Policy/Regulations
Court: 'Pay-to-delay' generic drugs can be illegal
June 17, 2013 4:31 pm | by JESSE J. HOLLAND - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsDeals between pharmaceutical corporations and their generic drug competitors, which government officials say keep cheaper forms of medicine off the market, can sometimes be illegal and therefore can be challenged in court, the Supreme Court said Monday. The justices voted 5-3 to allow the government to inspect and challenge what it calls "pay-for-delay" deals or "reverse payment settlements."
U.S. court says human genes cannot be patented
June 13, 2013 11:53 am | by JESSE J. HOLLAND - Associated Press Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe U.S. Supreme Court ruled Thursday that companies cannot patent parts of naturally-occurring human genes, a decision with the potential to profoundly affect the emerging and lucrative medical and biotechnology industries. The high court's unanimous judgment reverses three decades of patent awards by government officials.
Agilent announces compliance with RoHS directive
June 10, 2013 4:25 pm | News | CommentsAgilent Technologies Inc. announced that the majority of its electronic test and measurement products are now designed for compliance with the European Union’s restrictions on the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Commonly referred to as RoHS, the European directive bans the sale of equipment containing more than the agreed level of lead, mercury, cadmium and other substances.
Sanofi says FDA approves 4-strain flu vaccine
June 10, 2013 2:04 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsFrench drugmaker Sanofi said Monday the Food and Drug Administration approved a new version of its flu vaccine Fluzone that is designed to prevent four types of the virus. Sanofi said Fluzone Quadrivalent is designed to protect against two types of influenza A and two types of influenza B. Fluzone is the only flu shot recommended in the U.S. for infants and very young children.
U.S. intelligence chief backs Internet spy program
June 8, 2013 11:53 pm | by JIM KUHNHENN - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe top U.S. intelligence official stressed Saturday that a previously undisclosed program for tapping into Internet usage is authorized by Congress, falls under strict supervision of a secret court and cannot intentionally target an American citizen. He decried the revelation of that and another intelligence-gathering program as reckless.
$18 million to study deadly secrets of viruses
June 7, 2013 4:01 pm | News | CommentsIn an effort to sort out why some viruses such as influenza, Ebola and West Nile are so lethal, a team of U.S. researchers plans a comprehensive effort to model how humans respond to these viral pathogens. The study will be led by a Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison professor. Teams from Washington Univ. in St. Louis and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, also will play key roles in the study.
Rice Alliance named top global university business incubator
June 7, 2013 3:42 pm | News | CommentsRice Univ.’s Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship has been named the top global university business incubator of 2013, according to the first in-depth study by the University Business Incubator (UBI) Index, based in Sweden. The UBI Index reviewed 550 university incubators around the world and performed a study of 150 university business incubators in 22 countries.
Military vehicle seating: Keeping American soldiers safe
June 6, 2013 3:07 pm | News | CommentsTransportation crashes have accounted for two-thirds of U.S. noncombat military deaths since 2000—a trend Univ. of Michigan researchers are hoping to help reverse. Research Prof. Matthew Reed and colleagues at the U-M Transportation Research Institute and U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) aim to make seating in military vehicles safer, more effective and more comfortable for soldiers.
German defense chief under fire over drone program
June 5, 2013 11:13 am | by JUERGEN BAETZ - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsGermany's defense minister on Wednesday admitted mistakes were made in the handling of a program to develop unmanned surveillance drones and announced tougher oversight procedures for all armament projects. Opposition parties say Thomas de Maiziere wasted public funds by canceling the botched 600 million euro ($800 million) program too late, but he rejected calls for his resignation.
Power grid getting smarter with big battery
June 3, 2013 7:30 am | News | CommentsResearch conducted with a large new battery unveiled in Oregon will help make the Northwest's and the nation's electric system smarter and more efficient, officials said at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Portland General Electric's 5-MW, lithium-ion energy storage system was shared with the public Friday at the utility's Salem Smart Power Center in South Salem, Ore.
Sandia, SRI International sign pact to advance hydrogen gas research
May 30, 2013 7:50 am | News | CommentsSandia National Laboratories and SRI International will join forces to explore, test and evaluate a broad range of hydrogen and natural gas fuel systems and components for transportation applications under a new agreement. The five-year memorandum of understanding is the first agreement in Sandia’s new Center for Infrastructure Research and Innovation, an alternative fuel research and innovation facility.
