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• Charity Welcomes Broadcasters Success In Promoting Audio Description

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00pm EDT

  An innovative campaign by broadcasters earlier this year has dramatically increased public awareness of Audio Description (AD), according to research released by Ofcom . The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) welcomed today's report.

• Celebrating 50 Years Of Excellence In General Practice, Royal Australian College Of General Practitioners

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00pm EDT

  Tonight the RACGP's NSW & ACT Faculty is celebrating the opening of its new premises at College House, 12 Mount Street, North Sydney. The faculty's new offices overlook the Sydney foreshores and can cater for a multitude of events and activities.

• Man Sentenced For Dealing In Counterfeit Medicines Worth At Least 1.8million Pounds

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00pm EDT

  Mr Viraj Shah (37) of 33 Oakfield Avenue, Kenton, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 8TH was sentenced to 51 weeks imprisonment, suspended for two years, and to 40 hours community service for dealing in counterfeit medicines. Mr Shah appeared at Kingston Crown Court following an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

• Red Wine Ingredient Could Improve Health In Old Aged

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

  An international team of scientists has discovered that taking large doses of a red wine ingredient in mid life can ward off symptoms of aging in mice. The effect was to extend quality rather than length of life.

• American Physical Therapy Association Applauds Sen Baucus For Standing Up Against Therapy Cap

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00pm EDT

  The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) applauds Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) for urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to maintain the exceptions process to Medicare Part B therapy caps in a letter sent yesterday to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Michael Leavitt.

• Black AIDS Institute HIV/AIDS Card Could Help Stop The Spread Of The Disease In The Community, Columnist Says

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  The Black AIDS Institute "may have come up with a strategy that could make a difference" and "help stop the spread of HIV/AIDS" in the black community, Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mary Mitchell writes. As part of BAI's "Test 1 Million" initiative, the institute has developed a card that certifies that an individual has been tested for HIV in the last six months.

• Bush Calls On Congress To Reauthorize PEPFAR Ahead Of G8 Summit

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  President Bush on Wednesday called on Congress to quickly reauthorize the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief ahead of the Group of Eight industrialized nations summit next week in Hokkaido, Japan, Reuters reports.

• DHS Inspector General Issues Recommendation On Reporting Procedures Of Immigrant Detainee Deaths

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 3:00pm EDT

  The Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau should promptly report all deaths of immigrants held at federal detention centers in the U.S. to the Department of Homeland Security, as well as to state authorities where required by law, according to recommendations in a report released Tuesday by the DHS Office of Inspector General, the New York Times reports.

• Efforts, Grant Seek To Promote Healthy Living In Underserved Communities, Medical Services To Asian-Americans, Improve Health Quality For Minorities,

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  The following summarizes efforts that seek to improve health among minorities.Chicago: The Chicago Tribune on Monday featured the Kitchen Table Interventions Program, which trains local community members to be health care advocates and researchers to promote better health in urban and underserved communities.

• Pfizer To Eliminate Direct Financial Support For Continuing Medical Education Programs Offered By For-Profit Companies

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 2:00pm EDT

  Pfizer officials recently announced that the company will no longer provide direct financial support for continuing medical education courses offered by for-profit medical education and communication companies, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• Men, Blacks In Particular, Less Likely Than Women To Be Aware That They Have High Blood Pressure, Study Finds

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  Men are one-quarter less likely than women to know that they have high blood pressure and black men with high blood pressure, are particularly unlikely to know of their condition, according to study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, Reuters Health reports.

• U.S. Health Care System Overhaul Needed To Reduce Costs, Columnist Writes

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  "Health care will become one of the most onerous personal finance issues in coming years unless the system is changed to ensure universal access, cost control and long-term financing," Bloomberg columnist John Wasik writes in the Bloomberg/Boston Globe.

