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Health bill stall creates uncertainty for drug makers

"With the possible demise of health care legislation, getting back to business as usual may not be the best thing for the nation's drug makers," The New York Times reports. "After all, in return for the prospect of tens of millions of newly insured customers and a large degree of regulatory certainty, the pharmaceutical industry had agreed to pay a relatively small price: $8 billion a year in discounts and fees.

6 Feb 2010

Strativa Pharmaceuticals' Zuplenz NDA: FDA issues complete response letter

Strativa Pharmaceuticals announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a complete response letter regarding the new drug application (NDA) for Zuplenz® (ondansetron) oral soluble film for the prevention of nausea and vomiting associated with highly- and moderately-emetogenic chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery.

6 Feb 2010

A program to raise awareness of heart disease

Members of the largest growing women’s organization, the Red Hat Society, kick off the RHS Go Red for Women Program today by trading in their purple dresses for red. The program, which aims to raise awareness of heart disease, the number one cause of death of women in America, encourages Red Hatters from sea to sea to follow the beat and match their hat to their dress.

6 Feb 2010

Stigma and social stereotyping of obesity impacts individuals' beliefs and behaviours

A Monash University-led nationwide study into the health beliefs and behaviours of obese people has found that the more severely obese a person is, the less likely they feel they can reduce their weight.

6 Feb 2010

UCLA Family Commons launches first wellness center in Santa Monica

The first UCLA Family Commons wellness center officially opened its doors yesterday during its grand opening and community open house. Santa Monica residents, city officials and media were all invited to join the festivities as the UCLA Family Commons celebrated its official opening with a ribbon cutting, guest speakers and entertainment.

6 Feb 2010

Study calls for individualized therapeutic interventions for MS patients

Fewer African Americans than Caucasians develop multiple sclerosis (MS), statistics show, but their disease progresses more rapidly, and they don't respond as well to therapies, a new study by neurology researchers at the University at Buffalo has found.

6 Feb 2010

Obama: 'Take time' on health reform, Democrats haggle on next steps

ABC News: "Summoning the message back that once mobilized his grass-roots campaign, the president spoke tonight in front of the same people - Organizing for America and DNC members - whose poll show some are feeling somewhat discouraged by the first year of the Obama administration. ... The president outlined in broad strokes what he'd like to see happen [on health reform]. 'What I'd like to do is have a meeting where I'm sitting with the Republicans, sitting with the Democrats.

5 Feb 2010

Bipartisan legislation in House, Senate targets violence against women worldwide

Members of the U.S. House and Senate on Thursday introduced the International Violence Against Women Act (IVAWA), a bill that "would make violence against women worldwide a priority of the United States government and an enhanced component of its foreign policy and foreign assistance programmes," Inter Press Service reports (Fromm, 2/4).

5 Feb 2010

Scientists employ new approach to understand metabolic changes of TB bacteria

The complex chain of metabolic events in bacteria that lead to fatal diseases such as tuberculosis (TB) may be better understood using mathematical models, according to an article published in the February issue of Microbiology Today.

5 Feb 2010

CREON effective in improving CFA and CNA in pediatric patients with EPI due to CF

Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that Phase IIIb data published in the January issue of Clinical Therapeutics confirm that CREON® (pancrelipase) Delayed-Release Capsules significantly improves a key measure of fat absorption in children aged 7-11 years who have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) due to cystic fibrosis (CF), EPI is a condition resulting from a deficiency in the production and/or secretion of pancreatic enzymes that are necessary to digest nutrients in food.

5 Feb 2010

IPC acquires hospitalist practice of Arizona Medical Services

IPC The Hospitalist Company, Inc., a leading national hospitalist physician group practice company, announced today that it has acquired the hospitalist practice of Arizona Medical Services, P.C., d.b.a. Old Pueblo Medical Consultants (Old Pueblo) in Tucson, Arizona.

5 Feb 2010

Congressmen, citing reports of fraud, seek accounting for AIDS funding

"Two Republican congressmen who help oversee billions of dollars for people with AIDS are asking the federal government for an accounting of fraud and mismanagement complaints leveled against AIDS programs nationwide," The Washington Post reports.

5 Feb 2010

Biotechnology: The next medical revolution

A recent article in the Scandia Journal reported that biotechnology is helping to improve our knowledge of many devastating illnesses, and has armed patients and their doctors with exciting new diagnostics and treatments to battle disease.

5 Feb 2010

FDA grants Talecris Biotherapeutics orphan drug designation for Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor to treat AAT deficiency

Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. announced today that it was granted orphan drug designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the development of an aerosol formulation of Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor (Human, A1PI) to treat congenital alpha1-antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency. AAT deficiency is a chronic, hereditary condition that increases the risk of certain diseases, especially emphysema, which typically emerges in the fourth decade of life. Currently, there are no approved, inhaled treatments available for the treatment of AAT deficiency.

5 Feb 2010

Anthem Blue Cross of California raises rates as much as 39 percent

Los Angeles Times: "California's largest for-profit health insurer is moving to dramatically raise rates for customers with individual policies, setting off a furor among policyholders and prompting state insurance regulators to investigate.

5 Feb 2010

Teens with suicidal thoughts and depressive symptoms can benefit from family therapy

Adolescents with suicidal thoughts and elevated depression had stronger and faster reduction of symptoms when treated with family therapy than with standard treatment in the community.

5 Feb 2010

DOD to investigate mental health care at Camp Lejeune, also will stock morning-after pill

The Associated Press reports that, according to Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., "The Defense Department will investigate complaints of substandard mental health care for Marines at Camp Lejeune. ... Public questions about the quality of mental health care provided by a private contractor at the base were raised last year by the September firing of Dr. Kernan Manion, a brain trauma specialist who had complained to commanders about poor facilities, inadequate care programs and weak security.

5 Feb 2010

Centerphase Solutions and Mayo Clinic collaborate to speed up clinical trials for new medical treatments

Centerphase has entered into a collaboration with Mayo Clinic to speed the introduction of new medical treatments developed by the biopharmaceutical industry. The Company addressed the root causes historically plaguing the clinical trials process: the lack of a systematic, structured approach for evaluating and optimizing protocols and the tremendous burdens associated with trial start-up administration.

5 Feb 2010

Novus Scientific's TIGR Matrix Surgical Mesh receives FDA marketing approval

Novus Scientific Pte. Ltd today announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the company 510(k) clearance to market the TIGR™ Matrix Surgical Mesh, for use in reinforcement of soft tissues where weakness exists. TIGR™ Matrix Surgical Mesh is a 100 percent resorbable, synthetic matrix, knitted from two different resorbable fibers that degrade at different rates following implantation.

5 Feb 2010

Recent releases in Global Health

A Lancet study examines childbirth practices and the relationship between these practices and maternal and perinatal outcomes in nine Asian countries, as assessed by a WHO global survey. Based on the analysis of over 107,000 deliveries, the authors conclude, "To improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, caesarean section should be done only when there is a medical indication" (Lumbiganon et al., 2/6). These findings "should help us to prioritise our strategies to reduce unnecessary interventions in childbirth," write the authors of a Lancet comment.

5 Feb 2010