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Tax on cosmetic surgery opposed by AACS

As negotiators on Capitol Hill try to find ways to fund a health care overhaul, a 5% tax on cosmetic surgery has been introduced on Nov. 18 as part of the Senate's proposed health reform bill, introduced by US Senator Harry Reid (D-NV).

19 Nov 2009

UNFPA report highlights relationship between family planning, women's health and climate change

"Providing access to contraception for 215 million women, mainly in developing countries, would help to stabilize population growth and significantly reduce the effects of climate change," according to a report released Wednesday by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Nature News reports (Gilbert, 11/18).

19 Nov 2009

Particles released by car brake pads can harm lung cells: Study

Real-life particles released by car brake pads can harm lung cells in vitro. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Particle and Fibre Toxicology found that heavy braking, as in an emergency stop, caused the most damage, but normal breaking and even close proximity to a disengaged brake resulted in potentially dangerous cellular stress.

19 Nov 2009

American Diabetes Association launches redesigned diabetes website

To meet the changing needs of people affected by this growing epidemic, the American Diabetes Association has launched a completely redesigned www.diabetes.org in English and Spanish. Even though diabetes is a growing epidemic, a recent survey conducted by the Association showed that Americans received a failing grade in diabetes awareness.

19 Nov 2009

New technology to investigate sleep disorders developed

Virtanen has developed a method for analysing snoring sounds by using a PC with a microphone connection and a wireless microphone. The objective was to create an application that could be used at home to monitor snoring. By utilizing this technology, researchers from Tampere University of Technology and the University of Helsinki have investigated sleep disorders and further refined related screening technologies.

19 Nov 2009

High prevalence of asthma among children with H1N1

A new study on pediatric H1N1 influenza admissions has found that asthma is a significant risk factor for severe disease in children with pandemic H1N1 compared with the seasonal flu.

19 Nov 2009

Low-level laser therapy increases tumour growth in skin cancer

High irradiances of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) should not be used over melanomas. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Cancer studied the pain relieving, anti-inflammatory 'cold laser', finding that it caused increased tumour growth in a mouse model of skin cancer.

19 Nov 2009

Ligand Pharmaceuticals receives $2 million in milestone payments from N. V. Organon

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated announced today that it has received $2 million in milestone payments from N. V. Organon, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., stemming from its research collaboration that is due to expire at the end of December.

19 Nov 2009

Canadian Arthritis Network to host 2009 Annual Scientific Conference in Vancouver

People with arthritis and leading Canadian and international researchers will share the stage under the theme "Decoding Arthritis - A Joint Effort" when the Canadian Arthritis Network (CAN) hosts its 2009 Annual Scientific Conference beginning tonight, in Vancouver, BC.

19 Nov 2009

Health care spending in Canada expected to reach $183.1 billion in 2009: CIHI

Health care spending in Canada is expected to reach $183.1 billion in 2009, an estimated increase of $9.5 billion, or 5.5%, since 2008, according to new figures released today by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI).

19 Nov 2009

Ligon Discovery raises $1 million

Ligon Discovery, Inc., which uses proprietary small molecule microarray technology to find drugs against high-value targets, today announced that it has raised $1M in seed financing led by incTANK Ventures. The company will use the capital to complete its initial discovery campaign that will screen over 100 high-value disease protein targets. With this investment, incTANK Ventures General Partner Christian Bailey joins the board.

19 Nov 2009

Reid says Senate will hold first health bill vote on Saturday

Reuters reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the Senate will vote Saturday on a procedural move to begin debate on the Senate's health care reform bill. "'The finish line is in sight,' ... Reid said.

19 Nov 2009

$10 million grant to help enroll uninsured, eligible American Indian and Alaska Native children in CHIP

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the availability of up to $10 million in grants to help reach American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children who qualify for, but are not yet enrolled, in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

19 Nov 2009

Pfizer,DNDi partner to Identify NTD drugs; Sanofi-Aventis, medicines for malaria launch drug study

Pfizer and the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) on Wednesday announced plans to team up in an effort to identify new drug candidates for the treatment of three tropical diseases, the Associated Press/Business Week reports. The scientists will test the efficacy of Pfizer drug candidates against sleeping sickness, visceral leishmaniasis, and Chagas disease.

19 Nov 2009

Senate health bill's abortion language triggers mixed reactions

The Hill reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "prefers abortion language in the Senate healthcare legislation to the House approach." Pelosi said she was pleased with the Senate bill's treatment of abortion, saying "'I think it's pretty clear no federal funds would be used to pay for abortion.'" Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid left out Rep. Bart Stupak's abortion amendment from his merged Senate health care reform bill, opting instead to "maintain current law where that is applicable and extend it to new programs created by the legislation."

19 Nov 2009

Op-Eds: HIV travel ban; improving sanitation; counterfeit drugs

A "blot" on U.S. HIV/AIDS leadership "ended last month when President [Barack] Obama lifted the prohibition" that kept HIV-positive foreigners from visiting the U.S. or seeking residency, according to a Washington Post editorial. "The process for eliminating the travel ban started under President George W. Bush in July 2008, when he signed legislation that repealed the original statute."

19 Nov 2009

CleveMed to distribute its products in Europe and Canada following receipt of the CE Mark and CMDCAS

CleveMed recently received ISO 13485 certification issued by BSI Management Systems America Inc., one of the foremost auditing bodies in the world. CleveMed has also received the CE Mark and CMDCAS allowing its products to be distributed to the large European and the Canadian markets which will strengthen its worldwide market presence.

19 Nov 2009

For World Toilet Day, news outlets examine poor sanitation conditions around world

In light of World Toilet Day Thursday, several news outlets examine the impact of poor sanitation on health.

19 Nov 2009

World Summit on Food Security wraps up

The U.N. World Summit on Food Security ended Wednesday in Rome with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) head Jacques Diouf calling for the global community to shift the fight against global hunger from "words to action," Agence France-Press reports. Diouf said, "We must do this to have a more prosperous world, fairer, more equitable and more peaceful. But above all we must do this fast: the poor and starving can not wait" (11/18).

19 Nov 2009

Family planning drive launched during conference in Uganda

Agence France-Presse examines a new U.S.-backed "12 million dollar family planning drive launched" Wednesday during a three-day conference on family planning in Kampala, Uganda. The project aims to "improve access to contraceptives for women in six African nations [including Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania and Kenya] as well as Indonesia and Pakistan," the news service writes (Simon, 11/18).

19 Nov 2009