• UnitedHealth Group Announces Lower Profit Outlook, Will Restructure To Focus More On Regional Coverage

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 1:00pm EDT

  UnitedHealth Group on Wednesday lowered its earnings guidance because of reduced commercial businesses and higher-than-expected Medicare-related costs and said it would restructure the company with a greater focus on regional coverage, the Chicago Tribune reports (Chicago Tribune, 7/3). The insurer said that profits would drop about 16% from earlier estimates (Forster, St.

• NGO Leader In Angola Seeks To Mobilize Country's Youth For HIV Prevention

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  Young people in Angola have a poor record of participation in HIV prevention efforts, including voluntary testing and condom use, according to Antonio Coelho, executive secretary of the Angolan Network of AIDS Service Organisations, Angola Press Agency/AllAfrica.com reports.Coelho made the remarks Wednesday while speaking to the Angola Press Agency.

• Wall Street Journal Letters To The Editor Address Recent Opinion Piece On Medicare Bill

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  The Wall Street Journal on Thursday published two letters to the editor in response to an opinion piece about a bill (HR 6331) approved last month by the House that would delay a scheduled 10.6% reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements and reduce funds for Medicare Advantage.

• New York Senate 'Missed Mark' Not Passing Comprehensive Sex Education Bill, Opinion Piece Says

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 12:00pm EDT

  The New York state Senate "clearly missed the mark" by not passing the Healthy Teens Act, which would make funding available for schools to provide comprehensive sex education, Claudia Gryvatz Copquin, author of "The Neighborhoods of Queens," writes in a Long Island Newsday opinion piece.

• Radicals Shake Up Molecules In A Tug O' War

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  Until now, it was commonly thought that colliding molecules get the shakes as the result of energy transfer solely from the smashing of the molecules, but some new research adds a second means by which colliding molecules become vibrationally excited--it is being called the "Tug o' War Mechanism.

• Number Of Abortions Decreasing Among HIV-Positive Women In Belarus, Official Says

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  The number of HIV-positive women in Belarus who are forgoing abortions is increasing, Svyatlana Shylava, chief ob-gyn for the country's Ministry of Health, said on Tuesday, BelaPAN reports. According to Shylava, about 176 infants were born to HIV-positive women in 2007, up from 52 in 2000 and six in 1996.

• Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council Employees Let Go After Program Authorization Lapses

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  Nearly the entire staff of the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council has been let go due to a political disagreement between Gov. Ed Rendell (D) and state Senate Republicans over whether a bill to reauthorize the council should also include an extension of a malpractice insurance subsidy for physicians, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Goldstein, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7/2).

• USA Today Profiles 'What To Expect' Author's Efforts To Help Low-Income Pregnant Women

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 11:00am EDT

  USA Today on Wednesday profiled the book "Baby Basics," an "easy-to-read pregnancy primer" by Heidi Murkoff, author of the bestselling "What To Expect When You're Expecting." According to Murkoff, the abridged book stemmed from her recognition that the one million low-income women who give birth each year do not have access to the 614-page, $14.95 book.

• Gene Technique That Alters CCR5-Producing Gene Increases Resistance To HIV In Mice, Study Finds

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  Altering the gene that produces CCR5 protein on the surface of immune cells using a harmless virus was found to significantly increase resistance to HIV in mice, according to a study published Sunday in the journal Nature Biotechnology, the Press Trust of India reports (Press Trust of India, 7/1).

• Massachusetts Cigarette Tax Increases By $1 Per Pack To Fund State Health Insurance Law

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (D) on Tuesday signed into law a bill that increases the state cigarette tax by $1 per pack, the AP/Boston Globe reports. The increase, which brings the tax to $2.51, took effect immediately. On Monday, the bill was approved by the state House and Senate by votes of 93-52 and 26-9, respectively.

• Virginia Bishop Apologizes For Catholic Organization's Help To Girl Who Sought Abortion

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 10:00am EDT

  Richmond, Va., Roman Catholic Bishop Francis DiLorenzo in a letter published on Monday apologized after Commonwealth Catholic Charities employees helped a 16-year-old Guatemalan girl obtain an abortion in January, the New York Times reports.

