NC health plan still paying more medical claims, but situation better than before bailoutNovember 12th, 2009 NC employee health plan still has higher claimsRALEIGH, N.C. — The health insurance plan for North Carolina state employees is still paying out more claims than budgeted for the first three months of the fiscal year.
3 pounds jab can silence snoringOctober 30th, 2009 LONDON - A 3-pound injection could prove priceless for partners of loud snorers, as the jab can help cure snoring, says a British doctor. The two-minute 'snoreplasty' involves injecting a chemical called sodium tetradecyl into the roof of the mouth.
German drug maker Merck 3rd quarter net income falls 28 percent to $216 millionOctober 26th, 2009 more images
more imagesMerck says 3Q net income falls 28 percentFRANKFURT — German drug and chemical maker Merck KGaA reported Monday that net income fell 28 percent to €144 million ($216 million) in the third quarter as weak demand hurt revenue, but said its chemicals and liquid crystals divisions were recovering. Merck, based in Darmstadt and unrelated to the U.S.
Are pesticides to blame for farmer suicides?October 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Are higher levels of exposure to pesticides to blame for the rising tide of suicides among farmers in poor countries? A new study seems to suggest so. The study was carried out by Robert Stewart from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, and scientists from Tongde Hospital in Zhejiang Province, China.
Learning to juggle can improve brain's networkingOctober 12th, 2009 LONDON - Juggling can significantly improve networking in the brain, say researchers. The popular trick strengthens brain's white matter through which messages pass within the nervous system.
Ohio considering bone, muscle injection in prison death chamber in wake of failed executionOctober 6th, 2009 Ohio considering bone, muscle for lethal injectionCOLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio is considering injecting lethal drugs into inmates' bone marrow or muscles as an alternative to — or a backup for — the traditional intravenous execution procedure, a prisons department spokeswoman said Tuesday. "Everything is on the table" as the state researches ways to adjust its death chamber procedure in the wake of a failed execution last month, when officials couldn't locate suitable veins on inmate Romell Broom, said Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction spokeswoman Julie Walburn.
How to make flu shots easier for kidsSeptember 27th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Kids often cry or scream when they are about to get an injection. Now, experts from Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA have offered certain tips to minimize the pain associated with the needlestick.
Indian pharma exports up by 29 percent in 2008-09September 25th, 2009 HYDERABAD - Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma today said that the exports of drugs, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals for the year 2008-09 stood at Rs.39,538 crore, registering a growth of about 29 per cent over the last year. Addressing the Indo-Africa Pharma Business meet here, Sharma said: "In recent times, the Indian pharmaceutical sector has emerged as one of the major contributors to Indian exports with export earnings rising from a negligible amount in early 1990s to Rs.29,139.57 crore by 2007-08.
Pharma exports up 29 percent to $9.35 bnSeptember 25th, 2009 HYDERABAD - India's exports of drugs, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals grew by 29 percent last fiscal to Rs.39,538 crore (around $9.35 billion) compared to the previous fiscal, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said Friday. "In recent times, the Indian pharmaceutical sector has emerged as one of the major contributors to Indian exports with export earnings rising from a negligible amount in early 1990s to Rs.29,139.57 crore by 2007-08," Sharma said while addressing the Indo-Africa Pharma Business Meet here.
Decks cleared for Orchid to market anti-infectives in USSeptember 25th, 2009 CHENNAI - Decks have been cleared for the city-based Orchid Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals for marketing the generic versions of Zosyn antibiotic, with a US district court rejecting rival Wyeth Laboratories' motion for a restraint on the sale of the drug. Wyeth had filed a suit in the District Court of Columbia against the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to grant Orchid permission to sell generic Zosyn, chemically Piperacillin-Tazobactam, claiming the drug could harm critically ill patients.
FDA says it confirmed new cases of brain inflammation linked to MS drug, bringing total to 13September 22nd, 2009 FDA confirms 3 new infections linked to TysabriNEW YORK — The Food and Drug Administration says it confirmed three new cases of a potentially lethal brain inflammation linked to the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. There have been 13 reported cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML, since mid-2006.
US approves swine flu vaccineSeptember 15th, 2009 WASHINGTON - US Food and Drug Administration Tuesday approved a vaccine designed to protect against the swine flu and hopes to make it available within a month. The regulator approved the vaccine manufactured by four different drug companies and said the first batches of shots should be available in the US within the next four weeks.
Scientists develop tiny sensor to sniff out toxinsSeptember 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have developed a stamp-sized sensor that can sniff out some poisonous gases and toxins and can show results simply by changing colour. The sensor could be useful in detecting high exposures to toxic industrial chemicals that pose serious health risks at the workplace.
Senate proposal calls for steep fines for failure to get health insuranceSeptember 8th, 2009 Up to $3,800 fine for failure get health insuranceWASHINGTON — A top senator is calling for fines of up to $3,800 on families who fail to get medical insurance after a health care overhaul goes into effect. The plan from Democratic Sen.
Watson Pharmaceuticals gets FDA approval for over-the-counter emergency contraceptiveAugust 28th, 2009 Watson gets approval for emergency contraceptiveCORONA, Calif. — Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc.
