Hearing News and Research

RSS

Deaf patients of Fort Washington Medical Center provided with sign language interpreters

Under a settlement agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, deaf patients at the Fort Washington Medical Center in Prince George’s County, Md., will be screened and provided with sign language interpreters whenever interpreter services are necessary for effective communication.

15 Sep 2009

Marketing study conducted to investigate decline in Gardasil vaccine supply

Sales of Merck's HPV vaccine, Gardasil, declined by a third this year, and three years after the FDA approved the drug an estimated three out of four women remain unvaccinated -- despite millions spent on advertising and lobbying for government mandates. A recent marketing study offers a reason.

14 Sep 2009

Post-speech debates: Illegal immigrant coverage, tort reform, abortion funding

President Obama's speech opened the door for experts and lawmakers to examine his proposed health reforms, with questions ranging from how reforms affect illegal immigrants' coverage to abortion funding.

11 Sep 2009

State Round-up: California adult day care, Massachusetts and D.C. insurance news

In today's state news, a California judge rules that state cuts to adult day care violate the Americans with Disabilities Act, pending legislation in Massachusetts could help ease the insurance burden for small businesses and insurers in Washington, D.C., may have to share a portion of their $687 million surplus with the city.

11 Sep 2009

Majority of Americans want Congress to include lawsuit reform in the health care bill: Survey

A new nationwide poll reveals that a strong majority of America's voters want Congress to include lawsuit reform in any overhaul of the health care system.

11 Sep 2009

Harkin moves to Health Committee chair after Dodd opts against it

Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., wrestled hard with the question of whether to take the Senate Health Committee chair once held by his good friend, the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. But when he passed on it, Sen. Tom Harkin got the job in an arrangement that gives the Iowa Democrat a huge say in government health policy.

10 Sep 2009

Luna Innovations posts year-on-year decline in second-quarter 2009 revenues

Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ:LUNA), a company focusing on sensing & instrumentation and pharmaceutical nanomedicines, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2009.

10 Sep 2009

Machine-based lip-reading system performance compared with human lip-readers

A new study by the University of East Anglia (UEA) suggests computers are now better at lip-reading than humans.

10 Sep 2009

Dodd rejects HELP chairmanship, skeptical Dems sound off on reform

The Washington Post: "Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) has decided against succeeding his close friend and mentor, the late Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) as chairman of the Senate's health committee, a senior Senate aide said Tuesday night. ... Dodd's decision leaves the chairmanship of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who follows Dodd in seniority. Multiple sources in the Harkin orbit, requesting anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said that he is certain to take over the HELP committee" (Kane, 8/8).

10 Sep 2009

Nasdaq Stock Market issues delisting notice to Metabasis Therapeutics

Metabasis Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq:MBRX) announced today that on September 4, 2009 it received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Staff of The Nasdaq Stock Market (the “Staff”) notifying the Company that it did not comply with the minimum $2,500,000 stockholders' equity requirement for continued listing, set forth in Listing Rule 5550(b), prior to the expiration of the extension for such compliance granted by the Staff on June 25, 2009, and that as a result, unless the Company requests an appeal of the Staff’s delisting determination, trading of the Company’s common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market will be suspended at the opening of business on September 15, 2009.

10 Sep 2009

Hairstylists’ role in identifying elderly clients for medical check up

Hairstylists may have a unique opportunity to help steer their elderly clients to needed health services, according to a small, exploratory study.

9 Sep 2009

Ross: I will oppose legislation with a public plan

"In a fresh sign of divisions in the president's own party," Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., on Tuesday came out against including a public insurance plan in health reform legislation, the Associated Press reports. Ross said he could not support a public plan after hearing from constituents during the August recess (Werner, 9/8).

9 Sep 2009

Patent infringement lawsuit regarding DHA in functional foods ruled in favor of Martek

Martek Biosciences Corporation (Nasdaq: MATK) announced today that a panel of judges on the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled in Martek's favor in appeal proceedings related to a patent infringement lawsuit between Martek and Lonza, Ltd., Nutrinova Inc. and Nutrinova Nutrition Specialties & Food Ingredients GmbH (collectively "Lonza").

9 Sep 2009

FDA approves Cochlear's Nucleus 5 System

Cochlear, the global leader in implantable hearing solutions, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the Nucleus((R) )5 System for adults and children with severe-to-profound hearing loss.

9 Sep 2009

Early schizophrenia symptoms include unusually high CA1 subfield activity

In the first functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of its kind, neurologists and psychiatrists at Columbia University have identified an area of the brain involved in the earliest stages of schizophrenia and related psychotic disorders.

7 Sep 2009

Non-compliance notification from NASDAQ issued to Cardica

Cardica, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRDC) today announced that, on September 2, 2009, it received a notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of The NASDAQ Global Market (NASDAQ) stating that the Company's stock will be delisted from NASDAQ based upon NASDAQ staff's determination that Cardica has not regained compliance with the minimum $10 million stockholders' equity requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ as stated under NASDAQ Marketplace Rule 5450(b)(1)(A).

5 Sep 2009

Expedited access for members of Blue Shield affected by Southern California fires

Blue Shield of California announced today that it will be ensuring expedited access to needed prescriptions and mental health services for Blue Shield members impacted by the fires in Southern California.

4 Sep 2009

Genetic cause of progressive hearing loss discovered

A team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has discovered a genetic cause of progressive hearing loss. The findings will help scientists better understand the nature of age-related decline in hearing and may lead to new therapies to prevent or treat the condition.

4 Sep 2009

SBIR subcontract awarded to Novint Technologies to develop a videogame for soldiers suffering from TBI

Novint Technologies, Inc. (OTCBB: NVNT) today announced it has been awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) subcontract to develop a videogame that will improve cognitive, motor, and sensory performance in soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI). The SBIR was awarded by the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Defense Health Program.

2 Sep 2009

HearAtLast's Hearing Store Clinics offer "The QSound EarBud" across Canada

HearAtLast Holdings, Inc. (PINKSHEETS: HRAL), a leading provider of suitable affordable solutions to clients with hearing needs in the billion dollar hearing loss market, announced today the exclusive offering of the "The QSound EarBud" throughout its Hearing Store Clinics located across Canada.

1 Sep 2009