Monthly Archives: February 2012

QualityStocks News – Access Plans to be Acquired by Aon Affinity for $70M

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

Acquisition agreement reflects “natural step” for Access Plans as it becomes part of a leading risk advisory firm. Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) February 27, 2012 QualityStocks would like to highlight Access Plans, Inc., a publicly traded membership and insurance marketing company, with three complementary distribution channels offering multiple opportunities for growth. The Wholesale Plans Division specializes in turnkey, private label membership benefit plans offered through retail outlets including rent-to-own centers. The Retail Plans Division markets healthcare-related discount products and services to consumers through third party marketers. Program components in both membership plan divisions range from medical, dental and pharmacy discounts to grocery, restaurant, automotive, travel and other consumer discounts. The Insurance Marketing Division comprises America’s Health Care Plans, one of the nation’s largest independent agent networks for distributing individual major medical health insurance. In the company’s news today, Access Plans announced it will be acquired by Aon Affinity, a unit of global risk management business, Aon Corporation. Per the agreement, Aon Affinity will acquire all Access Plans outstanding shares and options to acquire the company’s common stock for cash consideration of approximately $70.1 million, subject to adjustment for various necessary and closing expenses; assuming a net cash amount of $15.0 million, … Continue reading →

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Wyoming House Passes Welfare Drug-Testing Bill

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

POSTED: 11:29 am MST February 27, 2012 UPDATED: 9:45 pm MST February 27, 2012 CHEYENNE, Wyo. -- The state of Wyoming is one step closer to passing a bill that would require some welfare recipients to undergo drug testing.It passed the full House on its third reading Monday.Nearly two dozen states are currently considering similar legislation.Should people in need have to trade a clean drug test for welfare benefits?It's a question that has sparked passionate debate in the Wyoming House of Representatives this week."We're just trying to help eliminate that lifestyle of dependency on both drugs and the government system," said Rep. David Miller, R-Riverton.Miller is backing a bill that would require individuals to pay for and take a drug test when they apply for the state's "POWER" program.According to the Department of Family Services, "POWER" currently distributes an average of $500 per month to 338 people who are working or looking for work."I don't think it's really excessive to ask a person to do this," said Miller.But others disagree, like Jackson representatives Keith Gingery and Ruth Ann Petroff. Both pointed to Florida, where just last fall a judge ruled a similar law was unconstitutional based on the Fourth Amendment."I … Continue reading →

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B.C. deals with shortage of drugs, including morphine, from Quebec facility

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

VICTORIA - Health officials in B.C. are working to deal with a shortage of drugs, including the pain killer morphine, that's the result of problems at a Quebec pharmaceutical company. Sandoz Canada has been forced to reduce production at its site in Boucherville after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration raised safety and reliability issues at the facility. An agency of the B.C. Health Ministry called Health Shared Services BC says it's working with regional health authorities to deal with the problem. The agency says that includes monitoring all current supplies of Sandoz products, co-ordinating their distribution, finding alternative products and working on the issue with the B.C. Medical Association, pharmacists and Health Canada. Most of the products are injectable drugs like morphine used in hospitals, as well as a few topical eye products, and hospital patients will be most affected. The government says patients should not be concerned but if they have any questions, they should call their doctor. View original post here: B.C. deals with shortage of drugs, including morphine, from Quebec facility … Continue reading →

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Targeted Cancer Drugs Market Analysed by Espicom in New Topical Report Now Available at MarketPublishers.com

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The end of 2011 saw the US approval of two new molecularly-targeted cancer drugs, alongside companion diagnostic tests that identify the patients most likely to benefit from treatment. Pfizer's Xalkori (crizotinib) and Roche's Zelboraf (vemurafenib) were both approved following a priority review, highlighting the importance that the FDA has placed on hastening the passage of these therapies to market. With sales of many blockbuster drugs being cannibalised by generic competitors, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are populating their pipelines with candidates directed at novel targets, enhancing development and commercialisation potential. The opportunities for small and medium-sized companies is increasing as the dynamic of the market changes. New market research study "Targeted Cancer Drugs: The Launch Landscape to 2018" prepared by Espicom examines the current market for targeted cancer drugs, with an overview of both products and players. It covers statistics, competitive rankings, timelines and sector share comparisons. Looking ahead, the report identifies 79 new candidates that are currently under a minimum of Phase II development for solid tumours and provides a timeline detailing estimated launch dates to 2018. Report Details: Title: Targeted Cancer Drugs: The Launch Landscape to 2018 Published: February, 2012 Pages: 306 Price: US$ 2,265 http://marketpublishers.com/report/medicine_pharmaceuticals_biotechnology/healthcare_equipment_services/targeted_cancer_drugs_launch_landscape_to_2018.html Report … Continue reading →

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Many drugs are 'non-vegetarian'

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

27 February 2012 Last updated at 21:29 ET People who choose not to eat animal products may be unaware that common medicines could contain them, a study suggests. Many tablets and liquid medicines use gelatin, derived from animal bones or skin. A survey in the Postgraduate Medical Journal shows a quarter of patients are unknowingly prescribed drugs containing gelatin contrary to their beliefs. The report authors say clearer drug labelling is needed. A spokesman for the ABPI, which represents the pharmaceutical industry in the UK, said that European Union legislation required the disclosure of all ingredients in the leaflet accompanying the drugs. He added: "Patients are able to check if a product contains a material which may cause them concern. If patients are unsure if an ingredient is derived from animals they can seek the advice of their pharmacist or contact the company manufacturing the product. Continue reading the main story “Start Quote Some vegetarians will be shocked to learn about the widespread use of animal ingredients in medicines” End Quote Liz O'Neill The Vegetarian Society "There is a general trend for manufacturers to move away from the use of animal derivatives in medicines but there remain occasions where the … Continue reading →

