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Study reports uneven decline of colorectal cancer mortality rate

Black patients die from colorectal cancer at much higher rates than whites do and new research points to unequal health care as the cause. While deaths from colorectal cancer have declined over the past 40 years, the declines have been uneven, said lead author Samir Soneji, Ph.D., of the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars Program at the University of Pennsylvania.

20 Aug 2010

Fenwal's new software release for Autopheresis-C system receives FDA 510(k) clearance

Fenwal, Inc., a global medical technology company focused on improving blood collection, separation, safety and availability, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fenwal 510(k) clearance to market a new software release for its Autopheresis-C® system. Blood and plasma centers worldwide use the Autopheresis-C system to collect plasma from donors.

20 Aug 2010

MicroAire acquires Endotine fixation systems for facial aesthetic surgery

MicroAire Surgical Instruments is pleased to announce the acquisition of Endotine® bioabsorbable, multi-point, soft-tissue fixation systems for facial aesthetic surgery.

20 Aug 2010

FDA grants Acceleron's ACE-031 orphan designation for treatment of DMD

Acceleron Pharma, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that modulate the growth of cells and tissues including muscle, bone, fat, red blood cells and the vasculature, today announced the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted orphan designation for ACE-031 for the treatment of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a fatal neuromuscular disease in which patients experience a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength. ACE-031 is an investigational protein therapeutic being developed to increase muscle mass and strength.

20 Aug 2010

Metagenics announces acquisition of Catalina Lifesciences

Metagenics, Inc., a San Clemente, California-based life sciences company, today announced its acquisition of Catalina Lifesciences, Inc., the Irvine, California-based maker of Bariatric Advantage.

20 Aug 2010

KHN column: For cost control, vouchers and Medicare don't mix

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, Austin Frakt writes: "With the ambition of reducing the federal debt, Congressman Paul Ryan has offered a proposal to convert Medicare to a voucher-based program.

20 Aug 2010

Trius Therapeutics second quarter 2010 revenue increases to $2.1 million

Trius Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative antibiotics for serious, life-threatening infections, announced today its financial results for the three months ended June 30, 2010.

20 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions: Vouchers and Medicare; The shortage of doctors; Eliminating health system's disparities; Protecting cancer patients

With the ambition of reducing the federal debt, Congressman Paul Ryan has offered a proposal to convert Medicare to a voucher-based program. … Though rarely described this way, the private Medicare Advantage plans are a (voluntary) voucher system (Austin Frakt, 8/19).

20 Aug 2010

First Edition: August 19, 2010

In the news today, modest premium increases are ahead for Medicare drug plans while a survey finds that big employers expect health cost hikes in 2011.

20 Aug 2010

Donor kidneys from deceased as good as those from brain-dead: Study

According to a new study from the UK, transplanted kidneys from patients whose hearts have stopped perform just as well as those from patients who are brain-dead but still alive. The former have been earlier considered to be weaker since the heart had stopped pumping blood into them before transplant. The study was published online by the The Lancet.

20 Aug 2010

New ways to tackle diabetes

According to a new analysis from UK, a diet rich in green leafy vegetables may reduce the risk of developing diabetes. The inference was drawn from six studies which looked into fruit and vegetable intake and found that only food including spinach and cabbage was found to have a significant positive effect. The findings were published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

19 Aug 2010

New avenues for stem cell research

According to researchers at the University of NSW a new way has been found to generate stem cells from human skin - known as induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. A paper outlining the breakthrough was published this week in the US-based international online journal PLoS One.

19 Aug 2010

Neovasc revenue increases 60% for second quarter 2010

Neovasc Inc., today announced financial results for the three and six months ended June 30, 2010. "In this most recent quarter Neovasc continued to demonstrate robust year-over-year revenue growth from sales of our biological tissue and consulting services businesses," said Alexei Marko, chief executive officer of Neovasc.

19 Aug 2010

Scientists suggest combination vaccine prevents pertussis

If you think you shouldn't be worried about your child's—or your—lingering, nagging cough, think again. Pertussis has reemerged on the scene. In what some public health officials are calling the worst outbreak in 50 years, pertussis, better known by its unique sound—whooping cough, has been found in six states with 1,500 cases reported, six of them fatal.

19 Aug 2010

Psychological scientist examines concept of identity fusion

People who are "fused" with a group-a bond even stronger than group identification-will take extreme actions to protect other group members, but not outsiders, conclude researchers in a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. This intense bond to a group may help explain the actions of suicide bombers.

19 Aug 2010

Stars line-up for Stand Up To Cancer's translational research initiative

An extraordinary line-up of actors, musicians, athletes and journalists have banded together for Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), the groundbreaking initiative aimed at raising funds to accelerate innovative cancer research bringing new therapies to patients quickly that will saves lives now.

19 Aug 2010

The George Washington University Professor to comment on water-borne diseases

Dr. Peter Hotez from The George Washington University is available to comment on the risk of water-borne diseases as a result of the recent flooding in Pakistan.

19 Aug 2010

E Cigarettes National announces improved atomizer design

E Cigarettes National has an e cigarette, also referred to as smokeless cigarettes, that has a different design on their atomizers that has pushed their electronic cigarette starter kit to the top of the chain in the rapidly growing e cigarette market.

19 Aug 2010

Novartis sales representatives increase calls to healthcare providers by 7%: SDI report

In the first 6 months of 2010, according to SDI, calls made by Novartis sales representatives to physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants increased 7% compared with the last 6 months of 2009.

19 Aug 2010

Elsevier, ASRT partner to provide CT modules through Mosby's Imaging Suite for technologists' education

Elsevier, the world's leading publisher of scientific, technical, and medical information products and services, today announced an exclusive partnership with The American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) to provide a complete series of computed tomography modules through Mosby's Imaging Suite for technologists' continuing education. This partnership will provide technologists access to the highest quality continuing education, and will give hospital management the best tools to ensure patient safety.

19 Aug 2010