Dermatology News and Research

Latest Dermatology News and Research

"Tan Tax" will hurt middle-class women and women-owned businesses

The proposed 10 percent federal tax on indoor tanning services, added to the latest U.S. Senate health care reform bill in a back-room deal over the weekend, will fall 40-50 percent short of delivering the revenue its proponents promised, according to the International Smart Tan Network (Smart Tan). The tax unfairly targets female consumers, who make up more than two-thirds of tanning clients, and would be detrimental to the thousands of women who own the majority of America's indoor tanning salons.

24 Dec 2009

Researchers mix active drug and placebo to maximize drug benefits for efficient treatment

Researchers used the placebo effect to successfully treat psoriasis patients with one quarter to one half of their usual dose of a widely used steroid medication, according to an early study published online today in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine.

23 Dec 2009

Researchers develop new approach for treating and healing skin abscesses

Researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a new approach for treating and healing skin abscesses caused by bacteria resistant to most antibiotics.

23 Dec 2009

LA BioMed physician-researchers named Super Doctors in the Los Angeles Magazine

Los Angeles Magazine, in its January issue, will name 37 of the physician-researchers at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) to be among Southern California Super Doctors.

22 Dec 2009

Prasco Laboratories to market Stiefel Laboratories' Clobetasol Propionate Foam

Prasco Laboratories announced today that they have signed a distribution and supply agreement with Stiefel Laboratories, Inc., a GlaxoSmithKline company, for Clobetasol Propionate Foam 0.05%, the latest product in Prasco's line of authorized generics. Under the terms of the agreement, Prasco will market and distribute Clobetasol Propionate Foam 0.05% in 50g and 100g canisters in the U.S. under the Prasco label.

22 Dec 2009

AMA backs latest Senate bill

Senate Democrats were bolstered Monday by the endorsement of the American Medical Association as they push for a final vote this week on their health overhaul legislation, Bloomberg reports. "The bill advances many of our priority issues for achieving the vision of a health system that works for patients and physicians," the AMA's president-elect, Dr. Cecil Wilson, said in endorsing the most recent version of the Senate bill, proposed over the weekend by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. (Salant and Donmoyer, 12/22).

22 Dec 2009

AADA lauds indoor tanning tax in the health system reform legislation

The American Academy of Dermatology Association (AADA) applauds the decision of the U.S. Senate to substitute a 10 percent federal excise tax on indoor tanning services for the proposed tax on cosmetic procedures in the Senate's health system reform legislation (H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordability Act of 2009). The indoor tanning tax, as proposed to Senate leadership by the AADA, furthers its goal of promoting wellness and prevention, and removes the harmful unintended consequences associated with a tax on cosmetic surgery procedures.

22 Dec 2009

Persistent disparities exist in melanoma diagnosis

White and Hispanic individuals are being diagnosed with melanoma more frequently in recent years, whereas Hispanic and black patients continue to have advanced skin cancer at diagnosis, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Dec 2009

Heart transplant patients face increased risk for skin cancers

Many heart transplant patients develop multiple skin cancers, with increased risk for some skin cancers among patients with other cancers and with increasing age, according to a report in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Dec 2009

Smoking, weight and skin cancer are associated with skin aging

Smoking, being heavier, not using sunscreen and having had skin cancer appear to be associated with sun damage and aging of skin on the face, according to report based on a study of twins in the December issue of Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

22 Dec 2009

Preliminary results from Phase III study of afamelanotide in EPP announced

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited today announced that it has obtained promising 4-months results in testing afamelanotide in a multicentre randomised double-blind placebo controlled Phase III study in EPP (CUV017).

21 Dec 2009

Suneva Medical and WTI sign credit agreement to expand growth objectives

Suneva Medical, a privately-held aesthetic medical device company, today announced that it has signed a multi-million dollar line of credit facility with Western Technology Investment (WTI).

17 Dec 2009

Forest Laboratories Holdings and Almirall to develop, market and distribute LAS100977 in the US

Forest Laboratories Holdings, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Forest Laboratories, Inc. and Almirall, S.A. (ALM.MC) today announced that they have entered an agreement to develop, market and distribute LAS100977 in the United States.

17 Dec 2009

AAD's National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screening Program reaches milestone

One person dies from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, almost every hour. Yet melanoma is often successfully treated, if caught early. That's why thousands of dermatologists across the country offer free skin cancer screenings in their communities through the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Screening Program.

17 Dec 2009

Positive results from Onset Therapeutics' BenzEFoam Emollient Foam skin moisturization study

Onset Therapeutics, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused in dermatology, today announced positive results from a skin moisturization study that compared the Company’s recently launched BenzEFoam™ (benzoyl peroxide 5.3%) Emollient Foam to a market leading combination gel containing clindamycin 1% - benzoyl peroxide 5%. BenzEFoam™ Emollient Foam is indicated for the topical treatment of mild to moderate acne vulgaris and is the first prescription foam formulation containing benzoyl peroxide as the active ingredient.

16 Dec 2009

Warner Chilcott begins cash tender offer

Warner Chilcott plc today announced that its subsidiary Warner Chilcott Corporation (the "Company") has commenced a cash tender offer, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Company's Offer to Purchase and Consent Solicitation Statement dated December 15, 2009 (the "Offer to Purchase"), for any and all of its outstanding 8.75% senior subordinated notes due 2015 (the "Notes").

16 Dec 2009

Zecotek Photonics' proprietary TGFL selected for research in flow cytometry

Zecotek Photonics Inc., a developer of leading-edge photonics technologies for medical, industrial and scientific markets, today announced that the National Cancer Institute, a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), has selected its proprietary Tunable Green Fiber Laser (TGFL) for research in flow cytometry.

16 Dec 2009

Researchers to receive more than $4.5 million in grants to study Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Researchers at the Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute (LA BioMed) expect to receive more than $4.5 million in grants from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act.), including nearly $1 million from the highly competitive Challenge Grant program for a study that seeks to reduce the number of children who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, it was announced today.

15 Dec 2009

Scientists develop new model of skin cancer based on Src kinases

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have developed a new model of skin cancer based on the knowledge that a common cancer-related molecule called Src kinase is activated in human skin-cancer samples.

11 Dec 2009

JMC receives NIH grant to establish center of excellence for autoimmune diseases

The Department of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College (JMC) of Thomas Jefferson University has been awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for the creation of a center of excellence to study autoimmune diseases from basic science research to its translation into clinical applications.

10 Dec 2009