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Iowa Senate passes $250,000 limit on medical liability damages

On April 12, the Iowa Senate passed H.F. 2440, which caps non-economic damages in medical liability cases at $250,000. Following debate, the measure passed by a vote of 27 to 21. It had been narrowly defeated a week earlier, but Senate leadership secured a motion to reconsider it before the April 12 vote.

13 Apr 2004

Novartis to provide free medicines to low-income medicare recipients

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced today that the company will work with Medicare-approved drug discount card sponsors to provide its products free of Novartis charges to low-income Medicare enrollees, after they have exhausted their $600 transitional assistance available from the government.

13 Apr 2004

New tool for study of carbohydrates could aid drug research

While many dieters are trying to cut carbs, a University of New Hampshire (UNH) biochemist has invented a way to capture them so scientists can more easily study their structure.

13 Apr 2004

Amount of adiponectin hormone lessens chance of heart attacks

Men with high levels of a Adiponectin hormone secreted by fat cells have a lesser chance of heart attacks, according to a new study that could lead to new ways to prevent and treat heart disease.

13 Apr 2004

CT colonography lacks the sensitivity of conventional colonoscopy

A new study published in JAMA on CT colonography or 'virtual' colonoscopy using 2-D imaging finds that this test lacks the sensitivity and specificity of conventional colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening. Study co-author and American College of Gastroenterology President Douglas K. Rex, M.D. is available for interviews.

13 Apr 2004

Spike TV launches men's health campaign with National Medical Association

As part of Spike TV's mission to make a difference in men's lives, the network announces the launch of "Check Up or Check Out," a national pro-social campaign directed at improving men's health. The campaign was launched today with Spike TV's "Check Up or Check Out" campaign with Randall W. Maxey, M.D., Ph.D,. President of the National Medical Association.

13 Apr 2004

More Americans allergic to seafood than any other food

A new study released today at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology annual conference shows that food allergies are a much more pervasive health challenge than once thought. About 11 million people -- roughly 1-in-25 Americans -- are now believed to be affected by one or more food allergies, a disease triggered by the ingestion or contact with certain foods that may cause life-threatening reactions, or anaphylaxis, according to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), a co-investigator of the nationwide survey.

13 Apr 2004

Foreign drug repackager complies with FDA order

The Food and Drug Administration today announced the settlement of a court case against an Illinois firm involved last year in FDA's seizure of thousands of imported unapproved drugs, including those that were labeled in foreign languages and/or labeled as repacked.

13 Apr 2004

FDA makes moves to block foreign drug imports

The Food and Drug Administration today announced a new partnership with the Virginia Pharmacists Association to distribute consumer educational materials outlining the risks of purchasing medicines outside of FDA’s regulatory scope. Over the past month, FDA has co-sponsored agreements with state pharmacists associations in Illinois, California, Texas, Maryland, New York, and Nebraska, and the Agency anticipates that additional agreements will be signed in the weeks ahead.

13 Apr 2004

New government drug testing rules include hair

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, today issued proposed new rules for mandatory federal drug testing that include specimens of hair, saliva and sweat, along with urine.

13 Apr 2004

Extended lymph node dissection fails to increase survival among gastric cancer patients

Extended lymph node dissection – a treatment for gastric cancer involving the surgical removal of lymph nodes near the tumor, in distant areas of the stomach, and in some cases, in combination with the removal of the spleen and pancreas tail – has shown no long-term survival benefit for gastric cancer patients, according to the largest randomized trial of limited and extended lymph node dissection among this population.

13 Apr 2004

Shoulder to cry on best answer for low mood

The most common ways to beat low mood are having someone to talk to and being hugged, a survey published by a mental health charity has found.

13 Apr 2004

Men with family history of prostate cancer accurately predict higher risk

When a man is diagnosed with prostate cancer, his brothers are twice as likely to develop the disease as well, often at an earlier age.

13 Apr 2004

Antimicrobial alginate dressing protects the wound with silver

Johnson & Johnson Wound Management today announced the introduction of SILVERCEL™ antimicrobial alginate dressing, providing the protection of silver and the absorption of alginate.

13 Apr 2004

UK Health Minister joins top chef to taste-test hospital food

UK Health Minister, Lord Warner joined forces with celebrity chef, Lloyd Grossman, today, to choose which dishes should appear on hospital menus across England as part of the Better Hospital Food programme.

13 Apr 2004

GlaxoSmithKline acquires injectable anti-thrombotic agents Fraxiparine® and Arixtra®

GlaxoSmithKline plc announced today that they have signed an agreement regarding the acquisition, on a worldwide basis, of the injectable anti-thrombotic agents Fraxiparine® and Arixtra® and related assets including a manufacturing facility located in Notre-Dame de Bondeville, France from Sanofi-Synthelabo.

13 Apr 2004

Researchers have developed a new method for finding antigens

Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center have developed a method for finding the molecular targets of the immune system, known as antigens.

13 Apr 2004

Batch control makes chemical reactions easier to manage

Two Dutch researchers have developed a method for managing so-called batch productions. During a batch production, substances react in a reactor vessel according to a certain recipe to produce an end product. After the reaction the reactor is emptied and a new reaction with the same recipe is started.

13 Apr 2004

Drug's ability to reverse acute ischemic stroke

Ischemic stroke patients who arrive at the hospital too late to receive currently available treatment options might someday have a new treatment option. Northwestern Memorial Hospital is the only site in Chicago to participate in a phase III trial of abciximab (ReoPro - Centocor/Eli Lilly and Company), which seeks to determine the drug's ability to improve neurological function and minimize disability in patients who present with an acute ischemic stroke.

13 Apr 2004

Mercy Hospital opens new cardiovascular catheterization laboratory

The $40 million expansion of The Cardiac Centers of Mercy & Unity Hospitals reaches a significant milestone this week with the opening of the most technologically advanced cardiovascular catheterization laboratories in Minnesota.

13 Apr 2004