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N.J., Tenn. and Florida battling growing Medicaid costs; need for health care for parolees in Calif.

Medicaid costs in many states are expanding deficits while lawmakers and the public struggle to keep up with the growth in health costs.

6 Feb 2010

Sorin Group announces first implant of FDA approved Paradym CRT Model 8750 defibrillator

Sorin Group, a global leader in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, announced today U.S. FDA approval and first implant of its next-generation of cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), Paradym™ CRT Model 8750. Featuring a new, state-of-the-art battery technology, Paradym™ CRT delivers 37 Joules, the highest energy of any implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) currently available.

6 Feb 2010

State policy developments: Iowa seeks to extend birth control coverage; Minn. eyes more health care for poor; Miss. drug settlement

BusinessWeek: "Mississippi will receive $18.5 million from drug maker Eli Lilly and Co. as part of a settlement over claims the company promoted the anti-psychotic Zyprexa for ailments it was not federally approved to treat, Attorney General Jim Hood said Thursday" (Byrd, 2/4).

6 Feb 2010

HHS donates more than $119 million to support health promotion initiatives

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today awarded more than $119 million to states and U.S. territories to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking-the four most important actions for combating chronic diseases and promoting health

6 Feb 2010

FDA's issues guidance on Bayesian statistical methods in medical device clinical trials

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued guidance on Bayesian statistical methods in the design and analysis of medical device clinical trials that could result in less costly and more efficient patient studies.

6 Feb 2010

Ohio hospitals advertise ER wait times on billboards, internet

Akron General Health System, a hospital system in Ohio, "recently began advertising up-to-the-minute wait times for its emergency rooms on billboards throughout town," the Akron Beacon Journal reports.

6 Feb 2010

Weight Watchers International settles legal dispute with Jenny Craig

Weight Watchers International, Inc., the global leader in weight-management services, today announced it has settled its legal dispute with Jenny Craig, Inc. ("Jenny Craig"). Under the terms of the settlement, Jenny Craig has permanently agreed to terminate its advertising campaign, which made false and misleading claims about the success of their program versus the Weight Watchers program.

6 Feb 2010

Local organizations team up to support Haiti's healthcare system

Injured Haitians desperately in need of medical treatment will soon have advanced technology available to the medical professionals providing their care. Through a partnership of Stamford Hospital, FUJIFILM Medical Systems USA (Fujifilm), and AmeriCares, a portable digital x-ray system is being donated to the Haitian relief effort and will be sent to a hospital where currently x-ray capabilities are simply non-existent.

6 Feb 2010

Health bill stall creates uncertainty for drug makers

"With the possible demise of health care legislation, getting back to business as usual may not be the best thing for the nation's drug makers," The New York Times reports. "After all, in return for the prospect of tens of millions of newly insured customers and a large degree of regulatory certainty, the pharmaceutical industry had agreed to pay a relatively small price: $8 billion a year in discounts and fees.

6 Feb 2010

Strativa Pharmaceuticals' Zuplenz NDA: FDA issues complete response letter

Strativa Pharmaceuticals announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a complete response letter regarding the new drug application (NDA) for Zuplenz® (ondansetron) oral soluble film for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with highly- and moderately-emetogenic chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

6 Feb 2010

A program to raise awareness of heart disease

Members of the largest growing women’s organization, the Red Hat Society, kick off the RHS Go Red for Women Program today by trading in their purple dresses for red. The program, which aims to raise awareness of heart disease, the number one cause of death of women in America, encourages Red Hatters from sea to sea to follow the beat and match their hat to their dress.

6 Feb 2010

Stigma and social stereotyping of obesity impacts individuals' beliefs and behaviours

A Monash University-led nationwide study into the health beliefs and behaviours of obese people has found that the more severely obese a person is, the less likely they feel they can reduce their weight.

6 Feb 2010

UCLA Family Commons launches first wellness center in Santa Monica

The first UCLA Family Commons wellness center officially opened its doors yesterday during its grand opening and community open house. Santa Monica residents, city officials and media were all invited to join the festivities as the UCLA Family Commons celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting, guest speakers and entertainment.

6 Feb 2010

Study calls for individualized therapeutic interventions for MS patients

Fewer African Americans than Caucasians develop multiple sclerosis (MS), statistics show, but their disease progresses more rapidly, and they don't respond as well to therapies, a new study by neurology researchers at the University at Buffalo has found.

6 Feb 2010

Obama: 'Take time' on health reform, Democrats haggle on next steps

ABC News: "Summoning the message back that once mobilized his grass-roots campaign, the president spoke tonight in front of the same people - Organizing for America and DNC members - whose poll show some are feeling somewhat discouraged by the first year of the Obama administration. ... The president outlined in broad strokes what he'd like to see happen [on health reform]. 'What I'd like to do is have a meeting where I'm sitting with the Republicans, sitting with the Democrats.

5 Feb 2010

Bipartisan legislation in House, Senate targets violence against women worldwide

Members of the U.S. House and Senate on Thursday introduced the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), a bill that "would make violence against women worldwide a priority of the United States government and an enhanced component of its foreign policy and foreign assistance programmes," Inter Press Service reports (Fromm, 2/4).

5 Feb 2010

Scientists employ new approach to understand metabolic changes of TB bacteria

The complex chain of metabolic events in bacteria that lead to fatal diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) may be better understood using mathematical models, according to an article published in the February issue of Microbiology Today.

5 Feb 2010

CREON effective in improving CFA and CNA in pediatric patients with EPI due to CF

Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Phase IIIb data published in the January issue of Clinical Therapeutics confirm that CREON® (pancrelipase) Delayed-Release Capsules significantly improves a key measure of fat absorption in children aged 7-11 years who have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) due to cystic fibrosis (CF), EPI is a condition resulting from a deficiency in the production and/or secretion of pancreatic enzymes that are necessary to digest nutrients in food.

5 Feb 2010

IPC acquires hospitalist practice of Arizona Medical Services

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has acquired the hospitalist practice of Arizona Medical Services, P.C., d.b.a. Old Pueblo Medical Consultants (Old Pueblo) in Tucson, Arizona.

5 Feb 2010

Congressmen, citing reports of fraud, seek accounting for AIDS funding

"Two Republican congressmen who help oversee billions of dollars for people with AIDS are asking the federal government for an accounting of fraud and mismanagement complaints leveled against AIDS programs nationwide," The Washington Post reports.

5 Feb 2010