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Eye treatment reimbursement change could cost Medicare millions

A change in the reimbursement rate for the drug Avastin, used off-label to treat an eye illness in the elderly, could lead Medicare doctors to use a much costlier drug that would cost the system millions, The New York Times reports.

3 Oct 2009

Telik's announces positive results from Phase 1-2a TELCYTA-carboplatin-paclitaxel combination study

Telik, Inc. today announced the publication of the positive results from a Phase 1-2a multicenter, dose-ranging study of TELCYTA in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel as first-line therapy for patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a leading peer reviewed publication, the Journal of Thoracic Oncology, October 2009; Vol. 4, No. 10.

3 Oct 2009

$2.5 million "stimulus grant" for ASCB to develop "The Cell: An Image Library"

A $2.5 million "stimulus grant" announced yesterday by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will enable the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) to build an unprecedented, online image library of the cell that will be readily accessible to researchers, educators, students, and the public, according to ASCB Executive Director Joan Goldberg.

3 Oct 2009

American Kidney Fund to host national gala to support kidney care community

In celebration of people who are living with kidney disease, as well as the individuals and corporations who are working to improve the lives of kidney patients, the American Kidney Fund will host its first national gala, The Hope Affair, at the Newseum on October 6.

3 Oct 2009

CNN, TIME examine increasing antibiotic resistance

CNN examines a recent report by researchers that warns of increasing antibiotic resistance and appeals for governments to take action to develop new antibiotics to avert a health crisis.

3 Oct 2009

Democratic leaders shift on public plan, but push ahead despite setbacks

Despite recent setbacks, congressional Democratic leaders have continued pushing for a new government-run insurer as part of health reform. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warmed this week to a more moderate approach to the health insurance plan proposed by centrist Democrats, The Hill reports.

3 Oct 2009

Cybex International to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation

Cybex International, Inc., a leading manufacturer of premium exercise equipment, is treading for a cause. Hundreds of the Medway, Massachusetts-based Company’s pink 750T treadmills will be moving at varying speeds in fitness clubs and YMCA’s across the country beginning today, October 1 – and with a purpose – to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

3 Oct 2009

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital opens Hamon Tower for treating critically ill patients

Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas announces the opening of the Hamon Tower, the largest expansion in the hospital's history -- a medical complex devoted to intensive care for the region's most critically ill patients.

3 Oct 2009

Dapagliflozin with metformin reduces glycosylated hemoglobin level and body weight

Results from a 24-week phase 3 clinical study demonstrated that the investigational drug dapagliflozin, added to metformin, demonstrated significant mean reductions in the primary endpoint, glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) and in the secondary endpoint, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin alone, as compared to placebo plus metformin.

3 Oct 2009

HHS awards $2.1 million grant to Albert Einstein College to expand HCOE

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University a three-year, $2.1 million grant to expand and enrich its Hispanic Center of Excellence (HCOE).

3 Oct 2009

Cyberonics enters into a License Agreement with NeuroVista Corporation

Cyberonics, Inc. today announced two collaborations in the field of EEG-based seizure detection to build on its position as the leader in medical devices for epilepsy.

3 Oct 2009

ALL initiative three-year clinical observational study results published

A program that bundled two generic, low-cost drugs - a cholesterol-lowering statin and a blood pressure-lowering drug - and gave daily doses to 68,560 people with diabetes or heart disease for two years is estimated to have prevented 1,271 heart attacks and strokes in the first year following the study period, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published online in the American Journal of Managed Care.

3 Oct 2009

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals raises $115.7 million for general corporate purposes

Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced today that it has closed its previously announced public offering of 3,000,000 shares of its common stock at a price of $34.50 per share.

3 Oct 2009

NIH awards Titan $7.6M grant for Probuphine clinical development

Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc today announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has awarded a Research and Research Infrastructure Grand Opportunities grant to the company through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA). The two year grant for Probuphine clinical development is expected to provide approximately $7.6 million, with the first year award of approximately $ 5.6 million now made available to Titan by the NIH.

3 Oct 2009

Doctors battle proposed penalties for heavy use of tests

"Doctors are trying to remove a provision in the Senate's latest health bill that would cut Medicare payments to those who administer the most tests and treatments," The Wall Street Journal reports. "The proposal -- aimed at reducing waste -- is one of several proposals in the bill by the Senate Finance Committee that could change how doctors are evaluated and paid."

3 Oct 2009

Angelman Syndrome Foundation increases grant award for 2009 for AS research

The Angelman Syndrome Foundation further solidified its dedication to research by increasing its grant award total to more than $1 million for 2009. Most recently, more than $988,000 in grants was awarded to six principle investigators, focusing on Angelman Syndrome (AS) research.

3 Oct 2009

Co-marketing partnership between Enzo Life Sciences and BioTek Instruments

Enzo Biochem, Inc. announced today a co-marketing partnership between its Enzo Life Sciences subsidiary, a world leader in non-radioactive probe technology, and BioTek Instruments, a privately held global leader in the development, manufacture and sale of microplate instrumentation for drug discovery and life science applications, involving powerful, integrated solutions for high throughput live cell analysis.

3 Oct 2009

Also in Global Health news: U.S. food aid declines; agriculture in Zimbabwe; U.S.-backed ITN network; reducing maternal mortality; DNDI expands; healthcare in Congo

Although U.S. food aid funding has increased by 53 percent over the last two years, a Government Accountability Office report on Wednesday said that during the same time period, the "amount of food delivered to address emergencies abroad fell 5 percent," the Washington Independent reports.

3 Oct 2009

Study reveals disproportionately higher rate of primary c-sections among African-American women

A study released by Kaiser Permanente indicates that while the rate of cesarean-section (CS) deliveries for first-time moms has continued to increase over the last ten years, there is a disproportionately higher rate of primary c-sections among African-American women.

3 Oct 2009

American Airlines' initiative to fight breast cancer

In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, American Airlines is inviting consumers to join the fight against breast cancer when purchasing an American Airlines Gift Card. During October, when gift card buyers specify Komen as the beneficiary, American will donate $5 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® for every $50 of travel purchased via the American Airlines Gift Card.

3 Oct 2009