Massachusetts Health Insurance Law Leads To Increased Use Of Community Health Centers
The number of Massachusetts residents visiting community health clinics has increased over the past year, in part because of the state's new health insurance law, the Boston Globe reports. Kerin O'Toole, a spokesperson for the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, said, "We are front and center in the new health care legislation," adding, "We've seen quite a surge in demand.

Senate Approves SCHIP Expansion, Reauthorization Measure
The Senate on Thursday voted 67-29 to approve compromise legislation that would reauthorize SCHIP and expand enrollment in the program to about 10 million children, "setting up the biggest domestic policy clash of [the Bush] presidency and launching a fight that will reverberate into the 2008 elections," the Washington Post reports.

HIV/AIDS Specialist Presses World Bank To Address Evidence Of Allegedly Faulty HIV Diagnostic Kits Used In Public Health Centers In India
HIV/AIDS specialist Kunal Saha, who was commissioned by the World Bank earlier this year to investigate an HIV-prevention program in India, is calling on the bank to address evidence that some hospitals and blood banks allegedly were using faulty diagnostic test kits to screen for HIV, the Washington Post reports.

The Future Of Male Contraception
For decades, pundits have predicted new contraceptives for men within the next 5 to10 years. Are we really getting any closer? Judging from work presented at the second "Future of Male Contraception" conference, the answer may finally be yes.

Increased Risk Of Smoking Among Youth Who Watch Movies That Depict Smoking
Several recent research studies published in the United States have determined that young adolescents who see smoking scenes in movies are more likely to smoke. To combat smoking among youth, public health groups have called for Restricted (R) ratings for movies that depict smoking.

House Passes Continuing Resolution
The House on Wednesday voted 404-14 to pass a stopgap spending bill (HJ Res 52) that would fund at current levels the budgets of Cabinet departments and government agencies until Nov. 16, the AP/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports. The Senate is expected to sign the continuing resolution by the end of the week and send it to President Bush (Taylor, AP/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 9/27).

Food For Thought In Cancer Prevention, UK
University of Leicester scientists are looking at the role agents derived from food could play in cancer prevention While changes in lifestyle - particularly in smoking and diet - could dramatically reduce the risk of cancer and the financial burden to the NHS, people often find it difficult to make these changes.

Unions Seek To Influence Health Care Debate With Proxy Fights, Editorial States
The Securities and Exchange Commission is "debating a change in the proxy rules for corporate shareholders, and to understand the perils, look no further than the new AFL-CIO campaign to strongarm business into providing 'universal health care,'" a Wall Street Journal editorial states.

The Cancer Challenge: From Knowledge To Prevention, UK
Medical scientists have made huge advances in the knowledge of what causes cancer, but the translation of that knowledge into its prevention remains a challenge.

Groups Publish Guidelines For Treating Patients With Heart Disease
A panel of experts from the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association on Thursday issued new guidelines on performing noncardiac surgery on patients with heart disease, the New York Times reports. The 82-page guidelines will be published in the Oct. 23 issue of the journal Circulation.

President Bush Reiterates Threat To Veto Compromise SCHIP Legislation
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Friday reiterated President Bush's threat to veto legislation that would reauthorize SCHIP and expand enrollment in the program to about 10 million children, "just hours" after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appealed to Bush to sign the bill, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey/Epstein, CQ HealthBeat, 9/28).

Washington, D.C., Community Groups Return 70,000 Condoms Given Away In City-Wide Program To Reduce STIs
Community groups in Washington, D.C., last week returned up to 70,000 of the condoms given away earlier this year as part of a city program that aims to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, the AP/Google.com reports. According to the AP/Google.

American Red Cross Releases Book Devoted To Dog's Health
The American Red Cross is dedicated to helping every member of a family be safer and better protected, including the family dog. To make this possible, the Red Cross has released a new book dedicated solely to the health and well-being of dogs. Dog First Aid is a unique health and emergency preparedness guide packaged with a full-length instructional DVD to make caring for your dog even easier.

Kmart Steps Out To Fight Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) announced that Kmart has reinforced its commitment to ADA and elevated its support for the diabetes community by becoming a National Strategic Partner (NSP). As a National Strategic Partner, Kmart will raise at least $1 million to support ADA's mission to prevent and cure diabetes, and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

Hip Fractures Far Riskier To Women Than Breast, Ovarian And Uterine Cancer Combined
Osteoporosis is now a significant public health issue in the United States. In the special J. Robert Gladden Society supplement of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Patricia A. Thomas, MD, a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the University of Kansas, School of Medicine, reviewed the racial and ethic differences in osteoporosis for women.

Editorials, Opinion Pieces Discuss Health Care Proposals Of Presidential Candidates
Summaries of several editorials and opinion pieces that address the health care proposals of presidential candidates appear below. Editorials Augusta Chronicle: Presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) have announced health care proposals that "lean ...

Senate Passes Defense Appropriations Bill With Funds For Military Health Care
The Senate on Monday voted 92-3 to approve a $648 billion defense authorization bill (HR 1585) that includes nearly $950 million for military health care in fiscal year 2008, the Washington Times reports. The bill now heads into conference with the House version.

Maryland Prisons Have Highest Percentage Of AIDS Cases Nationwide, DOJ Report Says
Prisons in Maryland have the highest percentage of inmates living with AIDS nationwide, according to a study by the Department of Justice, the Baltimore Sun reports. The study is based on statistics from 41 states at the end of 2005.The study found that AIDS cases among inmates in Maryland prisons increased from 204 in 2004 to 408 in 2005 and that 1.

Woman Who Had Both Breasts Removed After Biopsy Error Speaks On TV
A woman who had both breasts removed in error because of a biopsy result that was later found not to be hers, appeared on Good Morning America earlier today, Thursday, and talked about her story.Darrie Eason, a 35 year old woman from Long Island, New York, had a double mastectomy after a tissue sample from a lab based in New York came back positive for breast cancer.

Phase 2 Safety Data For Anti-RSV Antibody And National RSV Surveillance Results Announced By Medimmune
MedImmune, Inc. has announced results from two important studies presented at the 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 45th Annual Meeting adding to the body of knowledge about respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). RSV is a viral pathogen that produces annual outbreaks usually between fall and spring.

Female Academic Performance Lies In The (Gender) Balance
Have you ever felt outnumbered? Like there are just not that many people like you around? We've all felt outnumbered in one situation or another and walking into a situation in which you sense the possibility of being ostracized or isolated can be quite threatening.

Frost & Sullivan Recognises Industry's Top Achievers At The 2006 Excellence In Healthcare Awards Banquet
Exceptional performances in Europe's healthcare industry were recognised at Frost & Sullivan's prestigious Excellence in Healthcare Awards Banquet held in Dublin yesterday evening.

