Health

With a majority of the country's adults either overweight or obese, the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans are the first to address an unhealthy public, making their recommendations especially urgent for consumers and health professionals alike, according to the American Dietetic Association. ADA supports the Dietary Guidelines' "healthy balance" approach to weight management, which focuses on consuming "nutrient-dense foods and beverages" and engaging in regular physical activity to create an eating pattern that is right for each individual. ADA also supports the Dietary Guidelines' call for "options that can accommodate cultural, ethnic, traditional and personal preferences and food cost and availability" in developing practical advice from scientific findings. Full release

Less sodium, added sugar, and solid fat, and fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables; the government's recommendations about what we should eat have been updated with a few key changes. Every five years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) examine the latest developments in nutritional science and release a new version of their Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This is done to keep them current with new developments in nutritional science. The guidelines serve as the basis for federal food and nutrition programs like the USDA school breakfast and lunch programs. Full release

Starting this year, more than 10,000 baby boomers a day will turn 65. As these baby boomers age, one of out of eight of them will develop Alzheimer's - a devastating, costly, heartbreaking disease. Increasingly for these Baby Boomers, it will no longer be their grandparents and parents who have Alzheimer's - it will be them. "Alzheimer's is a tragic epidemic that has no survivors. Not a single one," said Harry Johns, President and CEO of the Alzheimer's Association. "It is as much a thief as a killer. Alzheimer's will darken the long-awaited retirement years of the one out of eight baby boomers who will develop it. Those who will care for these loved ones will witness, day by day, the progressive and relentless realities of this fatal disease. But we can still change that if we act now." Full release

To coincide with World Cancer Day 2011, on 4 February, the Africa Oxford Cancer Foundation (AfrOx) and the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) are working together to raise international awareness of the growing problem of cancer in Africa. AfrOx and ESMO are launching the 'Cancer in Africa: the Runaway Train' video, seeking to galvanise the global community to stop the train and prevent as many cancer deaths as possible ( http://www.afrox.org/cancerprevention4africa). In addition to the video, AfrOx and ESMO are launching a series of cancer prevention awareness posters for African countries (free to download at http://www.afrox.org/cancerposters or http://www.esmo.org) with the aim of developing a template for low-cost cancer awareness and prevention programmes that can be replicated in other developing countries. Full release

House Republicans are misrepresenting California's experience with medical liability limits to argue for legislation, HR 5, that would take away the rights of patients injured by medical negligence. Consumer Watchdog sent a letter to the bill's author, House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith, today and called on him to set the record straight. "California is the only state in the nation where the impact on medical malpractice insurance premiums of both strong insurance rate regulation and strict medical liability limits can be directly compared. Legislation you introduced this week that would severely limit the rights of patients who are victims of medical negligence relies on incontrovertible errors in your understanding of California's experience," wrote Carmen Balber, Washington DC director for Consumer Watchdog. Full release

The Health Coalition on Liability and Access today commended President Obama for his support of medical liability reform and his willingness to work with Republicans and Democrats in the Congress to fix our nation's broken medical liability system. The group now calls on Congress to enact comprehensive medical liability reform laws that have a proven track record of success. Last night, in his State of the Union address, President Obama said, "Still, I'm willing to look at other ideas to bring down [health care] costs, including one that Republicans suggested last year: medical malpractice reform to rein in frivolous lawsuits. The HCLA applauds the president for his leadership and support of medical liability reform, and stands ready to work with Congress and the Administration to pass federal legislation to stop medical lawsuit abuse," said HCLA Chair Mike Stinson. Full release

The Michigan Alliance for the National Children's Study (MANCS) today announced the launch of the National Children's Study (NCS) in Wayne County. Wayne County is the first of five Michigan counties to participate in what is the largest long-term study of children's health in the U.S. The study will document the effects of the social and physical environment on children's health from pregnancy to age 21. 100,000 families nationwide will participate in the study. Wayne County is one of 30 national vanguard sites selected to test various recruitment methods to enroll women who are pregnant, or considering becoming pregnant in the near future. Full release

Though the public remains divided on health reform overall, opposition to the new law ticked upward in January as Republicans ramped up efforts to repeal it, according to a new survey conducted by researchers from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. The survey also showed that there is no groundswell of public support for overturning the law, that many individual components of the legislation remain popular across the political spectrum and that a majority of Americans oppose the idea of lawmakers using the appropriations process to defund or slow down implementation of the law. Full release

