News

Over two million Huber needles, which are used in conjunction with implanted ports to deliver medications by infusion in patients with chronic illnesses such as cancer, are voluntarily being recalled because inspections of Nipro facilities in Japan, a manufacturer of the needles, found 60% to 72% of needles cored in tests, increasing the risk of port leakage or silicone entering the veins. This is a Class I recall, which is the most severe type of FDA recall, as there is a potential for serious injury or death.

What if the insurance industry profited most when it did the most to enhance effectiveness, efficiency and caring even while absorbing the cost of covering the entire population (pure community-rating)--akin to universal healthcare?

It's hard to determine which came first; blog posts or newspaper articles about sales reps in operating rooms.

A new thesis from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden provides insight into the inability of the human body to rid itself of the H. pylori bacterium.

Rates of venous thromboembolism among pediatric patients has increased by 70% over the past seven years, according to the results of a new study.

A simple eye test may become a new diagnostic tool for identifying mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder, researchers at Monash University have discovered.

HCPLive has scoured the blogosphere to find the best postings about Haiti. We've included some here.

Come join us for the latest tweets, videos, and other multimedia coverage live from San Francisco.

Recent study results indicate that when an individual has more energy available, they tend to be more future-oriented, and therefore will engage in better decision making.

The results of two recent studies may provide multiple sclerosis patients with new options for symptom relief.

Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have identified a cell-cycle protein essential for beta-cell replication to respond successfully to insulin resistance. The finding may point toward eventual therapies for preventing or treating type 2 diabetes.

Results from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December 2009 show that at 5 years, more than 80% of women treated with adjuvant trastuzumab on the NCCTG trial are still disease free.

Although the use of this medicine to manage pain has been common practice for many years, this form and concentration of morphine was not FDA-approved until now.

A Montgomery County, Alabama jury awards the multi-million dollar settlement over a mistakenly filled prescription for rheumatoid arthritis which confined Reva Tosh to a wheelchair with Cushing's Syndrome.

Once-daily human GLP-1 analog indicated as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve blood sugar control in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Last week, the non-profit, consumer advocacy group known as Public Citizen filed a petition to the FDA on the removal of Savella, a selective serotonin and norepinephrine dual reuptake inhibitor used to treat fibromyalgia, from the market.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) has issued new practice guidelines for managing certain patients with prostate cancer.

There's a concept in healthcare insurance where all risks in a community of interest, a market, are pooled - community rating; and then there's experience rating where the healthy are advantaged in more ways then one and the sick are marginalized, paying disproportionately more into the pool just to have a seat at the table.

For the first time, scientists have constructed a complete genetic map for two types of cancer: small cell lung cancer and malignant melanoma. The melanoma DNA came from a 45-year-old man, and the lung cancer cells were sampled from a 55-year-old man. The research team compared the genetic sequence of the diseased cells with that of healthy cells from the same patients, documenting all genetic mutations.

Splenic artery aneurysm is the most common form of visceral artery aneurysm. Most present asymptomatically with incidental findings on CT or ultrasound which are diagnostic, although about 20% present with vague left upper quadrant abdominal pain. Treatment should be aimed at preserving splenic function whenever possible and endovascular treatments offer a less invasive option to patients than open surgical ligation or resection.

JDRF to provide $8 million in funding for three years, targeting the creation of a system ready for FDA review within four years.

Higher concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid, a persistent organic chemical used in industrial and consumer goods, correlate with a greater likelihood of taking medication for a current thyroid disease.

Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have found that the neuropeptide corticotropin-releasing factor also plays a part in the pancreas, where it increases insulin secretion and promotes the division of the insulin-producing beta cells.

A new study from the Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine shows that Wnt signaling is involved in the development of pachydermoperiostosis.

The film Extraordinary Measures tells the story of one family's race to find a treatment for Pompe disease, a rare and potentially fatal neuromuscular disorder that had afflicted two of their children.

A recently completed clinical trial has demonstrated that a combination of two fully human monoclonal antibodies, when administered with standard antibiotics, significantly reduced the recurrence of C difficile-related diarrhea.

Duke University researchers have discovered that adults with schizophrenia may exhibit a pattern during childhood of cognitive problems, including difficulties with verbal reasoning, working memory, attention and processing speed.

This CME program covers the basic mechanisms of atherosclerosis, risk factors and diagnosis, the role of inflammation in acute coronary syndromes, and new therapie and management strategies.

The identification of new genetic markers and variants that are related to type 2 diabetes may lead to new diagnostic and treatment options.

On the Internet, e-cigarettes have been marketed as a method for smoking cessation, and an online survey revealed that users thought they were a healthy alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes; however, the FDA has not approved these devices for this purpose.