Treatment Blocks Pain Without Disrupting Other Functions
A combination of two drugs can selectively block pain-sensing neurons in rats without impairing movement or other sensations such as touch, according to a new study by National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported investigators. The finding suggests an improved way to treat pain from childbirth and surgical procedures.

CMA Criticizes Presidential Veto Of Health Insurance For Children Of Working Poor
The California Medical Association criticized President Bush's veto of a bill to extend health coverage to children, calling the move a huge setback for access to health care for millions of children.

Pregnant And Nursing Women Should Eat More Fish But Within Limits, Say Nutritionists
A consortium of nutrition experts has urged pregnant American women to increase their consumption of fish above US government levels recommended three years ago.

Concerns Raised About New Private-Public Research Partnership To Support FDA
FDA seems to be moving "with unusual speed" to organize a private-public foundation to help support the agency, and some critics are saying the initiative might be "little more than a front for the industries it regulates," CQ Today reports. The group, known as the Reagan-Udall Foundation, was established in the FDA reauthorization legislation, which President Bush signed into law Sept. 27.

About Two-Thirds Of HIV-Positive People In U.S. Overweight, Obese, Study Says
About two-thirds of HIV-positive people in the U.S. might be overweight or obese, "mirroring" the total U.S. population, according to a study released Thursday at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in San Diego, the AP/Los Angeles Times reports.

FDA To Strengthen Generic Drug Program Which Will Streamline Generic Drug Approval Process
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will bolster its generic drug program which should raise the number and range of generic drugs available to health care providers and consumers. Generic drugs tend to be cheaper than brand name drugs - fierce competition among generic makers has helped bring prices down, explains the FDA.

CMS Audit Raises Concerns About Humana's Marketing Of Medicare Advantage Plans
A CMS audit of Humana, one of the nation's largest Medicare insurers, raises concerns that the company has not done enough to curb misleading sales practices to the elderly and people with disabilities, AP/Long Island Newsday reports. Humana provides coverage to about 4.6 million Medicare beneficiaries, with about 3.5 million enrolled in prescription drug plans and about 1.

Canadian Health Ministry Extends Exemption For Supervised Drug-Injection Facility In Vancouver Until June 2008
Health Canada, the country's health ministry, on Tuesday announced it would extend until June 2008 an exemption from Canada's drug law to allow the supervised drug-injection facility Insite in Vancouver to remain open, Reuters reports. The facility is the only sanctioned site for injection drug users in North America (Dowd, Reuters, 10/2).

Diabetic Neuropathy Costs Billions Per Year In Lost Work Time
Workers who have diabetes with neuropathic symptoms such as numbness or tingling in feet or hands lose the equivalent of 1.4 hours a week or $3.65 billion per year in health-related lost productive time, a recent study finds. The 1.4 hours lost was more than twice the amount of lost time of diabetic workers without neuropathic symptoms.

Interim Results From A New Trial Of CANCIDAS (caspofungin Acetate) In Pediatric Patients With Documented Fungal Infections
CANCIDAS (caspofungin acetate), given once daily, was evaluated as a treatment for patients 3 months to 17 years of age with documented or suspected fungal infections. The use of CANCIDAS in pediatric patients is investigational.

Welcome For Darzi Report From UK-Based Pharmaceutical Industry, UK
Lord Darzi's report on the future of the NHS was warmly welcomed by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). In particular, the ABPI highlighted his stated desire to see the UK as a world leader in pharmaceutical and medical technology research and development.

Which? Calls For An End To The NHS / Patient Deadlock, UK
As a party conference season dominated by health issues comes to an end and with the imminent publication of Lord Darzi's interim NHS review, Which? launches Impatient for Change to call on politicians and the NHS to stop talking, start listening and take action.

Nicolas Sarkozy Awarded In Bulgaria For Role In Liberation Of Six Medics From Libya
Nicolas Sarkozy, the French President, has been awarded the Stara Planina medal, Bulgaria's highest honor for his role in facilitating the freeing of six Bulgarian medics who had been in jail for several years in Libya. Bulgarian President Georgy Parvanov gave him the award personally. His wife, Cecilia Sarkozy, who was a key player in the release, was not present.

Prexige, Anti-inflammatory Drug, Withdrawn In Canada
The sale of Prexige (lumiracoxib) has been stopped in Canada. Health Canada advises that it will cancel the medication's market authorization because of potential for serious liver-related adverse events. Prexige is a Cox-2 selective inhibitor non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. It has been on the market in Canada since November 2006.

Chinese Medical Association Reaches Agreement With World Medical Association Against Transplantation Of Prisioners's Organs
The Chinese Medical Association has agreed that organs of prisoners and other individuals in custody must not be used for transplantation, except for members of their immediate family, it was reported at today's meeting of the World Medical Association annual General Assembly in Copenhagen.

MRI Is More Sensitive At Detecting Early Signs Of Breast Cancer Than Mammography
If used with appropriate diagnostic criteria, MRI is much more sensitive than mammography for detecting breast cancers before they have developed to an invasive stage, and particularly good at identifying those lesions which are more likely to progress to dangerous forms of cancer, according to a study published in The Lancet.

Medical Defence Union Members Offered Free Ethics And Law Training, UK
The Medical Defence Union (MDU) is offering its GP members free access to an online training tool to help them with legal and ethical dilemmas and earn CPD points in the process. The online module gives GPs the opportunity to answer tricky dilemmas, set by MDU experts, on areas such as consent, whistleblowing, removing patients from lists and death certification.

AAP Policy Statement Urges Pediatricians To Take Lead In Ensuring Infant Screening, Diagnosis And Intervention For Hearing Loss
A revised policy statement from the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH; seven organizations, including the AAP) recommends that pediatricians take the lead in ensuring that all infants are screened for hearing loss by age 1 month, diagnosed with hearing loss by 3 months, and engaged in full intervention services by 6 months.

University Of South Florida Awarded $169 Million For International Juvenile Diabetes Study
The National Institutes of Health has awarded $169 million to the University of South Florida to coordinate and analyze results from a 10-year international study to determine the environmental causes of juvenile diabetes. Its goal is to prevent, delay or reverse type 1 diabetes mellitus. The 10-year award, to a USF Health team led by Jeffrey P. Krischer, PhD, is the largest in USF history.

New Diabetes Tool Available On American Diabetes Association Web Site
The American Diabetes Association unveiled a new web-based diabetes tool that makes it easier for people with diabetes - and their care providers - to share and organize important health information to improve their diabetes care. The tool, My Diabetes Connector, is a diabetes management software application developed by a software and services company, MyCareTeam, Inc.

Leading Orthopedic Pioneer Expands Network To Asia
Ossur, a leading provider of non-invasive orthopaedic products and services, has announced the inauguration of its Asia Pacific operations in Shanghai, China.

Interdisciplinary Team To Focus On Access To Clean Drinking Water
Faculty and students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are setting out to discover whether applying business principles to public health problems can result in solutions that will save lives in developing countries with limited access to safe drinking water.

