Medical News

RSS

WHO publishes comprehensive report on H1N1

"A year after the H1N1 [swine] flu first appeared, the World Health Organization has issued perhaps the most comprehensive report on the pandemic's activity to date," HealthDay News/Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports (Gardner, 5/5).

7 May 2010

IASIS Healthcare second-quarter net revenue up 7.9% to $624.5 million

IASIS Healthcare® LLC today announced financial and operating results for the fiscal second quarter and six months ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

FDA approves new oral contraceptive Natazia

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Natazia, a combination hormonal tablet for use as an oral contraceptive.

7 May 2010

Massachusetts Attorney General pledges hearings into proposed Catholic Hospitals sale

The Associated Press/Boston Herald: Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is pledging to hold public hearings on a proposed sale of a chain of Catholic Hospitals there to a private equity firm. "Coakley said Caritas Christi Health System today filed a formal notice of the proposed transfer of the system to Steward Health Care System LLC, an affiliate of New York-based Cerberus Capital Management."

7 May 2010

Bioengineers define relationship between key regulatory proteins

With thousands of scientists across the globe searching for ways to use adult stem cells to fight disease, there's a growing emphasis on finding the "master regulators" that guide the differentiation of stem cells. New research from Rice University and the University of Cambridge suggests that a closely connected trio of regulatory proteins fulfills that role in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), the self-renewing cells the body uses to make new blood cells.

7 May 2010

Doctors seeing patients in groups

The Denver Post: "Jeff Wilson saw a doctor recently about his high cholesterol — and five other patients with the same problem came to his appointment. It was a 'group visit,' a growing trend in health care that allows doctors to reach more patients and patients to get more face time with their physician, even if they have to share it."

7 May 2010

Oramed reports Phase 2b non-FDA clinical trial results of ORMD-0801 oral insulin capsule

Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc., a developer of alternative drug delivery systems, reported today results for the recently completed Phase 2b non-FDA clinical trial of its flagship oral insulin capsule, ORMD-0801.

7 May 2010

Vitamin A supplements shown not to reduce maternal mortality

A new trial undertaken in Ghana has shown that vitamin A supplements do not reduce maternal mortality-contradicting previous findings from a trial in Nepal which showed a 44% decrease.

6 May 2010

Darwin may have lost his own children due to ill effects of inbreeding

Charles Darwin whose theories on evolution have been the basis of all that we know about the evolution of mankind and genetics may have lost his own progeny to inbreeding says a new study.

6 May 2010

Fart blanket here to make marriages better!

A blanket made of activated carbon fragment that can aid in absorbing the stench from flatulence has been a hit in the market. The advertisement has become a hit on Youtube. MyFOXny.com said that this campaign for a Better Marriage Blanket is still not on TV but has been viewed more than one million times online since March 31. Another online marketing site has also called it “this year's Snuggie”.

6 May 2010

Chicken nuggets rate not too good in nutritional value: consumer report

A product evaluation organization Consumer Reports recently analyzed 12 brands of chicken nuggets including brands like Market Pantry (from Target), Bell & Evans Breaded, Kirland Signature Disney (Costco), and Health Is Wealth.

6 May 2010

Australia’s first ever health policy for men

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd yesterday announced Australia’s first ever men’s health policy called the “National Male Health Policy”. He said in the announcement during a visit to the Whittlesea Men's Shed in Victoria, “They either think that they're invincible that they can just tough it out…'They don't like talking about it usually, and frankly, the problem with all that is it makes it really hard to deal with men's health problems before they become too serious.” He felt this move was long due. He added, “'It's a pretty important time that we do that, we're probably about 110 years late.”

6 May 2010

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals commences Phase 3 registration program for Zerenex

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today the initiation of its short-term Phase 3 study of Zerenex™ (ferric citrate), the Company's iron-based phosphate binder for the treatment of elevated serum phosphorous levels, or hyperphosphatemia, in patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis.

6 May 2010

Abraxis Bioscience first-quarter ABRAXANE revenue increases to $87.9 million

Abraxis BioScience, Inc., a fully integrated biotechnology company, today reported unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

6 May 2010

SCOLR Pharma grants RedHill worldwide rights to market and sell CDT-based ondansetron

SCOLR Pharma, Inc. today announced that it has executed a Licensing Agreement with RedHill Biopharma Ltd. an Israeli corporation, (RedHill), granting RedHill the worldwide rights to market and sell ondansetron tablet formulations based on SCOLR's proprietary extended delivery technology (CDT). Ondansetron hydrochloride is the active ingredient in Zofran®, GlaxoSmithKline's drug to prevent chemotherapy and radiation related nausea and vomiting.

6 May 2010

Cytochroma reports positive results from Phase I trial for CTAP201 Injection in hemodialysis patients

Cytochroma today announced positive Phase I results for CTAP201 Injection, a product being developed to treat secondary hyperparathyroidism in hemodialysis patients. The study demonstrated that single intravenous doses of 1 and 3 mcg of CTAP201 were safe and well tolerated. It also identified a starting dose of 2 mcg for subsequent pivotal trials intended to establish the product's safety and efficacy in the targeted population.

6 May 2010

FDA assigns BYDUREON new PDUFA action date of October 22, 2010

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Eli Lilly and Company and Alkermes, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified the BYDUREON™ (exenatide for extended-release injectable suspension) complete response as a Class 2 resubmission and assigned a new Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of October 22, 2010.

6 May 2010

Affymax reduces net loss to $7.9 million for first-quarter 2010

Affymax, Inc. today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010. The net loss for the first quarter of 2010 was $7.9 million compared to a net loss of $21.7 million for the first quarter of 2009.

6 May 2010

Advocates: Nonprofit hospitals too quiet about charity care

Kaiser Health News: Two advocate groups say hospitals make it too difficult for patients to find out whether they are eligible for free or discounted care. Access Project and Community Catalyst, the two groups, released the results of a small, 99-hospital survey Wednesday. The American Hospital Association contends that's too small to be meaningful, and that, at any rate, the issues it raises have been addressed in the health overhaul.

6 May 2010

DJOFL net sales increases 10.3% to $240.1 million for first-quarter 2010

DJO Incorporated a global provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced financial results for its operating subsidiary, DJO Finance LLC ("DJOFL"), for the first quarter of 2010, ended April 3, 2010.

6 May 2010