Medical News

RSS

Governors urge Congress to extend emergency Medicaid funds

At a press conference in Washington Wednesday, "10 governors said they had already cut millions from their budgets since the recession hit at the end of 2007, and that if the funds were not approved in coming weeks they would have to slash funding for services like hospice care or preschool programs," Reuters reports.

2 Jul 2010

Research shows promising targeted therapies for type 2 diabetes patients

Named for the furballs whose astonishing fecundity made them stars in early Star Trek episodes, the tribbles protein, first identified in fruit flies, aids in regulating many cell processes in humans. Joslin Diabetes Center researchers now have identified mechanisms triggered by a variant of the tribbles gene that cause trouble in insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells—and that offer a promising target for therapies for people with type 2 diabetes, even if they don't carry that gene variant.

2 Jul 2010

GSK, Genmab amend ofatumumab agreement

GlaxoSmithKline and Genmab A/S announced today an amendment to the ofatumumab co-development and commercialisation agreement. Under the terms of the amendment, GSK will take responsibility for developing ofatumumab in autoimmune indications whilst continuing to jointly develop ofatumumab with Genmab in oncology indications.

2 Jul 2010

Imbalance in neuroendocrine system linked to depression in MS patients: Study

Now, in the first such study in living humans, researchers at UCLA suggest a cause, and it's not psychological, but physical: atrophy of a specific region of the hippocampus, a critical part of the brain involved in mood and memory, among other functions.

2 Jul 2010

High-risk insurance pools open to people 'locked out' of market

People who have been unable to obtain health insurance in the commercial market because of pre-existing conditions can apply for a new, federally funded high-risk insurance pool beginning Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reports. "The program is the first major plank of the health overhaul signed into law in March, and it's designed as a temporary provision to expand coverage until 2014, when a requirement kicks in that insurers accept all applicants."

2 Jul 2010

USPTO awards Furiex method patent for dapoxetine in treatment of premature ejaculation

Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent on May 18, 2010, for the method for treatment of premature ejaculation using dapoxetine. Furiex developed dapoxetine in collaboration with Alza Corporation and its affiliates. U.S. Patent No. 7,718,705 includes claims directed to dosing dapoxetine on an as-needed basis, capturing the advantage dapoxetine has over other compounds in the same class, which require a pre-loading period for efficacy.

2 Jul 2010

American Abroad Media examines intersection of religion and public health in Africa

American Abroad Media examines how religious groups and leaders are dealing with public health issues in Africa. The program consists of five segments.

2 Jul 2010

Scientists explain mechanism behind acute myeloid leukemia

New research by scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has illuminated in fine detail one of the genetic paths that leads to a particularly aggressive form of leukemia.

2 Jul 2010

United Therapeutics, Lee's Pharmaceutical enter distribution agreement for Remodulin Injection in China

United Therapeutics Corporation and Lee's Pharmaceutical Holdings Ltd. announced today that they have entered into an exclusive agreement for the distribution of Remodulin (treprostinil) Injection in China. Remodulin is a subcutaneously or intravenously administered prostacyclin analogue for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Lee's Pharmaceutical is a leading Chinese pharmaceutical company with both a strong cardiovascular focus and extensive commercialization experience.

2 Jul 2010

Patients receiving TMP-SMX antibiotics are more likely to develop hyperkalemia: Study

Older adults taking the antibiotic combination trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX)—widely prescribed for urinary tract infections—are at increased risk of elevated potassium levels, called hyperkalemia, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).

2 Jul 2010

New York Times: AIDS drug program has growing waiting list

The New York Times: "The weak economy is crippling the government program that provides life-sustaining antiretroviral drugs to people with H.I.V. or AIDS who cannot afford them. Nearly 1,800 have been relegated to rapidly expanding waiting lists that less than three years ago had dwindled to zero. ...

2 Jul 2010

CPMC launches new innovative program to help poor families

For any parent the birth of a new child is a cause for celebration, a magical, unforgettable moment. Now parents who give birth at California Pacific Medical Center will be able to mark that moment, and help families less fortunate than themselves, through a new program called Tiny Treasure Tributes.

2 Jul 2010

DARA BioSciences suspends $10M underwritten public offering

On May 17, 2010, DARA BioSciences, Inc. issued a press release announcing that it had commenced an underwritten public offering of $10 million of units comprised of shares of common stock and warrants. DARA has decided to indefinitely suspend the offering, effective immediately. Several important factors have influenced this decision.

2 Jul 2010

AHF members urge Congress to honor AIDS funding commitment

Five AIDS treatment clients and medical care providers from Uganda are visiting Washington, DC for a series of over 50 meetings this week on Capitol Hill with Senate and Congressional leaders to lobby Congress to honor the US' landmark commitment to PEPFAR (the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), the successful US global AIDS program.

2 Jul 2010

Advanced Analytical opens new sales office, lab in Technologiepark at Heidelberg University

Advanced Analytical, headquartered in Ames, IA, has opened a new sales office and laboratory in Heidelberg Germany. The new facility is located in the Technologiepark on the campus of the Heidelberg University. By opening this office, the company will be able to provide better representation over sales for our suite of products sold as well as provide better support and service for our current and future customer base.

2 Jul 2010

Governors to Congress: Restore extra Medicaid funds

Kaiser Health News staff writer Jenny Gold caught up with Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, after a Washington press conference to discuss the current enhanced federal share of Medicaid funds set to expire at the end of the year and the devastating impact on state budgets that Congress' failure to provide additional federal Medicaid assistance could have (Gold, 6/30).

2 Jul 2010

Advanced Cancer Therapeutics secures $10M in investments

Advanced Cancer Therapeutics (ACT), a for-profit private company dedicated to bringing new anti-cancer therapies to market, today announced that it has secured $10 million in investments from high net-worth individuals and institutions. This round of investment, which closed six months ahead of the company's year-end goal, will provide ACT additional capital to continue its development and commercialization of potentially lifesaving therapeutics for cancer patients.

2 Jul 2010

Medical school association suggests clinical conflict-of-interest policies

The Association of American Medical Colleges has asked academic medical institutions to adopt conflict-of-interest policies for clinical care similar to those they apply to medical research, Modern Healthcare reports.

2 Jul 2010

New asthma therapy shows promise for patients who do not respond to steroid treatments

A new nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory therapy made from a human protein significantly decreases disease signs of asthma in mice, opening the possibility of a new asthma therapy for patients who do not respond to current steroid treatments. Results of this therapy in an animal model were presented at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

2 Jul 2010

Abortion opponents focusing legislative efforts on the fetus

NPR explores a recent flurry of state legislative efforts to restrict abortions and the new strategy by groups opposed to the procedure. "More than a dozen states passed new laws aimed at limiting abortion this year.

2 Jul 2010