Democrats Says They Will Not Compromise With President Bush On SCHIP
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Thursday said congressional Democratic leaders will not compromise with President Bush on SCHIP, after Bush on Wednesday vetoed legislation that would have reauthorized and expanded the program, the AP/St. Paul Pioneer Press reports.

Widespread Human Rights Violations In Eastern Burma Have Impact On Health Outcomes Of Communities
Gross human rights violations, including forced displacement, forced labor, attacks by soldiers on civilians, injury from landmines and destruction or theft of food supplies, have been widespread in eastern Burma (also known as Myanmar), with over half of households in displaced areas reporting incidents in the 12 months prior to a 2004 survey.

Study Examines Multiple Chronic Conditions Among Medicaid Beneficiaries; Issue Brief Examines Health Care System Trends
"The Faces of Medicaid II: Recognizing the Care Needs of People With Multiple Chronic Conditions" Center for Health Care Strategies: The study examines the patterns and prevalence of multiple chronic diseases among Medicaid beneficiaries.

Bush Administration Pushes Proposal To Increase Premiums, Deductibles For Higher-Income Medicare Drug Plan Beneficiaries
CMS officials on Thursday announced plans to advance a "means testing" proposal that would require higher-income Medicare beneficiaries to pay higher premiums and deductibles under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, the Washington Post reports.

Patients Who Had Received Pneumococcal Vaccine Have Better Survival Rates When Hospitalized With Community Acquired Pneumonia
A patient who is infected with community-acquired pneumonia and is hospitalized has a better chance of survival and a lower risk of admission to the ICU (intensive care unit) if he/she had already received the pneumococcal vaccine, compared to patients who had not been vaccinated, according to an article published in Archives of Internal Medicine (JAMA/Archives), October 8th issue.

Parkinson's Disease Patients' Relatives Have Raised Risk Of Developing Cognitive Impairment Or Dementia
A relative of a patient who has Parkinson's disease has a higher risk of developing dementia or cognitive impairment, compared to somebody who has no relative with the disease, says an article in Archives of Neurology (JAMA/Archives), October issue.

Doctors Relocating To Texas After Implementation Of Medical Malpractice Caps
Doctors nationwide are relocating to Texas four years after a constitutional amendment was adopted in the state that limits awards in medical malpractice lawsuits, the New York Times reports (Blumenthal, New York Times, 10/5).

Kentucky Gubernatorial Candidates Beshear, Fletcher Discuss Abortion-Rights Views In Televised Debate
Kentucky gubernatorial candidates Steve Beshear (D) and Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) on Wednesday in a televised debate aired that aired locally discussed their views on several issues, including abortion rights, the AP/Evansville Courier & Press reports (Alford, AP/Evansville Courier & Press, 10/4).

Pandemic Flu Prep Necessary, "Daunting," Texas Medicine Reports
Pandemic flu is waiting to strike. Even though public health organizations are preparing, others need to prepare now as well, according to the October Texas Medicine magazine. Physicians fear that because little new information is being reported about the potential pandemic outbreak of the avian flu, people will become complacent, and not be prepared for its strike.

Trimeris, Roche Withdraw Supplemental Application To Market Needle-Free Device With Antiretroviral Fuzeon
Durham, N.C.-based pharmaceutical company Trimeris and Swiss pharmaceutical company Roche on Wednesday announced they are withdrawing a supplemental application with FDA to sell a needle-free injection device for use with the HIV antiretroviral drug Fuzeon, the Raleigh News & Observer reports (Vollmer, Raleigh News & Observer, 10/4).

Chronic Job Strain Following Heart Attack Doubles Risk Of Another Heart Attack Or Unstable Angina
If you experience chronic job strain after your first heart attack you have approximately double the risk of experiencing another coronary heart disease (CHD) event, such as unstable angina or a heart attack, compared to a person who does not experience chronic job strain after a first heart attack, says an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), October 10th issue.

Commercial Managed Care Enrollees Get Better Care Than Medicaid Managed Care Enrollees
If you are an enrollee in a Medicaid managed care program the chances are that you will receive lower-quality care than somebody in a commercial managed care program, according to a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), October 10th issue.

Census Bureau Nursing Home Data 'Misleading,' Letter Says
Recent data from the Census Bureau that indicated a decrease in the percentage of elderly U.S. residents who live in nursing homes provide a "highly misleading picture of nursing home care in America today," Alan Rosenbloom, president of the Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care, writes in a USA Today letter to the editor (Rosenbloom, USA Today, 10/5). According to the data, 7.

CQ's Carey Examines Attempt At SCHIP Veto Override, Tobacco Regulation, Veterans' Disability Benefits
Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses House Democrats' efforts to override President Bush's veto of SCHIP expansion legislation, a House hearing about tobacco regulation and disability benefits for veterans in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ.

President Bush Calls For Compromise On SCHIP But Defends Veto Of Expansion Legislation
President Bush on Saturday in his weekly radio address indicated that he is willing to increase funding for SCHIP above his proposed level of $5 billion, the Los Angeles Times reports (Pasternak, Los Angeles Times, 10/7).

Ministers, Medical Professionals, Lawmakers Gather For Meeting To Discuss HIV/AIDS Issues In Black Community
Dozens of ministers from across the country on Monday in New York City gathered with representatives from the National Medical Association, the Congressional Black Caucus and other groups to develop a plan for addressing HIV/AIDS in the black community, USA Today reports.

Johnson & Johnson Withdraws Cough And Cold Drugs For Babies
McNeil Consumer Healthcare, part of Johnson & Johnson, is voluntarily withdrawing some cough and cold OTC (over-the-counter, non-prescription) drugs for infants. The company states that while these drugs are safe and effective when used correctly, there are rare cases when misuse can lead to overdosing, especially in infants under two.

Research Could Lead To Treatments For Alzheimer's, Parkinson's - MIT Finds New Role For Well-known Protein
In a finding that may lead to potential new treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, researchers at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT report an unexpected role in the brain for a well-known protein. A study by Morgan H. Sheng, Menicon Professor of Neuroscience and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator, and colleagues appearing in the Oct.

13% Of Canadian Trained Doctors Would Consider Returning From The United States
Approximately 13% of doctors in the United States who were trained in Canada would seriously consider returning to Canada and practice medicine back home, according to a report by the Canadian Medical Association.

PDUFA Reauthorization Law Could Delay Approval Of New Medications, Op-Ed States
Legislation to reauthorize the Prescription Drug User Fee Act that President Bush signed last month "could be a death sentence" for "patients with life-threatening illnesses who depend on new drugs making it to market quickly" because of prescription drug safety provisions that could delay the appr

California Gov. Schwarzenegger Proposes Leasing State Lottery To Private Company To Help Fund Universal Health Coverage
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday introduced a revised $14 billion proposal to require all state residents to obtain health insurance, financed in large part by leasing the California lottery to a private firm, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Children Living With HIV/AIDS In Uganda Not Adequately Covered Under Antiretroviral Treatment Program, Health Minister Says
Children living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda have not been adequately covered by the country's antiretroviral treatment program, and increased efforts should be made to provide them with improved care and treatment, State Minister of Health Emmanuel Otaala said recently, Uganda's Daily Monitor reports.

