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DOJ targets Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan in anti-trust violation

The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires: "The U.S. Justice Department on Monday filed an antitrust lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, alleging that provisions of its agreements with hospitals are anticompetitive." The action, filed in a Michigan federal court, challenges the "insurer's use of provisions known as 'most favored nation clauses'" (Kendall, 10/18).

19 Oct 2010

Study finds link between blood sugar levels and mortality risk in diabetic patients after non-cardiac surgeries

A clinical study presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2010 discovered that diabetics who presented for non-cardiac surgery with near normal blood sugar levels were at increased risk of death, as compared with their non-diabetic counterparts.

19 Oct 2010

Genetic variations linked to early menopause: Study

In a new study scientists have found that particular genetic variations are linked to early menopause before the age of 45. They compared the DNA of more than 2,000 women who had experienced early menopause with that of women who had menopause later than 45 years.

19 Oct 2010

Vitamin B12 may help protect against Alzheimer's disease

A new study shows that vitamin B12 may protect against Alzheimer's disease, adding more evidence to the scientific debate about whether the vitamin is effective in reducing the risk of memory loss. The research will be published in the October 19, 2010, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

19 Oct 2010

Egg allergy is no reason to avoid 2010-2011 flu vaccination

Having an egg allergy is not a reason to avoid getting the 2010-2011 flu vaccination.

19 Oct 2010

Study indicates vitamin D deficiency may increase lung transplant rejection

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant increase in lung transplant rejection, according to research conducted at Loyola University Health System (LUHS). These data were presented Monday at The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2010 annual meeting in Toronto, Ontario.

19 Oct 2010

Health on The Hill - October 18, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey talks with NPR's Julie Rovner and KFF's Jackie Judd about the latest health policy developments, including action on the campaign trail and in the courts.

19 Oct 2010

New report reinforces the evidence for exceptional returns from health research

A Lateral Economic’s Report “The Economic Value of Australia’s Investment in Health and Medical Research,” provides an up to date analysis of the pay-back of the significant investment by the Australian Government and business community in HMR in Australia.

18 Oct 2010

Parent abuse – lack of support for victims

According to new Flinders University research parents who suffer abuse and neglect by their children need more support. The report found that almost half the victims interviewed were unable to get support.

18 Oct 2010

Discovery may aid in developing new psoriasis therapies

Scientists at the University of Michigan Heath System and their collaborators have found four new DNA “hotspots” that may one day help guide new treatments for psoriasis, one of the most common autoimmune diseases in the country.

18 Oct 2010

Groundbreaking melanoma clinical trial initiated by Patrys

Patrys Limited (ASX: PAB), which is focused on developing revolutionary treatments for cancer, announced today the treatment of the first patient in a human clinical trial to evaluate PAT-SM6 as a therapy for melanoma.

18 Oct 2010

The state of sexually transmissible and blood-borne infections in Australia: the 2010 Surveillance Reports

Australia last year reported its largest number of new HIV cases since the early 1990s but has seen a reduction in cases of hepatitis, infectious syphilis and gonorrhoea, new data contained in HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmissible infections in Australia Annual Surveillance Report 2010 shows.

18 Oct 2010

The future face of HIV in Australia

The profile of people living with HIV in Australia is set to change significantly over the next decade. Among these changes are increases in new HIV infections; increases in the number of older men and women living with HIV; and a greater proportion of people with HIV living outside major metropolitan areas.

18 Oct 2010

CMS could save billions by changing payment, delivery methods

Experts examine ways to change care delivery and payment at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services while seniors prepare for the Medicare open enrollment period.

18 Oct 2010

As health law kicks in, so do grants, subsidies and worries for insurance brokers

Federal spending on health care is proof that the industry can look forward to continuing growth, according to the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch. "Along with the $2.7 billion increase that the state received to pay for Medicaid, at least $655 million in grants from stimulus funds and the health-reform law recently has been awarded.

18 Oct 2010

Obese have impaired autonomic function which may lead to overeating

Research on obesity examining the role of hormones and the autonomic functions of the digestive system was presented at the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American CoIlege of Gastroenterology.

18 Oct 2010

Higher Medicaid reimbursement rates could increase childhood vaccinations

Reuters: A new study in the journal Pediatrics suggests that raising Medicaid reimbursement rates could help more children from low-income families receive flu vaccinations. "Although the vaccine itself is provided free of charge to children covered by Medicaid, doctors are only reimbursed for about half the cost of administering it," and are losing money in the process, say researchers.

18 Oct 2010

Support for health law dips, GOP aims to seize opportunity

Politico reports that support among the public for the health overhaul dipped during the last month, even as the "percentage of Democrats who say they'll go to the polls to defend the law rose. … According to the Kaiser Family Foundation October Tracking Poll out Monday morning, overall support for the law has dropped to 42 percent — down seven points in a month (Kaiser Health News is a program of the Kaiser Family Foundation).

18 Oct 2010

Legal challenge to 'individual mandate' sees day in court

The Washington Post:The legal challenges to the health law continue. "A federal judge in Virginia will hear arguments Monday on whether the new federal health care law is unconstitutional. Virginia Attorney Gen. Ken Cuccinelli II (R) will argue that Congress overstepped its constitutional authority by enacting a provision that requires individuals to purchase health insurance by 2014 or pay a fine.

18 Oct 2010