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Researchers reveal Prozac reactions to increase serotonin level

The response time to antidepressants, such as Prozac, is around three weeks. The adaptation mechanisms of the neurons to antidepressants has, until now, remained enigmatic. In particular, the researchers have revealed, for the first time, a sequence of reactions caused by Prozac at the neuron level, which contributes to an increase in the amounts of serotonin, a chemical "messenger" essential to the brain, and deficient in depressive individuals.

17 Sep 2010

Democratic candidates spend more on ads against than for health reform

Politico: Democratic candidates are spending three times more — nearly $1 million — in advertising against health reform than for it. "Since the beginning of Congress's August recess, Democratic candidates have poured $930,000 into ads deriding the health overhaul but just $300,000 in pro-reform spots, according to Evan Tracey at Kantar Media."

17 Sep 2010

Scientists discover new drug target to improve radiation effectiveness for treating cancer

Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered a new drug target that could improve the effectiveness of radiation for hard-to-treat cancers.

17 Sep 2010

Study finds no link between asthma and tooth decay

There is no apparent link between asthma and tooth decay, according to a study published in the September 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

17 Sep 2010

Diclectin's effectiveness for morning sickness: Report

In the latest issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a group of American and Canadian researchers report on the effectiveness of Diclectin(R) (the delayed-release formulation of doxylamine and vitamin B6) for morning sickness.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers suggest DASH-style diet reduces kidney stone formation

Certain key ingredients of a diet designed to prevent high blood pressure can ward off kidney stones, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The results suggest how low-fat dairy products and/or plants may have potent kidney stone-fighting properties.

17 Sep 2010

Generex presents Ii-Key hybrids product development at Gene based Vaccines conference

Generex Biotechnology Corporation today announced presentations in respect of the technologies and development products of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Antigen Express, Inc. The presentations were made at the conference Gene based Vaccines: Optimizing Development and Delivery 2010 held September 13 and 14, 2010 in Vienna, Austria and at the Immunotherapeutics and Vaccine Summit held in Cambridge, MA from August 17-19, 2010.

17 Sep 2010

New anti-pathogenic drugs render MRSA harmless without killing bacteria

Menachem Shoham, PhD, associate professor and researcher in the department of biochemistry at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, has identified new anti-pathogenic drugs that, without killing the bacteria, render Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) harmless by preventing the production of toxins that cause disease.

17 Sep 2010

Waxman says controversial Medicare bidding program for medical equipment should proceed

CQ HealthBeat: "House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry A. Waxman said Wednesday that a controversial Medicare bidding program that would cut the costs of medical equipment such as wheelchairs and oxygen supplies should go forward under tight scrutiny. Waxman said ... he takes seriously the concerns of suppliers and some patients' groups that service and access to supplies could be undermined by the money-saving program, but said there is no evidence so far of that happening based on limited early tests of the approach."

17 Sep 2010

ResMed's new CPAP device increases patients' compliance with sleep therapy

ResMed, a leading developer, manufacturer, and distributor of sleep and respiratory medical equipment today announced the results of a clinical study confirming that patients' compliance with sleep therapy increases when using ResMed's new CPAP device.

From ResMed Corp 17 Sep 2010

Contracting & Outsourcing 2010 Conference to feature presentations of pharma, biopharma outsourcing

On Sept. 23 and 24, the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick, N.J. will host Contracting & Outsourcing 2010, the 9th annual Conference and Tabletop Exhibition held by Contract Pharma Magazine. This year's Conference will feature a keynote presentation by Mac Lynch, Vice President, Contract Manufacturing at Pfizer, covering Global Pharma Outsourcing Trends. Other speakers and panelists represent FDA, Johnson & Johnson, Roche/Genentech, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline and more.

17 Sep 2010

Defensive medicine costs U.S. healthcare system $45 billion

Lisa Maas, executive director of Californians Allied for Patient Protection (CAPP), issued the following statement in response to a recent study published in the 2010 issue of Health Affairs which found that costs related to medical liability account for more than $55 billion a year or 2.4% of the total costs to the U.S. healthcare system. According to the study, approximately 80%, or $45 billion of these costs are the result of defensive medicine, procedures performed to avoid unnecessary litigation.

17 Sep 2010

Study suggests familial, contextual factors affect girls' pubertal timing

Girls in homes without a biological father are more likely to hit puberty at an earlier age, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health.

17 Sep 2010

Rural hospitals in Minnesota contribute to insurance premiums for poor patients

News outlets report on rural hospitals in Minnesota, a new insurer contract for a Florida hospital and possible restrictions on a pending for-profit hospital system in Massachusetts.

17 Sep 2010

Fat-derived stem cells can aid breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Fat-derived stem cells can be safely used to aid reconstruction of breast tissue after mastectomy as long as there is no evidence of active cancer, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

17 Sep 2010

Aetna extends contract with University of Pennsylvania Health System

Aetna announced today that it has signed a five-year contract extension with the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS), assuring continued in-network access for its members in the Philadelphia area.

17 Sep 2010

Survey reveals 72% of people over age of 65 do not feel old

There is a sharp contrast between people's positive attitudes towards growing old and their preparedness according to the results of a new international survey, Bupa Health Pulse 2010, published today by Bupa Health Dialog.

17 Sep 2010

Researchers discover chronic stress accelerates breast cancer progression

Chronic stress acts as a sort of fertilizer that feeds breast cancer progression, significantly accelerating the spread of disease in animal models, researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have found.

17 Sep 2010

Seattle uses global lessons to help local poor with health care

The Seattle Times: "Seattle is known for taking its health expertise to the developing world. Now some fruits of that work are coming back to address health issues locally.

17 Sep 2010

Scripps Research Institute receives grant to develop DNA sequencing technology

Scripps Research Institute Professor Reza Ghadiri, Ph.D., has been awarded a four-year, $5.1 million grant as part of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) initiative to spur the development of the next generation of DNA sequencing technologies, which could enable biomedical researchers and health care workers to routinely sequence a person's DNA.

17 Sep 2010