Kidney Disease Treatment May Harm Patients - Study Suggests Ways To Reduce Danger
Central venous catheters are commonly used to provide permanent hemodialysis for patients with serious kidney disease. One technique, inserting a catheter through large vessels, has been commonly used worldwide in recent years.

Curtailing School Violence: National Mental Health Experts Outline What Teachers Need To Know
A fourteen year-old walks into a public school with two guns, kills two teens and injuries a pair of teachers before killing himself.

Isentress Approved For Combination Use For HIV Treatment By FDA
The US Food and Drug Administration has granted accelerated approval for Isentress (raltegravir) tablets to be used along with other antiretroviral agents for HIV-1 infection for adult patients who have evidence of viral replication and who have developed resistance to multiple antiretroviral agents. Further trials will be needed before considering its approval for new HIV patients and children.

Spain Prevents Automatic Substitution Of Biological Medicines, Providing Clarity For Pharmacists And Patients
The EU association for bioindustries welcomes the new Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs Ministerial Order (MO) that prevents one biological medicine being automatically substituted for another. The Order demonstrates the Spanish authorities' recognition that biological medicines are complex and cannot be automatically substituted for administration to patients.

FDA Commissioner Meets With Chinese Minister Of Health And Other Senior Chinese Government Officials On Import Safety
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Andrew C. von Eschenbach, M.D., met this week with leading officials in China, as part of a series of negotiations launched by Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt with Chinese counterparts on the safety of food, feed, drugs and medical devices.

BioCryst Initiates Enrollment In Pivotal Trial Of Forodesine HCL In Patients With Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL)
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) announced that it has initiated enrollment of the pivotal trial of its lead oncology drug candidate, forodesine HCL, in the treatment of patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

Recommendations For The Appropriate Use Of Cough And Cold Products In Children, Health Canada
Concerns have been raised regarding the safety of "over-the-counter" (non-prescription) cough and cold products in children. Health Canada is advising consumers on the appropriate use of these products, including drugs and natural health products, particularly in children under 2 years of age.

Healthcare Watchdog Finds Significant Failings In Infection Control At Maidstone And Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, UK
The Healthcare Commission on Thursday published a report detailing significant failings in infection control at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. The Commission conducted an investigation into the trust following a referral from the strategic health authority, which monitors the trust's performance, after a major outbreak of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile), in 2006.

Health Protection Agency Announces Further Research Into Use Of WiFi, UK
The Agency is to carry out a systematic programme of research into wireless local area networks (WLANs) and their use. This will include measurements of exposures from the Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) network and is part of the Agency's ongoing programme of work in the area of electromagnetic fields.

CDC Presents First State-by-tate Data On Work Limitations Caused By Arthritis
Work limitation due to arthritis in all working-age adults ranges from a low of 3.4 percent in Hawaii to a high of 15 percent in Kentucky, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study that provides the first ever state-by-state data on adults experiencing work limitations caused by arthritis.

Federal/State Program Achieves Dramatic Nationwide Drop In Tobacco Sales To Minors, USA
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration today announced that sales of tobacco to underage youth have reached all time lows under the Synar Amendment program - a federal and state partnership program aimed at ending illegal tobacco sales to minors.

U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services And Ad Council Join NFL To Combat Childhood Obesity
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Ad Council and the National Football League (NFL) will join to launch a new series of national public service advertisements (PSAs) designed to combat childhood obesity by encouraging physical activity among children.

English Pulling Out Their Own Teeth Because They Cannot Get Professional Treatment
Six per cent of people in a large survey in England said they had to treat their own dental problems themselves, because they could not get professional treatment - this included pulling out their own teeth. The Dentistry Watch survey, which is the largest of its kind ever to be carried out in England, surveyed 5,212 patients and 750 dentists.

FDA's Psychiatric Division Has Rejected Cortex's Request To Study CX717 In Phase IIb ADHD Study
Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc (AMEX:COR) was informed recently that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would soon be sending it formal notice that the agency would not approve Cortex's Investigational New Drug Application for a Phase IIb study of CX717 in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. The denial is based on results of animal toxicology studies filed by Cortex.

Affymax Doses First Patient In The Phase 3 Clinical Program Of Hematide™ To Treat Anemia In Chronic Renal Failure Patients
Affymax, Inc. (Nasdaq:AFFY) and Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TOKYO:4502) today announced that Affymax has dosed the first patient in the Phase 3 clinical program of its lead investigational therapy, Hematide™, for the treatment of anemia in chronic renal failure patients.

Physicians Adult Daycare Comments On Study That Shows Adult Daycare May Help Reduce Onset Of Alzheimer's
When the elderly keep themselves regularly involved in group activities, the benefits are many: social, emotional, mental and health benefits. In its capacity as advocate for the adult daycare field, Physicians Adult Daycare, Inc.

Biogen Idec And Elan Provide Update On Utilization And Safety Of TYSABRI® In Patients With Multiple Sclerosis
Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Elan Corporation, plc (NYSE: ELN) have announced new data on the global utilization and safety of TYSABRI® (natalizumab), citing that as of the end of September 2007 approximately 17,000 patients are on commercial and clinical therapy worldwide, and that the safety data to date continue to support a favorable benefit-risk profile for TYSABRI.

NeoStem Announces Further Expansion In Northeastern U.S. With Strategic Alliance With New England Cryogenic Center, Inc.
NeoStem, Inc. (AMEX:NBS), the first company to specialize in the collection, processing and long term storage of stem cells from healthy adults for personal use in times of critical medical need, has announced that the Company has entered into a strategic alliance with New England Cryogenic Center, Inc.

Endoscopy Via Capsule Is Turning Up Undiagnosed Cases Of Crohn's Disease
A small capsule that takes "snapshots" of the small intestine as it moves through the digestive tract helped doctors spot cases of Crohn's disease that had gone undiagnosed for up to 15 years, according to researchers at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

The Global Year Against Pain In Women
The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) has declared 2008 the Global Year Against Pain in Women to draw attention to the significant impact of chronic pain on women and the need for more effective care. Lack of awareness of pain issues affecting women and gender disparities in treatment and research contribute to the suffering of millions of women.

Tonsillectomy Helps Children With Sleep-related Breathing Disorders Sleep Better
If a child is diagnosed with sleep-disordered breathing and has his/her tonsils and adenoids taken out he/she is more likely to sleep better and have improved behavior after the operation, according to an article in Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery (JAMA/Archives).

