Medical News

RSS

BD recalls certain lots of BD Q-Syte Luer Access Devices and BD Nexiva Closed IV Catheter Systems

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) has voluntarily executed a product recall of certain lots of BD Q-Syte™ Luer Access Devices and BD Nexiva™ Closed IV Catheter Systems. Use of the affected devices may cause an air embolism or leakage of blood and/or therapy, which may result in serious injury or death. This field corrective action included notification to customers worldwide by letter. Neither the costs anticipated with the recall, nor the impact on BD's business, are expected to be material.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 9 Feb 2010

FDA approves Sagent Pharmaceuticals' labetalol HCl injection for severe hypertension

Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held specialty pharmaceutical company, today announced that it has received FDA approval of labetalol hydrochloride (HCl) injection, USP, commonly used to control severe hypertension. The product will be available in two vial sizes – 100 mg per 20 mL and 200 mg per 40 mL, multi-dose vials.

9 Feb 2010

Emerging Healthcare Solutions issues Term Sheet review to ThromboVision

Emerging Healthcare Solutions, Inc. announced today that management has formally delivered an actionable Term Sheet to ThromboVision for review and that follow up communications have been very favorable.

9 Feb 2010

State health policy developments: Doctor shortages, hospital taxes, California insurance crackdown

The Los Angeles Times: "At a time when nearly 7 million Californians are uninsured, state regulators are trying to rein in discount health and dental plans that officials say frequently overstate benefits, offer little if any savings and promise access to doctors who aren't part of the system. Some of the discounters fraudulently market themselves as insurance, while preying on the poor, the elderly and others who urgently need care, officials say. ... Plan executives bristle at such criticism. They say a few bad apples have tarnished an industry that offers reliable -- and relatively inexpensive -- services.

9 Feb 2010

Abbott seeks U.S. approval for HE4 assay to monitor recurrence/progression of epithelial ovarian cancer

A new diagnostic tool physicians can use to monitor patients for the most common form of ovarian cancer may soon be available in the United States. Abbott's ARCHITECT HE4 assay uses a simple blood test to help in monitoring for the recurrence or progression of epithelial ovarian cancer. If approved, this important immunoassay would be the first automated HE4 test available in the United States.

9 Feb 2010

Texas court case and Florida web site raise questions about effectiveness of physician oversight

A Texas court case reveals gaps in physician oversight, The New York Times reports. "It was beyond [Anne Mitchell's] conception that she would be indicted and threatened with 10 years in prison for doing what she knew a nurse must: inform state regulators that a doctor at her rural hospital was practicing bad medicine." Mitchell was first jailed in June and will stand trial this week for "misuse of official information, a third-degree felony in Texas," after reporting a physician for using unorthodox procedures - some of which went awry - and practicing in an operating room where he did not have privileges.

9 Feb 2010

FHCO announces first-quarter fiscal 2010 results

The Female Health Company (FHCO), which manufactures and markets the FC2 Female Condom®, today reported its operating results for the first quarter of FY2010.

9 Feb 2010

Study: Medicare bladder cancer treatment policy raises health costs

Reuters: "Medicare's move in 2005 to pay doctors to do bladder cancer surgery in their offices rather than in hospitals dramatically raised the number of procedures and overall health costs, U.S. researchers said on Monday.

9 Feb 2010

Loyola University Health System provides comfort for sick people

A steaming cup of tea, TV reruns murmuring in the background and snuggling in the coziest blanket you can find are all necessities for a sick day. Loyola University Health System's Pastoral Care Department is helping bring these simple, but significant comforts into the hospital to people dealing with some of life's greatest challenges. One of the main efforts is providing hand-made fleece blankets to patients and families who need extra reassurance.

9 Feb 2010

CRT, AstraZeneca announce alliance to develop new anti-cancer drugs

Cancer Research UK's commercialisation and development arm, Cancer Research Technology (CRT), today announced it has teamed up with biopharmaceutical business, AstraZeneca in a major, multi-project alliance, in which around 30 scientists will be focused on creating a stream of new anti-cancer drugs, it is announced today (Sunday).

9 Feb 2010

Dimebon drug associated with improved cognitive function in patients with Huntington's disease

An early stage clinical trial of the experimental drug dimebon (latrepirdine) in people with Huntington's disease appears to be safe and may improve cognition. That is the conclusion of a study published today in the Archives of Neurology.

9 Feb 2010

Tax on sugared drinks loses appeal, tanning salons still fighting

Los Angeles Times: "Only months ago, supporters of the soda tax saw it as an idea whose hour was near. The sheer magnitude of the medical cost of obesity added urgency to the issue ... But opponents questioned any link between sugary drinks and obesity, and expressed concern about a slippery slope of taxes on other products. Proponents, meanwhile, thought a tax that drove down consumption while raising money for health care seemed like a natural with Democrats controlling Congress."

