March 2009 - Posts

Free Care for Jobless
March 31, 2009 2:17 PM by Todd Smith

Walgreens is offering free clinic visits and treatment for minor ailments--via its Take Care in-store clinics--to patients who lose their jobs and health insurance after March 31. Executives are referring to the plan as somewhat of an experiment. "Walgreens Read More...

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Magnetic Force Could Cleanse Blood of Sepsis
March 26, 2009 10:25 AM by Kelly Graham

Researchers in the Vascular Biology Program at Children’s Hospital Boston have developed a magnetic blood-cleansing system that removes pathogens from a patient’s blood, as detailed in this study from the journal Lab on a Chip . The system's concept sounds Read More...

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Bill for Direct Billing
March 26, 2009 10:00 AM by Todd Smith

A new bill could eliminate government red tape that discourages doctors from ordering life-saving lab tests. Congressman Jason Altmire (PA-04) and Congressman Tim Murphy (PA-18) have introduced legislation to improve patients' access to life-saving diagnostic Read More...

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WHO’s Dismal Report on TB/HIV
March 25, 2009 1:04 PM by Todd Smith

The number of HIV-related TB deaths is much higher than previously estimated. In 2007 there were an estimated 1.37 million new cases of TB among HIV-infected people and 456,000 deaths worldwide, according to a new global TB control report issued by the Read More...

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The PSA Plight
March 19, 2009 12:22 PM by Todd Smith

Two large international studies--published in the New England Journal of Medicine --have fanned controversy about the risks and benefits of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. One study of 80,000 Americans found no reduction in prostate cancer deaths Read More...

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Hot Topic: Vitamin D Deficiency
March 16, 2009 1:14 PM by Kelly Graham

One in seven American teenagers is vitamin D deficient, according to a new study by researchers in the Department of Public Health at Weill Cornell Medical College, published in the March issue of the journal Pediatrics . An ongoing Wellness Series in Read More...

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Spitting Image
March 13, 2009 3:49 PM by Todd Smith

The gene-testing company 23andMe is looking to collect the spit of 10,000 people with Parkinson's disease. The hope is to use DNA analysis to discover common genetic variations that may cause the illness or predict patients' response to drugs. Google Read More...

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How Would You Like Your Baby?
March 4, 2009 11:19 AM by Todd Smith

You could be the proud new parent of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed future honor student who excels at sports, but it'll cost you. A Los Angeles fertility clinic is offering a new genetic testing/enhancement service that will allow couples to select their Read More...

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