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ASN opposes proposed $1.6 billion reduction to NIH budget

Proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget for 2011 will limit the nation's ability to advance patient care and public health.

17 Feb 2011

Clinical trial finds atorvastatin may inhibit HIV progression, help in infection's management

A recent multicenter clinical trial of atorvastatin, a type of cholesterol-lowering drug, found that although the drug did not inhibit plasma HIV RNA levels, it did inhibit expression of cellular markers of immune activation and inflammation in patients with HIV infection.

17 Feb 2011

Roundup: Calif. kids' care; high Mass. health workers' costs; Iowa nursing home inspectors

The push is on to enroll thousands of children who previously could not get health coverage or whose parents paid much higher premiums because of their children's pre-existing medical conditions. Under new federal rules that took effect last fall, children with chronic health conditions cannot be denied coverage.

17 Feb 2011

Regional brain structural alterations associated with bipolar disorder

Lithium, introduced in the late 1940's, was the first "wonder drug" in psychiatry. It was the first medication treatment for the manic and depressive episodes of bipolar disorder and it remains among one of the most effective treatments for this disorder.

17 Feb 2011

Poll: 73% of New Jersey people think investment on global health research is important to state's economy

Despite the unpredictable economy, nearly three-quarters of New Jersey residents think spending money on research to improve health globally is important to jobs and incomes in the state, according to a new statewide poll commissioned by Research!America.

17 Feb 2011

Riverain Medical's chest X-ray computer-aided detection technology detects smaller lung nodules

Riverain Medical, an industry leader and innovator in computer-aided detection (CAD) and advanced visualization technologies, today announced a poster presentation, "A Superior Chest X-Ray Computer-Aided Detection (CXR CADe) Application: A Reader Study," has been published on the European Society of Radiology's website.

17 Feb 2011

Senate finance leaders push for permanent Medicare 'doc fix'

Both Committee Chair Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Ranking Member Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, are pushing for an overhaul of Medicare's physician payment formula. Meanwhile, Baucus is not "ready to commit" to hold confirmation hearings for the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services who has been re-nominated.

17 Feb 2011

Rare bleeding disorder misdiagnosed

A rare bleeding disorder that can lead to life-threatening bleeding episodes is misdiagnosed in 15 per cent of cases according to findings from a new international research project led by a Queen's professor.

17 Feb 2011

SPC launches new aluminum oxide coating for medical devices

MICRALOX, a revolutionary new aluminum oxide coating for finishing aluminum medical devices, is being launched into the global marketplace by the Sanford Process Corporation (SPC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Duralectra-CHN.

17 Feb 2011

Deactivation of CRTC1 protein increases lifespan

Substantial evidence suggests that lifespan is increased if an organism restricts its daily calorie intake, a spartan regime that some say works by just making life seem longer. A team of scientists from the Salk Institute of Biological Studies has discovered a molecular switch flipped by hunger that could not only make longevity more appetizing but identify drug targets for patients with aging-related diseases such as type II diabetes or cancer.

17 Feb 2011

Study: 35% of imaging costs ordered for defensive purposes

Nearly 35 percent of all the imaging costs ordered for 2,068 orthopaedic patient encounters in Pennsylvania were ordered for defensive purposes, according to a new study presented today at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

17 Feb 2011

World Bank highlights significant food price rises

"Rising food prices pushed tens of millions of people into extreme poverty last year and are reaching 'dangerous levels' in some countries, World Bank President Robert Zoellick said Tuesday as he released new data showing that the cost of grain and other staples is near a historic high," the Washington Post reports (Schneider, 2/15).

17 Feb 2011

Medicaid should stop paying more than Medicare for pharmacy benefits

To help reduce state Medicaid spending, the New York State Health Department yesterday proposed that the program's prescription drug benefits be managed more like those in Medicare and commercial plans. The Department's "Proposal to Redesign Medicaid" says this move would save state taxpayers $350 million though 2015.

17 Feb 2011

Single donor gifts lungs for two lung transplants

The University of Michigan Transplant Center celebrated a milestone recently, performing its 500th lung transplant. But there's much more to this story than a number.

17 Feb 2011

Study finds poor security practices in clinical trial file sharing methods

Patients who participate in clinical trials expect that their personal information will remain confidential, but a recent study led by Dr. Khaled El-Emam, Canada Research Chair in Electronic Health Information at the CHEO Research Institute, found that the security practices used to transfer and share sensitive files were inadequate.

17 Feb 2011

Urologix granted additional cure period to regain NASDAQ compliance

Urologix, Inc., announced today that it received a letter, dated February 16, 2011, from The NASDAQ Stock Market notifying Urologix that its request had been granted for an additional 180 calendar day cure period, until August 15, 2011, to regain compliance with the $1.00 per share minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market,

17 Feb 2011

EMA publishes concept paper on pharmaceutical cold storage conditions during transport

The European Medicines Agency has published a concept paper on storage conditions during transport. The goal is to create new Good Distribution Practice and GMP guidance and may lead to the need to revise the guideline on declaration of storage conditions.

From IQPC Ltd 17 Feb 2011

STMicroelectronics to produce iChip microprocessor for LifeNexus Personal Health Card

STMicroelectronics, a world leader in semiconductor solutions, and LifeNexus, the developer of the iChip™ and Personal Health Card, today announced that STMicroelectronics will produce the iChip microprocessor for the LifeNexus Personal Health Card.

17 Feb 2011

Loss of 'twenty-four' gene makes it harder to wake up

Northwestern University scientists have discovered a new mechanism in the core gears of the circadian clock. They found the loss of a certain gene, dubbed "twenty-four," messes up the rhythm of the common fruit fly's sleep-wake cycle, making it harder for the flies to awaken.

17 Feb 2011

AHRQ lists SVS as Patient Safety Organization

The Society for Vascular Surgery is now listed as a Patient Safety Organization (PSO) by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, on behalf of the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

17 Feb 2011