MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Study links gene to Alzheimer’s and Down syndrome. Researchers at the University of British Columbia and the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute identified the gene that destroys brain cells, or neurons, in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome, reports The Vancouver Sun.
Report: Alzheimer’s burden to increase as population ages. A new report from a Minnesota legislature working group says the state must prepare now for the significant costs and medical demands associated with Alzheimer’s disease as baby boomers retire. The group issued seven recommendations designed to help the state get ready for the expected spike in Alzheimer’s patients according to Minnesota Public Radio.
Study casts doubt over breastfeeding. Feeding babies only breast milk in their first six months might not be best for their development, scientists from University College London warned, reports the BBC.
Healthcare repeal vote: Wednesday. Debate on the Republicans’ healthcare reform repeal legislation will begin again Tuesday with a vote in the House of Representatives expected to occur the next day. This is a largely symbolic vote meant more to signal GOP efforts to undermine the current US healthcare reform by under-funding it.
But in the wake of the Arizona shootings, there’s urging for a new approach to changing last year’s US healthcare reform bill.
So what if, after they go through the obligatory repeal and stop-the-repeal exercise, our elected leaders would begin negotiating a health care detente.
Because no one has any intention of going back to square one on health care, they would have to use the Affordable Care Act as the vehicle. That would be painful for politicians who campaigned on the erroneous premise that the law is, as newly elected U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler from Missouri put it in a tweet last week, a ’job-killing, deficit-increasing, unconstitutional government takeover.’
But what if they actually tried?
Fighting generic drugs. A lesser-known fight against healthcare reform legislation is the headway brand-name drug makers are making against rules favoring generic biologics.
Hidden pharma donations. Pharmaceutical companies have donated eight-figure amounts to health advocacy groups but few of these organizations acknowledged the drug-company donations. Only one in four organizations acknowledged the report and the authors say drug companies should be required to make these contributions public.
Acetadote FDA approval. The acetaminophen poisoning treatment from Cumberland Pharmaceuticals has received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The new drug is a preservative-free version.
Making the case for medical innovation. From Thursday’s Council for American Medical Innovation summit: “”When you think about it, medical innovation can best be characterized as a human and economic value proposition that our nation simply cannot turn down. In short, value for our economy, for our competitiveness, for our ability to create jobs, and above all, for our long-term health and wellness.”
Dealflow and more. Dendreon will raise $500 million through debt; Endo Pharmaceuticals will use $500 million for acquisitions “seeking health information technology and diagnostic tools for cancer and urology;” Javelin Venture Partners raised $11.7 million for a new fund; Cell Therapeutics raised $25 million.
Material from MedCity News was used in this report.