The nation's largest union and professional association of registered nurses today launched an online advertising buy to promote a web video calling on President Obama to "stand up" to corporate interests and for the millions of voters who elected him, especially in the face of calls for him to undermine Social Security and Medicare as Tuesday's State of the Union approaches. The video, which can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/calnurses, includes footage from the president's hometown of Chicago, some of it filmed near his neighborhood. There is widespread speculation that the president may endorse some of the draconian recommendations the chairs of the deficit commission issued last month that included cuts the 160,000-member National Nurses United say would have "a devastating effect on retirement security for nurses and tens of millions of other Americans, especially in the heat of a persistent recession." Full release

A new multi-industry voluntary agreement announced today by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation brings together leading food manufacturers, group purchasing organizations and technology companies to help America's schools serve healthier meals at more affordable prices. As a result of these agreements, more than 30 million students across the country will have access to healthier school meals - including at least 14 million students who currently participate in the free and reduced lunch program. AdvancePierre Foods, Domino's Pizza, JTM Food Group, McCain Foods USA, Rich Products Corporation, Schwan's Food Service, Trident Seafoods, HPS, Premier healthcare alliance, Summa/Provista, Interflex, Dole Food Company, Inc., and the National Turkey Federation have joined the effort to combat childhood obesity by agreeing to increase the availability of products that can lead to healthy schools meals. Full release

As Congress considers national medical liability reform; the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) today said that the state of Texas is a model of reform for the nation. Responding to testimony provided Thursday at a U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary hearing, Dr. Sandra Schneider, president of ACEP said that the new law has drawn more emergency and critical care physicians to the state and improved patient safety. "Since the passage of reform in Texas, 799 emergency care physicians have moved to the state, including rural areas, giving more people access to medical care and increasing patient safety," said Dr. Sandra Schneider, president of the ACEP. "Since the passage of reforms, 26 Texas counties that had no emergency physicians now do." Full release

Roe v. Wade 38th Anniversary Statement of Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC): "On the 38th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, women's access to abortion services faces an unprecedented barrier. While the nation moves forward to expand health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act, women's reproductive health care is being bargained away by federal and state legislators working in tandem with Religious Right organizations. Their target is the removal of abortion coverage from the insurance exchanges, the insurance marketplaces being formed by individual states. With more than 80 percent of insurers now covering abortion, the potential loss of coverage in the exchanges will be significant and will affect women in both public and private insurance plans." Full release

Mercury, the main ingredient in "silver" or amalgam fillings, will be the subject of a United Nations conference to be held in Chiba, Japan on January 24-28. Members of various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as dentists and scientists from groups such as the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology (IAOMT), will be attending and urging a ban on products containing mercury, including dental amalgam. The deliberations serve as the second of five intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) meetings planned with the purpose of creating worldwide mercury regulations by 2013. These meetings are the result of an agreement made by the Governing Council of the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) in 2009, when it was deemed necessary to create global standards addressing risks related to mercury, a toxic element phased out of many consumer products but still used in dental amalgam fillings. Full release

Family Research Council praised bipartisan legislation introduced today by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) that would codify abortion funding restrictions across government programs. Also, Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) introduced legislation to remove abortion funding from the Obama health bill. Both bills are necessary given the actions of the previous Congress to fund abortion in health care, and in the District of Columbia. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins responded with the following comments: "Government funding for abortion is both morally and fiscally irresponsible, which is why more than two-thirds of Americans oppose such funding. Full release

As our country observes National Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in January, a growing number of public health experts are working to stamp out this preventable disease - state by state - once and for all. The Cervical Cancer-Free America (CCFA) initiative, led by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Gillings School of Global Public Health, announced today that six states have already joined its multi-state, multi-year effort to eliminate this disease by increasing vaccination and screening rates. CCFA also unveiled a new website (www.cervicalcancerfreeamerica.org), which features the largest clearinghouse of public health education materials ever compiled for cervical cancer prevention, and announced that it will host a national summit in Washington, DC, in May. Full release

