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New health privacy regulations spark debate

Information Week reports that the Department of Health and Human Services has issued a rule to "beef up penalties for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA)." But the rule has generated complaints from a bipartisan group of congressmen, who argue it leaves loopholes and doesn't properly determine when privacy has been breached.

4 Nov 2009

Scientists identify potential drug target for curing alcohol drinking behavior

A group of drunken fruit flies have helped researchers from North Carolina State and Boston universities identify entire networks of genes-also present in humans-that play a key role in alcohol drinking behavior.

4 Nov 2009

More Atlanta residents are stressed about the economy according to APA survey

More Atlanta residents are stressed about the economy this year according to the American Psychological Association's (APA) Stress in America survey, while the number of Atlantans reporting money or work as significant stressors in 2009 has dropped. More than 60 percent of city residents continue to report that money, work and the economy are significant sources of stress -- a cause of concern for psychologists who worry about the effects of long-term stress and how it can contribute to chronic health disorders.

4 Nov 2009

The uninsured, putting off care, facing debt

ProPublica profiles Anne Johnson, a 41-year-old single mother in California "whose family has been uninsured since she lost her job as a secretary in February," and explores how health reform could affect her. Johnson "needs her aortic valve replaced, but without insurance she can't afford the surgery. She is supposed to get checkups every six months, but that is also too expensive - so she has put them off."

4 Nov 2009

Sigma-Aldrich, Polyplus-transfection sign licensing agreement to manufacture ZNA oligonucleotides

Sigma-Aldrich today announced a worldwide licensing agreement with Polyplus-transfection (Strasbourg, France) to manufacture and commercialize Zip Nucleic Acid (ZNA(TM)) oligonucleotides, a new technology that provides solutions for increased affinity for nucleic acids.

3 Nov 2009

Absorption Systems awarded FDA SBIR grant for developing its CellPort Technologies testing platform

Absorption Systems LP today announced that it has been awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to continue development of the company’s CellPort Technologies™ testing platform. This unique assay platform enables more specific prediction of potential drug-drug interactions mediated by human drug transport proteins.

3 Nov 2009

Reducing training volume can improve runners' performance

In a recent scientific study just published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, Bangsbo and co-workers demonstrate that by reducing the volume of training by 25% and introducing the so-called speed endurance training (6-12 30-s sprint runs 3-4 times a week), endurance trained runners can improve not only short-term but also long-term performance.

3 Nov 2009

Insurers pressed about use of premium money for non-medical expenses

An analysis released in a letter by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., suggests that the amount of money insurance companies spend to cover medical expenses could be less than the companies claim.

3 Nov 2009

Party leaders say House GOP bill to be released soon

"The Republicans' health care bill in the House focuses more on lowering costs than on expanding coverage, party leaders said Monday — setting up a stark divide between the GOP and Democrats who have made near universal coverage a top priority of their bills," Politico reports.

3 Nov 2009

Malaria Conference addresses RTS,S vaccine, tools, treatment

On Tuesday at the 5th Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM) Pan-African Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, scientists and global health experts focused on malaria eradication, Agence France-Presse reports. "Key among the strategies ... is the development of an effective anti-malaria vaccine, a project scientists have been researching since the late 80s. ... RTS,S is the most clinically advanced malaria vaccine so far, according to the Malaria Vaccine Initiative," the news service writes (11/3).

3 Nov 2009

Press conference to discuss how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses

Democratic Senators Tom Harkin and Mary Landrieu and Congresswoman Debbie Halvorson joined Mike Draper, a small business owner from Des Moines, Iowa; Gwendolyn Barnes, a small business owner from Shreveport, Louisiana; Dr. Ken Brantley, a small business owner from Richmond, Virginia; and other small business owners from across the country at a press conference this morning to discuss how health insurance reform will benefit small businesses.

3 Nov 2009

First responders at WTC attacks twice likely to suffer from asthma

First responders who were exposed to caustic dust and toxic pollutants following the 2001 World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks suffer from asthma at more than twice the rate of the general U.S. population, according to data presented today by Mount Sinai School of Medicine researchers at CHEST 2009, the 75th annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), in San Diego.

3 Nov 2009

Aerovance enrolls 540 patients in Phase 2b Aerovant clinical trial

Aerovance Inc. today announced it has completed patient enrollment in a Phase 2b clinical trial of the inhaled dry powder formulation of Aerovant for the treatment of uncontrolled asthma. Top-line results are expected by the second quarter of 2010.

3 Nov 2009

Health Analytics Solution Center launched by IBM

IBM today announced the launch of its Health Analytics Solution Center, part of a network of global centers addressing the growing demand for advanced analytics needed to help hospitals and medical staff improve decision-making and provide higher quality care.

3 Nov 2009

Reid: Lawmakers may not complete health legislation this year

CongressDaily: "Senate Majority Leader Reid is not expected to receive until next week scoring from CBO that will allow him to piece together a final healthcare overhaul bill, Senate sources said today. The possible two-week review period on proposals that Reid sent CBO Oct. 26 has bolstered speculation that an overhaul bill might not come to the Senate floor before December in a debate that could stretch into next year."

3 Nov 2009

Biomoda receives U.S patent for cytology-based screening assay

Biomoda, Inc. (OTCBB: BMOD), an Albuquerque-based cancer diagnostics company, announces that it has received notice of allowance for a U.S. Patent protecting the proprietary formula for the composition that binds to cancer cells which is utilized in Biomoda’s screening assay for the early detection of cancer

3 Nov 2009

Democrats still face roadblocks to health reform: Abortion, immigration

Though House leaders say they'd like a health reform bill vote by Friday, some Democrats are threatening to block its passage over the issue of abortion.

3 Nov 2009

GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer formally launch company to develop new HIV treatments

Pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer on Tuesday formally launched ViiV Healthcare, a company focused on the development of new HIV treatments, Dow Jones Newswires/SmartMoney.com reports (11/3).

3 Nov 2009

Health Canada approves the marketing of BioMimetic Therapeutics' Augment Bone Graft

BioMimetic Therapeutics, Inc. announced today that it has received approval from Health Canada to begin the marketing of its lead orthopedic product, Augment™ Bone Graft, as an alternative to the use of autograft in midfoot, hindfoot and ankle fusion indications in Canada.

3 Nov 2009

$3.9 million Challenge grant for Thomas Jefferson researchers

Four researchers from Thomas Jefferson University have received $3.9 million in Challenge grant funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

3 Nov 2009