Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about healthcare.
Censorship in science: The case of H5N1 bird flu. When a panel of biosecurity experts advised U.S. regulators to ask researchers not to publish information on how the H5N1 bird flu virus could be more transmissible, they also opened up a can of worms in science ethics.
Now researchers fear it will be harder to publish research on influenza viruses, and some are suggesting the government is censoring science and impeding academic freedom. Throughout history, governments have tried to keep scientific information secret in cryptography, physics, nuclear science and biology — but what will its effects be on virology?
Second CFS study pulled. A second controversial study linking a mouse leukemia retrovirus to chronic fatigue syndrome was retracted on Monday, following a similar study published in August 2010 that was retracted last week. Authors cited other labs’ failure to find similar associations and their own failure to isolate the virus and find integration sites on humans. The N.I.H. is continuing a large-scale study expected to be completed in March.
And the best Big Pharma of the year goes to… Forbes is naming Bristol-Myers Squibb the winner of all things Big Pharma in 2011. Its shares jumped 32 percent and have shown steady, long-term gains over several years. It saw approval of its metastatic melanoma drug Yervoy and is awaiting approval of its blood thinner Eliquis.
Weight loss apps v. devices. It’s almost January, the month when everyone becomes a fitness enthusiast. There are plenty of health and wellness apps and devices that can help, but which form of mobile health technology will emerge the winner in helping consumers drop holiday pounds?
The forecast for R&D spending in 2012. R&D spending in 2012 won’t get much of a boost, according to a forecast from Battelle and R&D Magazine. Spending will grow 2.1 percent next year, or remain relatively flat when inflation is considered.