U.S. Should Move Away From Employer-Based Health Care Coverage, Op-Ed States
As the U.S. "prepares for the next great debate on its ailing health care system, support is growing for a shift from the traditional employer-based financing to publicly subsidized individual health insurance," Washington Post columnist David Broder writes in an opinion piece.

Private Insurers Offering Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Do Not Receive 'Significant' Discounts From Drug Makers, Wall Street Journal Reports
Nearly $15 billion could have been saved this year if private insurers that offer Medicare prescription drug plans had administrative costs similar to those of Medicare and if they obtained discounts on drugs similar to those received by Medicaid, according to a report commissioned by House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair Henry Waxman (D-Calif.

FDA Approves Merck's Antiretroviral Raltegravir
Merck on Friday announced that FDA has approved its antiretroviral drug raltegravir for use by HIV-positive people who have not responded to other treatments, the Wall Street Journal reports (Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal, 10/12). An independent FDA panel of medical experts last month unanimously recommended accelerated approval of raltegravir, an integrase inhibitor.

States Begin Requiring Hospitals To Disclose Prices For Services
Several states, in an effort "to make the health care system more efficient," have begun requiring hospitals to disclose prices paid for services, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

New NPR/Kaiser/Harvard School Of Public Health Poll Examines Views Of SCHIP
NPR on Wednesday examined the results of a new NPR/Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard School of Public Health poll that looks at the public's views and opinions of SCHIP and the pending legislation surrounding its reauthorization. The poll surveyed 1,527 randomly selected U.S. adults via telephone from Oct. 8 through Oct. 13 (NPR.org, 10/17).

New Service Allows IVF Couples To Use Surplus Embryos For Creation Of Stem Cell Lines
California-based StemLifeLine on Monday at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's annual meeting in Washington, D.C., presented a pilot study of its service in which couples who have undergone in vitro fertilization pay for stem cell lines to be created from surplus embryos, London's Guardian reports.

Kaiser Family Foundation Offers New Tool For Examining Presidential Candidates' Health Care Proposals; JAMA Commentaries Discuss
2008 Presidential Candidate Health Care Proposals: Side-by-Side Summary, Kaiser Family Foundation: The Foundation has released an interactive tool that compares the health care proposals of presidential candidates by summarizing positions in four overall categories: access to health care coverage, cost containment, improving the quality of care and financing.

94,000 People Develop Invasive, Drug-Resistant Staph Infections Annually, Study Finds
An estimated 94,000 U.S. residents developed invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in 2005, and 19,000 died from such infections, according to a study published on Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, the Chicago Tribune reports. For the study, CDC researchers led by epidemiologist R.

Women Attending Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign In Namibia Found Lumps In Breasts, Referred To Physicians For Evaluation, Testing
The international breast cancer support group Reach for Recovery during a recent breast cancer awareness campaign delivered messages to 2,783 women at eight hospitals and clinics in northern Namibia, the Namibian/AllAfrica.com reports.

Reports Examine Health Insurance Reform, Single-Payer System NEJM Perspective Discusses New Medicare Reimbursement Rule
"A Roadmap to Health Insurance for All: Principles for Reform," The Commonwealth Fund: The report describes how health care proposals by presidential candidates and lawmakers fall into three general types: tax incentives and individual markets; mixed private-public group insurance with shared responsibility for financing; and public insurance.

Presidential Candidate Thompson Discusses Need To Reduce Cost Of Entitlement Programs
Republican presidential candidate and former Sen. Fred Thompson (Tenn.) on Wednesday at a Club for Growth event in Washington, D.C., discussed the need to reduce the cost of Medicare and other entitlement programs, the New York Times reports (Bosman, New York Times, 10/18). Thompson said that Medicare could become insolvent without a reduction in the cost of the program.

Differences In Brain Chemistry Could Explain Resilience To Traumatic Stress
A new US study on mice has suggested that differences in the chemistry of reward circuits in the brain may explain why some people are more susceptible than others to post traumatic stress, depression and other mental and emotional disorders when faced with adversity.

Editorials, Opinion Pieces Discuss Veto Of SCHIP Expansion Bill
Summaries of several recent editorials and opinion pieces that examine the recent presidential veto of legislation to reauthorize and expand SCHIP appear below. Editorials Akron Beacon Journal: "Extending coverage to 5.

Coalition Pushing To Include Patient Privacy Provisions In EHR Legislation
A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and private companies called on Congress to pass legislation that would protect electronic health records from potential misuse and identity theft, the Washington Times reports. The Patient Privacy Rights coalition -- which includes Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.

Botswana Lawmakers Plan Release Of Report Gauging Public Opinion On National Response To HIV/AIDS
Lawmakers in Botswana at the end of December are scheduled to release a report on recent hearings that sought to gauge the public's views on HIV/AIDS issues in the country, Member of Parliament Duke Lefhoko announced on Friday, Botswana's Mmegi reports. A delegation of MPs recently conducted hearings at 12 sites in 11 districts across the country.

New Paradigms In The Research Of The Biomolecular Composition Of Water
Water nurtures life in all its forms, but not all water in our life systems is equal. Water in a lake, in the sea or in a cup of tea is different from the water in our bodies. This much we do know. Yet science does not yet have a complete understanding as to why intracellular water is different to other water forms. The science of water is subject to conflicting theories.

Assessing The Deterrent Effects Of Drug And Alcohol Testing Among High School Athletes.
Random drug and alcohol testing does not reliably keep student-athletes from using. In fact, the mere presence of drug testing increases some risk factors for future substance use, Oregon Health & Science University researchers report. Their findings are published in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, the journal of the Society for Adolescent Medicine.

Key Changes To 'Language Gene' Shared By Neandertals And Humans
A new study published online on October 18th in Current Biology reveals that adaptive changes in a human gene involved in speech and language were shared by our closest extinct relatives, the Neandertals. The finding reveals that the human form of the gene arose much earlier than scientists had estimated previously.

'Oscars Of Invention' Honour UTMB Researchers Who Created Artificial Immune System
Two University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) researchers who pioneered the development of an artificial immune system that mimics that of the human body and will allow researchers to speed the development of vaccines were honored at a showcase known as "the Oscars of invention" held at Chicago's Navy Pier.

Biology Image Library Launched By BioMed Central
BioMed Central has announced the launch of Biology Image Library, an online resource that provides access to over 11,000 carefully selected biology-related images. This is the latest service from BioMed Central, part of the Science Navigation Group of companies which was also responsible for the creation of images.MD, a popular medical image resource.

'Taking Stock' Of Toxic Releases
The latest Taking Stock report from the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) reveals that a continued decline in releases of toxic chemicals to the environment -- 15 percent for the United States and Canada from 1998 to 2004 -- is being driven by a group of industrial facilities that are the largest generators of emissions.

