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Hydrocephalus Association awards stimulus grants for research initiative

The Hydrocephalus Association has announced research grants to scientists at five medical centers, in a new initiative to address the shortfall in progress in the treatment of hydrocephalus, a condition affecting one million Americans.

17 Dec 2009

PRPS1 gene associated with DFN2 identified by researchers

A gene associated with a rare form of progressive deafness in males has been identified by an international team of researchers funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.

17 Dec 2009

FDA clears Agendia's MammaPrint breast cancer recurrence test for all ages

Agendia, a world leader in molecular cancer diagnostics, announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared its MammaPrint breast cancer recurrence test for all ages. MammaPrint is the only FDA-cleared breast cancer recurrence test available to patients and physicians.

17 Dec 2009

Full Accreditation in Health Utilization Management awarded to DNA Direct

DNA Direct, a leading provider of guidance and decision support for genomic medicine, announced today that it has been awarded Full Accreditation in Health Utilization Management by URAC, a Washington D.C.-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.

17 Dec 2009

Union issues report regarding so-called 'cadillac tax'

The Hill: "Growing increasingly anxious at the direction in which healthcare reform is heading, the labor movement is sending yet another signal of friction with the White House. The Communications Workers of America (CWA) released a new report Thursday that counters analysis by one of President Barack Obama's senior aides that the Senate version of the healthcare reform bill would not be tantamount to a tax hike on those making $250,000 or less."

17 Dec 2009

Suneva Medical and WTI sign credit agreement to expand growth objectives

Suneva Medical, a privately-held aesthetic medical device company, today announced that it has signed a multi-million dollar line of credit facility with Western Technology Investment (WTI).

17 Dec 2009

Arno Therapeutics announces dosing of first patient in Phase II clinical study of AR-67

Arno Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing oncology therapeutics, today announced the dosing of the first patient in a Phase II clinical study of its third-generation camptothecin compound, AR-67, in patients with Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), an aggressive form of brain cancer.

17 Dec 2009

APHS: Senate needs to move quickly on health reform and reduce death and disability in the US

The American Public Health Association today urged the Senate to move quickly on health reform and advance the measure to conference with the House.

17 Dec 2009

Sen. Nelson rejects abortion compromise

Reuters: "Democratic hopes for passing a broad healthcare overhaul in the U.S. Senate by Christmas took a hit on Thursday when a party holdout, Ben Nelson, rejected a compromise on abortion aimed at winning his vote. ... Democrats have no margin of error -- they control exactly 60 votes and face so far unified Republican opposition.

17 Dec 2009

Update on Phase 2 clinical trial of oral interferon announced by Amarillo Biosciences

Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (ABI) today announced that its ongoing study of oral interferon as prevention/treatment of influenza and other respiratory illnesses in Perth, Australia is nearing completion.

17 Dec 2009

Adimab announces initiation of research collaborations with two other companies

Adimab, Inc., a leader in the discovery of fully human antibodies, today announced the initiation of research collaborations with Pfizer and an undisclosed second company. Adimab also announced the receipt of milestone payments from two recently announced discovery collaborations with Merck and Roche.

17 Dec 2009

Switching between A-rated anti-epileptic drug formulations does not increase seizure risk

Express Scripts, Inc., one of the largest pharmacy benefit management companies in North America, announced today results of a study that examined the association of seizure risk among epilepsy patients after switching between A-rated anti-epileptic drug formulations. The study found no evidence that switching between A-rated anti-epileptic drugs, including brand to generic substitution, was associated with increased emergency room visits or hospitalizations for epilepsy.

17 Dec 2009

Also in Global Health news: Hospital births in Guinea-Bissau; drought in E. Africa; drug-resistant malaria; U.S. response to H1N1

IRIN examines the increase in the number of women giving birth in hospital settings rather than delivery by a traditional birth attendant - a behavior that health officials hope will lead to a drop in the country's maternal mortality rate. "According to UNFPA, 38 percent of women gave birth in a hospital in 2009, up from 29 percent in 2003," the news service writes.

17 Dec 2009

Shift working may accelerate metabolic syndrome

Shift work exposures can accelerate metabolic syndrome (MetS) development among the large population of middle-aged males with elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (e-ALT) is a common abnormality of health examinations in middle-aged working populations.

17 Dec 2009

Interleukin Genetics introduces the Bone Health Genetic Test

Interleukin Genetics, Inc. announced today availability of the Bone Health Genetic Test designed to detect genetic patterns associated with the development of osteoporosis-related outcomes. The test determines an individual's risk for developing vertebral or spinal fractures and low bone mineral density.

17 Dec 2009

USDA joins global alliance to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase food security

The U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) said on Wednesday it has joined the Global Research Alliance, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase access to food worldwide, Reuters reports.

17 Dec 2009

KHN column: Losing the real health care debate

In his latest column for Kaiser Health News, Douglas Holtz-Eakin analyzes the ongoing health reform debate. "The fractious, divided nature of the Democrats' majority in Congress continues to extend the health care debate - and excite the press, who are enthralled by every "11th hour" compromise.

17 Dec 2009

HHS money targets chronic disease management for seniors

McKnight's Long Term Care News "The Department of Health and Human Services is disbursing $27 million in stimulus package funds to bolster care and prevention of chronic conditions among the elderly through the HHS Administration on Aging (AoA), it said Wednesday.

17 Dec 2009

La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology awarded $18.8M NIH grant for infectious diseases study

Researchers from the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology will take aim at several of the world's most dangerous infectious diseases - tuberculosis, malaria and dengue virus -- in a five-year, $18.8 million federally-funded set of projects seeking to make new inroads toward vaccines against the disorders.

17 Dec 2009

PEPFAR decisions to be grounded in scientific evidence, Goosby says

U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Eric Goosby "said future programmes to prevent HIV infection would be those supported by the best scientific evidence," reports the Financial Times. Goosby told the Financial Times in an interview: "I will always wrap myself in the science as the justification of decision-making. I will not factor in an ideological rationale."

17 Dec 2009