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California lawmakers advance effort to review premium increases

A bill that would allow California officials to review health insurance premium increases advances as consumer groups and doctors in Connecticut lament the governor's veto of a rate review bill. Politico also reports that the federal government is preparing to step in for rate reviews in 10 states.

8 Jul 2011

Corporates profit from pinkwashing

Companies that try to increase sales of their products by adopting the color pink and pink ribbons to imply that they support breast cancer research-a practice called pinkwashing-but at the same time permit the use of chemicals shown to cause cancer are committing a form of social injustice against women, according to a thought-provoking article in Environmental Justice.

8 Jul 2011

XLR paediatric-optimized MRI workflow to address unmet need in imaging

HTX announced today it provided $475,385 in financing to XLR lmaging Inc. through their Technology Acceleration Program. The company is developing a complete paediatric-optimized MRI workflow solution designed to directly address the unique challenges in paediatric imaging while developing high resolution images and reducing scan times.

8 Jul 2011

Budget talks show movement; Changes to Medicare, Medicaid on the table

Touching these safety net programs would raise the ire of some Democrats, but the concept is being advanced by President Barack Obama as a trade-off for new tax revenues.

8 Jul 2011

Pediatricians debunk pearls of medical wisdom

Don't Cross Your Eyes-They'll Get Stuck that Way!, a new book by myth-fighting Indiana University School of Medicine pediatricians Aaron Carroll, M.D., M.S., and Rachel Vreeman, M.D., M.S., debunks the pearls of medical wisdom that many people and even their physicians believe are true. Be prepared to revise your thinking; no, an apple a day won't keep the doctor away and no, warm milk won't help you sleep.

8 Jul 2011

Exploring trends in the doctor-patient relationship

News outlets report on recent developments — such as patients billing physicians for the time they spend waiting and how doctors are seeking help in dealing with difficult patients.

8 Jul 2011

Broken compact fluorescent light bulbs can release harmful mercury vapor for a long time

Once broken, a compact fluorescent light bulb continuously releases mercury vapor into the air for weeks to months, and the total amount can exceed safe human exposure levels in a poorly ventilated room, according to study results reported in Environmental Engineering Science, a peer-reviewed online only journal published monthly by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc..

8 Jul 2011

Researchers to evaluate long-term health effects of oil spills

An NIH-funded network of researchers will evaluate potential harmful effects of the Deepwater Horizon disaster on reproduction and birth outcomes, the cardiorespiratory system, and behavior and mental health.

8 Jul 2011

Transplants with half-matched bone marrow or cord blood are comparable to fully matched tissue

Identifying a suitable donor for leukemia and lymphoma patients who need bone marrow transplants may be far easier now that results of two clinical trials show transplant results with half-matched bone marrow or umbilical cord blood are comparable to fully matched tissue, thanks in large part to the availability of effective antirejection drugs and special post-transplant chemotherapy.

8 Jul 2011

New technique may help scientists probe mysteries of many different stem cells

Researchers at the Salk Institute have been able to genetically incorporate "unnatural" amino acids, such as those emitting green fluorescence, into neural stem cells, which then differentiate into brain neurons with the incandescent "tag" intact.

8 Jul 2011

Mesenchymal stem cells protect and heal

A stem cell that can morph into a number of different tissues is proving a natural protector, healer and antibiotic maker, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and their peers have found.

8 Jul 2011

Autologous adult stem cells reduce frequency of angina episodes

New research published online today in Circulation Research found that injections of adult patients' own CD34+ stem cells reduced reports of angina episodes and improved exercise tolerance time in patients with chronic, severe refractory angina (severe chest discomfort that did not respond to other therapeutic options).

From Baxter International Inc. 8 Jul 2011

Computer scientists use Twitter to identify public health trends

Two Johns Hopkins University computer scientists have found a way to use Twitter to track public health trends, according to a Johns Hopkins University press release.

8 Jul 2011

New strategy may combat age-associated infertility and birth defects

A strategy that has been shown to reduce age-related health problems in several animal studies may also combat a major cause of age-associated infertility and birth defects.

8 Jul 2011

SNE's nutrition educator receives 2011 Helen Denning Ullrich Award of Excellence

The Society for Nutrition Education (SNE) announces that Margo Wootan, DSc, has been awarded the 2011 Helen Denning Ullrich Award of Excellence.

8 Jul 2011

New technique shields patients from toxic parts of antibiotic drug

A new technique which targets antibiotic-resistant bacteria and shields patients from the toxic parts of an antibiotic drug has been developed by Cardiff University scientists.

8 Jul 2011

New target could halt growth of glioblastoma

Researchers have uncovered a new target that could stop the growth of glioblastoma, a deadly form of brain cancer.

8 Jul 2011

Collaborative research discovers broadly acting antibody against influenza viruses

Annually changing flu vaccines with their hit-and-miss effectiveness may soon give way to a single, near-universal flu vaccine, according to a new report from scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and the Dutch biopharmaceutical company Crucell. They describe an antibody that, in animal tests, can prevent or cure infections with a broad variety of influenza viruses, including seasonal and potentially pandemic strains.

8 Jul 2011

State exchanges get mixed progress reports, reviews

The health care law will disappoint many Americans if its health insurance exchanges don't deliver decent coverage at affordable rates for consumers, including those with serious illnesses like cancer.

8 Jul 2011