering health services, particularly for patients admitted to a hospital. To help meet these needs, the University of California established the Center for Health Quality and Innovation, which provides financial support for health quality initiatives across the UC health system.

16 Jul 2011

Politics and personalities swirl around budget negotiations

The Wall Street Journal reports that House Democrats are gaining leverage — and, according to The Washington Post, Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., is a key liberal leader. Meanwhile, statements by Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., a GOP presidential hopeful, highlight the GOP's rift.

16 Jul 2011

Lap Band surgery less expensive than other obesity-related treatments

By being safe, minimally invasive, and extremely effective, the Lap Band has become one of the most accessible means for obese individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher to shed their excess weight and lead healthier lives.

16 Jul 2011

Heavy rains, disease affecting drought refugees in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia

People who have fled the drought in Somalia to camps near the capital Mogadishu are being hit by cold, heavy rains, and at least five people have died of exposure, according to aid workers, BBC News reports.

16 Jul 2011

Yukon, Canadian Cancer Society announce Kordyban Lodge construction

The ground adjacent to the University Hospital of Northern B.C. is no longer a parking lot. Today, the Canadian Cancer Society B.C. and Yukon together with local government representatives and supporters celebrated the start of construction on the Kordyban Lodge by breaking ground.

16 Jul 2011

Capsules: Drug industry rebates: The sequel

Mary Agnes Carey writes that, "at a Friday news conference, President Barack Obama made it clear that drug industry rebates to Medicare are very much in the mix as negotiators try to find ways to reduce federal spending on entitlement programs.

16 Jul 2011

Teva, Amgen settle G-CSF patent litigation

Amgen announced today that the United States (U.S.) District Court in Pennsylvania has entered final judgment and a permanent injunction against Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. and Teva Pharmaceuticals USA prohibiting them from infringing Amgen's patents relating to human G-CSF and methods for its use.

16 Jul 2011

California's state-mandated nurse staffing ratios effective in increasing RNs

In a comprehensive analysis comparing nurse staffing in California hospitals to similar hospitals in the U.S. over nearly a decade, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing have found that controversial legislation setting nurse-to-patient ratios added more registered nurses to the hospital staffing mix, not fewer as feared.

16 Jul 2011

Research: 17 genetic mutations linked to colon cancer formation

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center say there are at least 70 genetic mutations involved in the formation of colon cancer, far more than scientists previously thought.

16 Jul 2011

WAPF urges FDA to focus on large industrialized food suppliers

The Weston A. Price Foundation (WAPF), a consumer nutrition organization, is urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to focus its resources on the large, industrialized food suppliers who pose the highest risk of injury to American consumers.

16 Jul 2011

Nearly 700 participants to attend Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues

Over 700 participants plan to attend the Fifth National Summit on Women Veterans' Issues scheduled July 16-17 at the Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki will give remarks to open the summit this Saturday, which will focus on expanding outreach to women Veterans and increasing awareness of the enhanced VA benefits and services available to them.

16 Jul 2011

USC researcher maps human brain that generates empathy

According to a new study from USC, even failing to possess a full complement of limbs will not stop your brain from understanding what it is like for someone else to experience pain in one of them. It may, however, change the way your brain does so.

16 Jul 2011

Study indicates bi-directional relationships between alcohol and stress

Acute stress is thought to precipitate alcohol drinking. Yet the ways that acute stress can increase alcohol consumption are unclear. A new study investigated whether different phases of response to an acute stressor can alter the subjective effects of alcohol. Findings indicate bi-directional relationships between alcohol and stress.

16 Jul 2011

International affairs budget is issue of national security, State Department official says

Tom Nides, the State Department's new deputy secretary for management, said the State Department will argue against potential budget cuts by highlighting the essential role international affairs spending plays in preserving U.S. national security, Foreign Policy's "The Cable" blog reports.

16 Jul 2011