Medical News

RSS

Silver nanoparticles effective at killing all kinds of bacteria

Writing in the International Journal of Nanoparticles, Rani Pattabi and colleagues at Mangalore University, explain how blasting silver nitrate solution with an electron beam can generate nanoparticles that are more effective at killing all kinds of bacteria, including gram-negative species that are not harmed by conventional antibacterial agents.

25 May 2010

STOP Obesity Alliance researchers receive $250,000 donation to research on health impact of obesity

The research team of The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services' Department of Health Policy's Strategies to Overcome and Prevent Obesity Alliance received a $250,000 donation from Allergan, Inc. to support public health, policy analysis and research about the economic and health impact of obesity and related chronic diseases.

25 May 2010

FDA issues 510(k) clearance to Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test on 3M Integrated Cycler

Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued 510(k) clearance to the Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test on the 3M Integrated Cycler. The Simplexa test, developed and manufactured by Quest Diagnostics' Focus Diagnostics business, is the first to be cleared by the FDA for use as an aid in the detection and differentiation of influenza A and 2009 H1N1 influenza viral RNA.

25 May 2010

DU receives $17.5M as gift to establish Knoebel Center for the Study of Aging

Betty Knoebel, widow of Denver food services pioneer Ferdinand "Fritz" Knoebel, has given the University of Denver $17.5 million, among the largest gifts in its history. DU will use the gift to establish the Knoebel Center for the Study of Aging and to support the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management in DU's Daniels College of Business.

25 May 2010

Beta-blocker medications provide new hope for patients with COPD: Study

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may have fewer respiratory flare-ups and longer survival if they take beta-blocker medications, according to a report in the May 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

25 May 2010

Florida health care providers offer language services, medical homes

As "the region continues to attract residents from all over the country and the world, local health care providers and educators are searching for ways to better serve them." Some use "cultural toolkits," and have guides to help providers relate to patients' cultural and religious preferences. "'From a business perspective, it makes a lot of sense,' said Bernardo Ramirez, assistant professor of health services administration at the University of Central Florida.

24 May 2010

Abbott's new FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips receive FDA clearance

Abbott today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its new FreeStyle Lite blood glucose test strips. The new FreeStyle Lite test strips minimize interference during blood glucose testing and are designed to offer a better testing experience.

24 May 2010

Baxa announces release of InFuse T-10 Syringe Infuser

Baxa Corporation, a leading provider of medical devices and systems that automate pharmacy operations and increase patient safety, today announced the release of the InFuse T-10 Syringe Infuser. Specifically designed for the delivery of intermittent antibiotics and other non-rate critical intravenous doses, the Baxa InFuse T-10 Syringe Infuser frees up expensive, smart infusion pumps for more critical applications and gives nurses more time to focus on patient care.

24 May 2010

Scientists develop DNA-vaccine that restricts supply of blood to tumours

A DNA-vaccine that restricts the supply of blood to tumours has been developed by scientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet. The vaccine slows the growth of breast cancer tumours in mice.

24 May 2010

Vaso Healthcare, GE Healthcare sign sales representative agreement

Vasomedical, Inc. today announced that its subsidiary, Vaso Diagnostics Inc. d/b/a Vaso Healthcare, has signed a sales representative agreement with GE Healthcare, the healthcare business unit of GE, for the sale of select GE Healthcare Diagnostic Imaging products. Under the Agreement, Vaso Healthcare has been appointed the exclusive representative for these products to specific market segments in the 48 contiguous states of the United States and District of Columbia.

24 May 2010

Research work holds promise for biological substitute for dental implants

A technique pioneered in the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Laboratory of Dr. Jeremy Mao, the Edward V. Zegarelli Professor of Dental Medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, can orchestrate stem cells to migrate to a three-dimensional scaffold infused with growth factor, holding the translational potential to yield an anatomically correct tooth in as soon as nine weeks once implanted.

24 May 2010

Somanetics' Vital Sync bedside monitor system receives FDA clearance

Somanetics Corporation announced today that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand features on its Vital Sync bedside monitor and research data aggregation system. The clearance allows for interface with a broader range of bedside devices, display of derived parameters of calculated clinical indices, and an automated events trigger to alert clinicians when patient parameters fall outside desired thresholds.

24 May 2010

Sinapis Pharma completes Bridge financing to continue support drug development program

Sinapis Pharma, Inc. has successfully completed a Bridge financing to continue to support its drug development program. Sinapis Pharma has discovered and is developing a novel therapeutic approach to neuronal protection using its intravenous methamphetamine technology. The company has strong pre-clinical data in stroke and traumatic brain injury animal models conclusively demonstrating a 12-hour therapeutic window and multiple pathway neuroprotection.

24 May 2010

Repligen's RG2833 granted orphan drug designation for treatment of Friedreich's ataxia

Repligen Corporation announced today that the Office of Orphan Products Development of the Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to RG2833, a selective histone deacetylase 3 inhibitor for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia. Orphan drug designation qualifies Repligen to receive seven years of marketing exclusivity in the United States if the company is the first to obtain marketing approval for RG2833 for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia.

24 May 2010

Hospitals facing new payment squeezes

News outlets report on payment issues for hospitals, including those stemming from the new health law.

24 May 2010

2010 Southeast Michigan Mid-Market Group Benefits Survey released

McGraw Wentworth, Michigan's largest employee group benefit brokerage/consulting firm, today released the results of its 2010 Southeast Michigan Mid-Market Group Benefits Survey. The annual survey, now in its seventh year, tracks health benefits and trends for 2010 among 414 southeast Michigan organizations with 100-10,000 employees.

24 May 2010

FDA clears Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009) test

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced it has cleared the Simplexa Influenza A H1N1 (2009), a test for the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Virus in patients with signs and symptoms of respiratory infection.

24 May 2010

Today's OpEds: Taxing health plans, a health care 'loophole,' NY Times on medical loss ratio

Few Americans know what a "medical loss ratio" is, but a fierce struggle over how to calculate it under the new health care reform law will determine how much insurers must spend on patient care and how much they can retain for administration and profits. This is but one of many battles that will emerge as federal and state regulators develop regulations to implement reform (5/23).

24 May 2010

Dialog Medical becomes newest Affinity Program Partner of AUA

Dialog Medical, the leading provider of informed consent and patient education systems for physician practices and hospitals, today announced that it has become the newest Affinity Program Partner of the American Urological Association.

24 May 2010

BinaxNOW PBP2a test to detect PBP2a in MRSA

AdvanDx today announced that it will offer the BinaxNOW PBP2a test from Inverness Medical Innovations, Inc. (Waltham, MA) to customers in the United States. The test provides rapid detection of the penicillin-binding protein 2a present in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) directly from S. aureus positive blood cultures.

24 May 2010