| November 17, 2009 | Faster News for FasterCures |
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- FDA chief working to speed drug reviews
FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said the agency is hiring more staff, leveraging science and working on other means to speed up drug-approval reviews. "We are working on some important issues that will benefit industry and benefit the ultimate outcome of our regulatory procedures, including making sure we have a robust internal review process," she said. Reuters
(11/12)      
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Partnering for Cures
Join those on the front lines in the fight against disease in a first-of-its-kind meeting -- Partnering for Cures -- convened by FasterCures, the Washington, D.C.-based center of the Milken Institute. The meeting will bring together three separate and distinct pieces of the cure puzzle: research organizations with innovative medical approaches, biopharmaceutical companies that develop cures and philanthropists who fund the search. Register now.
- 7 top technologies to watch in 2010
Electronic medical records and genetic testing are at the top of ECRI Institute's recently released list of technologies to watch in 2010. The list could help health plan executives decide which technologies they should prioritize, the institute said. Healthcare IT News
(11/16)
- Gene mutations tied to increased risk of Parkinson's
An international group of scientists found that variations in the alpha-synuclein gene and tau, a microtubule-linked protein, appear to increase the risk of Parkinson's disease. "We hope this new understanding will one day provide us with strategies to delay, or even prevent, the development of Parkinson's disease," said one of the leaders of the study. Yahoo!/HealthDay News
(11/15)
- Pharma takes holistic approach to streamline drug development
Drug companies and researchers are taking a holistic approach to streamline their work and foster innovation, tackling all stages of development. Merck's chief strategy officer Mervyn Turner said the trial-and-error method is not sustainable. "We invest far too long in bad ideas," Turner said. "It is really important to stop that at an earlier stage in the cycle." NYTimes.com
(11/14)
- Opinion: Europe could beat U.S. in biopharma innovation
Europe could overthrow the U.S. as a leader in the biotech-drug industry if U.S. lawmakers decide to shorten market exclusivity for brand-name biopharmaceuticals under the health reform legislation, writes Benedetto Della Vedova, former member of the European Parliament. A proposal to provide five to seven years of protection would stifle innovation and diminish the chance of U.S. companies to be globally competitive, giving way for European firms to create the next generation of biologic drugs, Della Vedova writes. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(11/12)
- GINA law set to take effect Nov. 21
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act, which prohibits employers and health insurers from using an individual's genetic background in making employment and coverage decisions, is set to take effect Saturday. "The message to employees is they should now be able to get whatever genetic counseling or testing they need and be less fearful about doing so," said Peggy Mastroianni, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's associate legal counsel. NYTimes.com
(11/15)
- Blumenthal discusses HITECH Act, HIE grants
A key aspect of the HITECH Act is for information to follow the patient, and "artificial obstacles -- technical, business related, bureaucratic -- should not get in the way," said David Blumenthal, national health IT coordinator. Blumenthal said his office this winter will start awarding $564 million in grants to help states establish health information exchanges. Government Health IT magazine
(11/2009)
- Some patients use Internet to share medical information
About 20% of people looking for health information online use the Internet to connect with other patients and medical experts, says Susannah Fox, with the Pew Internet and American Life Project. "They are posting their first-person accounts of treatments and side effects from medications. ... They are part of the conversation. And that, I think, is an indicator of where we could be going in terms of the future of participatory medicine," Fox said. National Public Radio (text and audio)
(11/16)
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| FasterCures / The Center for Accelerating Medical Solutions is a nonprofit think tank and catalyst for action that works across sectors and diseases to improve the effectiveness
and efficiency of the medical research enterprise. FasterCures, a center of the Milken Institute, is nonpartisan and independent of interest groups.
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| | Recent FasterCures SmartBrief issues:
- Thursday, November 12, 2009
- Tuesday, November 10, 2009
- Thursday, November 05, 2009
- Tuesday, November 03, 2009
- Thursday, October 29, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Ashley McMaster
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