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Bundling could save health care dollars if snags are overcome

"Bundling payments to hospitals and doctors for episodes of care is gaining momentum in the federal government and in the private sector as a way to increase provider accountability and improve care -- but lingering challenges may deter its application on a broader scale."

5 May 2010

Eight states to receive grants for local health programs

Pregnant women in eight states will receive prenatal services and education from the March of Dimes, thanks to a $313,000 grant from the WellPoint Foundation, Inc., a private, nonprofit organization wholly funded by WellPoint, Inc.

5 May 2010

Vitamin A does not improve maternal, infant health, study finds

Giving women vitamin A supplements does not reduce maternal death rates or improve the health of infants, according to a study published Tuesday in the Lancet, the New York Times reports.

5 May 2010

Calgary doctors research how to minimize complications from Cryptococcus disease

Cryptococcus disease is a rare but serious infection resulting from inhaling a toxic fungus often found in fir trees. Approximately 250 people have been infected with the disease in British Columbia since its emergence in 1999. The disease can cause meningitis, pneumonia and in 10 per cent of cases it can lead to death.

5 May 2010

New study searches for trauma-induced changes in genes of people with PTSD

A study by researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health suggests that traumatic experiences "biologically embed" themselves in select genes, altering their functions and leading to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.

5 May 2010

S*BIO, Onyx Pharmaceuticals expand development, commercialization collaboration for JAK2 Inhibitors

S*BIO Pte Ltd and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced the expansion of their development collaboration and option and license commercialization agreement for S*BIO's novel JAK2 inhibitors, SB1518 and SB1578, also known as ONX 0803 and ONX 0805, respectively. The expanded agreement builds upon the development and commercialization collaboration between the two companies announced in January 2009.

5 May 2010

Animal study shows insulin prevents artery damage

Long suspected of worsening artery damage in patients with diabetes, insulin instead protects blood vessels, a new study by Joslin Diabetes Center scientists indicates.

5 May 2010

States rely on federal funds to buttress Medicaid programs; Worry about the future

Late last year, when Congress' willingness to pass an enormous health care bill still was very much in doubt, states had a more modest goal that should have been easier to achieve. They wanted Congress to pass a 6-month extension of the part of the economic stimulus program that is helping to pay for their Medicaid programs.

5 May 2010

AdvaCAL named official partner of National Osteoporosis Foundation

AdvaCAL® calcium supplements is proud to announce that it has been named as an official partner of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), the nations' leading voluntary health organization dedicated to osteoporosis and bone health. This designation is reserved for companies that provide financial support to NOF, with products judged to be consistent with the NOF mission.

5 May 2010

Results from STEALTH C-3 clinical trial of nitazoxanide presented at DDW 2010

Romark Laboratories announced results from its STEALTH C-3 clinical trial, a phase 2 clinical study of nitazoxanide in treatment-naive patients with genotype 1 chronic hepatitis C. Study results were presented this afternoon as an oral communication at a late breaking forum of the American Gastroenterological Association Institute during Digestive Disease Week 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

5 May 2010

Myriad Genetics authorizes $100M stock repurchase program

Myriad Genetics, Inc. today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of $100 million of the Company's outstanding common stock.

5 May 2010

Increase in spending for AIDS drugs validates price cuts offered to ADAPs

On the heels of a report released by the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) yesterday regarding the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) noted that new data contained in the report validates recent drug company price cuts offered to the program.

5 May 2010

Research analyzes clinical connection of NPH to AD

Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a neurological condition which typically affects adults ages 55 and older. This condition was first described in the 1960s as a triad of gait disturbance, dementia, and bladder incontinence. The ventricles of the brain appear enlarged although the cerebrospinal fluid pressure remains normal.

5 May 2010

Researchers receive NIDDK grant to identify pre-diabetes symptoms

A Biodesign team of researchers, led by Randall Nelson, PhD, has received a new five-year, $3.1 million award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. Their goal is to discover and validate telltale molecular signs to learn how to predict who will develop the disease long before any symptoms of diabetes appear.

5 May 2010

Additional pivotal Phase 3 trial data for MoxDuo IR released

QRxPharma announced today the release of additional pivotal Phase 3 trial data for MoxDuo IR, an immediate-release Dual-Opioid pain therapy. Required for New Drug Application submission with the United States Food and Drug Administration, this "combination rule" study compared the efficacy and safety profiles of MoxDuo IR against component doses of morphine and oxycodone alone for the management of moderate to severe post-operative pain following bunionectomy surgery.

5 May 2010

Health IT Roundup: Many obstacles, much promise

The Boston Globe: There is a lingering "professional resistance to electronic records systems that computerization advocates say threatens the goals of the new health care overhaul law. These advocates argue that using computers to track what care patients receive, for instance, is vital to deciding what medications and treatments work best."

5 May 2010

Kindred Healthcare first-quarter consolidated revenues increase 2% to $1.1 billion

Kindred Healthcare, Inc. today announced its operating results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. All financial and statistical information included in this press release reflects the continuing operations of the Company's businesses for all periods presented unless otherwise indicated.

5 May 2010

WebMD Health reports 20% increase in first-quarter 2010 revenue

WebMD Health Corp., the leading source of health information, today announced financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2010.

5 May 2010

Latest version of Phase Forward CDC released

Phase Forward, a leading provider of data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety, today announced the latest version of the Phase Forward Clinical Development Center, a centralized solution for integrating, managing and analyzing clinical information.

5 May 2010

Most women pay for abortions out of pocket; Okla. and Fla. abortion restrictions in the news

"Most women getting abortions pay for them out of their own pockets, with private insurers picking up the cost for just 12%, according to a new survey" from the Guttmacher Institute. The Journal adds that abortion coverage was "a flash point" in the health reform debate, "with abortion opponents seeking to block plans that include abortions from the new federally mandated insurance exchanges set to launch in 2014."

5 May 2010