Family Research Council (FRC) today praised the House of Representatives for overturning the abortion-funding health care law. A Quinnipiac University poll released last year found that more than two thirds of Americans (67 percent) oppose government funding of abortion as part of health care reform. According to a recent Gallup/USA Today survey, only 13 percent of Americans want the law to remain on the books as written. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins made the following statement about the repeal: "The American people, the House of Representatives and 26 states have sent a message that President Obama and the U.S. Senate would be unwise to ignore: 'Repeal' is the only response to the incompetence found throughout the health care takeover law. We applaud the House for recognizing that the Constitution does not empower the federal government to command American citizens to purchase health insurance. Full release

Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement regarding the House of Representatives' vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act: "The American people are looking to Washington for solutions to grow our economy and make America more competitive. Instead, Republicans in the House of Representatives have chosen to vote to repeal individuals' freedom, control and choice in health care decisions. Despite false and confusing rhetoric, the Affordable Care Act supports job growth. Since its passage, more than 1.1 million jobs have been created in the private sector. In fact, job growth has accelerated every quarter in 2010. The reforms included in the ACA will reduce the burden of health care costs on businesses, allowing them to be more competitive in the global market." Full release

Credit Suisse during its open enrollment benefits period was pleased to offer enhanced benefits to employees with domestic partners and their families in the United States. The Bank's new benefits are the result of a collaborative effort between Human Resources and the Credit Suisse Americas LGBT Open Employee Network to expand and improve coverage for its employees. Credit Suisse is one of the few financial services firms to publicly disclose such offerings. The enhancements are a significant development, especially for Credit Suisse's LGBT employees as they mirror the favorable tax treatment -- provided to opposite-sex married employees and their dependents under federal law -- that is not available to same-sex marriages. Full release

AARP CEO A. Barry Rand sent a letter to Members of Congress yesterday in advance of a scheduled vote on legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act. In his letter, Rand said, "While we respect that there are those who do not support the ACA, AARP opposes repeal because the new law includes many vital provisions important to older Americans and their children." AARP Idaho State Director Jim Wordelman said, "The law cracks down on discriminatory practices that allow insurers to charge exorbitant premiums simply based on a person's age. It stops insurance companies from canceling or pricing someone out of coverage if they get sick and from denying coverage based on a pre-existing condition. The law also makes insurance more affordable through tax breaks and health insurance 'exchanges,' caps out-of-pocket costs for individuals and families and helps Americans better plan for their long-term services needs by giving them new options for receiving more cost-effective care at home." Full release

Alcohol industry watchdog Marin Institute joined with Canadian and American researchers today to call attention to disturbing findings in a new study that should put the debate over privatizing alcohol sales in U.S. control states to rest once and for all. The study, published yesterday in the international journal Addiction, focused on the privatization of the British Columbia liquor market from 2003 to 2008 and found a startling proliferation in the number of private liquor outlets - over 40%. More disturbing was the 27.5% increase in alcohol-related deaths for every extra private liquor store per 1,000 people. The research was conducted by the University of Victoria's Center for Addictions Research and the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley, California. Full release

The National Council on Aging (NCOA), the leading nonprofit service and advocacy organization for older Americans, is urging the 112th Congress not to repeal the landmark Affordable Care Act (ACA). Already, the ACA is providing critical benefits for seniors and their families, including a 50% discount on brand-name prescription drugs in the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole" or coverage gap, a free annual wellness visit to help older adults develop a personal prevention plan, and full coverage of important preventive services such as diabetes tests and prostate cancer screenings. Full release

Calling "constructive engagement on health reform vital to our nation's future," the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) today launched its Health Project, led by former Senate Majority Leaders Tom Daschle and Bill Frist, and former Governor Ted Strickland. "We know there remains a great political divide over the future of the health care system, but the need for substantive discussions and cooperation has never been greater," said Senator Daschle. "An economically sustainable health system is in our collective interest, and I look forward to working with the states to help them lead the way with health reform. If the states succeed, we as a nation will make significant progress." The BPC will embark on a comprehensive review of the numerous challenges and opportunities confronting states as they deal with delivery, cost and coverage demands in their health systems. Full release

