Health Policy
India rejects Bayer plea against cheap cancer drug
March 5, 2013 10:15 am | by Nirmala George, Associated Press | News | Comments
India's patent appeals office has rejected Bayer AG's plea to stop the production of a cheaper generic version of a patented cancer drug in a ruling that health groups say is an important precedent for getting inexpensive lifesaving medicines to the poor. Bayer sells a one month supply of the drug for about $5,600. Natco's version would cost Indian patients $175 a month, less than 1/30th as much.
Obama proposes $100M for brain mapping project
April 2, 2013 12:35 pm | by Nedra Pickler, Associated Press | News | Comments
President Barack Obama on Tuesday asked Congress to spend $...
Researchers seek to reduce deafening jet engine noise
March 25, 2013 11:59 am | News | Comments
Have you ever had a fighter jet fly over your home and the noise of the aircraft booms...
China wrestles with cost of cleaner environment
March 13, 2013 5:19 pm | by Joe McDonald, AP Business Writer | News | Comments
Facing public outrage over smog-choked cities and filthy rivers, China's leaders are promising...
Huge drug cost disparities seen in health overhaul
May 13, 2013 3:11 am | by RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsCancer patients could face high costs for medications under President Barack Obama's health care law, industry analysts and advocates warn. Where you live could make a huge difference in what you'll pay. To try to keep premiums low, some states are allowing insurers to charge patients a hefty share of the cost for expensive medications used to treat cancer, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other life-altering chronic diseases.
Nanomaterial toxicity study sets stage for policies to address health risks
May 6, 2013 7:41 am | News | CommentsFor the first time, researchers from institutions around the country have conducted an identical series of toxicology tests evaluating lung-related health impacts associated with widely used engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). The study provides comparable health risk data from multiple laboratories, which should help regulators develop policies to protect workers and consumers who come into contact with ENMs.
FDA finds safety issues at specialty pharmacies
April 12, 2013 11:29 am | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Food and Drug Administration says it has uncovered potential safety problems at 30 specialty pharmacies that were inspected in the wake of a recent outbreak of meningitis caused by contaminated drugs. The agency said its inspectors targeted 31 compounding pharmacies that produce sterile drugs, which must be prepared under highly sanitary conditions.
New world strategy aims to eradicate polio by 2018
April 2, 2013 5:44 pm | by LAURAN NEERGAARD - AP Medical Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsA new global plan aims to end most cases of polio by late next year, and essentially eradicate the paralyzing disease by 2018 — if authorities can raise the $5.5 billion needed to do the work, health officials said Tuesday. Part of the challenge will be increasing security for vaccine workers who have come under attack in two of the hardest-hit countries. And the plan calls for changing how much of the world protects against polio, phasing out the long-used oral vaccine in favor of a pricier but safer shot version.
U.S. warns of new fake batch of cancer drug Avastin
February 6, 2013 12:25 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Food and Drug Administration is warning U.S. doctors about another counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin, the third case involving the best-selling Roche drug in the past year. The FDA said in an online post Tuesday that at least one batch of the drug distributed by a New York company does not contain the active ingredient in real Avastin, which is used to treat cancers of the colon, lung, kidney, and brain.
Fast-growing fish may never wind up on your plate
December 5, 2012 10:45 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsAfter weathering concerns about everything from the safety of humans eating the salmon to their impact on the environment, Aquabounty was in a position to become the world's first company to sell fish whose DNA has been altered to speed up growth. But after positive feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2010, the agency still has not approved the fish and the company could soon run out of money.
Many home couches contain potentially toxic flame retardants
November 28, 2012 12:28 pm | News | CommentsScientists are reporting an increasing use of flame retardants in the main gathering spot for adults, children and family pets in the home—the couch. In recent study, Heather Stapleton and colleagues describe the first efforts to detect and identify the flame retardants applied to the foam inside couches found in millions of family rooms and living rooms across the U.S.
Gas drilling research suffers from lack of funding
August 2, 2012 10:28 am | by Kevin Begos, Associated Press | News | CommentsIs gas drilling ruining the air, polluting water and making people sick? The evidence is sketchy and inconclusive, but a lack of serious funding is delaying efforts to resolve those pressing questions and creating a vacuum that could lead to a crush of lawsuits, some experts say.
23andMe seeks FDA approval for personal DNA test
August 1, 2012 3:24 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsFor years, the Silicon Valley company has resisted government regulation, arguing that it simply provides consumers with information, not a medical service. Genetic test maker 23andMe, however, is now asking the Food and Drug Administration to approve its personalized DNA test in a move that, if successful, could boost acceptance of technology that is viewed skeptically by leading scientists who question its usefulness.
Federal panel supports Kansas biosecurity lab project
July 15, 2012 2:20 pm | by John Milburn, Associated Press | News | CommentsA government-backed committee of the National Research Council issued a report Friday saying the United States would have adequate biosecurity protections even if plans for a proposed $1.14 billion lab in Kansas are scaled back.
FDA panel sees little use for metal-on-metal hips
July 2, 2012 6:38 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsGovernment health experts said Thursday there are few reasons to continue using metal-on-metal hip implants, amid growing evidence that the devices can break down early and expose patients to dangerous metallic particles. The devices were originally marketed as a longer-lasting alternative to older ceramic and plastic models. But recent data from the U.K. and other foreign countries suggests they are more likely to deteriorate.
