Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles
Stretch Mark

Mixed Neurodegenerative Disorders Are Emerging From The Shadows
Many cases of age-related neurodegenerative disease fall into the gray zone between big, defined diseases - Alzheimer"s or Parkinson"s, for example. Their diagnostic accuracy is low, researchers agree. That"s a problem, because mixed disease is not only common, but also quite different in its course from pathologically "pure" disease. (Mixed disease is often worse.) But there"s also excitement and opportunity. The large overlap between established neurodegenerative diseases is ripe for scientific exploration, and recent advances at the genetic, clinico-pathologic, and molecular levels have turned it into a dynamic area of research. In particular, diseases such as Dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementias are drawing intense interest as biomarker development branches out beyond Amyloid beta and tau, holding out a future where molecular-based diagnoses can define the pathogenic proteins that together drive a given person"s individual disease.
generic viagra online
More Camden, N.J., Residents Using Needle Exchange Programs
A pilot needle exchange program in Camden, N.J., - one of four in the state - "was off to a slow start" when it began 18 months ago, but "now, 976 drug users have registered with the program - more people than those at the other pilot sites in Atlantic City, Newark or Paterson," the Cherry Hill Courier-Post reports. "In Camden, 854 people are living with HIV/AIDS, the eighth-highest number among New Jersey municipalities, according to the latest data from the state Department of Health and Senior Services. About a third of them were infected by dirty needles," the Courier-Post reports. Bob Baxter, who oversees Newark"s program, said needle exchanges provide "the most immediate benefit at the cheapest cost," in reducing the spread of blood-borne diseases. "While there"s no way to count the number of people who are no longer sharing needles because of the program, organizers say they hope to see their success correlate to lowered communicable disease rates," the article states (Hirsch, 7/20).
News of the day
Number Of Polio Cases In Nigeria Decreases, Some States Still Showing Low Immunizations Rates
The number of polio cases in Nigeria has gone down from 799 in 2008 to 353 this year, according to the country"s National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Africa Science News Service reports. The number of children who have never had a polio vaccine has been reduced from 16 percent in 2008 to 8 percent in 2009, NPHCDA Executive Director Mohammed Ali Pate said.
Cardiovascular

House Committee Approves Reform Bill; Full House Debate Scheduled For After August Recess

The House Energy and Commerce Committee on July 31 approved its health care reform bill (HR 3200) by a 31-28 vote that was mostly along party lines, the AP/Seattle Times reports. Among the many amendments considered during the markup, the committee rejected an amendment offered by Reps. Joe Pitts (R-Pa) and Bart Stupak (D-MI) to prohibit government subsidies to any insurance plans that offers abortion coverage, effectively prohibiting abortion coverage for customers eligible for public premium assistance. The amendment was rejected by a 27-31 vote. Another provision approved on July 30 would neither require nor prohibit insurance companies from providing coverage for abortion services.The approved bill includes provisions limiting how much insurers can increase premiums and gives the federal government the power to negotiate with drug companies for lower prices under Medicaid. The provisions were part of an effort by Democrats on the committee to reconcile the demands of liberals and conservatives, the AP/Times reports. The bill also would require insurance companies to sell coverage to anyone seeking it, regardless of pre-existing conditions. The government would provide subsidies to lower-income families to help them afford policies. In addition, the legislation would establish health insurance exchanges offering a variety of insurance plans, where consumers with or without subsidies could purchase health insurance (Espo/Werner, AP/Seattle Times, 8/1).Five of the committee"s Democrats joined all 23 Republicans in opposing the measure, the Washington Post"s "Capitol Briefing" reports. The five Democrats who voted against the bill were Reps. John Barrow (Ga.), Rick Boucher (Va.), Jim Matheson (Utah), Charlie Melancon (La.) and Bart Stupak (Mich.) (Kane, "Capitol Briefing," Washington Post, 7/31).The committee was the last of three House panels to take action on the legislation, although the vote comes several weeks after the White House and Democratic leaders originally wanted, the AP/Times reports. The full House is expected to vote on the bill after policymakers return from their August recess.Although the House"s agenda has moved slower than party leaders had hoped, it still was faster than the action in the Senate, according to the AP/Times (AP/Seattle Times, 8/1). Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on July 30 announced that the panel will not mark up a health care reform bill this week after Republican negotiators urged that the speed of discussion in the Senate be slowed, the Post"s "44" reports. The announcement means that health care reform legislation will not be out of committee in both chambers before the summer recess (Pershing, "44," Washington Post, 7/31).Catholic Bishops Say That House Bill Could Expand Abortion Coverage In related news, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in a letter to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee voiced its opposition to the reform bill, arguing that it could be used to require private health insurance plans to cover abortion services, the Post reports. The bill has been opposed by conservative Christian groups for weeks, with the groups arguing that it could be used to expand abortion rights, the Post reports.In the letter, Cardinal Justin Rigali -- chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities -- said the bill could increase federal funding for abortion services because some government funding would not be covered by the Hyde Amendment, which currently bans the use of federal Medicaid funds for abortion services. Rigali also said the bill could overturn state laws that restrict access to abortion services, such as parental notification laws. In addition, Rigali said the bill should continue to ensure provider conscience rights to protect Catholic health care workers who refuse to provide abortion services based on their religious or moral beliefs (Washington Post, 8/1). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women"s Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women"s Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company. © 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009