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State news: Mass. immigrant care; Pension benefit changes in Calif. cities

Thousands of legal immigrants may have to wait weeks longer to find out whether the state's highest court will order Massachusetts to restore their full health insurance benefits. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Associate Justice Robert J. Cordy today ordered lawyers for the state to file their motions by June 23.

10 Jun 2011

Larger trial study needed to decide fate of niacin

Niaspan is a cholesterol drug manufactured by Abbott Laboratories. Doctors have customarily prescribed Niacin to raise levels of HDL ("good" cholesterol) in patients taking a statin pill that is successfully lowering their LDL ("bad" cholesterol).

10 Jun 2011

Large medical groups urge OMB to be careful with ACO budget expectations

The American Group Management Association asked the Obama administration to scale back the anticipated savings that are expected from the creation of accountable care organizations. Setting the savings bar too high, the organizations said, could cause the ACO program to be unsuccessful.

10 Jun 2011

Scientists coax tumor cells to grow into 3-D spheres

A team of scientists has developed a way to coax tumor cells in the lab to grow into 3-D spheres. Their discovery takes advantage of an earlier technique of producing spherical cavities in a common polymer and promises more accurate tests of new cancer therapies.

10 Jun 2011

States make progress setting up exchanges

Even governors who are opposed to the federal health law appear to be taking steps to comply with the health overhaul's exchanges provision. Meanwhile, in Oregon, the governor is expected to sign the exchange legislation passed by the legislature earlier this week.

10 Jun 2011

Progressive strength training counteracts muscular atrophy in old age

People lose 30% of their muscle strength between the ages of 50 and 70 years. However, maintaining muscle strength in old age is enormously important in order to maintain mobility and to be able to lead an independent life and manage everyday tasks independently.

10 Jun 2011

For docs, quality bonuses are few and far between

Talk to anyone for very long about how to improve health care in the U.S. and you eventually hear something along the lines of: "We have to start paying physicians for getting and keeping people healthy instead of for doing as many procedures and tests as possible" (Hobson, 6/9).

10 Jun 2011

Amplifon, Rion, William Demant lead $1.4 billion Asia-Pacific retail hearing aid market

According to a new report by iData Research, the leading global authority in medical device market research, the Chinese and Indian markets for hearing devices, including retail and wholesale sales, is valued at over $1 billion and will almost double-in-value by 2017.

10 Jun 2011

Senate Dems pledge to fight big Medicaid cuts

Meanwhile, a left-leaning advocacy group released a report on how GOP budget plans to change the program would impact New Hampshire -- a clear step designed to bring Medicaid into the realm of presidential politics.

10 Jun 2011

NIOSH grants Noveko N95 certification for RD5-V respirator

Noveko International Inc. is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Noveko Inc. has obtained N95 certification from the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health ("NIOSH") for its Noveko RD5-V respirator.

10 Jun 2011

IPAB under attack from all sides

From the left, fears persist that this independent payment advisory board will make the Medicare program a cost-control scapegoat. On the right, opponents say the panel will lead to health care rationing and usurp congressional authority.

10 Jun 2011

Revance closes $45 million financing

Revance Therapeutics, Inc. today announced the closing of a $45 million financing led by Essex Woodlands Health Ventures and new investor, NovaQuest Capital.

10 Jun 2011

Life Technologies enters exclusive agreement for TAL Effector Technology license

Life Technologies Corporation has signed an exclusive license agreement for novel technology that enables synthetic biologists to effectively program and control the genetic circuitry in engineered pathways and organisms.

10 Jun 2011

NIAID awards Biota $2.9M grant for development of lead candidate for C. difficile

Biota Holdings Limited advises that its wholly owned subsidiary, Biota Scientific Management Pty Ltd, has been awarded a grant to fund the preclinical development of a lead candidate for the treatment of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile).

10 Jun 2011

Ambit Biosciences raises $30 million through Series D-2 equity financing

Ambit Biosciences (Ambit), an emerging biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of kinase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and other conditions, today announced that it has completed a Series D-2 round of equity financing, raising $30 million in new capital.

10 Jun 2011

Centric Health first quarter revenue increases 67% to $23.0 million

Centric Health Corporation, Canada's leading diversified healthcare services company, today announced financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2011.

10 Jun 2011

Spanish scale measures concern about cancer in healthy people

When a person has a family history of cancer, their worry about developing the disease may lead to them refusing to have preventive tests. Advice from genetic counselling units reduces their anxiety but, until now, nobody knew how much. Now, a scientific team has validated the 'Escala de Preocupaci-n por el C-ncer - EPC' (equivalent of the Cancer Worry Scale), the first of its kind in the Spanish language, in order to evaluate it.

10 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 10, 2011

Today's health policy headlines include reports about health law funding and policy particulars, as well as Dems' push to protect Medicaid.

10 Jun 2011

Adaptation of fat cell membranes to obesity may play a key role in early stages of inflammatory disorders

The mechanisms by which obesity leads towards metabolic co-morbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, are poorly understood and of great public health interest. A study led by Matej Orešič from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland suggests that adaptation of fat cell membranes to obesity may play a key role in the early stages of inflammatory disorders.

10 Jun 2011

Drug Store News recognizes Lifetime Tru-Motion Cane as best innovative product

The Lifetime Tru-Motion Cane recently was named "Best New Product" by Drug Store News. The award was bestowed at ECRM's Home Health Care 2011 EPPS Show and is given in recognition of the best new product invention from the more than 50 suppliers at the event.

10 Jun 2011