Archive for June 29th, 2009

Bernard Madoff gets maximum 150 years in prison (AP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AP – Historic swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison Monday for a fraud so extensive that the judge said he needed to send a symbolic message to potential imitators and to victims who demanded harsh punishment.

FDA weighs options to reduce painkiller overdoses (AP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AP – The makers of Tylenol, Excedrin and other medications are trying to dissuade regulators from placing new restrictions on their popular painkillers, including possibly removing some of them from store shelves.

Denmark finds 1st case of H1N1 resistance to Tamiflu (Reuters)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Reuters – Scientists have established the first case of the new H1N1 influenza strain showing resistance to Tamiflu, the main antiviral flu drug, Danish officials and the manufacturer said on Monday.

Top court won’t review prescription privacy law (Reuters)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Reuters – The U.S. Supreme Court declined on Monday to hear an appeal by two publishers of health-care information arguing that data mining for commercial purposes is protected by free-speech rights.

Biogen reports 10th case of PML brain infection (Reuters)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

Reuters – A 10th patient taking Biogen Idec Inc’s Tysabri has developed a potentially deadly brain infection since the multiple sclerosis drug was reintroduced to the market in July 2006, sending the company’s shares down nearly 7 percent.

Cigarette smuggling finances ‘terrorist’ groups: campaigners (AFP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AFP – Cigarette and tobacco smuggling is financing militant or extremist groups such as the Pakistani Taliban and sapping about 40 billion dollars a year from government budgets, campaigners said Monday.

Hi-tech ‘Trojan horse’ can kill cancer cells: researchers (AFP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AFP – Australian researchers are set to begin human trials of a tiny nano-cell that acts as a “Trojan horse” against cancer cells, a breakthrough they say may curb the need for debilitating chemotherapy.

Swine flu fears hit Wimbledon as toll hits 70,000 (AFP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AFP – Swine flu fears hit the Wimbledon tennis championships on Monday as WHO figures showed global cases leaping past 70,000 while Australian researchers said a vaccine could be ready in months.

Asia’s one-woman anti-tobacco campaign still going strong (AFP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AFP – For most of the past 25 years, Hong Kong-based, British-born doctor Judith Mackay has been the tobacco control movement in Asia.

Hong Kong workers fume over smoking ban (AFP)

Monday, June 29th, 2009

AFP – Chris Cheung?s Hong Kong mahjong parlour is notable for two things: the incessant clatter of playing tiles and the thick fog of cigarette smoke shrouding the stony-faced gamblers.