• PEPFAR Allocates $1.4M For HIV/AIDS Initiatives In Vietnam

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  The U.S. embassy in Vietnam on Tuesday announced that President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief will allocate $1.4 million to three HIV/AIDS initiatives in Vietnam, the Thanh Nien News reports.

• Revised Study Maintains Link Between FDA Approvals Made Soon Before Deadlines, Safety Risks

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  Harvard University professor Daniel Carpenter has made revisions to a study published in March that found prescription drugs hurried through the FDA approval process are more likely to later be linked to safety risks, but he maintains that the study's conclusions are still accurate, the Wall Street Journal reports.

• S.C. Allocates $2M To Expand Breast, Cervical Cancer Screening Program For Low-Income Women

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 9:00am EDT

  The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control on Tuesday announced the state has allocated $2 million to expand a program that provides no-cost breast and cervical cancer screenings to low-income women, the AP/Charlotte Observer reports.

• UK Travellers To Africa And Asia Continue To Ignore Health Messages About Preventing Malaria

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  A study by the Health Protection Agency's Malaria Reference Laboratory (HPA) and published in today's BMJ.com shows that despite highly effective measures available to prevent malaria, the burden of disease among UK travellers has steadily increased over the last 20 years. There were 39,300 cases of malaria in the UK between 1987 and 2006.

• Caravan Users Warned About The Potential Risk Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  With the start of the school holidays, the Health Protection Agency is warning people of the potential health risks of carbon monoxide poisoning from fossil fuel burning appliances - such as gas powered fridges, heaters or cookers - while on caravanning holidays.

• American Lung Association Urges People Living Near Wildfires To Protect Themselves Against Staggering Levels Of Unhealthy Air Pollution

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Dangerous air pollution resulting from wildfires poses lethal health hazards to people living and working in the surrounding areas. Residents with respiratory problems such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis and also those with chronic heart disease should take extra precautions during this time and call their physician immediately if problems develop.

• USAID Commits $7.6M To Care For AIDS Orphans, Other Vulnerable Children In Nigeria

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  USAID on Monday announced that it is donating $7.6 million to provide quality comprehensive care to 8,616 AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in Nigeria, the country's Vanguard reports.

• San Francisco Chronicle Examines Healthy San Francisco Program Enrollment Progress

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Although city officials estimated in July 2007 that Healthy San Francisco would offer access to health care to all city residents by January, the program one year later remains open only to individuals with incomes up to 300% of the federal poverty level, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The city has halted expansion of the program while it awaits a verdict from the Ninth U.S.

• Federal Appeals Court Rules First Amendment Rights Of Antiabortion Advocates Were Violated

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday ruled that the First Amendment rights of two antiabortion advocates were violated when they were ordered to stop circling a Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., middle school in a truck displaying graphic images of aborted fetuses, the Los Angeles Times reports (Kim, Los Angeles Times, 7/3).

• Parasitic Mites As Part-time Bodyguards Of A Host Wasp

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 8:00am EDT

  Some bees and wasps that host mites have peculiar pocket-like structures called acarinaria. These have long been considered as morphological adaptations to securely transfer beneficial mites into nests, and thus are thought to be the product of a mutualistic relationship. However, there has been little compelling evidence to support this hypothesis.

• Society Discusses Initiatives For Small, Rural Hospitals At Conference

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  ASHP played a key role in a recent national conference to discuss solutions and best practices for improving medication access, use and safety for patients in rural healthcare settings.

• ASHP Review Aims To Improve NIOSH Survey On Healthcare Workers

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  ASHP provided detailed suggestions to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to improve the agency's proposed survey to assess adherence to measures that protect the safety and health of healthcare workers. ASHP encouraged NIOSH to decrease the complexity and length of the survey where possible to increase participation by respondents.

