Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about healthcare.
To save or to innovate? A four-year analysis of 10-K SEC filings of publicly traded NASDAQ Biotechnology Index companies shows how some of the most successful biotechnology companies survived the Great Recession. One popular strategy was cutting back on R&D spending to keep a stable stash of cash. Companies also increased collaboration with pharmaceutical companies and were more selective in their choice of programs. But have these cutbacks hurt innovation in the biotechnology field? The apparent answer is no; biotech companies still achieved growth in revenue.
Another step in cancer research. Researchers in Europe have identified a protein called JAK, activated during the metastasis process, that makes cancer cells contract like muscles, allowing them to move into smaller spaces and spread more easily. The researchers say targeting this protein could help stop the metastasis process, which accounts for about 90 percent of cancer deaths.
A question of stents. A new study in Circulation calls into question the necessity of drug-eluding stents in place of bare metal stents in clinical practice. In data from 10,144 patients, the use of drug-eluding stents decreased from 2004 to 2007, but death rates did not change, and cardiovascular costs per patient decreased $400.
Prescription drug deaths still on the rise in Fla. Deaths from prescription drugs in Florida increased almost 9 percent last year even despite officials’ efforts to crack down on illegal distribution and provide more drug education. A new state law passed in June penalizes doctors who overprescribe painkillers and tightens rules for pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies in Florida, a leading source for the illicit purchase of prescription drugs.
When docs mess up… Medical errors happen, and some doctors have taken to sharing their stories in an effort to help others seek support for the emotional impact of these mistakes.
