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Protein vaccines for needle-free immunization through the skin

Most immunizations currently involve an injection in the arm. In the future, vaccination may be accomplished without the unpleasant jab of a needle: a team led by Victor C. Yang at the University of Michigan (USA) has developed a method by which vaccines can pass directly through the skin without a needle. As the researchers report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, merely linking a special short peptide molecule to the vaccine, which can then be administered in the form of a patch, will do the job.

1 Apr 2010

Young athletes overuse their bodies and strike out too early

Today, leaders in healthcare, wellness, safety and fitness came together to launch the STOP Sports Injuries campaign. The campaign will educate athletes, parents, trainers, coaches and healthcare providers about the rapid increase in youth sports injuries, the necessary steps to help reverse the trend and the need to keep young athletes healthy.

1 Apr 2010

Short of cash before Easter? Error in payment of Queensland Healthcare staff

In one of the largest pay hitches of its kind in the recent years, the Queensland government has been forced to apologize for shortchanging thousands of doctors and nurses. Due to a recent new system of pay there has been an error in payment with several complaints from the injured parties. With the Easter break round the corner many are frazzled with the error.

1 Apr 2010

Living donor exchange poses new option for liver transplantation

Two major transplant centers in Hong Kong and South Korea released results from their paired donor exchange programs for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). A single paired exchange, performed by the Hong Kong team under emergency circumstances, was a success. The Korean team reported 16 donor exchanges conducted over a 6-year period were successful. Full details of this novel approach to organ transplantation appear in the April issue of Liver Transplantation, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

1 Apr 2010

New development in treatment of African Sleeping Sickness

African sleeping sickness or Human African Typanosomiasis is a potentially fatal disease affecting 50 to 70 thousand Africans each year. Carried by the bite tsetse fly this fatal disease is actually caused by a tiny parasite that attacks the nervous system, brain, spinal column resulting in mental confusion and finally death.

1 Apr 2010

Young mother dies of post-liver transplant complications in Singapore

Claire Murray, a 25 year old woman from Perth, suffered from a liver failure due to drug addition. She underwent a controversial second live liver transplant where a part of her aunt’s liver was given to her two weeks ago. She has reportedly succumbed to her condition and died just before 12:00pm (AWST) from complications in Singapore.

1 Apr 2010

Genes improperly granted patents

Some time mid last year six breast cancer patients sued reputed Myriad Genetics, a company that holds patent of two vital genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 that play a role in increasing the risk of breast and ovarian cancers. The fees that the company charges for these genetic tests is a whopping $3,000 which these women claim they cannot afford and the most important of all these women cannot get a second opinion regarding the tests since no one else does them.

1 Apr 2010

Patient Safety Technologies' 2009 fourth-quarter revenue up 85.2%

Patient Safety Technologies, Inc. announced record quarterly and annual revenues for the quarter and year ended December 31, 2009.

1 Apr 2010

Seniors worry about Medicare reforms, especially changes to Medicare Advantage

The Associated Press: "While Democrats hail the sweeping legislation as the greatest expansion of the social safety net since Medicare, they also fear that seniors won't see it that way for this fall's elections. Indeed, Republicans have portrayed the overhaul as a raid on Medicare — a bedrock of retirement security — to provide money to pay for covering younger, uninsured workers and their families.

1 Apr 2010

Law enforcement officials seek, find Medicare fraud

The Palm Beach Post: To pay for the health reform bill, Medicare fraud is "ripe for plucking, top South Florida prosecutors say."

1 Apr 2010

FDA clears Sysmex America's XT-4000i Automated Hematology Analyzer

Sysmex America, Inc., a leading medical diagnostic instrument manufacturer and information systems developer, today announced that its Sysmex XT-4000i™ Automated Hematology Analyzer has been cleared by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

From Sysmex America, Inc. 1 Apr 2010

Health law includes $250 million for abstinence education

The new health care law contains "a renewal of $50 million per year for five years for abstinence-focused education," CNN reports. "Programs that receive this funding must 'teach that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated health problems,' according to the Department of Health and Human Services. To qualify, they must also teach that sex before marriage is "likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects'..."

1 Apr 2010

Democratic, Republican Attorneys General continue health reform lawsuit battle

Politico: Some of the Democratic attorneys general who have refused to join Republican counterparts in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new health law, now "have become reluctant combatants, dragged into the fray by GOP governors and legislators who insist that their reluctance to join the case is a clear attempt to protect their national party's interests."

1 Apr 2010

BioElectronics files Form 10K with Securities and Exchange Commission

BioElectronics Corp., the maker of inexpensive, disposable drug-free anti-inflammatory devices, today announced the completion of its full year audit and the filing of Form 10K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BioElectronics is now a fully reporting company.

1 Apr 2010

Allergan, Serenity Pharmaceuticals announce global agreement for nocturia drug development

Allergan, Inc. and Serenity Pharmaceuticals, LLC today announced a global agreement for the development and commercialization of Ser-120, a Phase III investigational drug currently in clinical development for the treatment of nocturia, a common yet often under-diagnosed urological disorder in adults characterized by frequent urination at night time.

1 Apr 2010

Florida AIDS Walk 2010: Thousands help raise over $460,000

Thousands of dedicated individuals from across the state helped raise nearly half a million dollars for crucial lifesaving HIV/AIDS services in South Florida on Sunday March 28th by joining together to participate in the lively Florida AIDS Walk 2010. The Walk, which started and ended at Huizenga Plaza in Ft. Lauderdale, was a 10k walk (optional 5k) fundraiser to raise awareness about and help reverse the continuing epidemic of HIV/AIDS in South Florida.

1 Apr 2010

Ricerca Biosciences, Life Science Partner announce business development agreement

Ricerca Biosciences, a preclinical contract research drug development company, is pleased to announce a business development agreement with Life Science Partner (LSP) Co., Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan. Ricerca offers a unique spectrum of services for the areas of agrochemical registration, environmental analysis and pre-investigational new drug (IND) biopharmaceutical registration.

1 Apr 2010

Lotus Pharmaceuticals reports EBIT increase of 29% in 2009

Lotus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a growing developer, manufacturer and seller of medicine and drugs in the People's Republic of China (the "PRC") reported that its 2009 net earnings were approximately $16.4 million, or $0.33 per diluted share, compared with approximately $12.8 million, or $0.27 per diluted share, in 2008. Net revenues were approximately $57.8 million in 2009 compared with $73.8 million in 2008.

1 Apr 2010

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics files Annual Report with Securities and Exchange Commission for 2009

ImmunoCellular Therapeutics announced today that it has filed its Annual Report with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the period ended December 31, 2009 on Form 10-K.

1 Apr 2010

Cipher Pharmaceuticals' enrollment milestone in CIP-ISOTRETINOIN study triggers $2.0M milestone payment

Cipher Pharmaceuticals Inc. today announced that it has reached the enrollment mid-point in its Phase III safety study of CIP-ISOTRETINOIN, the Company's novel, patented formulation of isotretinoin, which is used in the treatment of severe, nodular acne. To date, more than 400 patients have been enrolled. Achieving this milestone triggers a US$2.0 million milestone payment from Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc., Cipher's U.S. marketing and distribution partner.

1 Apr 2010