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House approves bill that would allow contraceptive donations to international groups barred from funding

The House on Thursday voted 241-178 to approve a fiscal year 2008 foreign aid spending bill that would allow the federal government to give contraceptives but not money to international groups barred from receiving U.S. aid because of their abortion policies, the Washington Post reports (Williamson, Washington Post, 6/22).

22 Jun 2007

Estrogen HRT can limit plaque accumulation in arteries

Estrogen can limit significantly the accumulation of plaque in the arteries of women in their 50s, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (Newson, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 6/20).

22 Jun 2007

Requiring HPV vaccination for school-age girls for upcoming school year 'too soon,' researcher says

It is premature to require middle-school age girls to receive Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil for the upcoming school year, Doug Lowy -- head of the National Cancer Institute's Laboratory of Cellular Oncology and one of the scientists responsible for the development of the vaccine -- said on Wednesday, CQ HealthBeat reports (Bartolf, CQ HealthBeat, 6/20).

22 Jun 2007

60% of people with embryos in U.S. fertility clinics would consider donating them for stem cell research

About 60% of people who have embryos stored at U.S. fertility clinics would be very or somewhat likely to donate them for stem cell research, according to a survey published Thursday in the online edition of the journal Science, Reuters reports (Dunham, Reuters, 6/20).

22 Jun 2007

New trade agreement language to allow developing countries more flexibility in circumventing drug patents, other restrictions

Democratic lawmakers and U.S. trade officials are in the final stages of negotiation over language to be added to international free trade agreements that would allow developing countries more flexibility in circumventing drug patents and other restrictions on pharmaceuticals, sources said recently, CongressDaily reports.

22 Jun 2007

Lack of agreement over compensation package stalling deal on Libyan HIV infection case, families of HIV-positive children say

The families of HIV-positive children in Libya on Friday announced that a lack of agreement over a compensation package has stalled an agreement that could lead to the release of six medical workers who were sentenced to death for allegedly intentionally infecting the children with HIV, AFP/EU Business reports (AFP/EU Business, 6/22).

22 Jun 2007

Women's perspectives on male circumcision as HIV prevention method

PlusNews/Mail & Guardian on Wednesday examined women's perspectives on male circumcision as an HIV prevention method. Informal discussions with women "reveal a range of concerns, preferences and views" that governments and researchers should consider before planning a national circumcision program, PlusNews/Mail & Guardian reports (PlusNews/Mail & Guardian, 6/20).

22 Jun 2007

Gay pride events offer opportunity to identify new HIV cases among MSM

Gay pride events provide opportunities outside of health care settings to identify new HIV cases among men who have sex with men, particularly among MSM in racial and ethnic minorities, according to a study published in the June 22 edition of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Reuters Health reports (Reuters Health, 6/21).

22 Jun 2007

Report examines programs that would give HIV-positive people access to new drugs before final federal approval

"Rethinking the Approach to Expanded Access Programs," Forum for Collaborative HIV Research: The report says that reform of expanded access programs that allow HIV-positive people to take new drugs before final federal approval is needed.

22 Jun 2007

Indiana Medicaid program to enroll disabled, elderly in managed care plans

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration is negotiating two managed care contracts for state Medicaid beneficiaries who are blind, elderly or disabled, agency Secretary Mitch Roob said on Tuesday, the AP/Louisville Courier-Journal reports.

22 Jun 2007

Texas sues three drug makers alleging Medicaid fraud

Texas on Wednesday filed lawsuits against Mylan Laboratories, Sandoz, Teva Pharmaceuticals and subsidiaries of those companies alleging that the state Medicaid program overpaid retailers by at least tens of millions of dollars for medications because the companies did not disclose discounts they were providing to retailers, the Houston Chronicle reports.

22 Jun 2007

Senate appropriations committee approves labor-HHS-education spending bill

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday voted 26-3 to approve a $152 billion fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill after the addition of an amendment that would expand federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, CongressDaily reports (Cohn, CongressDaily, 6/22).

22 Jun 2007

Defense Secretary Gates says military mental health system 'will get fixed'

Department of Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Thursday during a press conference said that the military mental health system "must and will get fixed," the AP/Houston Chronicle reports.

22 Jun 2007

Diabetes care accounts for one of every eight health care dollars in 2005

About one of every eight federal health care dollars in fiscal year 2005, or nearly $80 billion, was spent treating people with diabetes, according to a study released on Tuesday by the National Changing Diabetes Program and the Congressional Diabetes Caucus, CQ HealthBeat reports.

22 Jun 2007

House Committee passes prescription drug user fee act reauthorization legislation

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Thursday voted 39-0 to approve nine bills that would expand FDA's authority to regulate prescription drug safety and increase user fees paid by drug and medical device companies, Dow Jones reports.

22 Jun 2007

CBO Director discusses health care spending growth

Congressional Budget Office Director Peter Orszag on Thursday at a hearing of the Senate Budget Committee said that federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid would increase from about 4.5% to about 20% of U.S. gross domestic product by 2050, CongressDaily reports.

22 Jun 2007

FDA makes final ruling on dietary supplements

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced a final rule establishing regulations to require current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) for dietary supplements.

22 Jun 2007

Autistic boys have high levels of growth hormones

Boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder had higher levels of hormones involved with growth in comparison to boys who do not have autism, reported researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine.

22 Jun 2007

Stem cells to repair damaged heart muscle

In the first trial of its kind in the world, 60 patients who have recently suffered a major heart attack will be injected with selected stem cells from their own bone marrow during routine coronary bypass surgery.

22 Jun 2007

Whitehead scientist to study key mechanism in cell division

"Cell division is one of the most fundamental aspects of biology, the process that makes life," says Iain Cheeseman, PhD. "And it has an intrinsic beauty."

22 Jun 2007