Medical News

RSS

New drug application for ulipristal acetate as emergency contraceptive misleading, says Family Research Council

Tomorrow, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a hearing to consider approval of a new drug application for an abortifacient drug, ulipristal acetate, as an emergency contraceptive, or a new "Plan B."

17 Jun 2010

State round-up: Calif. orders review of insurers' planned rate hikes; S.D. targets young smokers

"California health insurance regulators have ordered independent reviews of rate hikes being sought by four of the state's largest insurers, a move that could lead to smaller increases for consumers. The action comes after an outside analysis found significant errors in a recent rate filing by Anthem Blue Cross, leading it to cancel increases of as much as 39% for hundreds of thousands of policyholders. , to be announced Wednesday by The California Department of Insurance's findings are to be announced Wednesday" (Helfand, 6/16).

17 Jun 2010

Seniorlink announces approval of Caregiver Homes

Seniorlink, Inc. has announced the approval of its Caregiver Homes subsidiary as a Shared Living Services provider for the state of Rhode Island Department of Human Services. In the Caregiver Homes' model, the client lives in the home of a paid caregiver who is supported by a clinical care team to provide 24-hour care and supervision for an elder or disabled adult.

17 Jun 2010

Scientists identify symptoms associated with late-onset hypogonadism

Scientists have for the first time identified the symptoms associated with what has been termed late-onset hypogonadism or 'male menopause' caused by a reduction in testosterone production in ageing men.

17 Jun 2010

States push for additional Medicaid funding with budget cuts on the horizon

Inside Health Policy reports that Democrats and hospital groups are pushing hard for the Senate to increase Medicaid payments as part of the "tax extenders" bill. "Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) told a crowd of hospital stakeholders that the enhanced Medicaid funding, which failed to make its way into health reform, is by no means a lock, despite the pleas of even some Republican governors for its passage."

17 Jun 2010

Gamma-Dynacare to implement SQI's SQiDworks diagnostics platform

SQI Diagnostics Inc., a medical systems company focused on evolving laboratory-based biomarker testing, today announced that Gamma-Dynacare Medical Laboratories, one of Canada's largest providers of laboratory services, has agreed to put into operation SQI's SQiDworks(TM) platform, and to purchase SQI's multiplexed IgXplex(TM) Rheumatoid Arthritis consumables to meet its commercial needs.

17 Jun 2010

PVAHCS receives 2010 Silver Anvil Award from PRSA

Led by the Phoenix VA Health Care System, the VA Veterans Day Parade in Phoenix received the prestigious Silver Anvil Award from the Public Relations Society of America. The Silver Anvil, which recognizes outstanding achievement in strategic public relations planning and implementation, was presented during the Silver Anvil Awards Ceremony held June 3 in New York City.

17 Jun 2010

Curis reports topline results from GDC-0449 Phase II clinical trial for metastatic colorectal cancer

Curis, Inc., a drug development company seeking to develop next generation targeted small molecule drug candidates for cancer treatment, today announced topline results from a Phase II clinical trial conducted by Roche and Genentech, Curis' collaborator and a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, of GDC-0449, a first-in-class Hedgehog pathway inhibitor. GDC-0449 was tested in combination with Avastin® (bevacizumab) and FOLFOX or FOLFIRI chemotherapy in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer patients.

17 Jun 2010

Senate rejects plan to extend jobless aid, avert looming Medicare cuts

Every Senate Republican and 12 Democrats rejected a White House-backed proposal to extend jobless programs and state aid created in last year's economic stimulus bill in a 52-45 vote Wednesday. Because the "test vote" on the extension plan failed, "Democrats seeking to reduce the measure's deficit impact are looking at rolling back last year's $25 a week increase in unemployment checks and giving doctors just a short reprieve from scheduled cuts in their Medicare payments" (6/16).

17 Jun 2010

Scientists receive over $3M to launch training and mentorship programs for promising young researchers

Scientists from the Universit- de Montr-al and its affiliated engineering school, -cole Polytechnique, have received major funding from the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. Over $3 million was awarded to enable both institutions to launch training and mentorship programs for promising young researchers.

17 Jun 2010

Smokeless tobacco affects normal function of CYP-450 family of enzymes: Report

Far from having adverse effects limited to the mouth, smokeless tobacco affects the normal function of a key family of enzymes found in almost every organ in the body, according to the first report on the topic in ACS' monthly journal Chemical Research in Toxicology. The enzymes play important roles in production of hormones, including the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone; production of cholesterol and vitamin D; and help the body breakdown prescription drugs and potentially toxic substances.

17 Jun 2010

Young canvassers part of nationwide health care drive

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, working in collaboration with USA Today, writes: "On a cool weekday afternoon, a small group of young adults gathers outside Covenant House, a homeless shelter where some of them live or go to school.

17 Jun 2010

Research findings could lead to less invasive treatments for ALL

A team of researchers from the Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer of the Universit- de Montr-al have defined for the first time the mechanism behind three cancer-causing genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Published in the journal Genes and Development, the findings offer insight on the complex interaction between the genes and their contributions to leukemia, thereby providing the foundation for the design of targeted therapies.

17 Jun 2010

DURECT reports European POSIDUR Phase IIb hysterectomy clinical trial results

DURECT Corporation announced today results from a European Phase IIb hysterectomy clinical trial conducted by Nycomed of POSIDUR™ (also known as SABER™-bupivacaine or Optesia™ in the E.U.), a proprietary product under development for the treatment of post-surgical pain.

17 Jun 2010

Renewed threat of Medicare pay cuts leaves doctors with 'sense of fatigue'

Doctors across the country find themselves - once again - putting their Medicare claims on hold while they wait for Congress to take action.

17 Jun 2010

LCA commends Senator John Kerry for backing Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act

Today, Lung Cancer Alliance commended Senator John Kerry (D-MA) for backing the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act, S.332. This is the first ever authorizing legislation that establishes a multi-agency, comprehensive program targeted at lung cancer.

17 Jun 2010

UF doctors administer newly available therapy for late-onset Pompe disease

The first commercially available treatment in the United States for patients with late-onset Pompe disease was administered today (Wednesday, June 16) at the University of Florida.

17 Jun 2010

U.S. Department of Labor announces over $14.7M in health care career grants

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $14.7 million in health care career grants authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The four grantees are the American Association of Community Colleges, Goodwill Industries International, the International Association of Jewish Vocational Services and SER-Jobs for Progress National Inc.

17 Jun 2010

IRX Therapeutics raises $8M to further develop pipeline of cancer vaccine candidates

IRX Therapeutics, a developer of novel immunomodulators to treat cancer and viral diseases, today announced that it has raised $8 million through a note offering to existing shareholders. The new funding will be used to further develop its pipeline of cancer vaccine candidates, including its lead product, IRX-2. IRX Therapeutics has now raised a total of more than $80 million in private financing.

17 Jun 2010