South Korea fosters startups as it seeks economic shift
May 30, 2013 5:57 am | by YOUKYUNG LEE - AP Technology Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsAmong the policies aimed at nurturing a "creative economy," South Korea is pouring more than 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion) into funding startups, establishing a third stock market to help new ventures raise money, and changing laws to lower hurdles for crowd-funding. To increase the chances of a financial payoff for entrepreneurs, it plans to give tax breaks and other incentives to big companies that invest in startups..
Navy ships form first line of missile defense
May 30, 2013 12:13 am | by Associated PressAssociated Press | News | CommentsThe U.S., in response to advances in missile threats from Iran and North Korea in recent years, has become more invested in Navy cruisers and destroyers that carry a high-tech radar system and dozens of missile interceptors. As a result, the ballistic missile defense destroyers and cruisers that carry the high-tech Aegis system are a growing capability that is in hot demand by military commanders.
Department of Defense awards $2 million to spinal cord injury research
May 28, 2013 2:17 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation and Capstone National Partners are pleased to announce a $2 million grant from the United States Department of Defense (DOD) to further support the expansion of translational research to find treatments for individuals living with spinal cord injury, including servicemen and women.
U.S. health care: Does more spending yield better health?
May 23, 2013 8:20 am | News | CommentsHealth care spending is much higher for older Americans than for younger adults and children, on average, and analysts have said that increasing spending leads to longer life expectancy. But new research from the University of Michigan indicates that aging populations could view things differently.
Navy's unmanned ocean recon craft makes 1st flight
May 22, 2013 5:32 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsAn unmanned jet built for U.S. Navy high-altitude maritime surveillance missions has made its first flight. Northrop Grumman Corp. says the MQ-4C Triton took off from Palmdale, Calif., Wednesday and completed a 90-minute flight. The aircraft is designed to fly missions lasting up to 24 hours at altitudes greater than 10 miles, allowing coverage out 2,000 nautical miles.
Retiring coal-fired plants in Nevada passes Senate
May 22, 2013 5:09 pm | by The Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Nevada Senate has endorsed NV Energy Inc.'s plan to retire its coal-fired plants and pave the way for the state's biggest electrical utility to transition to more renewable sources. After several revisions, SB123 was approved unanimously Wednesday and now moves to the Assembly.
Army Ground Combat Systems adopts Sandia tool
May 21, 2013 11:35 am | News | CommentsSandia National Laboratories has developed key components of a software tool to help the Army's PEO GCS analyze countless what-if scenarios that can be manipulated as technology advances and the global environment, the federal budget, or other factors change. Sandia calls this advanced combination of modeling, simulation, and optimization decision support software the Capability Portfolio Analysis Tool (CPAT).
Livermore Lab, Cool Earth Solar partner on renewable energy demonstration project
May 14, 2013 2:53 pm | News | CommentsThe California Energy Commission has awarded $1.7 million to a partnership between Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Cool Earth Solar Inc. to conduct a community-scale renewable energy integration demonstration project at the Livermore Valley Open Campus.
Navy to launch unmanned aircraft from carrier
May 14, 2013 11:38 am | by BROCK VERGAKIS - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Navy will make its first attempt to launch an unmanned aircraft the size of a fighter jet from an aircraft carrier on Tuesday, marking a significant step toward the possibility of expanded drone use in future conflicts. The X-47B can reach an altitude of more than 40,000 feet, has a range of more than 2,100 nautical miles and can reach high subsonic speeds.
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.
Navy unveils squadron of manned, unmanned craft
May 2, 2013 4:59 pm | by JULIE WATSON - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsThe Navy on Thursday inaugurated its first squadron with both manned and unmanned aircraft. Military officials launched the effort by reactivating the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 35, known as the "Magicians" or HSL-35, which served for 19 years before being deactivated in 1992.
Russia charging NASA $70 million per rocket seat
May 1, 2013 9:24 am | by Marcia Dunn, AP Aerospace Writer | News | CommentsBased on numbers from the latest contract between NASA and the Russian Space Agency, the United States is paying $424 million more to Russia to get U.S. astronauts into space. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden is is blaming Congress for the extra expense, saying reduced funding for commercial spaceflight development has forced the agency to sign the new contract.
U.N. chemicals summit expected to adopt new controls
April 27, 2013 1:42 pm | by JOHN HEILPRIN - Associated Press - Associated Press | News | CommentsAt the start of a major conference to regulate chemical and hazardous waste safety, top officials voiced optimism Saturday that delegates will approve new international controls on several industrial compounds and agree to clamp down on some cross-border pollution.
