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Miami Herald reports on Haiti aid 'frustrations'

"A simmering dispute with the World Bank and reconstruction leaders is threatening the pace of rebuilding efforts in Haiti," reports the Miami Herald. The paper reports that nearly seven months after the country's devastating earthquake, "only 18 percent" of the $5.3 billion pledged by international donors "has been disbursed."

6 Aug 2010

Scientists identify genetic variant that increases risk of schizophrenia

A group of scientists has identified a genetic variant that substantially increases the risk for developing schizophrenia in Ashkenazi Jewish and other populations. The study, published by Cell Press on August 5th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, associates a deletion on chromosome 3 with increased incidence of schizophrenia.

6 Aug 2010

Vesicular stomatitis virus kills tumour, stimulates immune response against cancer: Research

Cancer Research UK scientists have used the immune system coupled with a virus found in horses and cattle, to hunt and purge cancer cells through the lymphatic system, a study reveals in Nature Medicine.Studying mice, the researchers found that the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), carried by a type of white blood cell called T cells acted as a 'cancer hunter', tracking down tumour cells in the lymph nodes, liver and spleen, and killed them, leaving normal healthy cells unharmed. At the same time, VSV also helped to trigger an immune response against the tumour, significantly improving the anti-cancer effect.

6 Aug 2010

Impax Laboratories to collaborate with Perrigo to develop, commercialize two extended topical products

Impax Laboratories, Inc. today announced that it will collaborate with Perrigo Company with respect to the development and commercialization of two extended topical drug products. The products and terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

6 Aug 2010

House to return after Senate approves extension of enhanced Medicaid funds

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will bring the House back from its recess next week to vote on an extension of enhanced state Medicaid funds the Senate is poised to approve as soon as Thursday afternoon, Politico reports.

6 Aug 2010

Researchers identify gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury

Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and elsewhere have succeeded in identifying for the first time a gene associated with susceptibility to chronic pain caused by nerve injury in humans, signaling a significant step toward better understanding and treating of the condition.

6 Aug 2010

Akonni Biosystems receives patent for TruTip Extraction Kits

Akonni Biosystems, a developer of low-cost, multiplex molecular diagnostic testing systems, today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent on July 20, 2010 for its method for rapidly purifying nucleic acids. U.S. Patent No. 7,759,112 entitled, "Apparatus, system, and method for purifying nucleic acids" protects the Company's use of its pioneering nucleic acid binding matrix when inserted into a pipette tip, tubing or cartridge for nucleic acid purification. The patent is owned by Akonni Biosystems.

6 Aug 2010

Split-dosage method effective for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy: Study

A new study from researchers in Italy has found that a split-dosage schedule of bowel (colon) preparation is the most effective method for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy. Colonoscopies performed within six to eight hours of the end of preparation were associated with significantly better cleansing than those performed more than eight hours after the end of preparation. Two different types of bowel cleansing products were also assessed and researchers found that low-volume polyethylene glycol (PEG) plus ascorbic acid was as effective as high-volume PEG-electrolyte solution, but has superior palatability (or taste). This is the first study to demonstrate that the advantage of split-dosage intake is also true for low-volume bowel cleansing solutions.

6 Aug 2010

Scientists find new way to make beating heart cells from body's own cells

Scientists at the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease have found a new way to make beating heart cells from the body's own cells that could help regenerate damaged hearts. Over 5 million Americans suffer from heart failure because the heart has virtually no ability to repair itself after a heart attack.

6 Aug 2010

Scientists find molecular cocktail to transform non-muscle cells into cardiac muscle

In heart disease, cardiac muscle gradually dies off and, with little or no way to regenerate those cells, that can ultimately lead the heart to fail. But scientists reporting in the August 6th issue of Cell, a Cell Press publication, might have found a way to fix those losses. They've devised a three-ingredient molecular cocktail that transforms fibroblasts - structural cells that the heart is chock full of - directly into beating heart cells.

6 Aug 2010

EMRs bring new risks as national push ramps up

Two electronic medical record snafus in two weeks at a Midwestern hospital chain are raising questions about the safety of such health IT systems, The Huffington Post Investigative Fund reports.

6 Aug 2010

Study: Drug control efforts have caused a drop in methamphetamine treatment admissions in Mexico

A study published today in the scientific journal Addiction shows that the Mexican government's recent efforts to control the manufacture of methamphetamine have caused a drop in methamphetamine treatment admissions in Mexico and in neighbouring Texas.

6 Aug 2010

NAEDI aims to correct survival gap in cancer diagnosis

Cancer Research UK today reveals that as many as 11,000 deaths from cancer could be prevented annually if Great Britain raised its survival figures to match those of the best performing countries in Europe.Cancer Research UK and national cancer director, Professor Mike Richards, believe that the most important reasons for the survival gap include poor awareness of the symptoms of cancer, late presentation to a GP and, late onward referral to hospital.

6 Aug 2010

Free clinic in D.C. draws more than 1,000 patients

With a wounded economy and high unemployment, more than 1,000 people came to a one-day free health clinic in the nation's capital Wednesday to get the basic care they can't afford or are otherwise denied because they have no insurance. More than three-quarters of those attending don't have insurance because they are recently unemployed, work for small businesses, earn hourly wages, or must work multiple part-time jobs with no insurance, said the event's medical director Dr. Bobby Kapur.

6 Aug 2010

Cobalis, BESPHarma partner to launch national distribution program for PreHistin Allergy Defense Formula

Cobalis Corp. announced today that it has entered into a 5-year distribution partnership agreement with Florida-based BESPHarma, LLC to launch a national distribution program wherein physicians and healthcare providers can offer their patients PreHistin Allergy Defense Formula directly in their offices.

6 Aug 2010

Agendia inaugurates new clinical genomics laboratory

Agendia, a world leader in molecular cancer diagnostics, today announced the inauguration of a new state-of-the-art clinical genomics laboratory in Irvine, CA. Previously, Agendia's offices and laboratory were located in Huntington Beach, CA. The new laboratory will further increase capacity to support Agendia's strong commercial expansion in the U.S. market, as well as the use of multiple Agendia tests in clinical research. MammaPrint, the company's lead product and the only FDA-cleared breast cancer recurrence test, is reimbursed by an increasing number of payers, covering some 100 million lives today.

6 Aug 2010

Accellent net sales increase 2.6% to $127.1M in second-quarter 2010

Accellent Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Accellent Holdings Corp., today announced results for its fiscal second quarter ended June 30, 2010.

6 Aug 2010

WaferGen launches SmartChip System for discovery, validation of biomarkers

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc., a leading developer of state-of-the-art genomic analysis systems, today announced it has launched the breakthrough WaferGen SmartChip Real-Time PCR System, the next-generation Real-Time PCR system for discovery and validation of biomarkers, or gene expression patterns, on a single platform. The SmartChip System is designed to provide accurate, highly sensitive and high-throughput gene expression profiling capabilities to researchers, clinicians and pharmaceutical companies.

6 Aug 2010

Medicare solvency still troubled, despite new health law

The annual trustees report on Medicare and Social Security found that the programs are "facing strains from an aging population and an economy that can't seem to get out of low gear," The Associated Press reports.

6 Aug 2010

Research on human disease origins to predict, prevent next outbreak

Most infectious diseases infect multiple host species, but to date, efforts to quantify the frequency and outcome of cross-species transmission (CST) of these diseases have been severely limited.This lack of information represents a major gap in knowledge of how diseases emerge, and from which species they will emerge.A paper published this week in the journal Science by a team of researchers led by Daniel Streicker of the University of Georgia has begun to close that gap.

6 Aug 2010