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State officials weigh in on health overhaul challenge

Legal Newsline: "In recent weeks, more than a dozen amicus briefs have been filed in the multi-state lawsuit against President Barack Obama's federal health care package. … A total of 20 states are suing the federal government to stop implementation of Obama's health care law. ... Others, including Kansas, are talking about joining the fight."

2 Dec 2010

LabCorp completes Genzyme Genetics acquisition

Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings today announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Genzyme Genetics, a business unit of Genzyme Corp., in an all cash transaction valued at $925 million. Net of expected income tax benefits, less acquisition-related expenses, the acquisition has a net cash cost to LabCorp of approximately $795 million.

2 Dec 2010

U.N. says PMTCT of HIV is achievable; efforts must target millions currently 'falling through the cracks'

A generation of babies could be born free of AIDS if the international community stepped up efforts to provide universal access to HIV prevention, treatment and social protection, the United Nations said on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

2 Dec 2010

Food safety bill passes in Senate

Reuters: "The Senate passed the largest overhaul of the U.S. food safety system in decades on Tuesday, a response to massive recalls such as last summer's recall of half a billion eggs in a salmonella outbreak. The Senate voted 73-25 to pass the bill. The House of Representatives backed a different version in July 2009.

2 Dec 2010

RegeneRx receives patent for Tβ4 to prevent immunological responses from toxic agents

RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that the Company received a patent in Australia using thymosin beta 4 (Tβ4), and various fragments and anologues of Tβ4, to treat or prevent biological and immunological responses to reactive chemical, biological or toxic agents.

2 Dec 2010

MiMedx awarded QTDP grant for CollaFix drug delivery device

MiMedx Group, Inc., an integrated developer, manufacturer and marketer of patent protected biomaterial-based products, announced today that it has been awarded a Qualifying Therapeutic Discovery Project grant (QTDP) from the U.S. Government. The grant, in the amount of $244,479, has been made to defer some of the Company's research expenditures related to the development of its novel and patented technology, CollaFix™, as a drug delivery device.

2 Dec 2010

Tolerx enters collaborative research agreement with Cancer Research Institute

Tolerx, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapies by modulating T cell activity, and the Cancer Vaccine Acceleration Fund (CVAF) a nonprofit program of the Cancer Research Institute established in partnership with the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research today announced they entered into a collaborative research agreement to support development of Tolerx's drug candidate, TRX518, a monoclonal antibody designed to enhance the immune system by enabling T cells to more effectively attack cancer cells.

2 Dec 2010

U.N. launches largest ever annual aid appeal, asking for $7.4B in 2011

In its annual appeal, the U.N. on Tuesday asked governments and private donors for a record $7.4 billion next year to provide 50 million people worldwide with food, clothing and other urgent humanitarian aid, the Associated Press/Washington Post reports.

2 Dec 2010

RemitDATA enters distribution agreement with SYNNEX

RemitDATA Inc., an industry expert in reimbursement and utilization data and analysis solutions in the outpatient healthcare market, announced today a new distribution agreement with SYNNEX Corporation, a leading business process services company.

2 Dec 2010

UIC receives HHS grant to expand family medicine residency program

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine has received a $1.92 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to expand its family medicine residency program.

2 Dec 2010

CTRC-AACR Symposium to discuss new findings from breast cancer clinical trial

More than 9,000 people from more than 90 countries will gather Dec. 8-12, 2010, at the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas, for the 33rd Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

2 Dec 2010

Maintaining ideal BMI reduces mortality risk in healthy non-smoking adults: Study

A study looking at deaths from any cause found that a body mass index (BMI) between 20.0 and 24.9 is associated with the lowest risk of death in healthy non-smoking adults.

1 Dec 2010

U.S. retirees need hundreds of thousands to pay for medical expenses, report finds

Some medical costs have fallen this year thanks to new health care reform laws, but U.S. retirees will still need hundreds of thousands of dollars in savings to cover their lifetime medical expenses.

1 Dec 2010

Noncancerous cells from primary site appear to facilitate tumor growth: Study

The process of metastasis requires that cancer cells traveling from a primary tumor find a hospitable environment in which to implant themselves and grow. A new study from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center researchers finds that circulating tumor cells prepare this environment by bringing along from their original site noncancerous cells that support tumor growth. The report has been published online in PNAS Early Edition.

1 Dec 2010

Study identifies new genes responsible for early menarche

University of Minnesota School of Public Health researcher Ellen Demerath, Ph.D., is among an international group of researchers that has identified 30 new genes responsible for determining the age of sexual maturation in women. Many of these genes are also known to influence body fatness, obesity, and energy metabolism. Prior to the multi-institutional study, only four genes had been identified as contributing to the process.

1 Dec 2010

Study finds duplicated region of DNA in major depressive disorder

A large genetic study of people with major depression has found that a duplicated region of DNA on chromosome 5 predisposes people to the disorder. The gene involved plays an important role in the development of nerve cells, adding to evidence that disruptions in neurotransmission networks form a biological basis for depression.

1 Dec 2010

World AIDS day opinions

In a Washington Post opinion piece, former President George W. Bush reflects on his administration's commitment to fight HIV/AIDS around the world. "In all of these efforts, my concern was results.

1 Dec 2010

Bare breasts campaign for breast cancer

In a controversial breast cancer online campaign women are being encouraged to post photographs of their breasts to raise money for cancer research in New Zealand. This Wednesday more than 60 photographs of breasts including bare, bikini-clad and breastfeeding ones were posted online. The campaign caused the website to crash on Wednesday afternoon, with people flocking to the online magazine aimed at women in their 20s and 30s.

1 Dec 2010

Finger length may predict prostate cancer

In a new study published in the British Journal of Cancer, researchers have revealed a connection between finger length and prostate cancer. It says that men whose ring fingers are longer than their index fingers are more likely to develop prostate cancer.

1 Dec 2010

Breast cancer breakthrough

A team of researchers, led by Dr Clare Fedele and Professor Christina Mitchell at Monash University, Australia, has made a significant discovery in breast cancer research that identifies a particular protein’s role in tumor growth. They have also devised a new antibody that can identify the protein and measure its presence in breast cancer tissue.

1 Dec 2010