Scientists: Earth faces impending tipping point
June 7, 2012 5:42 am | by Robert Sanders | News | CommentsA recently published review paper by 22 internationally known scientists contains data that suggests that within just a few human generations there will be a reduction in biodiversity and severe impacts on much of what we depend on to sustain our quality of life. Part of their research gauges how plants and animals respond to major shifts in the atmosphere, oceans, and climate.
More doctors are ditching the old prescription pad
May 18, 2012 6:33 am | by Lauran Neergaard, AP Medical Writer | News | CommentsThe U.S. government has been pushing doctors to e-prescribe, in part because it can be safer for patients. Now, more than a third of the nation's prescriptions now are electronic, and starting this year, holdouts will start to see cuts in their Medicare payments.
FDA advisers recommend approving weight loss drug
May 11, 2012 9:35 am | by Linda A. Johnson, AP Business Writer | News | CommentsAdvisers to government health regulators late Thursday recommended that they approve sales of what would be the first new prescription weight-loss drug in the U.S. in more than a decade, despite concerns over cardiac risks.
FDA review favors first drug for HIV prevention
May 9, 2012 5:32 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsA pill that has long been used to treat HIV has moved one step closer to becoming the first drug approved to prevent healthy people from becoming infected with the virus that causes AIDS. The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that Gilead Sciences' Truvada appears to be safe and effective for HIV prevention.
First of two papers on lab-made bird flu published
May 3, 2012 5:09 am | by Malcolm Ritter, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsFour months ago the U.S. government sought to block publication of two studies about how scientists created an easily spread form of bird flu. Now a revised version of one paper is seeing the light of day with the government's blessing. The second paper, which is more controversial because it involves what appears to be a more dangerous virus, is expected to be published later.
Nanotechnology meets safety, ethics in medical community
April 30, 2012 3:50 am | News | CommentsEngineers are developing new and innovative ways of coating medical materials with nano-sized particles of silver, an element that has long been known for its antimicrobial properties. However, a recent paper from the University of Notre Dame highlights the fact that a vast majority of bacteria are actually neutral, or even beneficial. Overuse of nanosilver might harm their useful functions in daily life, the paper reports.
FDA issues draft guidance on nanotechnology
April 22, 2012 1:41 pm | News | CommentsThe U.S. government has issued its initial draft guidelines on the use of nanotechnology, particularly nanoparticles, in food and cosmetic products. These recommendations, intended to help guarantee consumer safety within these two industries, do not extend to the other products that fall under Food and Drug Administration oversights, such as drugs and medical devices.
FDA wants limits on antibiotics given to animals
April 11, 2012 11:23 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsAntibiotics are mixed with animal feed to help livestock, pigs and chickens put on weight and stay healthy in crowded barns. Scientists have warned that this routine use leads to the growth of antibiotic-resistant germs that can be passed to humans. Now the Food and Drug Administration is weighing in on the matter, calling on drug companies to help limit the use antibiotics.
FDA rejects call to ban BPA from food packaging
April 3, 2012 10:27 am | by Matthew Perrone, AP Health Writer | News | CommentsDespite concern from some scientists who believe exposure to BPA can harm the reproductive and nervous systems of humans, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has turned down a petition from environmentalists that would have banned the plastic-hardening chemical bisphenol-A from all food and drink packaging, including plastic bottles and canned food.
Gene mapping for everyone? Study says not so fast
April 2, 2012 3:46 pm | by Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press | News | CommentsToday, scientists map entire genomes mostly for research, but as genome mapping gets faster and cheaper, scientists and consumers have wondered about possible broader use: Would finding all the glitches hidden in your DNA predict which diseases you'll face decades later? Unfortunately, it’s not that simple, say experts.
Panel backs sharing studies of lab-made bird flu
April 2, 2012 5:24 am | by Malcolm Ritter, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsOn Friday, the U.S. government's biosecurity advisers said they support publishing research studies showing how scientists made new easy-to-spread forms of bird flu because the studies, now revised, don't reveal details bioterrorists could use. The announcement could end debate sparked by the government’s request last December that scientists refrain from publishing all the details of their work.
U.S. announces deal to ensure medical isotope supply
March 26, 2012 9:54 am | News | CommentsMedical isotopes are used to treat cancer and heart disease worldwide, but have been typically been made using highly enriched uranium. This material can also be used to create nuclear bombs, which has prompted a recent agreement between several countries to ensure its future supply while improving security.
Bird flu, pig flu, now bat flu? Human risk unclear
February 27, 2012 5:34 pm | by Mike Stobbe, AP Medical Writer | News | CommentsFlu bugs are common in humans, birds and pigs and have even been seen in dogs, horses, seals and whales, among others. But for the first time, scientists have found evidence of flu in bats, reporting a never-before-seen virus whose risk to humans is unclear.
Report: Oil sands pollution comparable to large power plant
February 23, 2012 6:22 am | News | CommentsDrillers require a lot of energy to recover and refine heavy, viscous bitumen from Canada’s oil sands. In the first look at the effect of air pollution from the excavation of oil sands, also called tar sands, scientists used satellites to measure nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide. The effects, they say, are equivalent of a large power plant or a medium-sized city.