• ASHP Offers Expertise To New NABP Medication Safety Task Forces

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  ASHP met recently with the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) to explore new opportunities for collaboration as NABP launches several task forces to improve the quality of patient care and medication safety. An ASHP staff expert will serve on the NABP's new Task Force on Standardized Pharmacy Technician Education.

• NDC Update: ASHP Continues To Pursue Options For Relief From Reporting Requirement

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  ASHP continues to seek relief from a Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) requirement that hospital outpatient departments report National Drug Code (NDC) numbers on single-source drugs and 20 multiple-source drugs when submitting Medicaid claims.

• BIO Applauds U.S. Adoption For GE Corn, Cotton, Soybeans

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  American farmers have adopted genetically engineered (GE) crops widely since their introduction in 1996, especially corn, cotton and soybean varieties, according to a new USDA report. USDA's Economic Research Service (ERS) report, Adoption of Genetically Engineered Crops in the U.S. was released July 2, 2008.

• Terrence Higgins Trust Offers One Hour HIV Testing In Hastings, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  On Monday July 7, Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is launching 'Fastest', a new one hour HIV testing service aimed at men who have sex with men in East Sussex. 'Fastest' will run on the first Monday of every month between 17.30 and 19.30 at Hastings Voluntary Action in Priory Street, Hastings.

• BDA Response To NHS Next Stage Review, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The British Dental Association has noted the recognition of the importance placed on dentistry in the NHS Next Stage Review, published today by the Department of Health. The review is published just one day after the Department of Health was criticised for the failures of the new dental contract by the Health Select Committee.

• Health Canada Renews Funding To The Canadian Patient Safety Institute

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  Laurie Hawn, Member of Parliament for Edmonton Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Federal Minister of Health, announced renewed funding of up to $8 million a year, over the next five years, to the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), to continue providing leadership and building a culture of patient safety and quality improvement in the Canadian health care system.

• CMS Proposes Quality Improvements And Other Changes For Hospital Outpatient And Ambulatory Surgical Center Services For 2009

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that will update payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2009 and improve quality of services provided in hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs).

• Medicare Adds Third Recognized Source To Help Determine Coverage For Anti-Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 7:00am EDT

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced additional updates to the information it uses in determining which drugs may be covered under Medicare Part B when used to treat patients undergoing cancer treatment through chemotherapy. CMS will add Elsevier Gold Standard's Clinical Pharmacology compendium to the list of Medicare anti-cancer treatment compendia.

• New Book Charts 100 Year History Of The NFU And Agriculture

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  One hundred years of the NFU is about to come alive in the form of a new book. 'From Campbell to Kendall: A history of the NFU' is being launched to celebrate the organisation's centenary. The lavishly illustrated 208-page hardback charts one hundred years of history by focussing on the 33 men who have occupied the presidency of the NFU.

• Health Unions Win 10 Per Cent Increase On Mileage Allowances For UK Nurses

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has led negotiations with NHS employers over the past year and has won a 10 per cent increase in all Agenda for Change Standard and Regular Mileage Allowances for nurses across the United Kingdom. Nurses have been feeling the pinch with rising fuel costs and many are struggling financially to travel to and from work.

• Death Of Psychiatric Patient At New York Hospital Underscores Mental Health Care Crisis

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The reported death of a woman at King's County Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., illustrates the dire need for more public services for individuals with mental illness, according to the American Psychiatric Association.

• Labor Board Sets Trial On Charges Fremont-Rideout Violated Federal Law, California Nurses Association

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The federal agency that oversees labor law has ordered Fremont-Rideout Health Group to stand trial on charges that it violated the federal rights of its registered nurses, enforced work rules in a discriminatory manner, and engaged in other serious violations of law.

• Industrial Estates Warned Of Health And Safety Spot Inspections In Herts And Beds, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is joining forces with local authorities in Herts and Beds to warn industrial estates of impending health and safety inspections.