Children's Health Fund (CHF) today urged lawmakers to vote against the repeal of health care reform legislation, which would jeopardize the long-term health of millions of children across the nation. CHF estimates that more than 5 million children would lose the promise of insurance coverage under the new health care policy, if a full repeal is successful. In addition, repeal would end the promise of new health care access for the nearly 7 million children expected to benefit from expanded funding of community health centers, as well as for the 1.2 million young adults who are currently able to remain covered on their parents' health plans. "This unconscionable proposal to repeal the health care bill could not be worse news for children who desperately need access to health care," said CHF Co-founder and President Irwin Redlener, M.D. Full release

The title, tone, and substance of the Republican "JOB KILLER" Health Repeal Bill are "wrong in the wake of the Arizona tragedy," national Democratic strategist and former White House and congressional senior staff Robert Weiner said this morning in an interview on TV's "Fox and Friends." "It's wrong that the Republicans would use that tone and 'Job Killer' should be deleted from the title. There were 160 Republican amendments included in the health bill, mostly tax breaks for small businesses to help small businesses hire. The bill will create 300,000 jobs. It's impossible for them to attack the provisions actually in the bill — including no block for pre-existing conditions, seniors getting full drug coverage, keeping your children on your plan through age 26, lifetime coverage with no ceiling, and preventive care." Full release

Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center has partnered with producer Julie Woodley to present "In the Wildflowers" program, a 10-part DVD series aimed at educating and helping victims of childhood sexual abuse cope with their trauma as they heal in a safe and supportive environment. Woodley, a member of the national outreach team at Timberline Knolls, serves as the ministry outreach representative and works to touch as many people's lives as possible with the powerful and healing message offered in "In the Wildflowers" DVD series. "In the Wildflowers" is set is to spread its message throughout college campuses, beginning in Minnesota. Typically "In the Wildflowers" takes 10 weeks to fully experience, but the DVDs and accompanying curriculum were condensed into a one day and one night session for college-aged participants and will include a 3 1/2 day training session led by Woodley for those who want to learn how they can use "In the Wildflowers" to help others to heal. Full release

Hazelden, one of the world's largest and most respected alcohol and drug addiction nonprofit treatment centers, announced today the launch of its new Legal Professionals Program. This program, led by three attorney/clinicians, is specifically dedicated to helping legal professionals - lawyers, judges, legal assistants and others - overcome addiction. An estimated one in five legal professionals has an active addiction or substance abuse problem, which is nearly twice the rate of the general population, as well as that of physicians, pilots, or other licensed professionals. Legal professionals also suffer from depression at nearly three times the rate of other professionals. As mental health disorders commonly go hand-in-hand with addiction, these staggering statistics highlight the need for tailored treatment for legal professionals. Full release

A new universal carrier-screening test shows promise for accurately identifying a couple's risk of conceiving a child with any one of 448 devastating and fatal childhood genetic diseases, as described in a peer-reviewed paper published today in the journal, Science Translational Medicine. Developed by the National Center for Genome Resources (NCGR) with funding provided by The Beyond Batten Disease Foundation (BBDF), the test is expected to become commercially available in the third quarter of 2011, at a cost lower than any single test currently available for any single disease on the panel. "This represents an important milestone in reducing the number of children and families affected by these devastating illnesses," said Dr. Stephen F. Kingsmore, Chief Science Officer of the National Center for Genome Resources in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Full release

The University of Michigan's Monitoring the Future study (MTF) - the largest survey on teen drug abuse tracking over 46,000 8th, 10th and 12th graders - found a huge falloff in teens' recalled exposure to drug abuse prevention messages over the past seven years. The new data from the MTF study have been released at a time when teens themselves report finding the drug-prevention messages to be effective. Comparing 2003, the year in which kids and teens' recalled exposure to drug prevention messages from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)'s National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign (NYADMC) peaked, to today, the proportion of 8th graders that reported daily/or more often exposure dropped from 54 percent to 18 percent, a dramatic decrease of two-thirds among the youngest group surveyed. Full release

Teenagers who consume a lot of added sugars in soft drinks and foods may have poor cholesterol profiles — which may possibly lead to heart disease in adulthood, according to first-of-its-kind research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. "Added sugars" are any caloric sweeteners added to foods or beverages by the manufacturer during processing or the consumer. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of 2,157 teenagers (ages 12 to 18) found the average daily consumption of added sugars was 119 grams (28.3 tsp or 476 calories), accounting for 21.4 percent of their total energy. The American Heart Association recently recommended a specific upper limit for added sugars intake, based on the number of calories an individual needs throughout the day, according to their energy expenditure, sex and age. Full release