Hajj Pilgrims Warned To Take The Threat Of Meningitis Seriously
Over 2 million pilgrims from all over the world are expected to arrive in Makkah, Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj pilgrimage within the next few weeks. The Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK (A.B.H) has extended its full support to the strict guidelines issued by the Saudi Health Ministry which requires that all Hajj & Umrah visitors must be vaccinated against meningitis.

FDA Expands Age Range For Use Of Bacterial Meningitis Vaccine
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration expanded the approved age range for Menactra, a bacterial meningitis vaccine, to include children ages 2 to 10 years. Meningitis is a serious inflammation of the lining that surrounds the spinal cord and brain. It can result in death or permanent injury to the brain and nervous system.

Mothers With Diabetes Parted From Newborns, UK
Mothers with diabetes are being separated from their newborn babies, according to findings out.The Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH) claims that over half of newborn babies whose mothers have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes are automatically moved to a special care baby unit.This has negative impacts, the report warns.

Sports Concussion Education Campaign Being Developed By National Athletic Trainers' Asociation And National Academy Of Neuropsychology
The National Football League, National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Player's Association have agreed to sponsor an educational program on sports concussions developed by the National Athletic Trainers' Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology.

Sex Plays A Role In Orthopaedics
There is no debate that males and females are different, but there has been limited comprehension of the influence of sex on disease. Osteoarthritis affects more than forty million Americans and more than a quarter of the population between the ages of 45 and 64 years old. The disease is progressive, painful and currently incurable. In a special J.

Obesity Could Bankrupt NHS, UK
National Obesity Forum (NOF) chairman Dr Colin Waine has warned that the financial cost of obesity could "bankrupt the NHS". Speaking at the NOF's fifth annual conference in London, he talked about the challenges posed by obesity and what needs to be done to overcome them.

GE Healthcare Receives FDA Clearance On Navigator Applications Suite For Anesthesia Therapy At ASA 2007
GE Healthcare announced it received FDA 510k clearance on its Navigator Applications Suite, an aid to healthcare providers as they make clinical decisions in anesthesia therapy. GE also introduced its Pressure Controlled Ventilation-Volume Guaranteed (PCV-VG) technology in the Avance Carestation, an advanced anesthesia delivery solution.

Scientists Track Progression Of HIV To AIDS, Study Says
Scientists from the University of Florida College of Medicine have tracked how HIV progresses to AIDS -- a finding that could lead to the development of new drugs that target the virus before it can progress -- according to a study published online recently in PLoS One, ANI/DailyIndia.com reports.

Physicians Migrating To Work In Industrialized Nations Are More Likely To Leave Progressing Developing Countries Than Less Developed Countries
Physicians moving from developing countries to work in the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom are more likely to originate from wealthier developing countries than less developed countries.

Emotional Wellbeing Has No Effect On Cancer Survival, New Study
A new US study suggests that emotional wellbeing has no effect on the chances of surviving head and neck cancer. People with so called negative emotions had the same survival rate as people with positive emotions, the researchers found.

MGH Researcher Receives $4 Million Grant For Smoking Cessation Initiative, USA
A new research initiative could help millions of children grow up in smoke-free homes, help millions of adults quit smoking, and ultimately, save hundreds of thousands of U.S. lives. Jonathan Winickoff, M.D., M.P.H.

Despite Funding Challenges, School Programs Increase Nutritious Options
Parents visiting their child's school cafeteria during National School Lunch Week are seeing more whole grains, a greater amount of fresh fruits and vegetables and a wider selection of healthful beverages.

Christian Science Monitor Examines Challenges In Updating Veterans' Health Care, Disability Systems
The Christian Science Monitor on Monday examined the challenges of updating the veterans' health care and disability systems as more injured servicemembers are returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. President Bush last week announced a plan to streamline the disability system between the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense.

GE Healthcare Now Shipping Cardiac Imaging With Up To 70 Percent Lower Dose
GE Healthcare's SnapShot Pulse technology for Cardiovascular CT is now in place at dozens of facilities across the nation and it's on display at the annual meeting of Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) in Washington, D.C. this week.

Government Officials Launch Blogs; Groups Urge E-Prescribing For Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit
Summaries of coverage related to e-health appear below.Blogging: HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff are the first two members of President Bush's Cabinet to start blogging about issues that affect their departments and to "occasionally sound off on criticism of their policies," the AP/USA Today reports. Leavitt in his blog, http://www.secretarysblog.hhs.

Groups Calling On U.S. Presidential Candidates To Commit To Fight Against HIV/AIDS
The Global AIDS Alliance Fund and other groups are calling on U.S. presidential candidates to sign a pledge to commit to the fight against HIV/AIDS domestically and worldwide, the Keene Sentinel reports. The pledge also calls on candidates to commit $50 billion to such efforts. According to the Sentinel, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is the only candidate who has signed the pledge.

UAW-Chrysler Contract Might Not Be Ratified By Rank-and-File Members
Six large locals over the weekend rejected a tentative deal between United Auto Workers and Chrysler Group, raising the probability that the contract will not receive enough rank-and-file votes for ratification, USA Today reports (Silke Carty, USA Today, 10/22). Some leaders were unhappy about Chrysler not naming specific future product guarantees to U.S.

Advocates Of Legal Drug Injection Center In San Francisco Discuss Support Of Idea
Supporters of a potential city-funded, legal center in San Francisco where injection drug users can use drugs under medical supervision gathered Thursday to discuss the idea, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

WHO Predicts Higher Global Production Capacity Of Pandemic Bird Flu Vaccine
The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that the global capacity to manufacture human vaccine against the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu is higher than it estimated last year.

US Government Gets Aggressive Against E Coli O157:H7
The US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said yesterday, October 23rd, that is was taking "aggressive action" in the fight against E. coli O157:H7, following recent outbreaks in contaminated ground beef products. The actions include more testing and faster product recalls, said FSIS in a press release.US Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr.

Detroit Free Press Examines Amount Of Charity Care Provided By Not-for-Profit Hospitals
The Detroit Free Press on Tuesday examined "the issues that are putting nonprofit hospitals and their tax-exempt status under scrutiny as never before in an important debate" for the U.S. Not-for-profit hospitals nationwide receive $12.6 billion annually in tax exemptions.

AIDS-Related Deaths In Botswana Decreasing Because Of Country's Efforts To Increase Treatment Access, AFP/Google.com Reports
AFP/Google.com on Saturday examined how Botswana is "living proof to other African countries" that HIV/AIDS "should not be regarded as a death sentence." Botswana President Festus Mogae in 2001 said that the country was "threatened with extinction" because people were "dying in chillingly high numbers.

UAW Officials Send Memorandum Urging Approval Of Tentative Contract
Seven United Auto Workers officials who helped negotiate a tentative contract with Chrysler Group on Monday by e-mail sent a memorandum to union members encouraging approval of the deal, saying that it preserves pay levels, health care coverage and retiree benefits, the Wall Street Journal reports (Valcourt et al., Wall Street Journal, 10/23).

