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Physical activity outside of work reduces risk of depression: Study

Researchers have found evidence that regular exercise reduces the risk of depression provided the activity is carried out in leisure time. People who exert themselves at work, for instance by digging up roads or heavy lifting, were no less likely to suffer depression than those in sedentary desk jobs.

1 Nov 2010

Alcohol - the worst drug!

A new study shows that alcohol abuse is by far the worst habit to have when compared to other recreational drugs like crack or heroin. Neuropharmacologist David Nutt, of Imperial College London who is also a former British government drug advisor and his team rated 20 different drugs on a scale that takes into account the various harms caused by a drug. Drugs are rated on the nine harms a drug causes to an individual and seven harms a drug causes to the society. The scale was developed by a panel of experts called the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs (ICSD), ranges from 0 (no harm) to 100 (greatest possible harm). It is weighted so that a drug that scores 50 is half as harmful as a drug that scores 100.

1 Nov 2010

Dr Sartori’s contentious alternative therapy: inquest date set

The Medical Practitioner's Board of Western Australia is looking into the case of a doctor and her role in an alternative cancer therapy program. Five cancer patients have died after apparently being given industrial solvents and dangerous minerals as a part of an alternative therapy program by Alexandra Boyd, a well-known Mosman Park breast cancer specialist. She along with two registered nurses administered the concoctions to the people in question.

1 Nov 2010

AHRQ: Hospital admissions for adverse drug reactions have doubled

News outlets report on the hospital industry, including admission rates, mergers and quality improvement programs.

1 Nov 2010

Telbivudine prevents HBV transmission from mothers to newborns: Study

Researchers studied the treatment of pregnant women with hepatitis B virus (HBV) with Telbivudine in their second to third trimesters. The study concluded that both the mothers benefited from treatment and no transmission of HBV to newborns was detected at 28 weeks postbirth.

1 Nov 2010

Open enrollment brings higher premiums for 2011

As open enrollment for many employer-sponsored health plans approaches, workers are faced with higher premiums in 2011, yet again, MSNBC reports. "The increase is typical of what workers have seen in [the] last three years — around 10 percent. But what's different this year is some employers aren't just blaming the usual suspects for rising premiums — unhealthy workers, over-paid doctors and hospitals, and a bad economy. Now insurance experts and employers are also blaming health care reform.

1 Nov 2010

IMRT safe and effective treatment for paranasal tumors: Study

Treating paranasal sinus cancer with three-dimensional radiation that conforms to the shape of the tumor-a technique that minimizes side effects such as severe dry mouth and vision problems-is safe and effective, research at Fox Chase Cancer Center shows. Aruna Turaka, M.D., radiation oncologist at Fox Chase, will present the results on November 2nd at the annual meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.

1 Nov 2010

Insurance costs continue to surge

The cost of health insurance continues to surge, and the effect of the new health law is still unclear, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

1 Nov 2010

Valeant, Kadmon enter strategic agreement for taribavirin and ribavirin

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. and Kadmon Pharmaceuticals LLC have concluded two strategic agreements for the development and commercialization of taribavirin and the commercial marketing of ribavirin in the treatment of viral diseases, including hepatitis C virus (HCV).

1 Nov 2010

Planning Accountable Care Organizations

American Medical News: "The National Committee for Quality Assurance is seeking input from the public on draft accountable care organization standards," which "were drafted by the organization's Accountable Care Organization Task Force comprising representatives from large integrated health care systems, academia and the insurance industry. … Establishing ACOs for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries is a key part of health system reform legislation" (11/1).

1 Nov 2010

454 Life Sciences and DNA Electronics partner to develop high-throughput DNA sequencing system

454 Life Sciences, a Roche Company, announced today that it has entered an exclusive partnership with DNA Electronics for the development of a low-cost, high-throughput DNA sequencing system. As part of the agreement, Roche has signed a non-exclusive license for relevant IP from DNA Electronics' proprietary semiconductor technology portfolio, which enables sensitive detection of nucleotide incorporation during sequencing.

1 Nov 2010

Neogenix Oncology's ensituximab granted FDA orphan drug designation for pancreatic cancer treatment

Neogenix Oncology, Inc. (Neogenix) announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to the company's product candidate ensituximab (monoclonal antibody NPC-1C) for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. The Company initiated in December 2009 a multi-center Phase I clinical trial of ensituximab (NPC-1C) for the treatment of advanced pancreatic and colorectal cancer.

1 Nov 2010

Today's OpEds: Health law and private insurance; Corporate wellness programs; Geriatric mental health

Once again, average health insurance rates are expected to rise by double digits next yearas they have every year since 2002. ... Given that Obama would veto a repeal, we hope the next Congress instead begins the hard work of re-crafting the new law with a goal of breaking the annual spikes in cost (The Denver Post, 11/1).

1 Nov 2010

Calypso Medical to showcase FDA cleared Dynamic Edge Gating Technology at 52nd ASTRO

Calypso Medical Technologies, Inc., a developer of real-time localization technology used for the precise tracking of tumor targets, today announced it will showcase Dynamic Edge™ Gating Technology, recently cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, at the 52nd Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), now underway at the San Diego Convention Center.

1 Nov 2010

FDA approves cancer drug Afinitor for treatment of rare genetic disorder

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the cancer drug Afinitor (everolimus) on Friday to treat patients with subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA) associated with tuberous sclerosis (TS), a rare genetic disorder. This approval was for treatments of SEGA that can not be treated with surgery.

1 Nov 2010

Allergan third quarter diluted loss per share increases to $2.21

Allergan, Inc. today announced operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2010. Allergan also announced that its Board of Directors has declared a third quarter dividend of $0.05 per share, payable on December 1, 2010 to stockholders of record on November 10, 2010.

1 Nov 2010

BSD MTX-180 MicroThermX Microwave Ablation System receives CE Mark approval

BSD Medical Corporation, the company that pioneered heat therapy applications, today reported that the Company has received CE Mark approval for the commercial sale of The MicroThermX Microwave Ablation System (MTX-180) in Europe. CE marking approval allows BSD to market the MTX-180 in the 30 countries that comprise the European Union (EU) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).

1 Nov 2010

International Isotopes completes private placement

International Isotopes Inc. announces completion of a private placement on October 29, 2010 that will immediately provide the company with approximately $5.8 million in cash to continue its efforts on the licensing and design of its planned environmentally friendly, green technology uranium de-conversion and fluorine extraction processing facility.

1 Nov 2010

Political cartoon: 'Buzzsaw'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Buzzsaw" by Nate Beeler.

1 Nov 2010

GOG to initiate combination elesclomol-paclitaxel Phase 2 clinical trial for ovarian cancer

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing small molecule drugs to treat severe medical conditions, today announced that the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) will initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial of elesclomol in combination with paclitaxel for the treatment of persistent or recurrent ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal cancer.

1 Nov 2010