Mental Health America joins Americans in mourning the loss of those killed in Saturday's tragic and senseless attack and expressing our wishes for the full recovery of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and fellow citizens who were injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives and everyone who is affected by these horrific events. And we join in applauding the brave actions of individuals who prevented greater harm. It will likely take many days to understand the reasons and motivations behind this national tragedy. Many have pointed to mental health as an issue. Full release

According to a new study released today by the Society of Actuaries (SOA), the total economic cost of overweight (BMI between 25.0 - 29.9) and obesity (BMI of more than 30) in the U.S. and Canada reaches $300(1) billion per year, with 90 percent of the total - $270 billion - attributed to the U.S. While much research has been conducted on obesity, the SOA study looked at the economic costs of overweight and obesity caused by increased need for medical care, and loss of economic productivity resulting from excess mortality and disability. "We found substantial evidence that overweight and obesity are becoming world-wide epidemics, and are having negative impacts on health and mortality," said actuary Don Behan, FSA, FCA, MAAA and independent consulting actuary. Full release

Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) releases the following statement as the House prepares to take a vote on repealing healthcare: "The GOP continues to play to its base and ignoring the needs of the American people. Next week they will call for a vote to repeal healthcare reform - a vote they know is symbolic and stands no chance of making it to the President's desk. By calling it a jobs killing measure they fail to accurately present the facts which are exactly opposite to their argument. A careful examination of those facts shows in 2009, 4.7 million jobs were lost in the private sector compared to 12 straight months of private sector job growth in 2010. Since March 2010, and the enactment of healthcare reform, 1.1 million jobs have been created. Overall, 2010 saw the addition of 1.3 million jobs in the private sector." Full release

In testimony today before the Texas Health and Human Services Commission staff regarding proposed 2% rate cuts to Medicaid-funded nursing home care, the President of the Texas Health Care Association (THCA), Tim Graves, expressed concern the cuts just announced "are a prelude to the possibility of still more, much deeper cuts once the next Legislature begins writing a budget for the next biennium." Graves, evaluating the total funding picture, testified: "The proposed 2% Medicaid rate cuts - on top of last September's $25.6 million state Medicaid cuts and federal Medicare cuts of over $1.5 billion over ten years enacted as part of CMS actions and health care reform - places Texas' nursing home residents, their caregivers and the local communities in which they reside in clear and present danger." Full release

Every hour in the United States, about 40 children are born to teenage mothers. Americans consistently rate teen pregnancy as one of the top 10 biggest health problems for young people and the U.S. still has the highest teen birth rate among all industrialized countries -- despite decreases in the birth rate during the past 20 years. Births to teenage mothers are a health risk for those mothers and especially for their babies. To address this public health concern, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently expanded funding for programs to help prevent teen pregnancy. In a poll released today by the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health, the majority of U.S. adults say they strongly support innovative programs to discourage teen pregnancy, such as requiring teen mothers and fathers to perform community service related to child care. Full release

The American Optometric Association (AOA), representing America's family eye doctors (optometrists), says 3D in movies, TV and even 3D on Nintendo's 3DS isn't necessarily bad for adults or children. In fact, optometrists, professional health care providers committed to children's vision and eye health, say 3D viewing may actually help uncover subtle disorders that, left uncorrected, often result in learning difficulties. In this context, it is not enough to have 20/20 visual acuity. Eye muscles must be coordinated well enough to experience single, clear and comfortable vision by maintaining alignment of both eyes. The brain must also match appropriate accommodative or focusing power with where the eyes are aimed. Often, subtle problems with these vision skills can lead to rapid fatigue of the eyes and loss of 3D viewing, but also loss of place when reading or copying, reduced reading comprehension, poor grades and increased frustration at school. Difficulties with appreciating 3D in movies, TV and Nintendo's 3DS, or discomfort when engaging in these activities may be an important sign of undetected vision disorders. Full release

The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers, President of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: "As required by the bipartisan new law granting it authority over tobacco products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration today directed tobacco companies to disclose for the first time detailed information on any changes they make to tobacco products. We applaud the FDA for diligently implementing this important requirement of the new law. The agency has done exactly what the law requires. Until now, tobacco companies have been able to secretly change their products in ways that make them even more harmful, addictive or appealing to children, and no government agency has had the information or authority to do anything about it." Full release

