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Cannabis “scratch & sniff” cards to stop illegal plantations

In a novel method to uncover illegal urban cannabis plantations nearly 30,000 Dutch households are to receive marijuana-scented scratch cards. According to authorities in Rotterdam and The Hague they are distributing the cards to help people recognize what cannabis smells like.

8 Nov 2010

$Beta blockers for high blood pressure also reduce fracture risk: Study$

Beta blockers for high blood pressure also reduce fracture risk: Study

Beta blockers, one of the most commonly used types of cardiovascular drugs, taken by about 20 per cent of the population, have been found to cut a person's incidence of bone fracture by half. This new and welcome side effect was reported by Professor Tuan Nguyen from Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research and his Australian-based colleagues. “Indeed, we found that men and women who used beta-blockers had a 50 per cent lower risk of fracture than those not using beta blockers… We were very excited about the finding because, as you know, a lot of elderly people use beta blockers ... it’s a very significant public health issue,” he said.

8 Nov 2010

Water purification woes

According to an expert desalination plants that are built close to sewage outflows risk contaminating drinking water. An Australian National University professor of infectious diseases and microbiology Peter Collignon said that membrane technology is not fool proof when it comes to screening bugs. This comes coincidentally just after a “reporting error” by Sydney Water that showed E.coli had been found in processed drinking water at its $1.9 billion Kurnell desalination plant in Sydney's south. The plant's intake, which collects water to supply 1.5 million Sydney homes, is about 2.5km north of the Cronulla near-shore sewage outflow.

8 Nov 2010

On health law, election postmortems continue

In an analysis in The Washington Post, Chris Cillizza asks: "How much did the health-care law passed this year have to do with Republicans winning back the House and gaining six seats in the Senate?" Polls shed a little - deeply contradictory - light on the question. A Democratic strategist argued it was a neutral issue in an election-night memo, saying only 18 percent of voters believed health care was the most important issue, and that Demcorats won those by an eight percentage point margin.

8 Nov 2010

Caffeine intake increases risk for recurrent gout attacks

Drinking caffeinated beverages may raise the risk for recurrent gout attacks, according to research presented at the Nov 2010, American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in Atlanta.

8 Nov 2010

HHS cuts premiums for some high risk pools

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports: "Trying to spur enrollment in a new health insurance program for uninsured people with pre-existing medical conditions, the federal government is doing something private insurers almost never do: slashing rates" (Galewitz, 11/5).

8 Nov 2010

TechniScan restructures convertible debt

TechniScan, Inc. a medical device company engaged in the development and commercialization of an automated breast ultrasound imaging system, today announced a restructuring of its convertible debt.

8 Nov 2010

Thirteen myths about arthritis and rheumatic disease

A diagnosis of arthritis or another rheumatic disease can cause someone to feel anxious and even a little overwhelmed. Being a knowledgeable and empowered patient can help alleviate some of those feelings, and being able to navigate through the many misconceptions about arthritis and rheumatic diseases is vitally important.

8 Nov 2010

KHN column -- Attacking the health law: The GOP's confusing and incompatible arguments

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, Jonathan Cohn writes: "The Republicans and their allies spent a lot of time — and a lot of money — attacking the new health law and promising to undo it.

8 Nov 2010

Raptor initiates dosing in DR Cysteamine Phase 2 clinical trial for Huntington's Disease

Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp., today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 2 clinical trial of DR Cysteamine for the potential treatment of Huntington's Disease. The Phase 2 clinical trial is being conducted under a previously announced collaboration agreement with The Centre Hospitalier Universitaire d'Angers ("CHU d'Angers"), which has commenced enrolling patients at eight clinical sites throughout France.

8 Nov 2010

Eli Lilly to acquire Avid Radiopharmaceuticals

Safeguard Scientifics, Inc., a holding company that builds value in growth-stage life sciences and technology companies, today announced that partner company Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc. has signed a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Eli Lilly and Company.

8 Nov 2010

Political cartoon: 'Prescription Medicine"

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh look at health policy developments with "Prescription Medicine" by Mike Keefe.

8 Nov 2010

Positive results from Ardea's RDEA594 combination study with febuxostat or allopurinol for gout

Ardea Biosciences, Inc. announced positive results from two clinical studies of RDEA594 in combination with currently marketed drugs for the treatment of gout patients, febuxostat (Uloric®) and allopurinol.

8 Nov 2010

CytRx reports $4.4 million net loss for third quarter 2010

CytRx Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company specializing in oncology, today reported financial results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010, and provided a business update. The Company also announced the filing of a shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission to replace its existing shelf registration, which expires in December 2010.

8 Nov 2010

TB Alliance launches three-drug combination trial for drug-sensitive and multidrug-resistant TB

In advance of the 41st Union World Conference, the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) today announced the launch of the first clinical trial to test a novel tuberculosis regimen in a new development paradigm designed to speed new treatments to patients. This novel three-drug combination shows promise to treat both drug-sensitive (DS-TB) and multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), and alter the course of the TB pandemic by shortening and simplifying treatment worldwide.

8 Nov 2010

GTC Biotherapeutics enters Stock Purchase and Merger Agreement with LFB Biotechnologies

GTC Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced today that it had entered into a Stock Purchase and Merger Agreement with LFB Biotechnologies, S.A.S., Les Ulis, France, pursuant to which LFB has agreed to take GTC private for $.30 per share. The opening and closing prices of GTC Common Stock on Friday, November 5, 2010 on the over the count markets were both $.28 per share.

8 Nov 2010

Crescendo Bioscience launches multi-biomarker blood test for RA

Crescendo Bioscience announced today the commercial launch of Vectra DA, its first-in-class multi-biomarker blood test designed to aid physicians in managing patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Vectra DA analyzes 12 key serum biomarkers to produce a single objective score that quantifies RA disease activity.

8 Nov 2010

Progenics third quarter net loss increases to $17.1 million

Progenics Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced its results of operations for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2010.

8 Nov 2010

Mederi's second generation Stretta and Secca Systems granted CE Mark approval

Mederi Therapeutics Inc announced today that it has received a CE Mark authorizing the European distribution and use of Mederi's second generation of the Stretta and Secca Systems. The Stretta System is for treatment of gastric reflux disease, commonly known as GERD, and the Secca System is for treatment of bowel control disorder, or BCD. These latest systems include a streamlined user interface, significant improvements in ease of use, and are smaller, lighter, and highly portable.

8 Nov 2010

Zynex third quarter net revenues increase 42% to $6,657,000

Zynex, Inc., a provider of pain management systems and electrotherapy products for medical patients with functional disability, announces a record number of orders and billed patients in the three months ended September 30, 2010. The Company also generated record net revenues of $6,657,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2010, which represents a 42% increase over third quarter 2009 net revenue and a 16% increase sequentially over the second quarter of 2010.

8 Nov 2010