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Phase I clinical trial of DFMO initiated to treat children with neuroblastoma

A new Phase I clinical trial sponsored by the Vermont Cancer Center at the University of Vermont and Fletcher Allen Health Care has opened to test the investigational drug DFMO, or alpha-difluoromethylornithine, as a treatment for the pediatric cancer neuroblastoma.

15 Apr 2010

Phase Forward's European Users Conference to be held in Budapest, Hungary

Phase Forward, a leading provider of data management solutions for clinical trials and drug safety, will host its eighth annual European Users Conference (EUC) April 21 - 22 at the Corinthia Hotel in Budapest, Hungary.

15 Apr 2010

Bedtime video-games have no significant effect on adolescents’ sleep patterns

A study in the April 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine suggests that playing a video game before bedtime has only a mild effect on the sleep of older male teens.

15 Apr 2010

People with disabilities may be unable to afford Medicare Advantage plan under healthcare provisions

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 are the most powerful developments in decades affecting healthcare coverage for people with disabilities, according to Allsup, a nationwide provider of Social Security disability representation and Medicare plan selection services.

15 Apr 2010

Artificial pancreas system succeeds in maintaining near-normal glucose levels

An artificial pancreas system that closely mimics the body's blood sugar control mechanism was able to maintain near-normal glucose levels without causing hypoglycemia in a small group of patients. The system, combining a blood glucose monitor and insulin pump technology with software that directs administration of insulin and the blood-sugar-raising hormone glucagon, was developed at Boston University.

15 Apr 2010

Patients with RLS using rotigotine achieve sustained improvements

New data presented at the 62nd American Academy of Neurology annual meeting in Toronto, Canada, showed that patients with moderate to severe Restless Legs Syndrome using rotigotine achieved sustained improvements in symptoms over 5 years of treatment.

15 Apr 2010

New technique improves cosmetic breast reconstruction in athletic cancer patients

A new technique using tissue from those below-the-waist "love handles" improves cosmetic breast reconstruction in slim, athletic cancer patients without adequate fat sources elsewhere, a small Johns Hopkins study has found. The method also turns out to be less complicated than other options for surgeons as well, the research shows.

15 Apr 2010

Interim data from phase IIa clinical trial of IDX184 in HCV-infected patients

Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the discovery and development of drugs for the treatment of human viral diseases, today announced interim data from a 14-day, phase IIa clinical trial evaluating IDX184, a novel liver-targeted nucleotide prodrug of 2'-methyl guanosine monophosphate, in HCV-infected patients.

15 Apr 2010

HHS officials to discuss new healthcare disparities and quality reports

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Assistant Secretary for Health Dr. Howard K. Koh, and Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Director Dr. Carolyn Clancy will host a conference call and discuss new reports on health care quality and health care disparities faced by racial, ethnic or income groups.

15 Apr 2010

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals' Phase IIa clinical results of Serdaxin for MDD: Additional insights

Rexahn Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage pharmaceutical company developing potential best in class oncology and central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics, today offered additional commentary, clarifications and insights on yesterday's announcement of its Phase IIa clinical results of Serdaxin® in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).

15 Apr 2010

HHS quality report 2009 shows increase in hospital-acquired infections

"The Health and Human Services department's 2009 quality report to Congress found 'very little progress' on eliminating hospital-acquired infections and called for 'urgent attention' to address the shortcomings — first brought to light a decade ago." Specifically, the report found that, for three out of the five major types of serious hospital-related infections, the rate of illness increased.

15 Apr 2010

Obama administration officials reflect on details, implementation of Global Health Initiative

Three senior Obama administration officials with global health-related portfolios spoke about the details and implementation of President Barack Obama's Global Health Initiative during a forum Wednesday at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C.

15 Apr 2010

CHPPR survey: 58% of Americans support repealing health care reform legislation

Fifty-eight percent of Americans (96 percent of Republicans, 10 percent of Democrats and 54 percent of Independents) support repealing the health care reform legislation that was signed into law by President Barack Obama in March, according to a new national survey conducted April 6 - 10 by researchers from Indiana University's Center for Health Policy and Professionalism Research.

15 Apr 2010

OrbusNeich Medical awarded US patent for "Stent with Helical Elements"

OrbusNeich Medical, Inc., a designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative medical devices for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, today announced that on March 23, 2010, the Company was granted U.S. Patent No. 7,682,384 B2, entitled "Stent with Helical Elements." The patent relates to an expandable stent comprised of a plurality of helical segments. The Company noted that it has identified unlicensed use by Boston Scientific Corporation of certain technologies protected under U.S. Patent No. 7,682,384 B2.

15 Apr 2010

Potential new drug for treatment of MS to be presented at AAN Annual Meeting

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine will present several studies at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, including a potential new drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis and surprising trends showing a reduction in the disease's severity. The meeting will take place April 10-17 in Toronto.

15 Apr 2010

Researchers identify new strategy for treating acute myeloid leukemia

Researchers have identified a self-feeding "vicious circle" of molecules that keeps acute leukemia cells alive and growing and that drives the disease forward.

15 Apr 2010

2010 Decontamination Research and Development Conference

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Homeland Security Research Center will hold its 2010 Decontamination Research and Development Conference on April 13-15, 2010 at the Hilton Raleigh-Durham Airport Hotel in North Carolina.

15 Apr 2010

Tengion completes initial 6M common stock public offering

Tengion, Inc., a regenerative medicine company focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing neo-organs and neo-tissues, today announced the completion of its initial public offering of 6,000,000 shares of common stock at a price of $5.00 per share. The net proceeds of the offering to Tengion, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by Tengion, were approximately $26.0 million.

15 Apr 2010

New strategy, more funding needed to meet maternal, child health MDGs

"Dozens of countries are unlikely to meet" the Millennium Development Goal targets related to maternal and child health without a new strategy and an additional $20 billion each year, according to a report released Tuesday, the Canadian Press reports (Lederer, 4/14).

15 Apr 2010

Study combines CT and VBM to provide accurate picture of autistic brain

A new study, the first of its kind, combines two complementary analytical brain imaging techniques, to provide a more comprehensive and accurate picture of the neuroanatomy of the autistic brain. The study, published in the April issue of neuroimaging journal Human Brain Mapping, was conducted by researchers at The Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital - The Neuro, McGill University and the Universit- de Montr-al.

15 Apr 2010