America's Wire today released a story on the growing number of hospitals that are closing or moving out of minority neighborhoods, leaving huge voids in health care services, especially trauma treatment, for residents of these communities. Award-winning reporter, Marjorie Valbrun, reports that hospitals have closed or face closure in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, St. Louis, New York, Washington and parts of New Jersey. Detroit has lost more than 1,200 hospital beds since 1998 because of closures and has no public hospital. And the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has concluded that the closures have created considerable health care gaps for residents in these communities. "This problem has been escalating dramatically and is a consequence of a system where health care is a market commodity that is bought and sold by those who can afford it," Brian D. Smedley, vice president and director of the Health Policy Institute at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, says in the article. Full release

What are the top security and privacy issues facing the healthcare industry in 2011? A panel of healthcare experts representing privacy, trends, technology, regulatory, data breach, and governance were asked to weigh in with their forecasts for 2011. These experts suggest that as health information exchanges take form, millions of patient records—soon to be available as digital files—will lead to potential unauthorized access, violation of new data breach laws and, more importantly, exposure to the threat of medical and financial identity theft. These predictions are supported by the recent Ponemon Institute's Benchmark Study on Patient Privacy and Data Security, published November 2010, which found that data breaches of patient information cost the healthcare industry $6 billion annually; protecting patient data is a low priority for hospitals; and the healthcare industry lags behind the recently enacted HITECH laws. Full release

The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: "Star Scientific Inc.'s plan to submit a new, moist-snuff product for evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration as a "modified risk" tobacco product shows the vital importance of the new law giving the FDA the authority to regulate tobacco products and any health claims used to market them. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act requires the FDA to apply strict scientific scrutiny to the company's claims that these products have lower levels of certain carcinogens and the agency can block any claims that it determines do not benefit public health." Full release

When pregnant women need medications, there is often concern about possible effects on the fetus. Although some drugs are clearly recognized to cause birth defects (thalidomide being a notorious example), and others are generally recognized as safe, surprisingly little is known about most drugs' level of risk. Researchers in the Children's Hospital Boston Informatics Program (CHIP) have created a preclinical model for predicting a drug's teratogenicity (tendency to cause fetal malformations) based on characterizing the genes that it targets. The model, described in the March 2011 issue of Reproductive Toxicology (published online in November), used bioinformatics and public databases to profile 619 drugs already assigned to a pregnancy risk class, and whose target genes or proteins are known. Full release

As more women serve in the armed forces, the number of women veterans - currently about 2 million - will also grow. Yet only about 25 percent of that population is using the VA health-care system. The American Legion is launching a two-month, worldwide online survey Jan. 5 to find out why. "Conducting this kind of survey is very important to us," said Jimmie Foster, national commander of The American Legion. "After analyzing the data we've collected, the Legion will be better qualified to make specific recommendations for congressional appropriations, VA programs and facilities, and to increase public awareness of issues facing women veterans." Verna Jones, director of the Legion's division of veterans affairs and rehabilitation, added, "In order to strengthen our advocacy role, we need to conduct a comprehensive survey of women veterans about their experiences and attitudes concerning health care provided by VA, private practitioners, and other health-care providers." Full release

Today the Midwest Business Group on Health (MBGH) released the results of a recent national employer survey gauging the reactions and concerns related to health reform after the mid-term November elections. Conducted by MBGH and co-sponsored by the National Business Coalition on Health (NBCH), Business Insurance and Workforce Management, the findings indicate that employers believe the law will increase their benefit costs and changes are needed in the law to improve quality, reduce expenses and reward health system performance. This is a follow up of an MBGH survey conducted with Business Insurance in April 2010 to gain an understanding of areas of most concern to employers on health reform to help educate and inform purchasers. Full release

For the first time, universal standards to guide the content, language, format and appearance of prescription medication labels to reflect how patients read and understand medication instructions are being proposed on a national level. These labels can vary significantly from pharmacy to pharmacy, even though they are intended to convey critical information for the safe use of medications. The new standards, developed by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP)—the nonprofit scientific organization that sets FDA-enforceable standards for the quality, purity and strength of medicines in the United States—are the result of a broad effort led by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to improve health literacy in the United States by bringing together government, industry, associations and other groups to advance practical strategies that can be implemented to maximize patient comprehension of health information. The new USP standards are being proposed for a 90-day public comment period, during which the organization will accept feedback from healthcare professionals, consumers and all other interested parties. Full release

