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Health care reform leads to mergers

Health care reform has caused some unrest in the health care industry but has also led to strong deal-making and mergers.

21 Oct 2009

New cutting edge nerve procedure relieves migraine permanently

The Plastic Surgery Center today announced that a 57-year-old Plainfield man reports he is free of constant headache pain after undergoing a new cutting edge nerve procedure to permanently eliminate pain caused by migraines. The procedure was performed by plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Matthew Kaufman, of the Plastic Surgery Center in New Jersey on August 4, 2009.

21 Oct 2009

Baucus doubts a pure public plan can get 60 votes in Senate

Kaiser Health News staff writer Eric Pianin reports on the Senate leadership's ongoing efforts to craft a health overhaul measure that can draw 60 votes.

21 Oct 2009

Rice University scientists win NIH stimulus funds to study influenza A

Rice University scientists have won a $1.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to scrutinize the influenza A virus for clues that could lead to more effective antiviral drugs. Strains of influenza A include this year's pandemic H1N1 variety, some seasonal varieties and the much-feared H5N1 bird flu.

21 Oct 2009

First human implants of the Conformable GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis performed

W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore) today announced the first human implants of the next generation Conformable GORE TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis for the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs). The first implants were performed by Joshua Rovin, MD and Eugene Murphy, MD, at Bayfront Medical Center and William McMillan, MD and Scott Schultz, MD, at North Memorial Medical Center.

21 Oct 2009

Exact Sciences to use Hologic's Invader chemistry for colorectal cancer screening

Exact Sciences Corp. (Nasdaq: EXAS) today announced that it has obtained a worldwide license from Hologic Inc. for that company’s Invader, Invader plus and real-time Invader detection chemistries for the field of colorectal cancer screening.

From Hologic, Inc. 21 Oct 2009

Members of Humana to receive coverage for the administration cost of H1N1 vaccine

Humana Inc. today announced that the company will cover the administration cost of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine for all fully insured members including those members who have a benefit plan that excludes immunization coverage. All co-payment, coinsurance and deductibles will be waived for the administration of the H1N1 vaccination regardless of the preventative-services benefit currently provided in these members’ plans.

21 Oct 2009

Senate health bill negotiators discussing, debating versions of public option

Senator Max Baucus says there is still the possibility for some sort of public option in the Senate health bill, though he doubts it can get 60 votes, as Majority Leader Harry Reid negotiates to shape the final legislation.

21 Oct 2009

Also in Global Health News: Cholera in Zimbabwe; personal computers; medical 'outliers'; rain in Kenya; generic drugs

A cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe has infected more than 100, resulting in five deaths, state media said Tuesday, Reuters reports, "raising fears of a repeat of last year's epidemic that claimed more than 4,000 lives.

21 Oct 2009

Health care providers should assist patients in breaking the smoking habit

More than a quarter of cancer survivors who still smoke have not been advised to quit smoking by their health care providers in the last year, according to a study published by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in the current issue of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

21 Oct 2009

Simcere and OSI Pharmaceuticals to market KDR/Kit inhibitor OSI-930 in China

Simcere Pharmaceutical Group ("Simcere" or the "Company"), a leading pharmaceutical company specializing in development, manufacturing, and marketing of branded generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals in China, today announced an agreement with OSI Pharmaceuticals, Inc., to develop, manufacture, and market its KDR/Kit inhibitor OSI-930 in China.

21 Oct 2009

Employers may not restore benefits to pre-recession levels

"Since the downturn began, thousands of employers have cut pay, increased workers' share of health-care costs or reduced the employer contribution to retirement plans," The Wall Street Journal reports.

21 Oct 2009

Inovio Biomedical highlights its advances in SynCon DNA vaccines

Inovio Biomedical Corporation, a leader in DNA vaccine design, development and delivery, announced that Dr. David B. Weiner, Chairman of Inovio’s Scientific Advisory Board, highlighted advances in electroporation-delivered SynCon™ DNA vaccines compared to other leading vaccine technologies at the AIDS Vaccine 2009 Conference being held this week in Paris, France.

21 Oct 2009

New research highlights brain's vulnerability to obesity

New research released today is affirming a long-held maxim: you are what you eat - and, more to the point, what you eat has a profound influence on the brain. The findings offer insight into the neurobiological factors behind the obesity epidemic in the United States and other developed countries.

20 Oct 2009

New EHR and practice management solution from Nuesoft Technologies

Nuesoft Technologies Inc. today announced the launch of its electronic health record (EHR). The NueMD® EHR 5.2 is certified for Ambulatory EHR 2007 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), and accompanies NueMD's medical practice management software solution to comprise NueMD® Complete, a fully integrated practice management and electronic medical record.

20 Oct 2009

Computerized decision support solution from GE Healthcare

As part of GE’s healthymagination commitment, GE Healthcare today announced a new solution that puts clinical data and treatment practices in the hands of doctors and clinicians in real-time so that they can make informed decisions right at the point of care.

20 Oct 2009

U.S. patent for Celsis IVT's LiverPool products

Celsis International is pleased to announce that the United States Patent and Trademark Office today issued U.S. Patent No. 7,604,929 to Celsis In Vitro Technologies (Celsis IVT). This patent generally covers processes by which the company creates its unique LiverPool(TM) products for drug discovery research.

20 Oct 2009

World Medical Association adopts climate change, task shifting resolutions

At its general assembly in New Delhi, India, the World Medical Association (WMA), "a conglomerate of medical associations around the world," approved a plan that aims "to minimise the risk of increased malnutrition deaths, diseases and injuries due to climate change," IANS/Thaindian News reports (10/17).

20 Oct 2009

White House rallies support for health care bills; relationship with Chamber Of Commerce sours

Today, "President Obama will speak from New York City by video hookup to hundreds of small gatherings sponsored by Organizing for America, a spinoff of his 2008 campaign," USA Today reports

20 Oct 2009