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Major study of perfusion imaging under way to assess value of alternative diagnostic methods

Cardiologists and heart imaging specialists at 15 medical centers in eight countries, and led by researchers at Johns Hopkins, have enrolled the first dozen patients in a year-long investigation to learn whether the subtle squeezing of blood flow through the inner layers of the heart is better than traditional SPECT nuclear imaging tests and other diagnostic radiology procedures for accurately tracking the earliest signs of coronary artery clogs.

3 Feb 2010

Questionable health insurance plans cause concern

Officials worry that people with no insurance will be drawn in by questionable health insurance plans. ABC News reports: The "[h]ealth care overhaul is stalled, resulting in a proliferation of plans that don't fully protect people, officials said. Watchdogs worry about two kinds of plans in particular."

3 Feb 2010

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals reaches agreement with FDA on SPA for Phase 3 trial of KRX-0401

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has reached agreement with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) on the design of a Phase 3 trial for its PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor, KRX-0401 (perifosine), in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer.

3 Feb 2010

Shina Systems' 3Di medical imaging advanced (3D/4D) visualization software suite receives FDA clearance

Shina Systems announces U.S. Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its 3Di medical imaging advanced (3D/4D) visualization software that downloads over the Internet and provides a full suite of image processing and clinical analysis applications on any PC.

3 Feb 2010

New York Times examines WHO process for getting H1N1 vaccines to countries in need

The New York Times examines the WHO's role as a "clearinghouse" for getting the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine to lower income nations. Though H1N1 has died down in North America and many wealthier nations "are trying to get rid of their [vaccine] surpluses," the virus continues to circulate in regions of North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, according to the newspaper.

3 Feb 2010

Diversified Information Technologies acquires document management services firm in NC

Diversified Information Technologies, a leading provider of document and information lifecycle solutions, announced today that it has acquired Bowman Enterprises, Inc., a document management services firm headquartered in Benson, NC.

3 Feb 2010

Axway and Anakam to provide security and identity management offering for electronic health records

Axway, the Business Interaction Networks company, today announced a partnership with Anakam to provide a security and identity management offering for secure access and transmission of electronic health records (EHR) and personal health records (PHR).

3 Feb 2010

Lobbying, ads slow down on health reform

"Drugmakers, business organizations and other interest groups in the health care battle have dialed down expensive lobbying campaigns as they assess how last month's stunning Republican capture of a Senate seat from Massachusetts has altered Washington's political landscape...," The Associated Press reports.

3 Feb 2010

Obama urges Senate Dems not to give up on health legislation

The Washington Post: President Obama attended an issues conference today with the Senate Democratic Caucus and "answered questions from senators, some of them facing uphill reelection battles."

3 Feb 2010

Study shows Cymbalta reduces chronic low back pain

In a new study, 60 mg of Cymbalta® (duloxetine HCl) taken once daily significantly reduced chronic low back pain, as measured by the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) average pain rating, compared with placebo.

3 Feb 2010

MedQuist and CBay to acquire Spheris

Spheris, a leading global provider of clinical documentation technology and services, today announced that it has entered into an agreement under which MedQuist Inc. and CBay Inc., portfolio companies of CBaySystems Holdings Ltd. and leading providers of medical transcription software and services, have agreed to purchase substantially all of Spheris' assets pursuant to a transaction that is to be implemented under Section 363 of the United States Bankruptcy Code.

3 Feb 2010

Lawmakers sound off on President's budget and health costs

While White House Budget Director Peter Orszag testified on Capitol Hill about President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget, some members expressed concern about health costs, McClatchy reports.

3 Feb 2010

House Dems' next step in health reform: Repeal of insurance antitrust exemption

Lawmakers "hoping to revive President Barack Obama's stalled health care overhaul have started writing a compromise bill, but it's unclear when the legislation will be ready for votes, a top House Democrat said Tuesday," The Associated Press reports. "The measure would change the massive Senate-approved health bill to what bargainers from the White House, Senate and House agreed to last month, Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., said in a brief interview.

