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Roundup: States controlled by GOP pass sweeping changes; state budgets still very lean from recession; La. Gov. wrestling with legislature over spending

Republicans controlled all the levers of government in a staggering number of states this year — and it showed. Holding a lock on the governorship and both houses of the legislature in 20 states, GOP conservatives advanced an agenda that may change the face of state government for decades. They honored pledges not to raise taxes by enacting huge spending cuts to balance budgets in Florida and Texas.

14 Jun 2011

Mother to donate her womb to daughter

A 56-year-old mother hopes to become the first woman to have her womb transplanted into her daughter. Eva Ottoson who lives in Nottinghamshire has agreed to take part in the medical procedure that would see her donate her uterus to her daughter.

13 Jun 2011

Billions committed for children’s vaccines

British Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged £814m to help vaccinate children around the world against preventable diseases like pneumonia. He made the announcement at a summit in London where countries are being asked to give an extra £2.3bn ($3.7bn) by 2015 for child vaccines. He said, “Three children die every minute from pneumonia alone. Waiting is not the right thing to do and I don't think that 0.7 per cent of our gross national income is too high a price to pay for saving lives.”

13 Jun 2011

Too much coffee can make you hear things: Study

According to a new study as much as five cups of coffee a day could be enough to make a person develop hearing hallucinations.

13 Jun 2011

Nose spray vaccine for type 1 diabetes could be a reality soon

Melbourne researchers are nearing the development of a vaccine for type 1 diabetes, after showing that a nasal spray can stop the body's immune system from attacking insulin-producing cells.

13 Jun 2011

Australian men unhealthy and unwilling to seek help: Report

According to a new report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, most Australian males are overweight, only 5 per cent eat enough fruit and vegetables and less than a third aged over 15 years participate in organized sport.

13 Jun 2011

Formaldehyde & other chemicals declared carcinogenic: Report

The government, last Friday added formaldehyde, a substance found in plastics and other commonly used products, to a list of known carcinogens and warned that the chemical styrene might cause cancer.

13 Jun 2011

Dual Body scan machine gets FDA nod

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last Friday, Siemens AG's device that simultaneously performs two common diagnostic tests received clearance from them. The German engineering company's U.S.-based Siemens Medical Solutions, which is based in Pennsylvania, manufactures the device.

From Siemens Healthineers 13 Jun 2011

Weight loss surgery fails to lower risk of dying in severely obese middle-aged adults: Study

According to a new study, weight loss surgery doesn't decrease the risk of death among severely obese middle-aged adults.

13 Jun 2011

Genetic link to migraine found

In a latest study researchers have discovered a trio of genes tied to migraine headaches, including one in which the link is exclusive to women.

13 Jun 2011

Smoking ban in NSW prison

In a new directive, prisoners at the Lithgow jail in central western New South Wales will be banned from smoking in their cells as part of a six-month trial to begin next year.

13 Jun 2011

Hospital trends mark changes in employment, admission patterns

Meanwhile, in Oregon, hospital profit margins were down in 2010, according to the state Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.

13 Jun 2011

HHS offers Medicaid guidance for same-sex couples

Late last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services clarified that same-sex couples are entitled to the same protections that exist for heterosexual couples when one member enters a nursing home.

13 Jun 2011

Oncogene Aurora A may contribute to polycystic kidney disease

The Aurora A kinase may contribute to polycystic kidney disease (PKD) by inactivating a key calcium channel in kidney cells, according to a study in the June 13 issue of The Journal of Cell Biology.

13 Jun 2011

Catalyst Health Solutions acquires Walgreens Health Initiatives

Catalyst Health Solutions, Inc. today announced it has completed its acquisition of Walgreens' pharmacy benefit management (PBM) subsidiary, Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc. (WHI). Catalyst funded the transaction with a combination of cash on hand and amounts available under its credit facility.

13 Jun 2011

Frontal cerebral thermal transfer can eliminate insomnia symptoms

People with primary insomnia may be able to find relief by wearing a cap that cools the brain during sleep, suggests a research abstract that will be presented Monday, June 13, in Minneapolis, Minn., at SLEEP 2011, the 25th Anniversary Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC (APSS).

13 Jun 2011

Policy issues related to dual-eligible patients, cancer medication coverage attract headlines

The Associated Press reports that seniors are facing Medicare cost barriers which sometimes lead them to not fill cancer drug prescriptions. Also, CQ HealthBeat reports that a special team within the Department of Health and Human Services is working on finding ways to save money and improve care for patients on both Medicare and Medicaid.

13 Jun 2011

Aetna announces acquisition of Genworth's Medicare Supplement business

Aetna today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Genworth Financial, Inc. to acquire Genworth's Medicare Supplement business and related blocks of in-force business. Genworth is a leading provider of Medicare Supplement coverage. The business has more than 145,000 Medicare Supplement members.

13 Jun 2011

Positive preliminary results from CytRx bafetinib Phase 2 trial for relapsed B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, today announced that preliminary results from its ENABLE Phase 2 proof-of-concept trial demonstrated that bafetinib, the Company's Bcr-Abl, Lyn and Fyn kinase inhibitor, was clinically active in a group of patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) who have failed several other treatments for their cancer.

13 Jun 2011

Turning the tables: Brits fear American health system

Two years ago, Britons were outraged when U.S. politicians like Sarah Palin, in the debate over health care reform, turned this country's National Health Service into a public whipping boy, denouncing it as "evil," "Orwellian" and generally the enemy of everything good and true.

13 Jun 2011