Medical News

RSS

Supreme Court declines to consider challenge to New York contraceptive coverage law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday said it will not consider a challenge to a New York law that requires employers who offer prescription drug plans to provide coverage for FDA-approved contraceptives for women, the New York Times reports (Greenhouse, New York Times, 10/2).

2 Oct 2007

Government failed to disclose information about risks of formula-feeding because of political, economic reasons

The decision to halt an HHS public service campaign that promoted breast-feeding "seems to be a matter of politics and economics," Wendy Orent, author of the book "Plague: The Mysterious Past and Terrifying Future of the World's Most Dangerous Disease," writes in a Los Angeles Times opinion piece (Orent, Los Angeles Times, 9/30).

2 Oct 2007

GE Healthcare to address use of ultrasound machine in India for sex-selective abortions

V. Raja, CEO of GE Healthcare South Asia, at a seminar that concluded Saturday said while the company has been "compliant as far as the law is concerned," it is "willing to do more and to look at suggestions" to reduce use of its ultrasound machine for sex-selective abortions, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (Gupta, AFP/Yahoo! News, 9/29).

2 Oct 2007

Connecticut Catholic Bishops agree to comply with law requiring hospitals to dispense EC to rape survivors

Connecticut's Roman Catholic bishops on Thursday said that the state's four Catholic hospitals will comply with a law (SB 1343) that takes effect Monday and requires all hospitals in the state to dispense emergency contraception to rape survivors, the Hartford Courant reports (Keating, Hartford Courant, 9/28).

2 Oct 2007

Family planning advocates in Philippines to file lawsuit against cabinet member barring contraceptives at clinics as Manila Mayor

Family planning advocates in the Philippines on Saturday said they plan to file a lawsuit against Environment Secretary Lito Atienza for removing all contraceptives from city clinics when he was mayor of the capital city of Manila, AFP/MSN.com reports.

2 Oct 2007

EEOC files lawsuit against Bloomberg L.P. over maternity leave discrimination

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on Thursday in a U.S. District Court in New York City filed a lawsuit against Bloomberg L.P. -- the financial and media company founded by Mayor Michael Bloomberg -- saying the company discriminated against three female employees after they became pregnant and took maternity leave, the New York Times reports.

2 Oct 2007

Many American women misinformed about breast cancer

Although most U.S. women consider themselves to be knowledgeable about breast cancer, many have inaccurate information, according to a survey released Monday by the National Breast Cancer Coalition, the Chicago Tribune reports.

2 Oct 2007

Wal-Mart adds 11 generic drugs to discounted prescription drug program

Wal-Mart Stores on Thursday announced that it will begin selling eight additional generic drugs for $4 per 30-day prescription and several family-planning drugs for $9, USA Today reports (Appleby, USA Today, 9/28).

2 Oct 2007

Mozambique Archbishop Chimoio's comments claiming European-made condoms, antiretrovirals deliberately tainted with HIV, baseless

Comments made last week by Archbishop Francisco Chimoio, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Mozambique, that two European countries make condoms deliberately tainted with HIV as part of a plan "to finish quickly the African people" are "lunatic theories" and "baseless allegations," a Los Angeles Times editorial says (Los Angeles Times, 9/29).

2 Oct 2007

Irish Government launches program to provide life insurance to people with HIV, Hep C through contaminated blood products

The Irish government on Thursday launched a program to provide life insurance, mortgage protection and travel insurance to people who contracted HIV or hepatitis C through contaminated blood products, Ireland's Evening Echo reports (Evening Echo, 9/27).

2 Oct 2007

Judge acquits Canadian doctors, U.S. drug company in tainted blood case

A Canadian judge on Monday acquitted New Jersey-based Armour Pharmaceutical Company and four Canadian doctors -- including the former medical director of the Canadian Red Cross and two government officials -- of charges related to blood products contaminated with HIV and hepatitis C, the New York Times reports (Austen, New York Times, 10/2).

2 Oct 2007

Washington, D.C., community groups return 70,000 condoms given away in program to reduce STIs

Community groups in Washington, D.C., last week returned up to 70,000 of the condoms given away earlier this year as part of a city program that aims to reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, the AP/Google.com reports.

