Health and Medical News Headlines for April 7, 2010

Study: Riskier surgeries for back pain raise costs (AP)

AP - A study of Medicare patients shows that costlier, more complex spinal fusion surgeries are on the rise — and sometimes done unnecessarily — for a common lower back condition caused by aging and arthritis.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 7 Apr 2010 | 1:35 am

Curis To Present At The 17th Annual Future Leaders In The Biotech Industry Conference

Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS), a drug development company seeking to develop next generation targeted small molecule drug candidates for cancer treatment, today announced that the company will be presenting at the 17th Annual Future Leaders in the Biotech Industry Conference at 3:00 p.m. EDT on April 8, 2010, in New York City. Dan Passeri, Curis' President and Chief Executive Officer, will provide an overview of the status of GDC-0449, an orally-administered small molecule Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 7 Apr 2010 | 12:00 am

National Briefing | West: California: If It’s Monday, It’s Veggies

San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors passed a nonbinding resolution declaring every Monday as “meat-free.”

Source: NYT > Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:20 pm

Hybrid Concierge Practice Models Can Help Physicians Provide The Prevention And Wellness Programs Promised Under Healthcare Reform

The nation's leading provider of hybrid concierge medicine, Concierge Choice Physicians (CCP), sees historic opportunities for patients and physicians under the recently enacted healthcare law. Hybrid concierge practice models emphasize prevention and wellness and give physicians a way to offer a concierge option while continuing to care for all of their patients...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:00 pm

Buzz Aldrin voted off "Dancing With the Stars"

LOS ANGELES, April 6 (Reuters) - He could walk on the moon, but aged 80, Buzz Aldrin had a more difficult time gliding across the ballroom floor on "Dancing With the Stars," as the astronaut was voted...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 10:39 pm

REFILE-Peru tribes file IFC complaint over Maple pollution

LIMA, April 6 (Reuters) - A Peruvian tribe filed a complaint on Tuesday with the ombudsman of the World Bank's International Finance Corp (IFC) against Maple Energy Plc , accusing the oil company of polluting...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 10:37 pm

St. Vincent’s Hospital Manhattan to Close

Officials at the debt-ridden Greenwich Village hospital hope to maintain an urgent care center in the neighborhood.

Source: NYT > Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 10:31 pm

Thai Hot Stocks-Index hits 22-mth high; energy shares lead

BANGKOK, April 7 (Reuters) - Thailand's benchmark stock index was up 0.76 percent at 814.28, the highest since June 6, 2008, at 0353 GMT on Wednesday.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 10:19 pm

West Virginia hoping for a miracle in mine disaster

* Drills due to break through into mine later on Wednesday
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 10:04 pm

ProUroCare Medical Announces Receipt Of Letter From FDA On 510(k)

ProUroCare Medical Inc. (OTCBB: PUMD) (OTCBB: PUMDU) (OTCBB: PUMDW) announced today that on March 29, 2010 a letter was received from the FDA regarding the pending 510(k) premarket application for the Company's ProUroScan prostate imaging system. The letter indicated that the FDA could not complete its review because they believed an appropriate predicate device had not been identified. The FDA specifically noted the lack of a comparable predicate device for use as an aid in visualizing and documenting abnormalities of the prostate detected by digital rectal examination...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 10:00 pm

Indonesia Hot Stock-Kalbe Farma up on venture deal

JAKARTA, April 7 (Reuters) - Shares of Indonesia's biggest pharmaceutical firm, PT Kalbe Farma , hit their highest in a year after the company signed a strategic partnership with Thailand's Tipco Foods...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:59 pm

Sex Bias Suit Against Novartis to Start

A complaint is seeking more than $200 million in damages from a company that has received accolades from Working Mother magazine.

Source: NYT > Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:55 pm

Most Holiday Injuries to Kids Spurred by Everyday Mishaps (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- While more kids are injured during the holidays, it's not too many chocolate bunnies, stray fireworks or glass decorations that do the most damage, a new study shows.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:48 pm

Prescription Drug Abuse Sending More to Hospitals (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Hospitalizations caused by accidental and intentional abuse of prescription sedatives, tranquilizers and other painkilling drugs has risen dramatically over the last decade, new research reveals.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:48 pm

U.S. Teen Birth Rate Drops (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- After going up in both 2005 and 2006, the number of American teenagers having children dropped 2 percent between 2007 and 2008, federal health officials report.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:48 pm

Fruits, Veggies Have Modest Effect on Cancer Risk (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- A new study challenges the widespread belief that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables helps protect against cancer.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:48 pm

Obese Americans Get High Quality Medical Care (HealthDay)

HealthDay - TUESDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Countering concerns that obese Americans get second-rate health care, a new study has found no difference in the quality of medical attention they receive versus that of normal-weight patients.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:48 pm

Conjoined twins in separation op

Conjoined Irish twin boys, born in London in December, are to undergo separation surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:42 pm

Economic Scene: To Cut Health Costs, U.S. Needs to Learn to Say No

Americans tend to believe more health care is better care. But to cut costs, we’ve got to learn how to say no.

