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Viewpoints: 'Real' Medicare cuts?; HIV/AIDS prevention push; contraceptive coverage

Well, not really. A primer on the debt deal's health-care bookkeeping. All politicians—but these days especially Democrats—like to pretend they'll pay providers somewhat less in the future, despite knowing that is unlikely to happen in practice. Medicare's prospective payments are low enough that further reductions may jeopardize access to care and in many cases threaten the viability of hospitals and physician practices.

5 Aug 2011

Virginia Tech student receives prestigious award for cellular signaling receptor study linked to diabetes, obesity

Stephanie Nicole "Nikki" Lewis, a graduate student in the interdisciplinary doctoral program in genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology at Virginia Tech, has been awarded the prestigious Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award for Predoctoral Research through the National Institutes of Health for her study of a cellular signaling receptor that is associated with chronic inflammatory diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and inflammatory bowel disease.

5 Aug 2011

WSU receives $3M NIH grant for student development program

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced a five-year grant of more than $3 million to support the Wayne State University Initiative for Maximizing Student Development (IMSD) program.

5 Aug 2011

EWS protein detects and corrects DNA damage in Ewing's sarcoma

Researchers from the CRG have discovered that ultraviolet light affects the function of the protein EWS, the mutation of which is responsible for Ewing's sarcoma. The results, to be published on 5th August in the journal Molecular Cell, indicate that the EWS protein has a protective effect on DNA.

5 Aug 2011

Glove with special fingertip can improve wearer's sense of touch

A little vibration can be a good thing for people who need a sensitive touch. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a glove with a special fingertip designed to improve the wearer's sense of touch. Applying a small vibration to the side of the fingertip improves tactile sensitivity and motor performance, according to their research results.

5 Aug 2011

Scientists develop Instant Corn Soy Blend for young children

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists have developed a fully cooked food-aid product called Instant Corn Soy Blend that supplements meals, particularly for young children.

5 Aug 2011

YM BioSciences reports preclinical results of CYT387 in multiple myeloma

YM BioSciences Inc., today reported preclinical results for its JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor CYT387 in multiple myeloma (MM), published in the advance online edition of Leukemia on July 26, 2011.

5 Aug 2011

New doc-fix plan links payment to quality

Republican staff on the Energy and Commerce Committee are considering a proposal to address the problem of looming cuts to Medicare physician payments by implementing a pay-for-performance system, according to lobbying sources.

5 Aug 2011

FDA grants Orphan Drug Designation to Kamada's AAT product for type 1 diabetes

Kamada LTD., a bio-pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of specialty life-saving therapeutics, was granted an Orphan Drug Designation for its Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) product to treat type 1 diabetes.

5 Aug 2011

Shear stress-based method can identify vulnerable plaque in coronary arteries

Researchers at Emory and Georgia Tech have developed a method for predicting which areas of the coronary arteries will develop more atherosclerotic plaque over time, based on intracoronary ultrasound and blood flow measurements.

5 Aug 2011

Positive results from Antares Pharma VIBEX MTX clinical study on RA

Antares Pharma, Inc. today announced the positive results of a clinical study evaluating VIBEX MTX, a proprietary auto injector product designed to give a rapid subcutaneous injection of methotrexate (MTX) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

5 Aug 2011

Researchers identify genes that play a key role in pain perception

By working with individuals suffering from a severe disorder that causes sensory neurons to degenerate, researchers at the University of Montreal Hospital and CHU Sainte-Justine Hospital have discovered how a specific genetic mutation causes their patients' condition, which in turn has revealed more information about the mechanisms in our bodies which enable us to sense pain.

5 Aug 2011

OncoGenex second quarter revenue increases to $1.9 million

OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today provided an update on current events and activities and announced its second quarter financial results.

5 Aug 2011

Daily text messages to health workers improve proper malaria treatment administration, study shows

"Sending daily text message reminders to health workers can mean nearly 25 percent more children are properly treated for malaria, according to the results of a six-month trial conducted in Kenya" published Thursday in the Lancet, Reuters reports.

5 Aug 2011

Abiomed first quarter fiscal 2012 revenue up 25% to $27.4 million

Abiomed, Inc., a leading provider of breakthrough heart support technologies, today reported first quarter fiscal 2012 revenue of $27.4 million, up 25% compared to revenue of $22.0 million in the same period of fiscal 2011.

4 Aug 2011

Canadian physicians spend less on health insurance administrative costs than U.S. doctors

U.S. physicians spend nearly $61,000 more than their Canadian counterparts each year on administrative expenses related to health insurance, according to a new study by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Toronto.

4 Aug 2011

ArQule second quarter net loss increases to $10,804,000

ArQule, Inc. today announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2011.

4 Aug 2011

Safe Kids USA to host Youth Sports Safety Clinics

With many young school athletes working hard this month to prepare for fall sports, Safe Kids USA is hosting Youth Sports Safety Clinics across the country to educate parents and coaches on how to keep children safe and prevent sports injuries, including heat-related illnesses. Nearly 3/4 of U.S. households have at least one child who plays organized sports.

4 Aug 2011

Health Care REIT second quarter normalized FFO up 13% to $0.90 per share

Health Care REIT, Inc. today announced operating results for the company's second quarter ended June 30, 2011.

4 Aug 2011

Hundreds of parents in Nigerian state refusing polio vaccinations for children

Hundreds of parents "are defying threats of jail time by refusing polio vaccines for their children in a high-risk northern Nigerian state," according to Muhammad Abdu Zango, Kano state coordinator of Journalists Against Polio, the Associated Press/Seattle Times reports.

4 Aug 2011