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Individuals with poor oral hygiene at increased risk of heart disease

Individuals who have poor oral hygiene have an increased risk of heart disease compared to those who brush their teeth twice a day, finds research published today on BMJ.com.

28 May 2010

InNexus Biotechnology announces research Collaboration Agreement with National Cancer Institute

InNexus Biotechnology Inc., a drug development company commercializing the next generation of antibodies based on its groundbreaking Dynamic Cross Linking (DXL™) technology, today announced the Company has entered into a Collaboration Agreement with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to research proprietary technologies developed by InNexus.

28 May 2010

ART associated with reduced risk of HIV transmission to sexual partners, study shows

Research published in the Lancet online Thursday "provides the strongest evidence to date" that antiretroviral therapy might also be used to prevent transmission of HIV, Agence France-Presse reports. The observational study found that treating HIV-positive patients with ART reduced the risk of HIV transmission to their sexual partners by 92 percent (5/26).

28 May 2010

OHSU partners with UO, Harvard to expedite research into compounds that may prevent Fanconi anemia

Oregon Health & Science University is partnering with the University of Oregon and Harvard Medical School to expedite basic science research into new and existing drugs and compounds that may prevent the complications associated with Fanconi anemia, an inherited condition that can lead to bone marrow failure and cancer.

28 May 2010

$5 billion in federal funding for high-risk pools may not be enough

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver reports: "In one of the marquee benefits of the health overhaul, the federal government will spend $5 billion to subsidize so-called high-risk pools to provide coverage for people who have trouble getting insurance because of preexisting health problems until 2014. But a new report suggests that amount may not be enough to cover their needs"

28 May 2010

Drink This, Not That! features “20 Worst Drinks In America”

New York Times bestselling authors David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding are out with the definitive list of the "20 Worst Drinks in America" as featured in the new book Drink This, Not That!—in stores now. The list highlights the country's most calorie-and sugar-laden drinks, everything from flavored waters and juice imposters to beers and margaritas.

28 May 2010

Research finding may offer future alternative to antibiotics

A team of scientists from government, academia and private industry has developed a novel treatment that protects mice from infection with the bacterium that causes tularemia, a highly infectious disease of rodents, sometimes transmitted to people, and also known as rabbit fever. In additional experiments with human immune cells, the treatment also demonstrated protection against three other types of disease-causing bacteria that, like the tularemia bacteria, occur naturally, can be highly virulent, and are considered possible agents of bioterrorism.

28 May 2010

WellPoint guidelines may bolster federal 'comparative effectiveness' investments

The health insurer WellPoint has announced guidelines for using comparative effectiveness studies to pit drugs against one another and determine which works best, the Indianapolis Business Journal reports. "Congress has also approved $4.1 billion in the past 15 months to fund comparative-effectiveness studies and a new agency that specializes in them.

28 May 2010

Report: High-risk pool funding may fall short of need

A $5 billion fund to create high-risk pools in the states as part of the health overhaul may fall short of meeting the needs of uninsured people with health problems if state and federal officials closely monitor the program, according to a new report by the National Institute for Health Care Reform, an automaker-sponsored think tank, Kaiser Health News reports.

28 May 2010

CSL Behring granted authorization to market Berinert for HAE in Italy and Luxembourg

CSL Behring announced today it has been granted national marketing authorization in Italy and Luxembourg to market Berinert® for the treatment of acute hereditary angioedema (HAE) attacks in any body location. This latest authorization brings the number of countries to 28 (in Europe, Asia, North America, South America and Australia) in which Berinert is now licensed.

28 May 2010

PCA-Rx represents next generation of chelation technology for ASD patients

According to the Center for Disease Control, autism has risen to an epidemic rate of 1 in 100 in the U.S., up from 1 in 150 in 2007. While controversy looms regarding its cause, many parents of autistic children believe a correlation exists with toxin accumulation. To give autism spectrum disorder sufferers a natural alternative to chelation therapy, Maxam Nutraceutics has introduced PCA-Rx.

28 May 2010

Uroplasty reports strong sales growth for Macroplastique in fourth-quarter 2010

Uroplasty, Inc., a medical device company that develops, manufactures and markets innovative proprietary products to treat voiding dysfunctions, today reported financial results for the fourth fiscal quarter and full year ended March 31, 2010. The results were highlighted by continued strong U.S. sales growth for Macroplastique and a reduction in operating and net loss compared to the prior year.

28 May 2010

Study measures effects of BPA on male reproductive system

Increasing Bisphenol-A levels in urine are associated with worsening male sexual function, according to a Kaiser Permanente study appearing online in the Journal of Andrology.

28 May 2010

Last defendant in 6-year Calif. Medicare fraud case sentenced

The Associated Press/San Jose Mercury News: A $15 million Medicare fraud case in California has ended as the last of 17 defendants was sentenced this week to 30 months in prison.

28 May 2010

States examine costs of health law's Medicaid expansion detailed in new report

Reuters examines how Medicaid expansion might affect various states, with new findings from the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: "Under conservative estimates, Maine's Medicaid spending will decrease 1.5 percent and Colorado's will slip 0.5 percent, according to the study.

28 May 2010

Hamilton Thorne announces vendor partnership agreement with Leica Microsystems

Hamilton Thorne Ltd., a leading provider of advanced laser systems and instruments for the stem cell research and fertility clinic markets, today announces a vendor partnership agreement with Leica Microsystems GmbH of Wetzlar, Germany, a leading global designer and producer of innovative high-tech precision optics systems for the analysis of microstructures.

28 May 2010

Salix Pharmaceuticals to sell $300 million of 2.75% convertible senior notes due 2015

Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. today announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell $300 million aggregate principal amount of its 2.75% convertible senior notes due 2015. In addition, Salix has granted the underwriters an overallotment option to purchase up to an additional $45 million aggregate principal amount of notes on the same terms and conditions.

28 May 2010

NICE denies availability of Sorafenib liver cancer drug on NHS

Sorafenib (brand name Nexavar) will not be made available on the NHS for people with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common form of primary liver cancer.

28 May 2010

Some young adults must wait for new law's insurance coverage option to kick in

The new health law's requirement that young adults be able to remain on their parents' health plans until they turn 26, is raising some questions from hopeful parents: "when exactly the new benefit begins, who exactly is eligible and who decides." But the answer to all those is: "It depends. ... the decision about when to start the new benefit is being made by lots of different players in the health system.

28 May 2010

Celsis International updates Drug Master Files with FDA

Celsis International, the global leader in rapid microbial detection, announced it has recently updated its Drug Master Files with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to include information on testing both non-sterile and sterile raw materials, in-process solutions and finished goods on the Celsis system.

28 May 2010