Source: NYT > Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:09 pm

HK Hot Stocks-China Life at 4-mth high before results

HONG KONG, April 7 (Reuters) - By 0236 GMT, the benchmark Hang Seng Index was up 1.14 percent to 21,782.06.
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:05 pm

Can-Fite Steps Forward To The 3rd And Last Stage Of Its Phase I/II Liver Cancer Study With The CF102 Drug

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd (TASE:CFBI), a biopharmaceutical company, traded on the TASE and developing anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs, reported progress today in the clinical development of CF102, the second drug in its pipeline of A3 receptor agonists. The company is studying CF102 as a treatment for liver disease, including liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC) and hepatitis C. The results announced today concern a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CF102 in the treatment of patients with advanced HCC...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:00 pm

Weitz & Luxenberg Continues Efforts To Help People With Asbestos Cancers

Weitz & Luxenberg P.C. would like to highlight a sobering statistic: In 2009, over 219,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. For over 13,000 of those people, their cancer was caused by exposure to asbestos or another pollutant. In response to the ongoing danger of asbestos exposure, Reps. Steve Cohen (D-TN), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Louis Capps (D-CA), Gwen Moore (D-WI) and Betty Sutton (D-OH) have sponsored a Congressional proclamation declaring the first week of April 2010 National Asbestos Awareness Week...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 8:00 pm

UPDATE 7-At least 25 dead in West Virginia mine disaster

* At least 25 dead, deadliest US mine disaster since 1984
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 7:43 pm

UPDATE 1-Shareholder disagrees with plan to take CKE private

NEW YORK, April 6 (Reuters) - Porter Orlin, a New York-based investment manager, said on Tuesday it wrote a letter to CKE Restaurants' board and management, expressing strong dissatisfaction with private...
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 7:33 pm

UPDATE 1-Shareholder disagrees with plan to take CKE private

In down economy, older moms' births still up in US (AP)

AP - U.S. births fell in 2008, probably because of the recession, updated government figures confirm. The one exception to the trend was the birth rate among women in their 40s, who perhaps felt they didn't have the luxury of waiting for better economic times.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 7:26 pm

UPDATE 1-Macarthur spurns Peabody's sweetened $3.3 bln offer

* Macarthur tells shareholders to back Gloucester deal (Adds details, Macarthur's share price)
Source: RSS feed - channel BNewsHealth | 6 Apr 2010 | 7:19 pm

Autism May Not Affect Every Family, But Every Family Can Affect Autism

Ever feel compelled to help a cause you believe in, but just don't know how? By working with Easter Seals Bay Area, you can join the fight for families with autism so they can get the care, guidance and support they need, and help children with autism have the bright future that every child deserves. "Autism services and programs are in high demand," says Mike Pelfini, chief executive officer, Easter Seals Bay Area...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 7:00 pm

Five-a-day 'will not cut cancer'

The protective effects of fruit and vegetables against cancer is modest at best, a dietary study based on 500,000 Europeans concludes.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 6 Apr 2010 | 6:31 pm

Wis. prosecutor: Sex ed rules could mean charges (AP)

AP - A Wisconsin prosecutor is warning sex education teachers they could face charges if they follow a new state law that allows them to instruct students about proper contraceptive use.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 6:23 pm

NHS left with 34m swine flu jabs

The NHS has been left sitting on more than 34m doses of swine flu vaccine despite agreeing deals to break its contracts.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 6 Apr 2010 | 6:21 pm

Shionogi's Nitrolingual(R) Pumpspray Is Available For Angina Pectoris Patients

Shionogi Pharma, Inc. reminds healthcare providers that its Nitrolingual® Pumpspray (nitroglycerin lingual spray), approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002, is a viable alternative to nitroglycerin tablets and can be considered by healthcare professionals looking for treatment options for the many patients currently in need. As referenced in an FDA March 16, 2010, press release, the FDA notified certain manufacturers of nitroglycerin tablets to cease distribution...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 6:00 pm

Crackdown on MOT-style body scans

Companies have been told to stop offering whole body and lung scans under a new regulation regime.
Source: BBC News | Health | World Edition | 6 Apr 2010 | 5:59 pm

Merck drug shows promise in pelvic cancer patients (Reuters)

Reuters - An anti-cancer pill from Merck & Co can fight tumors and is safe in combination with palliative radiotherapy for patients with advanced pelvic cancer, data from early stage trials showed on Wednesday.
Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 5:05 pm

Teva Receives Favorable Court Decision Regarding Seasonique(R)