• HDMA Co-Sponsors Import Safety Summit As Part Of An Ongoing Commitment To Patient Safety And Supply Chain Security

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA), the national association representing primary healthcare distributors, will co-sponsor the Import Safety Summit on July 9, 2008, at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Washington, DC.

• CPME Welcomes The Adoption Of A Proposal For A Directive On Patients' Rights In Cross-Border Care, Europe

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) congratulates the European Commission for releasing the long-awaited proposal for a directive[1]. CPME supports the free movement of patients and health professionals within the EU.

• Double Jobbing Nurse Cautioned For Dishonesty, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  A 32 year old registered nurse from Newcastle upon Tyne has been cautioned by the independent Conduct and Competence Committee panel for the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) for dishonesty.

• NMC Responds To EU Directive On Cross Border Healthcare, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), the regulator for all nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom, has responded to the adoption of the EU Directive on the application of patients' rights in cross border healthcare. The draft Directive clarifies the circumstances under which EU patients can expect to be reimbursed, by their home country, for healthcare sought in another Member State.

• 3rd ESU Masterclass Presents Insightful Updates On Urological Oncology

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 6:00am EDT

  Insightful updates on onco-urological issues were the focus of the 3rd ESU masterclass, which started in Barcelona on Friday 27 June. There were 150 participants who listened to a faculty of 12 internationally renowned experts in urological cancers. The European Board of Urology (EBU) organised a written examination following the masterclass which is accredited within the EU-ACME programme.

• European Association Of Urology Research Foundation Has New Chairman

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Prof. Peter Mulders from Nijmegen (NL) was recently appointed chairman of the executive board of the EAU Research Foundation (RF). The Clinical Studies Committee and the EAU Registries section are now headed by Profs. Anup Patel and Andrea Tubaro respectively.

• New Impact Factor Of European Urology Underlines Journal's Outstanding Position

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  European Urology, the official journal of the European Association of Urology (EAU), has a newly released impact factor of 5.634. "The journal has been a respected urological forum for over 20 years and is currently read by more than 15,000 urologists across the globe," Prof. Francesco Montorsi, Editor-in-Chief, points out.

• Hepatitis C Vaccine Delivered By Inovio Biomedical's Electroporation System Shows Increased T-Cell Responses And Reduced Viral Loads, Study

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Inovio Biomedical Corporation (AMEX:INO), a leader in enabling the development of DNA vaccines using electroporation-based DNA delivery, announced today that its partner, Tripep AB, reported additional interim results from its ongoing phase I/II clinical study of its ChronVac-C® therapeutic DNA vaccine, which is delivered using Inovio's electroporation-based DNA delivery system.

• Florida Health Insurance Analyst Says McCain's Group Health Ideas Bad For Employees

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Florida health insurance web, a free health insurance consulting service reports that "Republican candidate John McCain plans to make buying health insurance similar to buying a computers or cars," saying competition will lower prices of health care.

• New Research With GPs Suggests Sick Notes Are A Complex Issue, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  New qualitative research presented today (2nd July 2008) at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Occupational Medicine suggests that GPs have widely differing views about their role in filling in sickness certificates, find it difficult to assess fitness for work and are concerned about their lack of training in Occupational Health.

• No Evidence Of Widespread Failure Of Maternity Care - New Zealand Medical Association

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Publicity about the death of a baby during labour in Wellington is decreasing public confidence in the quality of maternity care in New Zealand, says the New Zealand Medical Association. "The death of this baby is extremely unfortunate but we need to resist apportioning blame before the circumstances are fully investigated," said NZMA maternity spokesman Dr Mark Peterson.

• ATL/TV1102, A Novel Drug For The Treatment Of Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis, Demonstrated Significant Reduction In Disease Activity

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: Teva) and Antisense Therapeutics Ltd. (ASX: ANP) announced that ATL/TV1102, a novel, anti-sense drug, significantly reduced disease activity in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase IIa study met its primary endpoint showing a significant reduction by 54.4% (p=0.

