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Small molecule treatment holds promise for Usher syndrome

New treatment approach shall soon be ready for use in Usher syndrome patients / Publication in "Human Gene Therapy".

1 Jul 2011

Men better than women at visuo-spatial and auditory-spatial tasks

Differences in male and female behaviour are often subject to study. Women are known to be more verbally fluent, have better manual dexterity and are better at noticing things (like a new haircut). Men on the other hand often take less time parking their cars and have less trouble than women in navigating in a new city.

1 Jul 2011

Longer looks: A Medicare compromise; improving mental health policies

Sen. Joe Lieberman has found an ally for the middle-of-the-road Medicare reform proposal he laid out a few weeks ago. On Tuesday, the independent Senator from Connecticut and conservative Republican Tom Coburn unveiled a tweaked version of Lieberman's plan.

1 Jul 2011

Avastin for breast cancer still covered by Medicare despite FDA indecision

The Medicare will continue to cover Avastin for breast cancer treatment even if U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Peggy Hamburg decides to withdraw Avastin for such use, according to Don McLeod, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. McLeod said, in his statement, “The FDA decision, when it comes, does not affect CMS.”

1 Jul 2011

Panel advises FDA to reject Avastin as breast cancer drug

The unanimous recommendation by this committee of cancer experts increases the likelihood that the drug will no longer be widely available for the treatment of breast cancer. Avastin, however, will continue to have the Food and Drug Adminstration's approval for use in treating certain other cancers.

1 Jul 2011

Federal appeals court upholds health law

The majority decision, issued by a three-judge panel from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, included the support of a Republican appointee to the federal bench -- the first to affirm the individual mandate's constitutionality.

1 Jul 2011

First Edition: June 30, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about yesterday's decision from the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upholding the health law.

30 Jun 2011

Protect your ears from loud noise of fireworks, trains, and concerts

The sounds of summer can be noisy. "Fireworks, trains, concerts and road construction can be harmful to your hearing. And once hearing is damaged, it cannot be repaired," said Jyoti Bhayani, certified audiologist at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital, part of Loyola University Health System.

30 Jun 2011

FDA's ODAC recommends withdrawal of Avastin approval for metastatic breast cancer

Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced today that, during a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hearing, the FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommended that the FDA withdraw its approval of Avastin in combination with paclitaxel chemotherapy for previously untreated HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

30 Jun 2011

FDA looks at Avastin risks

The US Food and Drug Administration is holding a two-day hearing that pits the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research against Genentech, that manufactures breast cancer drug Avastin. A handful of breast cancer patients testified Tuesday that Avastin helped in treating their metastatic breast cancer but a review of studies conducted by the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research suggests the risks outweigh the benefits of Avastin for treating breast cancer, FDA officials said at the hearing.

29 Jun 2011

Patients, scientists in different corners for cancer drug fight

The drug, Avastin, will be the subject of an unusual Food and Drug Administration hearing to revisit a panel vote last July that steered many doctors away from prescribing the drug for the treatment of breast cancer.

29 Jun 2011

Texas passes health program revamp; Oregon House acts to create better coordinated care

The Legislature approved and sent to the governor Monday a health care savings bill under which Texas could seek permission to redesign entirely the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and abortion-rights opponents scored several victories in the measure (Garrett, 6/27).

29 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: A health law legal precedent, hospital-acquired infections, price cap scrutiny

The Supreme Court's most important ruling this year may have been its unanimous decision in Bond v. United States, which held that individual citizens can challenge federal statutes when they encroach on authority the Constitution reserves to the states. The decision, authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, has far-reaching implications — especially for the government's efforts to defend ObamaCare.

29 Jun 2011

FDA hearing on breast cancer drug set for this week

Genentech, the maker of Avastin, will appeal to the Food and Drug Administration to make its drug available as a treatment for breast cancer — asking for one more chance to prove its efficacy.

28 Jun 2011

Viewpoints: Supreme Court drug decisions; Medicaid's burden; Concierge medicine questioned

The image of Justice blindfolded, holding her scales, is familiar from courthouses all over the United States and the world. Sadly, in its Thursday ruling in the case of PLIVA v Mensing, the U.S. Supreme Court made a decision that makes one wonder if that blindfold made the court unable to see the right thing to do.

27 Jun 2011

First Edition: June 27, 2011

Today's headlines include reports about the status of ongoing deficit negotiations and details about a "stealth" survey on access to doctors.

27 Jun 2011

CHS unveils new logo, colour scheme and website at 71st Annual General Meeting

The Canadian Hearing Society (CHS) has taken on a distinct new look with the launch of its new logo, colour scheme and website. The unveiling will take place at CHS's 71st Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will be held in North York Civic Centre on Saturday June 25, 2011.

27 Jun 2011

Experts discuss global threat of Alzheimer's disease at House subcommittee hearing

"Alzheimer's experts urged U.S. lawmakers on Thursday to increase funding for research of the debilitating disease and to push international policymakers to pay more attention to its global impact," Reuters reports (Steenhuysen, 6/23).

24 Jun 2011

Debt-ceiling negotiations stall

A top Republican walks away from the bargaining table -- leaving the debate unresolved regarding Democratic demands for higher taxes and spending reductions at the Pentagon, and GOP calls for significant cuts to health and retirement programs.

24 Jun 2011

CMS official grilled on Medicare Secondary Payer program

Politics were at work as Deborah Taylor, the chief financial officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, faced tough questioning during a House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee On Oversight and Investigations hearing regarding the financial controls applied to this aspect of Medicare — a generally complex and obscure part of the program.

24 Jun 2011