2 Oct 2007

Officials say, although China has low HIV prevalence, situation serious in some provinces affected by drug trafficking, illegal blood donations

While the HIV prevalence in China remains low, the situation in several provinces affected by drug trafficking and illegal blood donations is serious, senior HIV/AIDS control officials said on Saturday, Xinhua/China Daily reports.

2 Oct 2007

NIH awards Atlanta-based firm $15M for HIV vaccine research

NIH has awarded the Atlanta-based firm GeoVax Labs a $15 million grant to further its HIV vaccine research and continue human clinical trials, company officials announced Thursday, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

2 Oct 2007

Prisons in Maryland have highest percentage of AIDS cases nationwide

Prisons in Maryland have the highest percentage of inmates living with AIDS nationwide, according to a study by the Department of Justice, the Baltimore Sun reports. The study is based on statistics from 41 states at the end of 2005.

2 Oct 2007

Average premiums for stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans will increase by 8.7%

Medicare beneficiaries have the ability to switch prescription drug plans, or enroll in the program for the first time, between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31 (Zhang, Wall Street Journal, 9/29). According to CMS spokesperson Tony Salters, about 10% to 15% of Medicare beneficiaries will switch prescription drug plans during the enrollment period (Moos, Dallas Morning News, 9/29).

2 Oct 2007

Michigan Senate approves Medicaid estate recovery bill

The Michigan Senate on Thursday approved legislation that would require the state Department of Community Health to develop a program to recoup costs paid by Medicaid for people who lived in nursing homes or received in-home care services before their death, the Detroit News reports.

2 Oct 2007

Medicare part B premiums to increase by 3.1% in 2008 to $96.40 per month

CMS on Monday announced that the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B, which covers physician visits and outpatient hospital care, will increase by $2.90, or 3.1%, to $96.40 in 2008 -- the smallest increase since 2000, when the premium remained the same, the New York Times reports.

2 Oct 2007

New York announces funds for hospitals to be closed or merged

The 23 hospitals and seven nursing homes in New York state that will be closed or merged with other facilities will receive more than $360 million to pay for legal costs associated with the closures and to pay debts, state health officials said, the New York Times reports (Kershaw, New York Times, 9/29).

2 Oct 2007

Fetal cell "transplant" could be a hidden link between childbirth and reduced risk of breast cancer

Some benefits of motherhood are intangible, but one has been validated through biostatistical research: women who bear children have a reduced risk of developing breast cancer.

2 Oct 2007

Medical News

Supreme Court declines to consider challenge to New York contraceptive coverage law

Government failed to disclose information about risks of formula-feeding because of political, economic reasons

GE Healthcare to address use of ultrasound machine in India for sex-selective abortions

Connecticut Catholic Bishops agree to comply with law requiring hospitals to dispense EC to rape survivors

Family planning advocates in Philippines to file lawsuit against cabinet member barring contraceptives at clinics as Manila Mayor

EEOC files lawsuit against Bloomberg L.P. over maternity leave discrimination

Many American women misinformed about breast cancer

Wal-Mart adds 11 generic drugs to discounted prescription drug program

Mozambique Archbishop Chimoio's comments claiming European-made condoms, antiretrovirals deliberately tainted with HIV, baseless

Irish Government launches program to provide life insurance to people with HIV, Hep C through contaminated blood products

Judge acquits Canadian doctors, U.S. drug company in tainted blood case

Washington, D.C., community groups return 70,000 condoms given away in program to reduce STIs

Officials say, although China has low HIV prevalence, situation serious in some provinces affected by drug trafficking, illegal blood donations

NIH awards Atlanta-based firm $15M for HIV vaccine research

Prisons in Maryland have highest percentage of AIDS cases nationwide

Average premiums for stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plans will increase by 8.7%

Michigan Senate approves Medicaid estate recovery bill

Medicare part B premiums to increase by 3.1% in 2008 to $96.40 per month

New York announces funds for hospitals to be closed or merged

Fetal cell "transplant" could be a hidden link between childbirth and reduced risk of breast cancer

Clue's CEO Rhiannon White on the Future of Femtech and PCOS

Freezing Point Osmometry in Life Science Applications

Precision in every drop: Inside Hamilton’s syringe technology

Latest News