• Odanacatib, An Investigational Cathepsin K Inhibitor, Reduced Markers Of Bone Turnover In Women With Breast Cancer And Bone Metastases

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Merck & Co., Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA, which operates in many countries as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD, announced results of a new study in which its investigational selective cathepsin K inhibitor odanacatib reduced measures of bone turnover (breakdown and rebuilding of bone) in women with breast cancer that has spread to the bones (bone metastases).

• A Report By Leading Clinical Researchers On The Current Quantitative Imaging Tools For Lung Cancer Drug Assessment

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Quantitative Imaging Tools for Lung Cancer Drug Assessment" report to their offering.

• Automation Of Medical Transcription Is Driving Growth In Speech Recognition

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  A new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor discusses speech recognition and its use in the medical industry for transcription and dictation. It reveals that healthcare automation is driving growth in speech technology and the leading vendors, Nuance and Philips, are providing specialized solutions.

• Simian Foamy Virus Found To Be Widespread Among Chimpanzees

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Researchers in Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Gabon, Germany, Japan, Rwanda, the United Kingdom, and the United States have found that simian foamy virus (SFV) is widespread among wild chimpanzees throughout equatorial Africa. Details are published July 4th in the open-access journal PLoS Pathogens.

• After 60 Years With NHS - UK Ranks 9th After For Example Slovenia In New Euro Consumer Heart Index

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Britain's provision of heart health care ranks 9th out of 29 European countries, according to the inaugural Euro Consumer Heart Index launched in Brussels. The new Heart Index compares how consumer-friendly care systems are around Europe.

• The New British National Formulary For Children - Delivering The Latest Advice On Recent Health Concerns

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  The fourth edition of the British National Formulary for Children (BNFC) arms health professionals with the information they need to tackle recent controversial health concerns in young people, including rising rates of teenage pregnancy and the increasing incidence of sexually transmitted infections.

• Cambridge University Research Reveals How Chronic Disease Epidemic Could Lead To Economic Slowdown In The Developing World

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  The developing world is being infested by Western-style social health problems such as obesity and "couch-potato" living, which could ultimately widen the global gap between rich and poor, new research suggests.

• Who Cares Wins: Medical Journalists Vote Arthritis Care Health Charity Of The Year, UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  The UK's leading organisation supporting and representing the interests of people with any of the 200 forms of arthritis was last night voted Health Charity of the Year by members of the Medical Journalists' Association. The user-led charity, which celebrated its diamond jubilee in 2007 and pre-dates the NHS by one year, beat a distinguished field to scoop the coveted award.

• Titan Pharmaceuticals Announces Spheramine® Initial Phase IIb Results

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Titan Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AMEX:TTP) announced initial analyses show that Spheramine® did not meet the Phase IIb clinical study's primary or key secondary endpoints, with no significant differences detected between the Spheramine and sham surgery arms of the study after 12 months of follow-up.

• Comprehensive Evaluation Of The Ambulance Services In The UK

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Ambulance Services (UK) - Portfolio Analysis" report to their offering. The Plimsoll Portfolio Analysis - Ambulance Services is a comprehensive evaluation of the UK market. The revised and updated 2008 edition analyses the financial performance of the companies important to the success of your business.

• Walgreens June Sales Increase 9.9 Percent, USA

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (NASDAQ: WAG) had June sales of $4,810,100,000, an increase of 9.9 percent from $4,378,540,000 for the same month in 2007. Sales in comparable stores (those open at least a year) rose 3.4 percent, while comparable store front-end sales increased 3.5 percent. June front-end sales were helped in part by strong sales of promotional products, consumables and gift cards.

• Mental Health Treatment: It's Commonly Accepted Yet Not So Easy To Obtain Or Understand

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 5:00am EDT

  Seeing a psychologist or other mental health professional isn't an unusual thing; in fact it's relatively common. Nearly three in ten U.S. adults (29%) report that they have received treatment or therapy from a psychologist or other mental health professional.

