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It is possible to reduce the risk of HIV infection with a vaccine: AVAC

"Today marks an historic milestone in the search for an AIDS vaccine; we now have evidence that it is possible to reduce the risk of HIV infection with a vaccine," said AVAC executive director Mitchell Warren, reacting to the results of the first AIDS vaccine trial to ever show efficacy at preventing HIV. "It will take time and resources to fully analyze, understand and validate the data, but there is little doubt that this finding will energize and redirect the AIDS vaccine field as all of us begin the hard work to translate this landmark result into true public health benefit."

24 Sep 2009

Study reveals that AIR Inhaled Insulin is inferior to SC insulin

The commercial failure of Exubera- (Pfizer, New York, NY), the first inhaled insulin product to come to market, led other companies such as Eli Lilly-Alkermes to halt studies of similar drug delivery in development intended to compete for a share of the lucrative diabetes market. Does this signal defeat for efforts to deliver insulin via the lungs? The science and circumstances behind the Lilly-Alkermes decision to discontinue trials of the AIR- inhaled insulin product are explored in a special supplement to Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics, a peer-reviewed journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com). The supplement is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/dia

24 Sep 2009

ImThera Medical completes THN system development

ImThera Medical, Inc. announced today that it has completed development of its Targeted Hypoglossal Neurostimulation (THN) system for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

24 Sep 2009

AmeriChoice of Pennsylvania, Chester County Hospital sign agreement for access to hospital's facilities

AmeriChoice of Pennsylvania and Chester County Hospital have announced an agreement that will provide AmeriChoice Medicaid members access to the hospital’s inpatient and outpatient facilities.

24 Sep 2009

RFID asset management agreements offered by Premier Purchasing Partners

Premier Purchasing Partners, LP, today announced new agreements have taken effect in a new radio frequency identification (RFID) asset management and tracking solution category. The agreements have been awarded to AeroScout Inc. of Redwood City, Calif.; Dynamic Computer Corporation of Farmington Hills, Mich., a minority owned business enterprise; International Business Solutions Alliance, LLC of Dayton, Ohio; and Skytron of Grand Rapids, Mich.

24 Sep 2009

MetLife unveils its enhanced web-based resource for oral health care

Understanding how to maintain or improve oral health just got easier. MetLife, the largest commercial dental carrier, which administers dental benefits for over 21 million people, today unveiled its enhanced consumer resource, the MetLife Oral Health Library.

24 Sep 2009

Court rules in favor of Eli Lilly for Evista's method-of-use patents

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana today upheld Eli Lilly and Company's (NYSE: LLY) method-of-use patents on Evista(R) (raloxifene HCl tablets). In the case of Eli Lilly and Company v. Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd., the court ruled in favor of Lilly on all accounts for these method-of-use patents, including the patent doctrines of obviousness, enablement, and inequitable conduct.

24 Sep 2009

Enrollment for pSivida's pilot FAVOR clinical study commences

pSivida Corp., a leading drug delivery company that has developed two of the only three products approved by the FDA for the long term, sustained release delivery of drug to treat chronic back of the eye disease, today announced that enrollment has begun for a pilot study to assess the safety and efficacy of Iluvien in patients with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

24 Sep 2009

Guarding Hearts Alliance to protect quality care for patients suffering from heart disease

Organizations representing the vast majority of cardiologists around the country have joined forces today to preserve and protect the highest quality cardiac care available in America. Guarding Hearts Alliance is advocating to protect patient access to cardiac care in whatever Medicare changes or health care reform legislation is enacted.

24 Sep 2009

Senators take to trenches for Finance Committee health bill mark up

As they consider chairman Max Baucus' health proposal, Senate Finance Committee Republicans and Democrats are debating costs, subsidies and the future of Medicare.

24 Sep 2009

ADAGIO clinical trial results demonstrating AZILECT's efficacy published

Results from the ADAGIO trial, published online today in The New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated that Parkinson’s disease patients receiving AZILECT (rasagiline) 1mg/day at the start of the study (early-start group) experienced superior benefit over 18 months compared with those who started the exact same treatment nine months later (delayed-start group).

24 Sep 2009

G20 preview: Obama to propose phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies; HIV/AIDS protesters take to streets in Pittsburgh

During the G20 summit opening Thursday in Pittsburgh, President Obama will propose countries around the world phase out government subsidies that promote the production and use of fossil fuels "that spew carbon dioxide, the chief greenhouse gas," the Associated Press reports (Borenstein, 9/23).

24 Sep 2009

States extend, create new programs for vulnerable; In Texas, home health a problem

New outlets report on a variety of health stories at the state level including a new program that provides prescription drug help and routine medical care to low-income people in Iowa, an assurance that poor children will be able to keep their insurance in California and recognition that home health agencies waste Medicare dollars in Texas.

24 Sep 2009

LibertyHealth implements EDIMS' nursing documentation and charge capture systems

EDIMS LLC, a leading provider of interoperable emergency department (ED) information management systems for hospitals, announced today that LibertyHealth, a two-hospital health system in northern New Jersey, has launched EDIMS’ nursing documentation and charge capture systems to help improve care quality and streamline operations.

24 Sep 2009

Handheld diabetic test from MSGI's Nanobeak

MSGI Security Solutions Inc. (OTCBB: MSGI) today reported that the Company is launching its first product derived from NASA technology, a handheld test for Diabetes, which uses breath instead of blood.

24 Sep 2009

46 million Americans uninsured

The uproar at this summer's raucous town hall meetings, Rep. Joe Wilson's outburst in Congress and the endless debate over whether some opposition to healthcare reform is racially-tinged are a major disservice to the millions of Americans who need healthcare reform. Rep. Wilson doesn't worry about costs if a member of his family falls ill; he is covered. The majority of the people screaming and waving signs at town hall meetings don't worry either. They are covered. Their family members walk into a doctor's office or hospital emergency room, flash insurance cards and receive the best treatment available.

24 Sep 2009

SPIRIT IV trial data demonstrates superior efficacy of XIENCE V stent system

Late-breaking data from the SPIRIT IV trial demonstrated that Abbott's market-leading XIENCE V(R) Everolimus Eluting Coronary Stent System achieved superiority in the key safety and efficacy measures of target lesion failure (TLF) and target lesion revascularization (TLR) compared to the TAXUS(R) Express2(TM) Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System (TAXUS) at one year.

24 Sep 2009

Website for family caregivers to find senior care facilities

AgingCare.com, a website and community forum for people taking care of elderly parents, has created a directory tool that lets family caregivers find senior care facilities in their local area. The directory, www.agingcare.com/Find-Senior-Care/ is free to use, and quickly connects caregivers with local senior care services and providers. The Directory includes assisted living facilities, home health care services, nursing homes, hospice, geriatric care managers and independent living residences.

24 Sep 2009

FDA endorses Covidien's REMS program for EXALGO tablets

Covidien (NYSE:COV), a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced that it presented information to members of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee on the New Drug Application and proposed Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program for EXALGOTM (hydromorphone HCl extended release) tablets, an opioid formulation.

24 Sep 2009

Two new studies test conventional wisdom about physician behavior

Two new studies test classic assumptions about doctor behavior, including whether fatigue, stress and even full moons impede their work. Meanwhile, separate reports investigate would-be physicians' behavior far from the exam room or operating table -- on Facebook, YouTube, and private blogs.

24 Sep 2009