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CE Mark approval for AtriClip System

AtriCure, Inc. a medical device company and a leader in cardiac surgical ablation systems, today announced CE Mark approval for its AtriClip Gillinov-Cosgrove Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion System.

7 Oct 2009

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger supporting health reform efforts

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday announced his support for President Obama's push for health care reforms.

7 Oct 2009

Baucus says bill score could come Wednesday

Roll Call reports that Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus said today that he could receive on Wednesday the final Congressional Budget Office cost estimate of the latest version of his panel's health reform bill.

7 Oct 2009

Cognitive behavioral therapy effective for bulimia and binge eating disorders

Although most people with bulimia and binge eating disorders wait many years before seeking help, a new review shows that psychological treatment can make a large difference — and that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most effective talk therapy for these disorders.

6 Oct 2009

Visionet Systems acquires eDocSynergy

Visionet Systems - a provider of technology solutions, strategic consulting services, and knowledge process outsourcing - has acquired eDocSynergy, LLC, a privately-held provider of healthcare technology.

6 Oct 2009

Catalent Pharma Solutions' Corby packaging facility receives High Commendation recognition

Catalent Pharma Solutions announces that its commercial packaging facility in Corby, United Kingdom, received a High Commendation recognition in the Judge’s Special Award category, in the recently announced “2009 Best Factory Awards.” The Corby facility was nominated in several categories, including “Best Process Factory” and “Overall Best UK Factory.”

6 Oct 2009

Examining the recent winners and losers in the health reform debate

"Pfizer Inc., the world's largest drugmaker, and hospital companies including Community Health Systems Inc. are benefiting from agreements with President Barack Obama that will limit any threat to their profits."

6 Oct 2009

Balancing costs, quality a difficult task both in Congress and practice

Democratic lawmakers hope to keep costs for health coverage down while, at the same time, improving benefits packages, a pair of sometimes-conflicting goals that boils down to an effort to get more for less, the New York Times reports.

6 Oct 2009

States face rising Medicaid rolls under health reform

As part of the ongoing "Are You Covered?" series done in conjunction with Kaiser Health News, NPR profiles a 94-year-old Medicaid recipient in Colorado, who lives in a nursing home largely paid for by her Medicaid coverage. Gracie Scarrow and her daughter, Lela Petersen, both "say they are very satisfied with the program."

6 Oct 2009

Health insurance exchanges examined as part of reform proposals

Health insurance exchanges are part of every health care overhaul proposal now in Congress as Utah becomes just the second state to try its own exchange on for size.

6 Oct 2009

Health reform may open employment opportunities

Health reform could open new opportunities for workers and employers, according to U.S. News and World Report. "If healthcare reform makes insurance much more affordable to individuals and businesses, it could result in a greater variety of career options for workers. For one thing, it would reduce barriers to entrepreneurship.

6 Oct 2009

U.S. lags behind industrialized countries on preventable deaths

The United States lags behind other wealthy countries on "preventable deaths," those caused by illnesses and injuries that should not kill at an early age, and it has been falling further behind over the past decade.

6 Oct 2009

Administration considers extending COBRA premiums

The Obama administration announced Monday that it is considering extending a federal law that subsidizes COBRA health insurance premiums for laid-off workers.

6 Oct 2009

Merge Healthcare adds three Biotronics3D applications to its eFilm eCommerce channel

Merge Healthcare, a leading health IT solutions provider, today announced the addition of three Biotronics3D applications to its eFilm eCommerce channel: Diagnostic 3D, Vessel Review and Colon Review. Each module brings fast access to an array of advanced visualization tools that assist in non-invasive viewing and diagnosing of medical conditions.

6 Oct 2009

Phase 2 clinical study results of TOPICA's luliconazole for athlete's foot announced

TOPICA Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held biotechnology company, today announced positive results from its Phase 2 clinical study evaluating luliconazole, one of the most potent and broad spectrum topical antifungal agents, in patients with tinea pedis (athlete's foot). The study was designed to assess the effectiveness of 1% luliconazole cream applied once daily for 14 days compared with once daily for 28 days.

6 Oct 2009

CryoValve SG aortic human heart valve receives Humanitarian Use Device designation

CryoLife, Inc., an implantable biological medical device and cardiovascular tissue processing company, today announced that it has received a Humanitarian Use Device (HUD) designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its CryoValve® SG aortic human heart valve.

6 Oct 2009

FDA provides 510(k) clearance for Boston Scientific's WallFlex Biliary RX covered stents

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market its WallFlex(®) Biliary RX fully and partially covered stents for the palliative treatment of malignant bile duct strictures. The WallFlex Biliary RX uncovered stent was cleared by the FDA in 2006.

6 Oct 2009

US Army grants BioDelivery Sciences $1.3M for investigating Bioral Amphotericin B

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. has received a $1.3 million grant from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research for Bioral Amphotericin B, an oral formulation of the fungicidal treatment amphotericin B in BDSI’s patented Bioral drug delivery technology, to further study the formulation in the treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis.

6 Oct 2009

AVANIR's STAR trial Phase III data to be presented at the World Congress on Controversies in Neurology

AVANIR Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced it will present detailed data from the Phase III confirmatory STAR trial in the treatment of pseudobulbar affect (PBA) at the 3rd World Congress on Controversies in Neurology (CONy) in Prague, Czech Republic on October 8 - 11, 2009 and the American Neurological Association (ANA) 134th Annual Meeting in Baltimore, MD on October 11 - 14, 2009.

6 Oct 2009

Supreme Court asks Obama's opinion on San Francisco’s health care law

"The U.S. Supreme Court delayed action Monday on employer fees in San Francisco's groundbreaking health care program and instead sought advice from the Obama administration, even as the president struggles to overhaul health coverage nationwide," The San Francisco Chronicle reports.

6 Oct 2009