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Diabetes represents a global health threat

The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) released new data today showing that a staggering 285 million people worldwide have diabetes.

20 Oct 2009

The CBO's educated guesses make or break reform bills

The senior Congressional Budget Office analyst whose job is calculating the costs of overhaul the health system -- an overworked, "amiable father of three" named Phil Ellis -- "is the first to admit that his painstaking numbers are almost certainly wrong," the Washington Post reports. His estimates "essentially condemned two" bills by pricing them at over a trillion, while boosting another by estimating much lower costs, illustrating the huge political stakes generated by Ellis' guesswork.

20 Oct 2009

Opinions: HIV vaccine; HIV resources help promote global disease control; U.S. fight against world hunger

Seth Berkley, president and chief executive of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, in a New York Times opinion piece examines how the "pessimism" over the recent controversy surrounding the results of an experimental HIV vaccine tested in Thailand "may ultimately thwart other efforts to develop an AIDS vaccine.

20 Oct 2009

Virginia Tech's College student receives EPA fellowship to study effects of mercury in toads

Christine Bergeron of Old Orchard Beach, Maine, a doctoral student in Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources, received a fellowship from the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Center for Environmental Research for her research on the reproductive success of American toads.

20 Oct 2009

Jennerex' JX-594 granted European Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma

Jennerex, Inc. (San Francisco, CA and Ottawa, Ontario), a clinical stage biotherapeutics company developing a proprietary breakthrough product class of targeted oncolytic virus therapeutics, today announced that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to Jennerex's product JX-594 for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer. JX-594 is expected to enter a Phase 3 pivotal trial in the second half of 2010.

20 Oct 2009

Winner of first annual Healthcare Administrator Award announced

Deborah Friberg, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Raleigh, North Carolina, has been named the recipient of the first annual Healthcare Administrator Award, presented by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC). The award recognizes a healthcare facility's executive team member who has demonstrated significant support for infection prevention and control throughout their facility.

20 Oct 2009

Amylin Pharmaceuticals to present new data from its obesity program at Obesity 2009

Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that new data from its obesity program will be presented at Obesity 2009, the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, to be held in Washington, D.C. October 24-28. Phase 2 data from the pramlintide/metreleptin combination treatment clinical program will be the subject of a late-breaking oral presentation.

20 Oct 2009

Medicare officials back away from hard line stance on insurers' warning letters

The New York Times reports: "The Obama administration on Friday backed away from an order that had prohibited insurance companies from warning Medicare recipients about the possible loss of benefits under pending legislation to overhaul the health care system." A political storm storm was triggered last month when they tried to stop such communications.

20 Oct 2009

Third-quarter financial results of Boston Scientific announced

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2009, as well as guidance for net sales and earnings per share (EPS) for the fourth quarter and full year 2009.

20 Oct 2009

Boehringer Ingelheim's TWYNSTA approved by FDA for the treatment of hypertension

Boehringer Ingelheim announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TWYNSTA®, a new highly effective single pill combination therapy of telmisartan (an angiotensin receptor blocker [ARB]) and amlodipine (a calcium-channel blocker [CCB]). TWYNSTA® is indicated for the treatment of hypertension, alone or with other antihypertensive agents, and as initial therapy in patients who are likely to need multiple drugs to achieve their blood pressure goals.

20 Oct 2009

FDA approves new oral medication for renal cell carcinoma

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Votrient (pazopanib), the sixth drug to be approved for kidney cancer since 2005.

20 Oct 2009

DC 'squanders' AIDS money on questionable groups despite urgent needs

A Washington Post investigation has found that the city with the highest AIDS rate in the United States, Washington, D.C., has awarded millions of dollars to often ineffective groups with little oversight. Officials failed to act when information about waste and abuse became available, and in the worst case one may have helped channel funding to relatives who operated an AIDS charity out of their nightclub. Meanwhile, AIDS patients waited years for treatment, faced needs legitimate agencies were unable to meet, and in one case, died alone on a park bench within a couple of miles of a dozen nonprofits meant to care for AIDS patients (Cenziper, 10/18).

20 Oct 2009

Attorney General announces marijuana guidelines for medical purposes

Attorney General Eric Holder today announced formal guidelines for federal prosecutors in states that have enacted laws authorizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes.

20 Oct 2009

Interim results from Phase 1 CAL-101 trial for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the leader in the development of isoform-selective phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases, today announced the presentation of interim results from the ongoing Phase 1 trial evaluating CAL-101, an oral delta-selective PI3K inhibitor, demonstrating promising clinical responses in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

20 Oct 2009

Lawmakers struggle to balance interests as sweeping health legislation negotiations proceed

Lawmakers continue to try to shape health bills as they move closer to floor votes.

20 Oct 2009

Antioxidant extracts of G.biloba leaves may protect cells from radiation damage

Antioxidant extracts of the leaves of the Gingko biloba tree may protect cells from radiation damage, according to a study published in the International Journal of Low Radiation. The discovery may one day be used to help reduce side effects in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

20 Oct 2009

Positive results from Transave's Phase II ARIKACE clinical trials

Transave Inc., today reported additional positive clinical trial results on its lead investigational drug, ARIKACE(TM) (liposomal amikacin for inhalation), an antibiotic that aims to treat chronic lung infections.

20 Oct 2009

Article evaluating StemEx therapy for leukemia and lymphoma to be published

Gamida Cell announced today the publication of an article evaluating carlecortemcel-l, the generic name of what is widely known as "StemEx", as a therapy for blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

19 Oct 2009

Children with history of diabetic ketoacidosis may have memory problems

Children who have had an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis, a common complication of diabetes, may have persistent memory problems, according to a new study from researchers at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain.

19 Oct 2009

UCB reports on the outcome of Cimzia and MTX treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

UCB today announced data that showed rapid and sustained improvements in ACR20, physical function, pain and fatigue of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as early as the first week, and inhibition of progression of structural joint damage (seen at week 24) following treatment with Cimzia (certolizumab pegol), together with methotrexate (MTX), was sustained up to 100 weeks.

19 Oct 2009