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Pfizer acquires Wyeth; begins joint operations

Pfizer and Wyeth announced today that Pfizer has completed its acquisition of Wyeth following the receipt of regulatory approval from all government authorities required by the merger agreement and approval by Wyeth shareholders.

19 Oct 2009

Center remains elusive despite Snowe's support

The political center remains elusive in the health care debate, despite Democrats' glee after one version of the bill received a GOP vote, Politico reports. "If Democratic leadership hoped Republican Olympia Snowe's decision to cross party lines Tuesday would inspire her fellow middle-of-the-roaders, they were mistaken."

19 Oct 2009

Research study provides supportive evidence for using ATR inhibitors in cancer therapy

A study published in the October issue of Nature Genetics demonstrates that loss of the tumor-suppressor protein p53, coupled with elimination of the DNA-maintenance protein ATR, severely disrupts tissue maintenance in mice.

19 Oct 2009

International human migration needs to be factored into infectious disease policy

When people travel, bacteria and other infectious agents travel with them. As about a billion people cross international borders each year, many more billions of the bugs come along for the ride.

19 Oct 2009

Coronary angiography does not affect kidney functioning in CKD patients, reveals study

A screening test that measures whether a patient's heart is healthy enough for a kidney transplant is not as dangerous as once thought, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN).

19 Oct 2009

Internet use among older Americans can reduce U.S. healthcare costs

Spending time online reduces depression by 20 percent for senior citizens, the Phoenix Center reports in a new Policy Paper released today. In addition to the quality of life benefits, the Policy Paper said reducing the incidence of depression by widespread Internet use among older Americans could trim the nation's health care bill.

19 Oct 2009

Bedside coaching and exercising for ICU patients on ventilators

Few people have thought about providing an exercise workout in the intensive care unit, especially for patients on ventilators - even those who are comatose - but a researcher from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University will be doing some bedside coaching and exercising to get patients stretching and flexing their muscles.

19 Oct 2009

NIH grants to develop screening tool for autistic disorder

A Florida State University College of Medicine researcher has been awarded two separate grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) totaling $2.4 million to continue her work in detecting autism in children as young as 18 months.

19 Oct 2009

Innovative tool for providing patient-centered care for diabetics

Mayo Clinic clinicians and designers, along with colleagues from other institutions, have developed and tested a tool to involve patients more in their diabetes treatment and medication choices.

19 Oct 2009

Chembio Diagnostics to supply over 2000 PrimaTB STAT-PAK tuberculosis testing kits

Chembio Diagnostics, Inc., which develops, manufactures, markets and licenses point-of-care diagnostic tests, has agreed to provide over 2,000 PrimaTB STAT-PAK tuberculosis (TB) testing kits which are approved for use in Macaques to the Orangutan Conservancy (OC) to support the organization's continued drive to raise the level of veterinary care at orangutan rehabilitation centers.

19 Oct 2009

Initiative calls for more research and improved treatment methods on musculoskeletal pain

The Global Year Against Musculoskeletal Pain launches today, focusing attention on one of the largest and most significant areas of pain.

19 Oct 2009

Research study reveals SFSGD in EGD individuals with GRBWR below 0.8%

Small-for-size graft dysfunction (SFSGD) following living-related liver transplantation (LRLT) is characterized by early graft dysfunction (EGD) when the graft-to-recipient body weight ratio (GRBWR) is below 0.8%.

19 Oct 2009

Gates Foundation to announce grants to promote agriculture at world food prize symposium

During a "keynote speech" Thursday at the World Food Prize Symposium in Des Moines, Iowa, Bill Gates, cofounder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is expected to announce $120 million in grants "to promote dynamic, home-grown, sustainable agriculture in Africa and India,"

19 Oct 2009

FDA urges consumers to exercise care on online H1N1 drug products

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today warned consumers to use extreme care when purchasing any products over the Internet that claim to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure the H1N1 influenza virus.

19 Oct 2009

Fate Therapeutics announces human iPSC generation using a combination of small molecules

Fate Therapeutics, Inc. announced today the generation of human induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) using a combination of small molecules that significantly improves the speed and efficiency of reprogramming.

19 Oct 2009

Rituxan drug effective for treating ANCA-associated vasculitis

Researchers have identified that Rituxan, a drug previously approved for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's B cell lymphoma and rheumatoid arthritis, can treat severe ANCA-associated vasculitis as effectively as cyclophosphamide, the current standard therapy.

19 Oct 2009

Regulation of neurotransmitters may help treat depression

New research clarifies how neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine, are regulated - a finding that may help fine-tune therapies for depression.

19 Oct 2009

Recently approved Gleevec drug for cancer treatment

Investigators have identified a drug that is currently approved to treat certain types of cancer, Gleevec, that could provide the first treatment for scleroderma, a chronic connective tissue disease for which a treatment has remained elusive. The news will be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology on October 18 in Philadelphia.

19 Oct 2009

Cancer Therapeutics and Nanotherapies sign letter of intent

Cancer Therapeutics, Inc. (OTCBB: CTHP), an emerging biotechnology business incubator with a specific emphasis on disruptive cancer treatments and nanotechnology, announced today it has signed a letter of intent to acquire another 26 percent interest in NanoTherapies, LLC which would give Cancer Therapeutics a total of 51 percent and controlling interest of NanoTherapies.

19 Oct 2009

Over 80 countries mark world handwashing day

VOA News reports that more than 80 countries marked Global Handwashing Day Thursday. The news service writes that "[d]iarrhea is the third cause of death in West and Central Africa, which is responsible for 30 percent of the world's deaths of children under the age of five."

19 Oct 2009