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Public health organizations fear industries may manipulate outcomes of U.N. summit on NCDs

"A group of public health organizations said on Friday they were concerned that industries selling fatty foods, alcohol and cigarettes could hijack a United Nations meeting on how to tackle chronic disease in order to protect their own interests," Reuters reports.

17 Sep 2011

Novartis reports positive results from first pivotal ACZ885 Phase III trial in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Novartis announced today positive results of the first pivotal Phase III trial of ACZ885 in patients with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (SJIA), a rare and serious childhood auto-inflammatory disease. The results, presented at the 2011 European Pediatric Rheumatology Congress in Bruges, Belgium, showed all primary and secondary endpoints of the study were met.

17 Sep 2011

Risks of problem drinking on the rise among women

In a review of 31 peer-reviewed and published studies, researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health looked generational and gender differences in alcohol consumption, alcohol disorders, and mortality. Findings indicate that people born after World War II are more likely to binge drink and develop alcohol use disorders. Researchers also found that the gender gap in alcoholism and problem drinking is narrowing in many countries.

17 Sep 2011

Radiology Associates of North Texas extends billing services contract with Zotec Partners

Zotec Partners, an industry leader in medical billing, practice management and Radiology Information Systems (RIS) software and services, announces today it has received a multi-year contract extension from Radiology Associates of North Texas, PA, formerly Radiology Associates of Tarrant County.

17 Sep 2011

Plans for new hospital outside Detroit raise questions

Developments in hospital news also include an analysis of Maryland's success with rate regulation, the economic power of health care jobs in San Francisco and reports that a Mass. hospital system is launching a health plan.

17 Sep 2011

Infrared Systems International is now AquaLiv Technologies

Infrared Systems International announced it has changed its name to AquaLiv Technologies, Inc. in order to better reflect its new corporate strategy. Along with the name change the company has been issued a new symbol by FINRA of AQLV.

17 Sep 2011

ALS damages neurons in parts of the brain responsible for cognition and behaviour

Recently published studies by a researcher in the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry demonstrate that ALS - known as Lou Gehrig's disease - damages neurons in parts of the brain responsible for cognition and behaviour.

17 Sep 2011

Medicare Advantage premiums to fall 4% in 2012

As premium costs fell, enrollment rose – despite dire predictions from opponents of the 2010 health law that the overhaul would cause enrollment to drop while forcing the cost of premiums to increase.

17 Sep 2011

Case Western Reserve awarded $11.3M to establish gastrointestinal cancer research center

The National Cancer Institute has awarded $11.3 million to Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine to establish a center of excellence for research on gastrointestinal cancers. The funding designates the university as a Specialized Program of Research Excellence (SPORE) in Gastrointestinal (GI) Cancers - recognition extended to just one institution this year.

17 Sep 2011

Reducing levels of protein FKBP51 may yield new antidepressant therapies

Decreasing expression of a protein associated with susceptibility to depression made old mice resistant to depressive-like behavior while improving their hormonal response to stress, a study led by researchers at the University of South Florida found. The lack of this protein, FKBP51, did not adversely affect their memory, learning, or basic motor functions.

17 Sep 2011

Study finds no clear advantage of ultrasound guidance for pain relief in nerve block procedures

Using ultrasound to guide the performance of nerve blocks—in which anesthetics are directly targeted to a specific nerve or group of nerves—has contributed to the increased use of regional anesthesia.

17 Sep 2011

Supplement in USA Today highlights global NTD eradication efforts

This supplement (.pdf) by Mediaplanet, distributed in the September 15 issue of USA Today in select cities nationwide, examines the latest programs dedicated to eradicating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) worldwide.

17 Sep 2011

Topcon Europe Medical to distribute LensAR product line in Europe

Topcon Europe Medical BV and LensAR Inc announce their intent to enter into a long term strategic cooperation. Topcon Europe Medical BV will be responsible for the distribution and marketing the LensAR product line in Europe.

17 Sep 2011

ZocDoc launches in Boston region

Today ZocDoc, a free online service for patients to find a doctor and instantly book appointments, launches in the Boston region. In Massachusetts, where patients experience the longest wait times in the country for doctor appointments, ZocDoc is able to reduce wait times to mere hours.

17 Sep 2011

Concealing sexual orientation may have an adverse effect on workplace function

Could working with an openly gay individual undermine a co-worker's on-the-job performance? Not likely, according to a recent UCLA Anderson School of Management study. In fact, concealing one's sexual orientation may actually have an adverse effect on workplace function.

17 Sep 2011

World should provide funding for peacekeeping troops to ensure humanitarian aid routes in Somalia

With the retreat of the Islamist extremist group al-Shabab out of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, where famine is threatening the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, "the U.N.-backed peacekeeping force can and should be quickly expanded," according to Somalia's prime minister and the U.N. envoy to the nation, in order to "allow the force to move out from the capital to secure routes for aid," a Washington Post editorial states.

17 Sep 2011

Millennium ranked fifth among best biopharmaceutical companies in the world

Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company today announced that Science magazine has named it among the best biopharmaceutical companies in the world for the fourth consecutive year. Each year Science conducts a survey to determine the top employers in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical and related industries worldwide.

17 Sep 2011

LifePoint Hospitals' board authorizes new $250M stock repurchase program

LifePoint Hospitals, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors, at a regularly scheduled meeting, has authorized a new stock repurchase program that will allow for repurchases of up to $250 million of its common stock over the next 18 months. Amounts available under the Company's previously announced share repurchase program were exhausted during the current fiscal quarter.

17 Sep 2011

AHRQ: Hospital readmissions comparatively higher among black COPD patients

For patients age 40 and over with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hospital readmissions within 30 days of initial treatment were 30 percent higher among blacks than Hispanics or Asians and Pacific Islanders and about 9 percent higher than whites in 2008, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

17 Sep 2011

Leaders should push for more frontline health workers

"Innovation can transform a company, a culture, and even the world. But innovation doesn't have to come in the form of a gadget. It can come in the form of a smiling neighbor knocking at a family's door, toting some basic supplies and the skills to address matters of life and death," Melinda Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation writes in a Huffington Post opinion piece.

17 Sep 2011