Pop!Tech Launches Initiative Aimed At Deploying Software To Support HIV Education, Counseling In Africa
Pop!Tech, an annual conference aimed at fueling social and environment changes through technology and innovation, recently launched a new initiative that seeks to deploy clinical software to support HIV education and counseling, as well as treatment adherence, in South Africa, the Boston Globe reports.

A Third Of Americans Extremely Stressed, New Survey
A new national survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) suggests that one third of Americans are living with extreme stress while nearly half believe stress is damaging their health, their relationships, and work productivity, and that it has got worse in the last 5 years.

Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights SCHIP Editorials, Op-Eds, Letter To The Editor
Summaries of editorials, opinion pieces and a letter to the editor about the failed attempt by the House to override President Bush's SCHIP legislation veto appear below.

House Passes Suicide Prevention Bill For Veterans
The House on Tuesday voted 417-0 to approve a veterans' suicide prevention bill (HR 327) after lawmakers removed a provision that would have tracked veterans who received treatment for mental illnesses, the AP/Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Leader Of Anglican Communion Criticizes 'Normalization' Of Abortion, Calls For Review Of British Law
Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion, criticized what he said is an increasing "normalization" of abortion and called for a review of the United Kingdom's 1967 Abortion Act, BBC News reports (BBC News, 10/21).

Lawmakers To Investigate Private Equity Companies That Own Nursing Homes
The House Energy and Commerce and House Financial Services committees on Tuesday said they would begin an investigation into the business practices of nursing homes owned by private equity companies, the New York Times reports (Duhigg, New York Times, 10/24).

Senate Passes Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill That Includes Amendment Preventing Redistribution Of Ryan White Funding In Some Areas
The Senate on Tuesday voted 75-19 to pass its version of the fiscal year 2008 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill (HR 3043), which includes an amendment that would prevent the redistribution of Ryan White Program funding in some areas of the country, CQ Today reports. The amendment was adopted 65-28 by roll call votes (Wayne, CQ Today, 10/23). The amendment -- proposed by Sen.

Caregivers Increasingly File Lawsuits Against Employers Alleging Discrimination
The number of lawsuits stemming from "family responsibilities discrimination," or discrimination against employees who have family care-giving responsibilities at home, has increased by 400% in the last 10 years, according to the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California, USA Today reports. The U.S.

HIV/AIDS Hindering Economic, Social Development In Sub-Saharan Africa, Malawian President Mutharika Says
HIV/AIDS is stunting economic growth and social development in sub-Saharan Africa, Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika said Tuesday at the opening of a two-day parliamentary forum of the Southern African Development Community, AFP/Yahoo! News reports. SADC members need to "move fast in solidarity to find lasting solutions and to try and fight the HIV pandemic," Mutharika said.

Federal, State Authorities Raid Health Insurer WellCare; Target Unknown
Federal and state authorities on Wednesday raided the headquarters of Tampa, Fla.-based health insurer WellCare, which provides Medicare and Medicaid managed care plans and has 2.3 million members nationwide, the Miami Herald reports. No information on the purpose of the investigation has been disclosed (Stacy, Miami Herald, 10/25). The St.

Uganda AIDS Commission To Implement Five-Year Program Aimed At Reducing Spread Of HIV By 40%
The Uganda AIDS Commission plans to implement a five-year strategy aimed at reducing the spread of HIV in the country by more than 40%, the New Vision/AllAfrica.com reports. The strategy will focus on boosting the ABC approach to HIV prevention -- which stands for abstinence, be faithful and use condoms -- and on providing people living with HIV/AIDS with treatment access.

Study Of DNA Repair In Cancer Cells By Yale Awarded $8.4 Million
Yale School of Medicine researchers have received $8.4 million to study how cancer cells mend their own chromosomes and DNA after damage caused by radiation and chemotherapy.The study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the next step in developing targeted cancer therapies, said the lead researcher, Peter Glazer, M.D.

Screening Or Not Screening For Lung Cancer: Consider The Benefit
Individuals contemplating computed tomographic (CT) screening for lung cancer because they are concerned that they are at risk should talk to their physicians. In this discussion, information on the benefit of the screening for that particular person, based on their age and smoking history, needs to be available to the person and the consulting physician.

Major Effort To Combat Disparities In DC Stroke Care Lead By Georgetown
More than three quarters of adults living in the District of Columbia have at least one risk factor for stroke, but those who are poor do not receive the same level of care as their wealthier counterparts. In an effort to address these disparities in stroke prevention, diagnosis and treatment in D.C.

AIDS Research Boosted By $8.5M Grant Award To UMass Medical School
As the HIV/AIDS epidemic continues around the globe laying claim to more than 25 million lives and infecting over 39 million, researchers continue to search for both a cure and improved treatments for those suffering with this disease. Now the leading cause of death worldwide among 15 to 59 year olds, AIDS is a remarkably resilient adversary with the potent ability to evolve rapidly.

Benefits Of MitraClip For Patients With Mitral Regurgitation Shown By New Data
The vast majority of patients who had a successful result with the percutaneous MitraClip device did not need mitral valve surgery three years after their procedure, and many benefited from significantly improved function of the left ventricle (commonly known as reverse remodeling), according to data

New Causes For Neurodegeneration Discovered By U-M Scientists
Diseases that cause neurons to break-down, such as Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (Mad Cow Disease), continue to be elusive to scientists and resistant to treatments.A new finding from University of Michigan researchers demonstrates an unpredicted link between a virtually unknown signaling molecule and neuron health.

Special Status Given By US And European Regulators To New TB Drug
What: Approximately one-third of the world's population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB, and an estimated 1.6 million people died of the disease in 2005. Currently, TB patients must adhere to a complex treatment regimen over a six- to nine-month period.

News From The Journal Of Clinical Investigation
Drug that lowers blood pressure might help prevent Alzheimer diseaseAlzheimer disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease that is the most common form of dementia, is characterized by the formation in the brain of plaques containing misfolded beta-amyloid protein.

Designing A Cancer-Killing Virus
One new way to treat individuals with cancer that is being developed is the use of viruses that infect and kill cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. These viruses are known as virotherapeutics. In a new study, David Kirn and colleagues at Jennerex Biotherapeutics, San Francisco, have described the development of a new virotherapuetic with antitumor effects in both mice and rabbits.

FDA Grant To Study An Emerging Health Issue For US Infants/Babies
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee a three-year, $1 million Orphan Products Development grant to study infantile hemangiomas -- a vascular tumor of the skin or internal organs.The unique, interdisciplinary, and multi-institutional study is led by co-principal investigators Beth Drolet, M.D.

Funding For National Center For Disaster Mental Health Research
The University of Michigan is the lead research institution in a $3.89 million grant to fund a consortium to study the health consequences on victims in disasters.The consortium, called the National Center for Disaster Mental Health Research, includes researchers from U-M, Dartmouth Medical School, Medical University of South Carolina, Yale University and the University of Oklahoma.

