Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 4, 2014.  Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) applauded the passage of H.R. 647, Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act in the House of Representatives. The bipartisan legislation was introduced by Congressman Ander Crenshaw (R-FL) and is cosponsored by Congresswoman Duckworth. The ABLE Act will allow Americans living with[Read More…]

Researchers call for more prescriber education – NIH-funded study Bethesda, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–December 4, 2014.  Many patients with first-episode psychosis receive medications that do not comply with recommended guidelines for first-episode treatment , researchers have found. Current guidelines emphasize low doses of antipsychotic drugs and strategies for minimizing the side effects that[Read More…]

NIH-funded scientists take first step towards developing promising new drug Bethesda, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–December 4, 2014.  Injections of a new drug may partially relieve paralyzing spinal cord injuries, based on indications from a study in rats, which was partly funded by the National Institutes of Health. The results demonstrate how fundamental laboratory[Read More…]

Bureau of Labor Statistics reports steady decline in workplace injuries and illnesses WASHINGTON —(ENEWSPF)—December 4, 2014. Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health, today issued the following statement on the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2013 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses: “Today we[Read More…]

First anti-CD19 drug to receive agency approval Silver Spring, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2014.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Blincyto (blinatumomab) to treat patients with Philadelphia chromosome-negative precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-cell ALL), an uncommon form of ALL. Precursor B-cell ALL is a rapidly growing type of cancer[Read More…]

NEW YORK—(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2014.  A United States government program meant to reward pharmaceutical companies for investing in research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases, and which will soon include Ebola on its list of eligible diseases, is enriching drug companies without ensuring that patients, treatment providers, or governments have access[Read More…]

WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2014 – The Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee held a hearing today on exorbitant  prices charged by drugmakers for new treatments for hepatitis C, a liver disease that claims about 15,000 lives a year in the United States. Gilead, the leading manufacturer of the drugs, refused to testify at[Read More…]

Silver Spring, Maryland–(ENEWSPF)–December 3, 2014. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration published a final rule today that sets standards for how information about using medicines during pregnancy and breastfeeding is presented in the labeling of prescription drugs and biological products. The new content and formatting requirements will provide a more[Read More…]

DENVER –-(ENEWSPF)–December 2, 2014.  The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Colorado filed a lawsuit yesterday on behalf of Ashley Provino, a Grand Junction, Colo. woman who was fired from her job, in violation of state and federal anti-discrimination laws, for asserting her right to pump breast milk at work.[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–December 2, 2014.  The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to screening procedures, travel restrictions, and reduced aviation transportation options in response to the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Mali. This Travel Alert will expire on June 2, 2015. Due to an outbreak[Read More…]