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KHN column: Will there be a market for gov't long-term care insurance?

In his latest Kaiser Health News column, Howard Gleckman writes about long-term care: "The CLASS Act—the far-reaching proposal to create a national long-term care insurance program—is in the House health reform bill, and is still in the mix as Senate leaders struggle to design their own version of reform."

16 Nov 2009

Live Facebook chat on H1N1 flu

People who have questions about the H1N1 flu can get answers from infectious disease experts at Rush University Medical Center during a one-hour, live Facebook chat to be held on Friday, November 20 from12 p.m. until 1 p.m.

16 Nov 2009

Sterile Insect Technique can play a vital role in malaria elimination

The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT), the release of sexually sterile male insects to wipe out a pest population, is one suggested solution to the problem of malaria in Africa. A new supplement, published in BioMed Central's open access Malaria Journal, reviews the history of the technique, and features details about aspects of its application in the elimination of malaria.

16 Nov 2009

Implementing infection-limiting measures a challenge, say researchers

The H1N1 flu virus is spreading misery around the country, but University of Michigan researchers say that implementing and sustaining infection-limiting measures will still be a challenge.

16 Nov 2009

Using cell phones while crossing streets can be dangerous for older pedestrians

Two new studies of pedestrian safety found that using a cell phone while hoofing it can endanger one's health. Older pedestrians, in particular, are impaired when crossing a busy (simulated) street while speaking on a mobile phone, the researchers found.

16 Nov 2009

HELP Committee chairman: Senate will work weekends on health bill

Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, said Monday that the Senate will work weekends in December to try to pass a health care reform bill, The Hill reports.

16 Nov 2009

Kane Biotech to raise $500,000 through private placement

Kane Biotech Inc., a biotechnology company engaged in the development of products that prevent and disperse microbial biofilms, today announces a non-brokered private placement offering for gross proceeds of up to $500,000 consisting of up to 3,846,154 units ("Units") at a price of $0.13 per Unit.

16 Nov 2009

Strong support from AARP members for Affordable Health Care for America Act

A new poll of AARP members released today finds strong support across party and ideological lines for elements of health care reform included in the Affordable Health Care for America Act, which recently passed the House of Representatives. The AARP-backed bill limits how much more insurance companies can charge based on age and will close the Medicare prescription drug doughnut hole.

16 Nov 2009

Leaders conclude second Africa Water Week

African leaders concluded the Second Africa Water Week on Friday, with an appeal for "concrete actions to meet the water and sanitation needs in the continent," Xinhua reports.

16 Nov 2009

Stem cell therapy to treat heart, lung and vascular diseases show positive results

A Florida cardiologist is using stem cell therapy to treat patients who suffer from a range of heart, lung and vascular illnesses. The results have been extraordinary.

16 Nov 2009

NIH grant to establish East African Center of Excellence in Health Informatics

A $1.3 million grant to Indiana University from the National Institutes of Health's Fogarty International Center will establish the East African Center of Excellence in Health Informatics.

16 Nov 2009

Los Angeles Times examines health care in Sierra Leone

The Los Angeles Times writes: "Sierra Leone is one of those nations where decades of foreign aid have failed to appreciably lift the fortunes of the people. The country is a charity case: 60% of its public spending comes from foreign governments and nonprofit organizations.

16 Nov 2009

H1N1 continues to spread, despite leveling off in some regions, WHO reports

Despite reports that the numbers of new H1N1 (swine flu) are leveling off in some parts of the Northern Hemisphere, the virus continues to spread, the WHO said Friday, Reuters reports. "In an update on the H1N1 swine flu virus, the WHO said parts of the southern and southeastern United States, as well as Iceland and Ireland, seemed to have weakening levels of disease after an unusually early start of the winter flu season," the news service writes.

16 Nov 2009

Additional vaccine for 2009 H1N1 flu approved by FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved a fifth vaccine for protection against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The vaccine is manufactured by ID Biomedical Corp. of Quebec, Canada, owned by GlaxoSmithKline PLC.

16 Nov 2009

BrainStorm Cell's therapeutic approach has potential for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies and therapeutics, is pleased to announce that the company’s therapeutic approach for treating neurodegenerative diseases, particularly ALS and Parkinson’s disease, was found to have a positive effect in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis (MS).

16 Nov 2009

Opinions: Health system funding; malnutrition assistance; social dimension of HIV

"For too long, global health funding has gone to diseases like AIDS with the most vocal lobby groups and not to the diseases with the greatest need," Philip Stevens, a senior fellow at International Policy Network, writes in a Business Daily opinion piece.

16 Nov 2009

CMS report: House bill will raise health care costs, affect seniors' benefits

A new report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services finds that the health overhaul bill passed by the House will raise health costs by approximately $289 billion in the next ten years. The report was requested by House Republicans and compiled by CMS' chief actuary, Richard Foster.

16 Nov 2009

SynerMed and L.A. Care team up to launch e-consult program

SynerMed, Inc., the largest Medicaid managed service organization (MSO) in the country, in collaboration with L.A. Care Health Plan, the nation’s largest public health plan, announced today the launch of an e-consult pilot program.

16 Nov 2009

Also in Global Health News: HIV/AIDS in Uganda; medical equipment in Tanzania; birth control in Afghanistan; Ethiopia malaria fight

"The Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) is revamping its national HIV information campaign after HIV prevention messages were less successful than hoped," PlusNews reports. "Campaigns aimed at ending cross-generational sex will be abandoned in favour of generic warnings about engaging in risky sex because of fears that young people may believe that sex within their own generation is risk-free. Officials have also said factors such as alcohol abuse, which predispose people to risky sexual behaviour, must be tackled alongside HIV prevention" (11/16).

16 Nov 2009

Results of Phase III clinical trials of flibanserin for treatment of HSDD in pre-menopausal women released

Data from pivotal Phase III clinical trials demonstrate that flibanserin 100mg increased the number of satisfying sexual events (SSE) and sexual desire (the co-primary endpoints) while decreasing the distress associated with Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD).

16 Nov 2009