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Political parties try to shape public opinion on health care

Politico: "Senate Democrats may not give final approval to their health care bill until Christmas Eve, but the parties have already moved on to the next fight: defining the measure in the minds of the public."

22 Dec 2009

Declining use of Advair for COPD, Spiriva patient share increasing

Decision Resources, one of the world's leading research and advisory firms focusing on pharmaceutical and healthcare issues, finds that since the 2008 retrospective analysis of patient-level claims data, Boehringer Ingelheim/Pfizer's Spiriva has closed the gap in patient share between itself and GlaxoSmithKline's Advair in newly diagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Although Advair's patient share in the first line is still greater than Spiriva's, Spiriva has surpassed Advair in the second line and will continue to overcome and widen the gap between itself and Advair over the next two years.

22 Dec 2009

Republicans blast Senate deal-making; contemplate delays

Republicans continue to critique the deal-making process to win over Senate votes for the health care overhaul.

22 Dec 2009

Newly identified targets in treating inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract

Digestive-disease-associated mortality accounts for a major part of all deaths in Western societies and inflammatory diseases such as GI infections, viral hepatitis, GERD or cancers due to chronic inflammation have a tangible economic and social impact.

22 Dec 2009

Big hospitals amass cash, criticism

Chicago Tribune: "If you listen to hospital lobbyists in Washington, the industry teeters on the brink of financial ruin, depending on how health care reform plays out. But the rhetoric does not match the balance sheets of some of Chicago's largest hospital operators.

22 Dec 2009

GI Dynamics' EndoBarrier non-surgical type 2 diabetes therapy receives European CE mark approval

GI Dynamics, a leader in non-surgical, endoscopic treatments for type 2 diabetes and obesity, today announced that it has received European CE mark approval for the EndoBarrier™, a non-surgical therapy to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. The CE marking (an acronym for the French "Conformite Europeenne") certifies that a product has met EU requirements for marketing in Europe. Clinical trials involving more than 270 patients have demonstrated the significant weight loss and diabetes improvement achieved with the EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner.

22 Dec 2009

AMA backs latest Senate bill

Senate Democrats were bolstered Monday by the endorsement of the American Medical Association as they push for a final vote this week on their health overhaul legislation, Bloomberg reports. "The bill advances many of our priority issues for achieving the vision of a health system that works for patients and physicians," the AMA's president-elect, Dr. Cecil Wilson, said in endorsing the most recent version of the Senate bill, proposed over the weekend by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. (Salant and Donmoyer, 12/22).

22 Dec 2009

Four Latin American cancer patients receive treatment using RapidArc radiotherapy technology

Four cancer patients became the first in Latin America to receive treatment using a fast form of image-guided radiotherapy that potentially enables doctors to improve outcomes while extending modern care to more patients. Doctors at Hope International Centro de Radioterapia of Guatemala are now treating four patients using RapidArc® radiotherapy technology from Varian Medical Systems, one with recurring prostate cancer, one with a nasal cavity tumor, one with rectal cancer, and one with recurring glioblastoma multiforme--an aggressive type of brain tumor.

22 Dec 2009

Arena Pharmaceuticals submits lorcaserin NDA to the FDA

Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for lorcaserin, Arena's internally discovered and developed drug candidate for weight management, including weight loss and maintenance of weight loss. The submission is based on an extensive data package from lorcaserin's clinical development program that includes 18 clinical trials totaling 8,576 patients.

22 Dec 2009

AdvanDx receives FDA clearance for its 90 minutes PNA FISH protocol

AdvanDx today announced that it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for a fast, 90 minutes protocol for its E. coli/P. aeruginosa PNA FISH® and EK/P. aeruginosa PNA FISH® tests. The faster protocol reduces the PNA FISH turn-around time from the original 2.5 hours to 90 minutes by reducing PNA probe hybridization from 90 minutes to 30 minutes.

22 Dec 2009

Matrix Laboratories receives FDA tentative approval for Efavirenz NDA under PEPFAR

Mylan Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Matrix Laboratories Limited has received tentative approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for its New Drug Application (NDA) for Efavirenz Tablets, 50 mg, 100 mg and 200 mg. These innovative pediatric dosages in tablet form were developed by Matrix for use in treating pediatric HIV/AIDS.

22 Dec 2009

Chordoma surgery through the nose

A remarkable brain surgery at Saint John’s Health Center has restored vision to a seriously ill young woman from Spain—and the entire operation was performed through her nose without an incision.

22 Dec 2009

Alternative technique for lumbar fusion with autologous bone plugs

The method presented in this book is a minimally invasive operative technique that applies autologous bone plugs with unilateral oblique posterior intervertebral body fusion instead of foreign body fixation. It is a revolutionary technique for a lumbar fusion operation that uses material from the individual patient and therefore has no risk of rejection.

22 Dec 2009

Dogs for the Disabled honours its puppy socialising volunteers

Dogs for the Disabled paid tribute to its puppy socialising volunteers this week, telling the dedicated helpers that they have made such an outstanding contribution to the charity’s work that they could do with another fifty volunteers just like them.

22 Dec 2009

OSI Pharmaceuticals provides update to ODAC meeting

OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today provided an update to the preliminary revenue and adjusted earnings per share growth rate guidance provided to investors at the Company’s recent analyst R&D day meeting on December 3, 2009. The Company now believes that the 2010 overall revenue percentage growth rate will be in the mid-teens and re-affirms that adjusted earnings per share will grow at 10% or more.

22 Dec 2009

PGxHealth, DHZ announce collaboration in genetic variant study with response to clopidogrel

PGxHealth, a division of Clinical Data, Inc., today announced that it has established a research collaboration with Deutsches Herzzentrum (DHZ), Munich, Germany, to evaluate the predictive value of genetic markers, including PGxHealth proprietary markers, for response to clopidogrel (Plavix®).

22 Dec 2009

Humana's video game technology initiative to inspire healthy behavior

Have you ever wanted to learn how to dance like a star? The winning entry in Humana’s InsertCoin game idea competition could have you showing off some fancy new dance moves. Humana Inc. announced today its Games for Health team has selected the winners of this unique competition. First, second and third place winners will each receive a cash prize and the chance to have their idea prototyped or commercialized. Humana Games for Health sponsored the competition as a way to generate new and differentiating active video game concepts to positively impact the health of kids, families and seniors.

22 Dec 2009

Cancer Research UK and Electronic Arts team up to encourage donations for charity shops

Cancer Research UK and Electronic Arts Ltd, the leading interactive entertainment software company, have teamed up to encourage people to donate unwanted items to the charity's shops.

22 Dec 2009

EquityNet Research begins independent coverage on Huifeng Bio-Pharmaceutical Technology

Huifeng Bio-Pharmaceutical Technology, Inc., a leading developer and producer of plant extracts and pharmaceutical raw materials for use in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food production, today reported that after preliminary due diligence, including review of the company's market potential and development opportunities, EquityNet Research is initiating coverage of the company as an independent analyst.

22 Dec 2009

Star of Hope Mission receives $100,000 Houston Benefits grant from Humana

Just in time for Christmas, and as a result of a $100,000 Houston Benefits grant from Humana Inc. earlier this year, Star of Hope Mission is unveiling a new teen room complete with a lounge area, a big screen television, Nintendo Wii, computer station, study area and a bookshelf full of games. Located in the Mission’s Transitional Living Center, the “Stars of 2morrow Teen Room” will be open daily. The grant also provided for two vans to shuttle the more than 30 members of the teen program to and from numerous other activities.

22 Dec 2009