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Viewpoints: Ebola myths; Sen. McCain's 'opportunistic alarmism'; Gov. Jindal on CDC's misspent resources

Hubris is the greatest danger in wealthy countries - a sort of smug assumption that advanced technologies and emergency-preparedness plans guarantee that Ebola and other germs will not spread. It was hubris that left Toronto's top hospitals battling SARS in 2003, long after the virus was conquered in poorer Vietnam. It was hubris that led the World Health Assembly in 2013 to cut the WHO's outbreak-response budget in favor of more programs to treat cancer and heart disease.

14 Oct 2014

New miniaturized, wireless monitoring system for heart failure patients

A new miniaturized, wireless monitoring system, implanted in the pulmonary artery, is helping keep patients with severe heart failure out of the hospital. Houston Methodist Hospital is the first institution in Houston to offer this to heart failure patients.

14 Oct 2014

Henrik Kehlet recognized with ASA's 2014 Excellence in Research Award

The American Society of Anesthesiologists today presented Henrik Kehlet, M.D., Ph.D., with its 2014 Excellence in Research Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to research which have had an important impact on anesthesiology as a medical specialty.

14 Oct 2014

State highlights: Md., Minn. see small business health insurance rate changes; Texas sues AstraZeneca over Seroquel marketing

Some small businesses in Maryland will see a small drop in health insurance premiums next year, while others will pay as much as 11 percent more to cover their workers, according to rates released by state regulators Friday. The rates, which go into effect in January, only apply to small firms with up to 50 employees, and not to large or self-insured firms or individuals buying coverage on the state's health insurance exchange. Evergreen Health Cooperative sought no rate increase, and Aetna Health Inc. will raise rates only slightly, according to the rate information released by the Maryland Insurance Administration. Some UnitedHealthcare premiums will drop by about 2.5 percent (Cohn, 10/10).

14 Oct 2014

Latino children don't receive adequate pain control after surgery, say researchers

More than two-thirds of children from low-income Latino families don't receive adequate pain control when they go home after surgery, according to a study being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2014 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2014

Research opens door to potential new treatments for peripheral artery disease

Researchers have developed a technique to jump-start the body's systems for creating blood vessels, opening the door for potential new treatments for diseases whose impacts include amputation and blindness.

14 Oct 2014

Issues on coverage: Steep Rx costs; federal plan eliminates 'transgender exclusion'

Even patients with insurance are finding that specialty drugs can quickly eat a hole in their wallets because insurers are often putting them in a special tier and demanding high consumer co-payments. Also, the State Department is getting rid of the "transgender exclusion" in it largest health plan, and some consumer advocates are suggesting that people getting coverage on the health marketplaces be allowed to get "wrap-around" plans through their employers.

14 Oct 2014

Most surgical patients lack knowledge about roles of physician anesthesiologists

Most surgical patients know a physician anesthesiologist will "put them to sleep," but what they don't realize is that this medical doctor plays a major role in preparing them for the operation. Just as important, these physicians keep them safe and preserve their health during surgery and help them recover as quickly and as comfortably as possible, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2014 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2014

Psychological cognitive disorder can lead to development of persistent post-surgical pain

Patients with a psychological cognitive disorder known as catastrophizing are more likely to develop persistent, chronic pain after surgery, according to new research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2014 annual meeting. Pain catastrophizing occurs when a patient has an irrational and illogical focus on pain, perceiving that it is worse than it actually is.

14 Oct 2014

Opponents attempt to outlaw abortion state-by-state

The numbers have changed little over the decades: A majority of Americans support abortion. But across the country, the antiabortion movement has recorded major success in the last four years, part of a well-funded national strategy to legislate abortion out of existence state by state. Legislatures, many stocked with new Republican majorities, have passed laws that, if upheld, would drastically reduce access to abortion for millions of women (Semuels and La Ganga, 10/12).

14 Oct 2014

Researchers develop DNA-based drug delivery system that targets cancer cells

Biomedical engineering researchers have developed a drug delivery system consisting of nanoscale "cocoons" made of DNA that target cancer cells and trick the cells into absorbing the cocoon before unleashing anticancer drugs. The work was done by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

14 Oct 2014

Johns Hopkins' new HIV/AIDS degree program to draw plenty of interest from prospective students

Assistant Professor Jason Farley says one reason he's confident that the new HIV/AIDS degree program at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing will draw plenty of interest from prospective students is that so many of the current students and alumni he's met over the years arrive on campus with a strong interest in HIV.

14 Oct 2014

I.V. lidocaine can protect mastectomy patients against chronic pain

More than two-thirds of women who have had mastectomies struggle with persistent pain, but it doesn't have to be that way.

14 Oct 2014

Cornell University researchers reveal details of how MERS-CoV enters host cells

Cornell University researchers have uncovered details of how the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) enters host cells, and offer possible new avenues for treatment.

14 Oct 2014

Obamacare premium increases likely in states with key Senate races

Politico reports that this could be bad news for Democrats who are running in Louisiana and Iowa -- both locations are experiencing double-digit rate hikes for individual health plans. In other news, Va. Senate candidate Ed Gillespie, a Republican, unveils a plan to replace the health law if it were to be repealed, and the New York Times take a close look at one Florida congressional contest.

14 Oct 2014

Mental stress affects women's hearts more than men's

Researchers have known for decades that stress contributes to heart disease. But a new analysis by researchers at Duke Medicine shows mental stress may tax women's hearts more than men's.

14 Oct 2014

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

A new guideline from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine and the American Academy of Neurology recommends guidance on how doctors should evaluate the full picture—from symptoms, family history, and ethnicity, to a physical exam and certain lab test results—in order to determine what genetic tests may best diagnose a person's subtype of limb-girdle or distal muscular dystrophy.

14 Oct 2014

Medical News

Viewpoints: Ebola myths; Sen. McCain's 'opportunistic alarmism'; Gov. Jindal on CDC's misspent resources

New miniaturized, wireless monitoring system for heart failure patients

Henrik Kehlet recognized with ASA's 2014 Excellence in Research Award

State highlights: Md., Minn. see small business health insurance rate changes; Texas sues AstraZeneca over Seroquel marketing

Latino children don't receive adequate pain control after surgery, say researchers

Research opens door to potential new treatments for peripheral artery disease

Issues on coverage: Steep Rx costs; federal plan eliminates 'transgender exclusion'

Most surgical patients lack knowledge about roles of physician anesthesiologists

Psychological cognitive disorder can lead to development of persistent post-surgical pain

Opponents attempt to outlaw abortion state-by-state

Researchers develop DNA-based drug delivery system that targets cancer cells

Johns Hopkins' new HIV/AIDS degree program to draw plenty of interest from prospective students

I.V. lidocaine can protect mastectomy patients against chronic pain

Cornell University researchers reveal details of how MERS-CoV enters host cells

Obamacare premium increases likely in states with key Senate races

Mental stress affects women's hearts more than men's

New guideline makes recommendations about treating, managing distal muscular dystrophy

Nursing home chain agrees to pay $38M to settle government poor care claims

ASI treats first patient using Peregrine System Infusion Catheter

Findings suggest that more help needed for family doctors to spot signs of lung cancer

Advancing Drug Safety Assessment With AI, Predictive Modeling, and Human-Relevant Data

AI-powered analytics and experimental validation

Membrane proteins in focus: Turning high-risk targets into routine workflows

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