New Lab-On-A-Chip Research Integrates Microfluidics And Optical Trapping
Researchers at Cornell University for the first time have integrated optical functions with microfluidic ones, enabling the sorting of particles by light. Reported in the Oct. 29 issue of Optics Express, due out Monday, the Cornell team showcases a new design for a "lab-on-a-chip" structure that provides the ability to move or sort particles using light.

The AAAS Honors Members As Fellows For Distinction In Science
Ten renowned scientists and educators at Yale have been named as Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an honor bestowed upon members of the organization by their peers.The AAAS honors members as Fellows in recognition of their distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.

Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan And Barbara Valent From K-State Named AAAS Fellows
Kansas State University faculty Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan, university distinguished professor of biochemistry, and Barbara Valent, university distinguished professor of plant pathology, have been named Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their scientifically or socially distinguished efforts to advance science or its applications.

Condom Awareness In India Increasing, Report Says
Condom awareness has increased significantly among sexually active men and women in India, according to a report released on Wednesday, the IANS/India eNews reports. The report assessed a three-year HIV/AIDS awareness campaign that was formed jointly by UNAIDS and India's National AIDS Control Organization.

Law Enforcement Attempts To Stop Injection Drug Use Undermining HIV Control Efforts Among IDUs In Southeast Asia
Efforts by police to stop injection drug use are undermining attempts to curb the spread of HIV among injection drug users in Southeast Asia, law enforcement and health experts said Wednesday at the opening of a conference in Bangkok, Thailand, on reducing health risks for IDUs, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 10/24).

Kentucky Gubernatorial Candidates Fletcher, Beshear Propose Health Care Expansions If Elected
Kentucky Democratic gubernatorial candidate Steve Beshear and incumbent Gov. Ernie Fletcher (R) both have said that if elected, they would extend health coverage to more low-income, working state residents by expanding state-sponsored programs, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.

Brazilian Government Launches Program To Reduce Mother-to-Child Transmission Of HIV, Syphilis
The Brazilian government on Wednesday launched a program that aims to reduce mother-to-child transmission of viruses such as HIV and syphilis, Xinhua/People's Daily reports. According to a recently released report by the government, about 530 mother-to-child HIV transmissions were reported in 2005, compared with 1,091 transmissions in 1996.

New Clinical Reports Help Earlier Diagnosis And Management Of Autism
Two new reports intended to help pediatricians identify and help families manage autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are being unveiled today at the 2007 National Conference and Exhibition (NCE) of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

GAO Report Looks At Financial Outlook Of Government Retiree Benefits
"State and Local Government Retiree Benefits: Current Status of Benefit Structures, Protections and Fiscal Outlook for Funding Future Costs," Government Accountability Office: For the report, GAO developed a model that simulated the fiscal outlook for state and local governments' abilities to provi

Making Contact With DNA Breaks
When the genetic material inside a cell's nucleus starts to fall apart, a protein called ATM takes charge and orchestrates the rescue mission. Surprisingly, for ATM to kick into full gear, the stretches of DNA flanking a chromosomal break are just as important as the damaged site itself, report scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies.

Harvard Pilgrim Health Plan Ranks First In U.S. News/NCQA Report
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care in Massachusetts for the third consecutive year ranked first among commercial health plans nationwide for clinical performance and patient satisfaction, according to an annual report compiled by the National Committee for Quality Assurance for U.S. News & World Report, the Boston Globe reports. The report, titled "America's Best Health Plans," will appear in the Nov.

State Of Colorado Expands Contract With Alere Medical To Include Medicaid Recipients With COPD
Alere Medical, Inc., a leading health management company, announced today that it has been chosen by the State of Colorado to manage its Medicaid recipients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) beginning in October 2007.

HIV Vaccine Trial Volunteers Asked To Undergo Testing To Determine Whether They Are At Increased Risk Of HIV
Researchers have asked more than 3,000 people who participated in a trial of Merck's experimental HIV vaccine that was halted last month to undergo additional testing to determine if they are at an increased risk of HIV, Reuters reports (Fox, Reuters, 10/25).

Elekta Announces Elekta Infinity - A New System For Faster And More Precise Treatment Of Cancer Tumors
Elekta (STO:EKTAB), a global leader in radiation oncology and non-invasive neurosurgery solutions, announced Elekta Infinity*, the definitive new digital linear accelerator optimized for delivering Volumetric Intensity Modulated Arc Therapy* (VMAT), a very fast Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy (

Study Links Hypertension In Obese Children To Television Viewing
Researchers from the University of California, San Diego; the Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego; the University of California, San Francisco; and the University of South Alabama determined that television viewing is not only linked to childhood obesity, but also to hypertension in children, accor

Massachusetts Increases Efforts To Enroll Low-Income Residents In Partially Subsidized Health Coverage By Dec. 31 Deadline
Massachusetts health care officials this month are boosting efforts to enroll low-income residents in subsidized health insurance plans as the state approaches the Dec. 31 deadline for all residents to obtain coverage or face tax penalties, the Boston Globe reports.

Efforts Needed To Address Financial Stability Of Entitlement Programs, Columnist Writes
The "demands imposed by the retirement of millions of baby boomers will consume the federal budget and blight the prospects of the next generations" without efforts to address problems with the long-term financial stability of Medicare and other entitlement programs, columnist David Broder writes in the Washington Post. According to Broder, Senate Budget Committee Chair Kent Conrad (D-N.D.

Physicians Who Adopt Electronic Health Records Will Receive Higher Medicare Payments Under Pilot Project
HHS on Monday announced it is recruiting 1,200 physicians across the U.S. to participate in a pilot project that will provide higher Medicare reimbursements to physicians who use electronic health records, AP/Long Island Newsday reports. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt said the project is an important step toward meeting President Bush's goal of nationwide EHR adoption by 2014.

ONE Campaign, DATA To Merge To Focus On Poverty-Related Issues Worldwide
The advocacy groups ONE Campaign and DATA, both of which were co-founded by musician Bono, have announced they will merge in the U.S. to form a single group aimed at addressing issues related to global poverty, with a focus on Africa, Reuters reports.The group will be known as ONE in the U.S. and will include the ONE Campaign's 2.4 million members.

N.Y. AG, Cigna Reach Agreement On Physician Ranking System
New York state Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) on Monday said that Cigna has agreed to provide its members with more information on how it ranks physicians, the AP/Hartford Courant reports. Cuomo said the deal could set a national standard for physician ranking systems (Bauman, AP/Hartford Courant, 10/29).

Guyana Launches Project Aimed At Reducing Spread Of HIV, Improving Treatment, Prevention Among Prison Inmates
Guyana's Ministry of Home Affairs recently launched a new project aimed at decreasing the spread of HIV among prison inmates and reintegrating HIV-positive inmates into society at the end of their sentences, the Stabroek News reports.