Medical News

RSS

Investigators disprove reports that well-fed children are more vulnerable to dengue virus

A new study led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators disproves reports that well-fed children are more vulnerable to the dengue virus. Mosquitoes spread the virus, which can cause severe flu-like symptoms and sometimes lethal complications.

5 Mar 2010

Canadian federal government to renew Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative

The Canadian Diabetes Association and the National Aboriginal Diabetes Association applaud the federal government for its decision to renew the Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative (ADI) as presented in the budget announcement on March 4.

5 Mar 2010

Obama seeks to mollify Democrats on health overhaul plan, costs

President Barack Obama intensified his push for health care reform by lobbying small groups of Democratic lawmakers Thursday.

5 Mar 2010

Varicose veins may signal potential dangerous blood clots

March is DVT Awareness Month and Vein Clinics of America encourages people with varicose veins, particularly those that have become painful and inflamed, to visit a vein specialist.

5 Mar 2010

Poll: On health reform, Americans trust Obama more than both parties in Congress

A new Gallup poll asked Americans whom they trusted to reform the nation's health care system.

5 Mar 2010

RWJF awards $480,000 grant to improve clinical care for low-weight babies

Researchers at UC Irvine and the Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) will monitor the day-to-day health of low-birth-weight babies and their parents as part of a comprehensive initiative designed to combat chronic illnesses associated with low-weight births.

5 Mar 2010

XI to showcase HyGreen hand hygiene system at the Fifth Decennial International Conference

Xhale Innovations announced today that it will showcase its hand hygiene system, HyGreen™, at the Fifth Decennial International Conference on Healthcare-Associated Infections to be held March 18 – 22, 2010. This real-time hand hygiene recording and reminding system is designed to assist healthcare facilities with their infection control programs.

5 Mar 2010

AMICAS and Merge Healthcare sign definitive merger agreement

AMICAS, Inc. and Merge Healthcare Incorporated (Nasdaq: MRGE) today announced that they will enter into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Merge will acquire all of the outstanding shares of AMICAS for $6.05 per share in cash, or an aggregate of $248 million.

5 Mar 2010

Small health IT firms may be able to compete with GE-sized giants

Federal funding for electronic medical records will likely reshape the health IT industry, CNN reports. "There are an estimated 300 to 400 companies in the United States peddling [EMR] systems to the nation's hospitals, medical clinics and solo practitioners.

5 Mar 2010

Today's opinions and editorials

Some critics complain that the administration has slipped in its commitment to fiscal responsibility in health reform. These critics are mistaken. The president's plan represents an important step toward long-term fiscal sustainability (Peter Orszag and Nancy-Ann DeParle, 3/5).

5 Mar 2010

Advocates, opponents target about two dozen swing votes

"As President Obama pushes for a prompt up or down vote on his health initiative, lobbyists and activist groups on both sides of the issue have launched grass-roots and high-dollar advertising campaigns on the roughly two dozen members of Congress who may be the final swing votes on the controversial issue," The Los Angeles Times reports.

5 Mar 2010

YM Biosciences to raise $15M in registered direct offering of common stock

YM BioSciences Inc., today announced that it is raising approximately US$15 million in a "registered direct" offering of units at a price of US$1.20 per unit.

5 Mar 2010

MicroPhage seeks FDA clearance for MRSA/MSSA Blood Culture Test, submits clinical study data

MicroPhage announced that it has submitted human data from a pivotal clinical study of its ‘Microphage MRSA/MSSA Blood Culture Test’ to support a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) premarket notification process. The first of MicroPhage’s instrument-free, rapid tests is based on the Company’s patented Bacteriophage Amplification platform technology. MicroPhage further announced that it has already begun OUS commercial shipments of the test.

5 Mar 2010

Study explores prognostic biomarkers in patients with lymph node-negative colorectal cancer

Tumor budding at the invasive tumor front of colorectal cancer is recognized as an independent prognostic factor significantly related to both lymph node and distant metastasis.

5 Mar 2010

Pregis announces expiration of Second Priority Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2013 exchange offer

Pregis Corporation, a leading international manufacturer, marketer, and supplier of protective packaging products and specialty packaging solutions, today announced the expiration of its offer to exchange up to euro 125 million of its Second Priority Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2013 issued in a private placement on October 5, 2009 for an equal principal amount of Second Priority Senior Secured Floating Rate Notes due 2013 that have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

5 Mar 2010

Moody's Investors Service upgrades Mylan's credit ratings

Mylan Inc. today reported that Moody's Investors Service upgraded the company's credit ratings, including the "Corporate Family Rating" to Ba3 from B1 and the senior secured bank rating to Ba2 from Ba3. Moody's also affirmed Mylan's SGL-1 Speculative Grade Liquidity Rating.

5 Mar 2010

Varian launches next generation dissolution apparatus

Varian, Inc. announced today the availability of its next generation dissolution apparatus designed for testing tablets, capsules and other dosage forms. The 708-DS supports a broad set of applications ranging from manual dissolution testing to automated, high-throughput analysis. It provides extensive flexibility to match the needs of individual laboratories, whether in research or testing. Integration with either the new Varian UV or LC Dissolution Systems will save time and reduce the potential for sample handling errors.

5 Mar 2010

Saladax Biomedical announces closing of $8.4M Series C Preferred offering

Saladax Biomedical, Inc. announced today the close of an $8.4 million Series C Preferred offering led by Excel Venture Management of Boston. Participants included Golden Seeds LLC, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, and the Life Sciences Greenhouse of Central Pennsylvania, as well as a number of angel investors. The funding will be used to accelerate product development and expand clinical support of Saladax’s MYCARE™ line of diagnostic tests, which measure blood levels of cancer and Central Nervous System (CNS) disorder drugs, providing physicians with guidance to personalize patient dosing for optimal efficacy.

5 Mar 2010

Medical identity theft: Nearly 1.5 million Americans have been victims

Medical identity theft is an alarming and often undetected offense affecting today’s consumers, according to a recent survey conducted by The Ponemon Institute and sponsored by ProtectMyID.com™, Experian’s multilayered identity theft detection, protection and fraud resolution product. According to the study, nearly 1.5 million Americans have been victims of medical identity theft. For many, the notion of identity theft is both upsetting and daunting, but few individuals realize the specific severity and potential repercussions of medical identity fraud.

5 Mar 2010

McKesson named "World's Most Admired" company and as one of 100 Best Corporate Citizens

McKesson Corporation, the nation’s largest healthcare services and information technology company, today was rated the "World's Most Admired" company in its industry in an annual survey conducted by FORTUNE magazine and the Hay Group. The company was also named one of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens by Corporate Responsibility Magazine.

5 Mar 2010