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PharMerica to Present at 2012 RBC Capital Markets’ Healthcare Conference

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- PharMerica Corporation (NYSE: PMC - News), a national provider of institutional pharmacy and hospital pharmacy management services, today announced that Michael J. Culotta, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will make a presentation regarding the Company at RBC Capital Markets’ 2012 Healthcare Conference in New York City, on Wednesday, February 29, 2012, at 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The Company also announced that a live broadcast of its conference presentation, as well as any written materials accompanying the presentation, will be available on the “For Investors” tab of the Company’s website, http://www.pharmerica.com, under “Webcasts and Presentations.” In addition, the webcast, transcript and written materials will be archived on the Company’s website following the event. About PharMerica PharMerica Corporation is a leading institutional pharmacy services company servicing healthcare facilities in the United States. PharMerica operates institutional pharmacies in 44 states. PharMerica’s customers are institutional healthcare providers, such as nursing centers, assisted living facilities, hospitals and other long-term care providers. The Company also provides pharmacy management services to long-term care hospitals. Read more from the original source: PharMerica to Present at 2012 RBC Capital Markets’ Healthcare Conference … Continue reading →

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Pharmacy students teach Univ. employees about healthier habits

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

The University is encouraging a better lifestyle for 65 employees through the Healthy Dawgs Wellness Program, an initiative set in place to educate employees about their prescription medications and to promote healthier habits. The program, which is in its second year, targets employees in select departments and with the assistance of third year pharmacy students, teaches them how to take medications, helps them to understand their diseases and gives them tips on how to lower risk of disease. Each year, the program is only available to a certain amount of people due to limited space, even though there is a large willingness to expand, said Lindsey Welch, a public service assistant for experience programs. This year, the program is working with the Physical Plant and University Housing. Welch said the program started because the College of Pharmacy saw a need for more wellness initiatives on campus for employees and realized more students needed more practical experience working with patients. “It’s a win-win situation,” she said. “We had a need, we saw a need and we were able to fill that need.” The pharmacy students work one-on-one with each employee-patient, meeting with them twice in the fall and twice in the … Continue reading →

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Stem cell fertility treatments could be risky for older women

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

Harvard scientists are challenging traditional medical logic that dictates that women are born with a finite amount of eggs.  The scientists said they have discovered the ovaries of young women harbor rare stem cells that are in fact capable of producing new eggs. If properly harnessed, those stem cells may someday lead to new treatments for women suffering from infertility due to cancer or other diseases – or for those who are simply getting older, according to the researchers.  Lead researcher Jonathan Tilly of Harvard's Massachusetts General Hospital has co-founded a company, OvaScience Inc., to try to develop the findings into fertility treatments. The idea that women are born with all the egg cells – called oocytes – they’ll ever have has been called into question by past research, which found egg-producing stem cells in adult mice. In this latest study, Harvard researchers, in collaboration with Japanese scientists, used donated frozen ovaries from 20 year olds and ‘fished out’ the purported stem cells.   The researchers inserted a gene into the stem cells, which caused them to glow green.  If the cells produced eggs, those would glow green, too. The researchers first watched through a microscope as new eggs grew … Continue reading →

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StemCells, Inc. to Participate in Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

NEWARK, Calif., Feb. 27, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (Nasdaq:STEM - News) today announced that it will participate in the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy, which is being held in Qatar from February 27 to March 1, 2012. The Company, which is the leader in development of cell-based therapeutics for central nervous system disorders, was specifically invited by the conference's sponsors, the State of Qatar and Amir of Qatar His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, as well as the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy of Rice University, and is the only company to be invited. Ann Tsukamoto, Ph.D., StemCells' Executive Vice President, Research and Development, will make a presentation on the clinical translation of human neural stem cells. StemCells was the first company to receive authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration to conduct a clinical trial of purified human neural stem cells, and the Company is currently conducting two clinical trials with a third anticipated to start later this year. Dr. Tsukamoto will also be the moderator of the panel session on neurological disorders, which is scheduled to be held on March 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. … Continue reading →

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‘Scope for innovation in genetic medicine’

Posted: Published on February 28th, 2012

There is a tremendous opportunity in genetic medicine for innovation and for new players to make significant contributions, because it is still experimental, noted biologist and Nobel Laureate Dr David Baltimore said yesterday. “Today, it is mainly the province of biotechnology companies and universities, not big pharmaceutical companies,” he observed in a keynote presentation at the Qatar International Conference on Stem Cell Science and Policy 2012. There are new genetic tools available – though they are still experimental - to treat diseases which involve adding, subtracting or modifying genes in the cells of the body. “However, they are powerful tools and I am confident they will be an important part of the medicine of the future,” he said. Speaking on ‘The hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) as a target for therapy against cancer and Aids,’ Dr Baltimore explained that HSCs are one of the few cell types routinely used for bone marrow transplant. The HSCs are easily accessible, retroviruses can be used to carry genes into these stem cells, the genes are then expressed in all of cells that derive from the HSC and can correct inherited defects and bring genes that perform therapy under a programme called engineering immunity. “Though … Continue reading →

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