• Omrix Biopharmaceuticals Initiates Phase II Clinical Trial In Israel For Fibrin Pad Product Candidate

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  Omrix Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. ("Omrix" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: OMRI) announced that it has enrolled its first patient in a Phase II clinical trial in Israel for its Fibrin Pad product candidate. This is the first clinical trial that will evaluate the Fibrin Pad's performance in surgery where severe bleeding is present and the product is applied directly onto a solid organ.

• John Wayne Cancer Institute Receives Grant To Study Long-term Health Effects Of Traumatic Brain Injuries

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  The John Wayne Cancer Institute at Saint John's Health Center announced that it has received a grant from the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment to study pituitary hormonal failure (hypopituitarism) in retired football players.

• European Medicines Agency Approves Relistor™ The First-In-Class Treatment Of Opioid-Induced Constipation (Oic) In Advanced-Illness Patients

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, 3rd July, announced that it has received EMEA marketing approval for Relistor™ (methylnaltrexone bromide) subcutaneous injection. This first-in-class treatment is indicated for opioid-induced constipation (OIC) in patients with advanced illness who are receiving palliative care, when response to the usual laxative therapy has not been sufficient.

• FDA Approves EVOLENCE®, A New Generation Collagen Based Facial Filler

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") announced the approval of EVOLENCE® for the correction of moderate to deep facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds. EVOLENCE® is a new advanced collagen-based structural dermal filler, and a first of its kind product. The introduction of EVOLENCE® marks the first dermal filler entry for the Aesthetics Group of OrthoNeutrogena.

• OneTouch® Ping™ Glucose Management System Cleared By FDA

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  Animas Corporation announced the clearance of its OneTouch® Ping™ Glucose Management System by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). OneTouch Ping is the first full-feature insulin pump that wirelessly communicates with a blood glucose meter-remote.

• Researchers Of The Universite Libre De Bruxelles (ULB) Elucidate The Early Mechanism Of Cardiovascular Specification

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  The mature heart is composed by different cell types, including contractile cardiac cells, vascular cells, smooth muscle cells as well as pacemaker cells. During embryonic development as well as during embryonic stem cell differentiation, the different cardiovascular cell types arise from the differentiation of multipotent cardiovascular progenitors.

• Funding Boost In Fight Against Leukaemia

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  University of Manchester researchers have been awarded £1.6 million to study a group of genes identified as playing a key role in leukaemia. The grant, by Leukaemia Research, will fund work analysing a wide range of cancer-causing genes in the hope of targeting their common mechanisms of action for patient benefit.

• New Research Indicates That Adrenal Nodules Not Being Adequately Evaluated

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  A new study published in Endocrine Practice found that a substantial percentage of patients with nodules, or growths, in their adrenal glands were not being properly evaluated by physicians. Adrenal glands are located at the top of each kidney. They make hormones that are critical for survival such as adrenaline and cortisol that are best known for dealing with stress. The study, lead by Dr.

• Healthy Eating Tips For The Summer Barbecue Season

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  As we head deeper into the summer barbecue season, experts at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey (CINJ) are encouraging healthy eating choices in order to decrease the risk of cancer. CINJ is making its experts available to discuss the role nutrition plays in the prevention of cancer as well as in the treatment of the disease.

• A Full Life Is Still Possible With Multiple Sclerosis

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  There are approximately 400,000 people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States today with 200 new patients diagnosed every week. "No one knows what causes MS," said Phyllis Greenberger, M.S.W, president and CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research, a Washington, D.C. based advocacy organization. "We do know that it is at least 2-3 times more common in women than in men.

• Breakthrough Technology That Will Revolutionize The Treatment Of Tooth Decay

  Posted: July 4th, 2008, 4:00am EDT

  Quantum Dental Technologies, a Canadian diagnostic device company, revealed its breakthrough technology which detects and monitors the early onset of tooth decay without the need for dental x-rays. It reduces the number of invasive and painful procedures, and encourages better oral health.