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) announced today that the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada has granted Teva's Motion for Summary Judgment with respect to the validity of U.S. Patent No. 7,320,969. In March 2008, Duramed, now Teva Women's Health, brought suit in the District of Nevada against Watson alleging infringement of Teva's patent as a result of Watson's filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Seasonique®. The ANDA sought approval to market a generic version of Seasonique in the U.S. before the patent expires on January 30, 2024...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 5:00 pm

AACN Launches The First National Centralized Application Service For Students Seeking Entry Into Schools Of Nursing

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announces the launch of NursingCAS, the first national centralized application service for students applying to all types of registered nursing (RN) programs. Similar to services already in place for medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and other health professions, NursingCAS provides individuals with a convenient way to apply to nursing programs nationwide while serving as an important mechanism to fill vacant seats in schools of nursing...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 4:00 pm

Teva Provides Update On Gemzar(R) Litigation

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (Nasdaq: TEVA) announced that the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana issued a decision yesterday on two patents for Gemzar® (gemcitabine); the compound patent expiring on November 15, 2010, and a method of use patent expiring on May 7, 2013. As to the method of use patent, the Court denied Lilly's request for an injunction on the grounds that the Eastern District of Michigan had previously found that patent invalid. Lilly has appealed that decision and oral argument is scheduled for May 7, 2010...

Source: Health News from Medical News Today | 6 Apr 2010 | 3:00 pm

Thrombolytic Therapy Appears Safe Even in Stroke Mimics

A new retrospective study suggests treatment with tissue plasminogen activator within 3 hours of symptom onset is safe even for patients ultimately found not to have had a stroke.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 2:57 pm

Gene links lower birth weight and diabetes: study (Reuters)

Reuters - Scientists have found two genetic regions that affect a baby's size at birth and say one of them is also linked with developing diabetes in later life.

Source: Yahoo! News: Health News | 6 Apr 2010 | 2:35 pm

Teen birth rate declines

After two years of increases, the teen birth rate in the United States declined 2 percent between 2007 and 2008, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 2:24 pm

MRSA Found in 4% of Healthcare Workers; Most Are Healthcare-Related Strains

Of nearly 4000 healthcare workers screened, approximately 4% tested positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and 25% were recurrent carriers.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 2:10 pm

Earthquake 'miracle': Baby, family reunited

An odyssey of grief, legal entanglements, DNA tests and strength to persevere culminates in a family's reunion.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 2:08 pm

Longer Treatment of JIA in Remission May Not Reduce Relapses

In a randomized controlled trial in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in remission, withdrawal of methotrexate treatment for 12 months vs 6 months did not reduce the rate of relapse.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 2:02 pm

Detectives, docs fight painkiller abuse

Detectiv Steve Watts is locking up another accused pain pill addict. But he's seen this suspect before.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 12:23 pm

When Feasible, Use Sleeve Lobectomy in NSCLC, Say Study Authors

Sleeve lobectomy is used in a small proportion of nonsmall-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, but a new study suggests that it might have a bigger role to play.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 12:12 pm

Exercise in Pregnancy Linked to Lower Birth Weight

A study shows that regular moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is linked to a modest reduction in offspring birth weight, which may lower the risk for obesity later in life.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 12:06 pm

Gonorrhea Getting Harder to Treat

Antibiotic resistance is pushing gonorrhea toward superbug status.
WebMD Health News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:26 am

Pregnant Women Don't Get Enough Exercise

A study shows fewer than 1 in 4 pregnant women meet guidelines.
WebMD Health News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:26 am

Common Therapy for Pediatric Vesicoureteral Reflux Is Not Backed by Data

Physicians have been treating pediatric vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) with endoscopic injections of dextranomer/hyaluronic acid (Dx/HA) since it was approved for this purpose in 2001 by the FDA - but there's a disturbing lack of high-level data to support this practice, according to a systematic review in the May issue of Pediatrics.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:09 am

Is Robot Prostate Surgery Best for Quality of Life?

Despite the popularity of robot-assisted procedures for prostate cancer, when it comes to long-term quality of life, men with earlier stage disease generally fare better with non-surgical approaches, according to a new study.
Reuters Health Information
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:09 am

FDA Approves First Absorbable Fibrin Sealant for Use in Cardiovascular Surgery

The FDA has approved the first absorbable fibrin sealant patch for use in cardiovascular surgery to prevent mild and moderate bleeding from small blood vessels.
Medscape Medical News
Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines | 6 Apr 2010 | 11:02 am

More breastfeeding would save lives, billions

If most new moms would breastfeed their babies for the first six months of life, it would save nearly 1,000 lives and billions of dollars each year, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 9:33 am

Drinkers cluster in social networks

If a friend or relative starts drinking more heavily--or decides to drink less or give up alcohol entirely--you're more likely to do the same, according to a new study that found heavy drinkers, moderate drinkers, and teetotalers tend to cluster within social networks.

Source: CNN.com - Health | 6 Apr 2010 | 8:53 am

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