9 Feb 2010

Plant-produced antibodies can help prevent infection

The first head-to-head comparison of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies produced from plants versus the same antibodies produced from mammalian cells has shown that plant-produced antibodies can fight infection equally well.

9 Feb 2010

BioElectronics and SAY-GIN sign agreement to sell ActiPatch and Allay products in Turkey

BioElectronics Corp., the maker of inexpensive, disposable, drug-free anti-inflammatory devices, today announced it has reached an agreement with SAY-GIN Ozel Egtim Yayincilik Ticaret Hizmetleri (SAY-GIN) for distribution of its ActiPatch and Allay products in Turkey.

9 Feb 2010

Kamada commences enrollment in European inhaled AAT clinical trial for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

Kamada, a bio-pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of specialty life-saving therapeutics, announced today that it has enrolled the first patient into its pivotal clinical trial with its new breakthrough compound of inhaled alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) delivered by an Investigational eFlow Nebulizer System (PARI Pharma GmbH), in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency.

9 Feb 2010

States deal with small budgets, Medicaid cuts

Virginian-Pilot: Area hospitals are preparing "for a round of Medicaid spending cuts that executives say could be the worst in decades and lead to more cutbacks in their organizations. Rising health care costs and a surge in the number of Medicaid patients have increased the state's obligation to the government health insurance program for the poor and disabled by $777.7 million over two years.

9 Feb 2010

Study reveals people with anorexia nervosa have increased fat content in their bone marrow

People with anorexia nervosa, paradoxically, have strikingly high levels of fat within their bone marrow, report researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. Their findings, based on MRI imaging of the knees of 20 girls with anorexia and 20 healthy girls of the same age, appear in the February issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

9 Feb 2010

Genta commences Phase 2 trial of tesetaxel on first subject

Genta Incorporated announced that the Company has initiated treatment of the first subject in a new Phase 2 trial of tesetaxel in advanced melanoma. Tesetaxel is the Company’s newest clinical-stage small molecule. As a late Phase 2 oncology product, tesetaxel is the leading oral taxane currently in clinical development. The new trial builds on more than ten years of Genta’s experience in melanoma clinical research.

9 Feb 2010

Combination of blueberries and probiotics protects against intestinal disorders

It is already known that blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. New research from the Lund University Faculty of Engineering in Sweden shows that blueberry fibre are important and can alleviate and protect against intestinal inflammations, such as ulcerative colitis.

9 Feb 2010

Sebelius urges Anthem Blue Cross to justify rate hike

Los Angeles Times: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "called on Anthem Blue Cross on Monday to justify its controversial new rate hikes of as much as 39% for individual policyholders." Sebelius "voiced concerns" in a letter to Anthem's president. The new rates "go into effect March 1 for many of the insurer's estimated 800,000 individual policyholders" (Helfand, 2/8).

9 Feb 2010

Medical News

BD recalls certain lots of BD Q-Syte Luer Access Devices and BD Nexiva Closed IV Catheter Systems

FDA approves Sagent Pharmaceuticals' labetalol HCl injection for severe hypertension

Emerging Healthcare Solutions issues Term Sheet review to ThromboVision

State health policy developments: Doctor shortages, hospital taxes, California insurance crackdown

Abbott seeks U.S. approval for HE4 assay to monitor recurrence/progression of epithelial ovarian cancer

Texas court case and Florida web site raise questions about effectiveness of physician oversight

FHCO announces first-quarter fiscal 2010 results

Study: Medicare bladder cancer treatment policy raises health costs

Loyola University Health System provides comfort for sick people

CRT, AstraZeneca announce alliance to develop new anti-cancer drugs

Dimebon drug associated with improved cognitive function in patients with Huntington's disease

Tax on sugared drinks loses appeal, tanning salons still fighting

Plant-produced antibodies can help prevent infection

BioElectronics and SAY-GIN sign agreement to sell ActiPatch and Allay products in Turkey

Kamada commences enrollment in European inhaled AAT clinical trial for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

States deal with small budgets, Medicaid cuts

Study reveals people with anorexia nervosa have increased fat content in their bone marrow

Genta commences Phase 2 trial of tesetaxel on first subject

Combination of blueberries and probiotics protects against intestinal disorders

Sebelius urges Anthem Blue Cross to justify rate hike

Redefining control and consistency in anaerobic microbiome workflows

AI in Healthcare: How generative tools are transforming clinical practice

The future of automation: Machine learning–driven hepatocyte and organoid counting

Latest News