3 Feb 2010

BD Diagnostics launches Be a Flu Fighter initiative to increase awareness and prevent influenza

BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), today announced the launch of the Be a Flu Fighter initiative, aimed at increasing awareness and prevention of influenza.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 3 Feb 2010

FDA approves Labopharm's OLEPTRO antidepressant for MDD

Labopharm Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved OLEPTRO(TM) (trazodone hydrochloride) Extended Release Tablets, a novel once-daily formulation of the antidepressant trazodone, for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) in adults. OLEPTRO(TM) utilizes CONTRAMID(R), Labopharm's clinically validated technology that controls the release of active substances within oral medications.

3 Feb 2010

AP offers advice on choosing Medicare Advantage plans

Consumers can switch from original Medicare plans to Medicare Advantage plans until March 31 and to help them understand the options, The Associated Press offers answers to frequent questions about Medicare Advantage plans.

3 Feb 2010

Drug company CEOs under pressure

Dow Jones Newswires/The Wall Street Journal on Severin Schwan, chief executive of Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche Holding AG: "'It is difficult to gauge the impact of the planned U.S. healthcare reform on the pharmaceutical industry,' Schwan told reporters at a media conference to detail 2009 earnings. 'On the one hand, more U.S. citizens will be getting access to healthcare, which is positive. At the same time, pressure on drug prices will certainly increase,' he added." The wire service adds that he also said "decisions on generic biosimilars will be key" (Greil, 2/3).

3 Feb 2010

Daiichi Sankyo initiates Phase III trial of edoxaban in reducing recurrent VTE complications

Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, announced today that it has initiated a new large-scale pivotal Phase III trial for edoxaban, its investigational oral Factor Xa inhibitor. This new study, called HOKUSAI (pronounced hoe·koo·sigh) VTE, is evaluating the safety and efficacy of edoxaban in reducing recurrent venous thromboembolic (VTE) complications in patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE).

3 Feb 2010

The debate over selling insurance across state lines

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz writes that Republicans in Congress have proposed this concept in the past "and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., embraced it as part of his 2008 presidential campaign. Advocates - including some insurers and small business groups - say it would give the more than 17 million Americans who buy individual coverage a greater choice of plans and the possibility of lower prices.

3 Feb 2010

I.I.I. highlights fraud and abuse in New York's automobile insurance system

Fraud and abuse in New York's no-fault auto insurance system cost consumers and insurers nearly $230 million in 2009, constituting a "fraud tax" of $1,561, or 22 percent of every no-fault claim, according to Dr. Robert Hartwig, an economist and president of the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.).

3 Feb 2010

Medical News

Major study of perfusion imaging under way to assess value of alternative diagnostic methods

Questionable health insurance plans cause concern

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals reaches agreement with FDA on SPA for Phase 3 trial of KRX-0401

Shina Systems' 3Di medical imaging advanced (3D/4D) visualization software suite receives FDA clearance

New York Times examines WHO process for getting H1N1 vaccines to countries in need

Diversified Information Technologies acquires document management services firm in NC

Axway and Anakam to provide security and identity management offering for electronic health records

Lobbying, ads slow down on health reform

Obama urges Senate Dems not to give up on health legislation

Study shows Cymbalta reduces chronic low back pain

MedQuist and CBay to acquire Spheris

Lawmakers sound off on President's budget and health costs

House Dems' next step in health reform: Repeal of insurance antitrust exemption

BD Diagnostics launches Be a Flu Fighter initiative to increase awareness and prevent influenza

FDA approves Labopharm's OLEPTRO antidepressant for MDD

AP offers advice on choosing Medicare Advantage plans

Drug company CEOs under pressure

Daiichi Sankyo initiates Phase III trial of edoxaban in reducing recurrent VTE complications

The debate over selling insurance across state lines

I.I.I. highlights fraud and abuse in New York's automobile insurance system

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