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AHF cautions against fast track FDA-approval for expanded use of Gilead’s Truvada

During its quarterly meeting over the weekend, The Board of Directors of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) adopted a resolution cautioning Gilead Sciences against seeking fast track FDA-approval for the expanded use of its best selling AIDS treatment, Truvada, as a possible form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent the transmission of HIV.

4 May 2011

Asthma prevalence jump alarms health experts

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a report released this Tuesday, Americans are suffering from asthma in record numbers. Nearly one in 10 children and almost one in 12 Americans of all ages now has asthma, government researchers said. Tuesday was World Asthma Day.

4 May 2011

Heart bypass surgery rates fall by 38% between 2001 and 2008: Study

According to latest the U.S. research, the number of heart patients getting bypass surgery fell by 38 percent between 2001 and 2008. This fall reflects several factors, including a decline in smoking rates, which has led to less coronary artery disease, said senior study author Dr. Peter Groeneveld, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.

4 May 2011

Herbal remedies commonly used in infants without efficacy & safety guarantees: Study

According to a new U.S. government study parents commonly give infants teas or herbal supplements said to soothe “fussiness” even though there's no good evidence that the products work. The market is flooded with these teas and botanical products with ingredients like chamomile, ginger and fennel that are marketed for easing infants' tummy troubles, fussiness and sleep problems. However there is no evidence that these are effective and safe.

4 May 2011

Roundup: Mass. officials wrestle with municipal health care issues

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick says he and legislative leaders are in fundamental agreement over what should be included in a municipal health care bill, even while there remains disagreement on the specifics. The House approved a measure last week that would largely strip public employee unions of collective bargaining rights over health care benefits. The Senate is expected to act in the coming weeks.

4 May 2011

Marijuana licensing laws vetoed by Washington Governor

Current laws regarding marijuana have come under the scanner. US attorneys have warned states that those who are licensed to grow marijuana or even those who regulate it could be subjected to prosecution. Because of this, several states have begun to change their existing laws for medical marijuana.

4 May 2011

Addition of family physicians linked to reduced risk of hospital readmissions

Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center have found that by adding one family physician per 1,000, or 100 per 100,000, could reduce hospital readmission costs by $579 million per year, or 83 percent of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act target.

4 May 2011

Confusing research on salt and heart: Study

According to the latest European study, people who ate lots of salt were not more likely to get high blood pressure, and were less likely to die of heart disease than those with a low salt intake. This is contrary to what has been known till date. The U.S. guidelines recommend that Americans consume less than 2,300 milligrams of salt daily - 1,500 mg in certain people who are more at risk for high blood pressure or heart disease.

4 May 2011

New USDA funded, research-based program to combat child obesity

A five-year $4.5 million USDA grant to University of Illinois researchers will establish the Illinois Transdisciplinary Obesity Prevention Program, an innovative research-based program that will combine a Ph.D. with a master's in public health degree focused on child obesity prevention.

4 May 2011

PolyMedix Phase 1B/2 clinical study data presented at ATVB meeting

PolyMedix, Inc., an emerging biotechnology company focused on developing new therapeutic drugs to treat life-threatening infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, announced that clinical data with PMX-60056 were presented at the American Heart Association's Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology Meeting in Chicago on April 28, 2011.

4 May 2011

SARcode reports encouraging data from SAR 1118 Phase 2 dry eye trial

SARcode Corporation presented data today for their lead investigational molecule, SAR 1118. In a Phase 2 dry eye trial, subjects receiving SAR 1118 demonstrated a reduction in corneal staining, increased tear production, and improved visual-related function as compared to placebo. These data were part of the scientific program of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

4 May 2011

'Big cleanout' no cure for hoarding

Kaiser Health News's Peggy Girshman writes: "If basic cable is any indication we have a fascination with hoarding. 'We all love a good train wreck' says Mark Odom, clinical consultant to the Orange County (Calif.) Task Force on Hoarding.

4 May 2011

Cancers use body's own defences to resist drugs

CANCER RESEARCH UK scientists have discovered that tumours are able to recruit part of the body's defence system to protect them from the effect of a drug designed to block the supply of blood to the tumour.

4 May 2011

pSivida presents data of ILUVIEN Phase 3 trial in Diabetic Macular Edema at ARVO 2011

pSivida Corp., a leader in developing sustained release, drug delivery products for treatment of back-of-the-eye diseases, today announced the presentation of new data from the completed 36-month FAME Study of ILUVIEN for the treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema at the 2011 ARVO Annual Meeting.

4 May 2011

Thoratec reports $99.5 million revenue for first quarter 2011

Thoratec Corporation, a world leader in device-based mechanical circulatory support therapies to save, support and restore failing hearts, said today that revenues from continuing operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 were $99.5 million versus revenues of $99.3 million in the same period a year ago.

4 May 2011

iOWH, Center for World Health and Medicine partner to combat childhood diarrhea

The Center for World Health and Medicine at Saint Louis University and the Institute for OneWorld Health have established a joint research agreement to develop new drugs to combat diarrhea, which is the second leading cause of death worldwide in children under age 5.

4 May 2011

Top-line results from Lymphoseek NEO3-09 Phase 3 study in breast cancer, melanoma

Neoprobe Corporation, a diversified developer of innovative oncology diagnostic products, today announced top-line results from its Lymphoseek NEO3-09 study.

4 May 2011

Viewpoints: Dem representatives on health spending; Star Tribune praises IPAB; NY Times on stem cells

When the debate over the fiscal 2012 budget began, the country — or, more accurately, the media — was focused on Rep. Paul Ryan's proposal. Introduced on behalf of the Republican House majority, our colleague's plan puts the interests of wealthy corporations first by slashing Medicare and Medicaid and spending trillions on a new corporate tax cut. Indeed, cutting is all it seems to do. ... That's not a jobs plan — that's an economic death sentence.

4 May 2011

Exercise linked to improved lung status in children with cystic fibrosis

A small Johns Hopkins Children's Center study of children and teens with cystic fibrosis shows that simple exercise, individually tailored to each patient's preference and lifestyle, can help improve lung function and overall fitness.

4 May 2011

Researchers develop novel spinal cord injury treatment

Rutgers researchers have developed an innovative new treatment that could help minimize nerve damage in spinal cord injuries, promote tissue healing and minimize pain.

4 May 2011