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Congress must stop Medicare cuts in November

The AMA, along with medical societies representing 50 states and the District of Columbia and 65 national physician organizations, united to send a strong message to Congress – immediate action is needed to stop the drastic 30 percent Medicare payment cuts looming at the end of this year to protect seniors’ access to health care.

29 Sep 2010

Social rejection can ‘brake’ your heart

Latest study shows that a social rejection can not only break a person’s heart but also result in a drop in the heart rate. The researchers from Netherlands found that the disappointment of feeling not loved or not liked can cause both psychological and physical reactions.

29 Sep 2010

HIV AIDS drugs’ universal access dream remains improbable: Report

In a disappointing new report jointly commissioned by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the UN's AIDS programme and UNICEF it was revealed that only one third of people worldwide who need life-saving HIV drugs are actually getting treated. Universal access to these medicines has been the theme of effort but it was seen that that targets would not be met. The report urges the poorer countries must “substantially ramp up” the funds for HIV/AIDS.

29 Sep 2010

Swine flu no longer a threat to Americans: Report

According to the latest research most Americans are immune to the swine flu virus. Results of the study by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, published in the journal mBio show that around 59 percent of the 310 million U.S. population has developed immunity to H1N1 either from exposure to similar viruses, vaccination, or natural H1N1 infection.

29 Sep 2010

Malaria vaccine close to reality

A successful and effective malaria vaccine could be available in Africa by 2015 revealed a co-inventor of the shot against the killer disease, Tuesday. Advance trials of the RTS,S vaccine against falciparum malaria are under way in seven African countries. This variety of malaria is the deadliest and trials are said to be showing encouraging results according to GlaxoSmithKline researcher Joe Cohen, who has been working on developing the vaccine for over 20 years.

29 Sep 2010

School blood test breached guidelines: Investigation report

According to a report by an Education Department, a Tasmanian teacher who conducted blood tests on 19 high school students breached guidelines. The incident happened last month when a teacher at the Dover District High School took blood samples from the students using just two lancets for a science class experiment. These lancets were cleaned between pricks using methylated spirits. These spirits are inadequate when preventing blood borne viral disease like HIV and Hepatitis say experts.

29 Sep 2010

Some IVF techniques leading to more bundles in blue: Study

According to a new study by Australian researchers some infertility treatments may influence the sex of a baby to such an extent that increased uptake could upset the gender balance later. The study shows that a type of IVF treatment increases the chance of having a boy to as much as 56.1 per cent, while another treatment cuts it to 48.7 per cent.

29 Sep 2010

Dems expect 9/11 'first responders' bill to pass today

CongressDaily: "At the urging of what one aide called 12 'pushy' New York lawmakers, House Democratic leaders plan to bring to the floor today legislation that would extend healthcare aid to 9/11 first responders. ... The $7.4 billion measure would provide health monitoring and treatment benefits to first responders and survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

29 Sep 2010

Political cartoon: 'Witchcraft?'

Kaiser Health News provides this fresh take on health policy developments with "Witchcraft?" by Nate Beeler.

29 Sep 2010

Triple-S Management board authorizes $30M share repurchase program

Triple-S Management Corporation today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a $30 million share repurchase program, which will commence immediately. It will be conducted, using available cash, through open-market purchases and privately-negotiated transactions of Class B shares only, in accordance with Rules 10b-18 and 10b5-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

29 Sep 2010

Apricus Biosciences prices securities offering

Apricus Biosciences, backed by a revenue generating CRO business and seeking to leverage its multi-route NexACT® drug delivery technology and internal pipeline through out-licensing partnerships, today announced that it has entered into agreements with selected investors to sell up to 1,728,882 Units at a price per Unit of $5.40, for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $9.3 million.

29 Sep 2010

Crocker Ventures announces acquisition of TMJ Implants

Crocker Ventures today announced that it has acquired TMJ Implants of Golden, Colo., the leading manufacturer of implants for the treatment of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder.

29 Sep 2010

Medivation and Astellas commence MDV3100 second Phase 3 clinical trial in advanced prostate cancer

Medivation, Inc. and Astellas Pharma Inc. today announced treatment of the first patient in a second Phase 3 clinical trial of the investigational drug MDV3100, which expands the Phase 3 development of the novel, triple-acting oral androgen receptor antagonist into an earlier-stage patient population. Known as PREVAIL, the trial will evaluate MDV3100 in men with advanced prostate cancer who have not yet received chemotherapy. Initiation of the PREVAIL trial triggers a milestone payment to Medivation under its collaboration agreement with Astellas.

29 Sep 2010

Keryx commences Zerenex Phase 3 study for hyperphosphatemia in patients with ESRD on dialysis

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the initiation of the long-term Phase 3 study of Zerenex™ (ferric citrate), the Company's iron-based phosphate binder for the treatment of elevated serum phosphorous levels, or hyperphosphatemia, in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on dialysis.

29 Sep 2010

NeurAxon closes convertible debenture financing

NeurAxon, Inc., a development-stage pharmaceutical company that is designing and developing next-generation pain therapeutics targeting neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), today announced that it has closed a convertible debenture financing in which the convertible debentures are convertible under specified circumstances into existing class B preferred shares for a total of approximately $14 million.

29 Sep 2010

Senesco fiscal 2010 revenue decreases to $140,000

Senesco Technologies, Inc. reported financial results for the 12 months ended June 30, 2010 ("Fiscal 2010").

29 Sep 2010

Kaiser Permanente donates Convergent Medical Terminology for open access

Kaiser Permanente is donating its Convergent Medical Terminology (CMT) for open access to help facilitate the nation's transition from paper-based medical records to Electronic Health Records (EHR). CMT was designed by clinicians to facilitate the use of EHRs by clinicians and patients. Kaiser Permanente has the world's largest private sector electronic health record.

29 Sep 2010

NINDS establishes new sites as part of Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a component of the National Institutes of Health, has established two new sites as part of the Morris K. Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson's Disease Research. The NINDS grants will provide a five-year investment totaling more than $16 million for Emory University in Atlanta and the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in Manhasset, N.Y.

29 Sep 2010

NIAID study utilizes Biojector B2000 system to explore syringe, needle benefits

Bioject Medical Technologies Inc., a leading developer of needle-free injection therapy systems, today announced that its unique Needle-Free Injection Therapy (NFIT) system, the Biojector 2000, is being utilized in a study sponsored by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) which is part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

29 Sep 2010

Rigel earns $25M milestone payment from Astrazeneca for clinical development of fostamatinib

Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has earned $25 million from AstraZeneca for the fulfillment of two major milestones in the agreement the two companies have regarding the clinical development of fostamatinib (R788), a novel oral syk inhibitor. The first milestone is for initiation of the phase 3 clinical program with fostamatinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that was announced by AstraZeneca earlier today.

29 Sep 2010