Taunted, harassed, and pushed to a deadly breaking point. Last year, stories of teen bullying brought to life the heartbreaking consequences of young lives cut short by ruthless and unchecked behavior. While recent media coverage of these violent acts has increased national awareness of bullying's deadly consequences, it has done little to stop it from happening. According to a new study from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, people fail to understand the consequences of social trauma felt by victims of bullying, teasing, and ostracism. This "empathy gap" can be devastating because it means victims often do not get the support, intervention or advocacy they need. Full release

The following is a statement of Matthew L. Myers, President, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids: "We believe that a federal judge was wrong on the law in striking down New York City's requirement that all businesses selling tobacco products post tobacco health warning signs. New York City acted lawfully to more effectively inform consumers about the health risks of tobacco use, and we urge the City to appeal. The judge ruled Wednesday that New York City's requirement is preempted by the Federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act, which restricts the authority of states to regulate tobacco advertising and promotion. However, this ruling fails to recognize that New York City established the signage requirement as part of its regulation of the sale - not the advertising or promotion - of tobacco products, which is permitted by federal law." Full release

The National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention today added three new task forces to address suicide prevention efforts within high-risk populations: American Indians/Alaska Natives (AI/AN); youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT); and military service members and veterans. This brings to six the number of task forces formed by the Action Alliance, the public-private partnership forged in September to advance the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention (NSSP) (http://www.actionallianceforsuicideprevention.org). Full release

Surrounded by her meager possessions, Deliverance "Tite Soeur" Boislo struggles to get through her daily chores in the bare two-roomed concrete shell that has been home to her family for the past 10 months. It is located in Cite l'Eternel, which despite the inspiring name, is one of the poorest neighborhoods of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince. Even before the earthquake it was one of the city's most populated neighborhoods, a situation that has only been made worse since the disaster as thousands of homeless families like Deliverance's have flooded into the area putting up makeshift shelters. Like much of the capital, Cite l'Eternel has no running water or sanitation facilities. These conditions are of great concern given the cholera epidemic now ravaging Haiti and one reason why neighborhoods like this have been targeted by UNICEF in their cholera prevention campaigns.

See video from UNICEF at:

http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Releases/StoryDetailPage.aspx?GUID=110eda5e-0099-4d92-b273-8b367af6034d#

Full release

The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, expected to be signed into law shortly by President Barack Obama, will set the bar higher for food manufacturers, processors and importers, as well as retailers of private label products, according to attorney Janice Lai, a partner in LeClairRyan's Hartford office. Among other things, the legislation is aimed at giving the Food and Drug Administration the power to mandate food recalls involving fruit and vegetable products, while setting new food safety standards for manufacturers and food processors, and requiring the industry to better track shipments. "This is positive legislation that balances the interests of both the consumer and food manufacturer," says Lai, an experienced litigator who focuses her practice on product liability, food litigation insurance defense, and complex civil litigation. "The bill ensures that contaminated foods, as well as those containing unwholesome or adulterated ingredients, do not reach consumers and grocery shelves." Full release

If it seems like it's harder to roll out of bed every morning when the temperature drops and sunrise comes later, you're not imagining things - and you're not alone. Whether chronic fatigue, Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or an old-fashioned case of the seasonal blues, many people experience fatigue when seasons change and the weather cools. The six out of 100 Americans who suffer from SAD and the 50 percent of adults that report feeling chronically tired during the winter can get relief simply by supporting and boosting the immune system naturally. Full release

The American Council on Exercise (ACE), America's leading authority on fitness and the largest nonprofit fitness certification, education and training organization in the world, today announced the launch of its My Body, My Life Essay Contest on January 4, 2011, designed to uncover and share motivating stories of perseverance, hope and compassion behind people's desire to live at a healthier weight. This contest is a consumer initiative in conjunction with ACE's national campaign against the obesity epidemic. "Through My Body, My Life, we want to remind the public that weight loss is more than just a number on a scale or fitting into a pair of pants—it's about health, well-being and quality of life," said Scott Goudeseune, American Council on Exercise President and CEO. Full release

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