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Sudden epilepsy death explained

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a condition that kills about 150 Australians a year. Now researchers have discovered the reasons behind such deaths. The study was conducted by scientists at the Centenary Institute at the University of Sydney who looked at blood samples taken from epilepsy suffers who had died suddenly and found that there were genetic faults in the heart and brain.

7 Nov 2010

GOP focusing in on health law fight as part of the effort shifts to new Republican governors

The Washington Post finds that since the changes of repeal are "slim to nil, at least through 2012," Republicans may turn to getting rid of parts of the law, including "unpopular aspects that are less central to the law," including a provision that requires businesses to expand their reporting to the IRS of what goods and services they buy.

7 Nov 2010

Adolescent drinking: Laws tighten

Latest study findings show that adolescents offered alcohol by someone other than their parents are six times more likely to drink to excess. The research comes from Deakin University and has made the Australian Drug Foundation tighten laws across Australia, making it illegal to give children alcohol without their parents' permission.

7 Nov 2010

APP Drug Hotline to assist healthcare professionals with shortage issues

APP Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Fresenius Kabi Pharmaceuticals Holding, Inc., announced today that it will launch the APP Drug Hotline on Wednesday, November 10, 2010. The APP Drug Hotline has been established to assist healthcare professionals with critical drug shortage issues.

7 Nov 2010

Fast food restaurants to display calorie counts

As Australia reels under the weight of obesity and related diseases one of the first steps towards prevention could be forcing fast food restaurants to display kilojoule counts on their menus said NSW Premier Kristina Keneally.

7 Nov 2010

AiCuris to present data on AIC316 anti-HSV drug at Antivirals Congress

AiCuris announced today the presentation of preclinical and Phase 1 data on AIC316 at the Antivirals Congress in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from 7th – 9th of November 2010. AIC316 is a novel anti-HSV drug currently in clinical phase 2 testing.

7 Nov 2010

Mass. focuses on containing health care costs, Gov. Schwarzenegger seeks to expand coverage of uninsured in Calif.

While the White House seems destined to spend the next two years fending off attacks on President Obama's health care law, the administration of Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts will push forward with the next stage of health care overhaul: trying to contain the escalating costs of medical care.

7 Nov 2010

Onconome receives $231,000 cash grant under QTDP program

Onconome, Inc. announced today that it was awarded a cash grant totaling approximately $231,000 under the U.S. Government's Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project (QTDP) program. The QTDP was enacted as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010.

7 Nov 2010

FDA issues approval letter to Carestream's CR system for mammography

Carestream Health has received an approval letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its high-resolution computed radiography (CR) system for mammography.

7 Nov 2010

Al Jazeera examines international trade agreement negotiations, access to generic medicines in low-income countries

Al Jazeera examines what the outcomes of two international trade agreement negotiations - one regarding free trade between the EU and India and the other over anti-counterfeiting measures - could mean for patients living with HIV/AIDS in low-income countries.

7 Nov 2010

Scientists discover new way to create human blood from adult skin

In an important breakthrough, scientists at McMaster University have discovered how to make human blood from adult human skin. The discovery, published in the prestigious science journal Nature today, could mean that in the foreseeable future people needing blood for surgery, cancer treatment or treatment of other blood conditions like anemia will be able to have blood created from a patch of their own skin to provide transfusions.

7 Nov 2010

Ortho-McNeil terminates collaboration agreement with Arena on APD597 trial program

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that, following the completion of a Phase 1 clinical trial program for APD597 (JNJ-38431055) under its collaboration with Arena, Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., has decided not to advance APD597 and has notified Arena that it is terminating the collaboration, effective December 28, 2010.

7 Nov 2010

KHN column: Health care cost control is hard, and humbling

Though lots of different approaches to controlling health care costs have been discussed, it's hard to know which of them will really work.

7 Nov 2010

Americans sicker but live longer than the English: Study

According to a new study in the journal Demographics, and elderly American is not quite as healthy as his English counterpart, but does live just as long, if not longer. The study found that Americans aged 55 to 64 and 70 to 80 had higher rates of chronic diseases than same-aged English people, but they died at about the same rate. Americans aged 65 and older could be sicker than their English peers but lived longer.

5 Nov 2010

Tuberculosis on the rise in the UK

According to health authorities, tuberculosis (TB) – a severe lung infection that has killed millions in the past, is resurfacing again in the UK. Last year the number of cases reached more than 9,000, the highest number for nearly 30 years. The numbers were revealed by the Health Protection Agency in its annual report on tuberculosis this Thursday.

5 Nov 2010

Rising kidney disease a worry – home dialysis may solve some problems

Kidney Health Australia (KHA) has released a report that predicts that the number of people needing treatment for serious kidney disease will triple to 30,000 by 2020 and treating serious kidney disease will cost the health system $12 billion over the next decade. The report, by the George Institute for Global Health, also found the annual cost of providing dialysis treatment was just over $79,000 per patient. This was compared to just over $49,000 per person taking part in a program which delivers the treatment not in a hospital but in the patient’s home.

5 Nov 2010

Bendigo hospital debate escalates to political level

A public rally yesterday saw Bendigo Hospital staff and patients upset that cancer services will not be consolidated in the new redeveloped facility. There were severe protests against the renovations that led to a debate between the Victorian Government and Opposition. Labor and the Coalition have both promised to rebuild the hospital. Coalition committed a $630 million to a new hospital after Labor announced a new $528 million hospital in May.

5 Nov 2010