Health News

Analysis: Hospital investors sold on U.S. health reform despite bumps

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CHICAGO - Shares of U.S. hospital operators have been on a tear this year, on average posting triple the gains of the broader stock market, as investors tallied up the benefits of President Barack Obama's healthcare reform.

U.S. doctor group votes to recognize obesity as a disease

CHICAGO - In order to fight what it described as an "obesity epidemic," the American Medical Association voted on Tuesday to recognize obesity as a disease and recommended a number of measures to fight it.

2:10pm EDT

Niche drugmaker ViroPharma attracts takeover interest: sources

NEW YORK - ViroPharma Inc, a drug maker specializing in rare diseases, is attracting preliminary acquisition interest from several pharmaceutical companies, according to three people familiar with the matter.

11:52am EDT

Prostate cancer treatment tied to hernia risk

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Prostate removal or radiation therapy to treat cancer is tied to two- to four-fold higher than usual risk of later having a hernia repaired, according to a new study.

3:57pm EDT

New 'Obamacare' exchanges could miss enrollment deadline - GAO

- New health insurance exchanges being set up by the federal government in more than 30 states under President Barack Obama's 2010 healthcare overhaul could miss an October 1 deadline for open enrollment, a government report said on Wednesday.

Politics, U.S., 3:07pm EDT

Cervical cancer vaccines cut rates of HPV infections: U.S

CHICAGO - The U.S. introduction of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in 2006 has reduced infections with the human papillomavirus or HPV - the sexually transmitted virus that causes the disease - by more than half among girls and young women, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.

1:06pm EDT

Exclusive - Forest keen to bid for Irish drugmaker Elan - sources

NEW YORK - Forest Laboratories Inc, the specialty drugmaker that counts investor Carl Icahn as a major shareholder, is among a handful of companies interested in bidding for Irish drugmaker Elan Corp, two people familiar with the situation said.

AstraZeneca turnaround is 3-4 year journey, says CEO

LONDON - Turning around drugmaker AstraZeneca will be a long haul, with a strategy of revamping research and boosting acquisitions set to take up to four years to pay off, its chief executive said on Tuesday.

18 Jun 2013

EU fines Lundbeck and others 146 million euros for blocking rival drugs

BRUSSELS - European antitrust regulators fined nine drugmakers, including Denmark's Lundbeck, a total of 146 million euros ($195 million) for blocking the supply of a cheaper anti-depressant to the market, the first EU sanction against such deals.

8:26am EDT

New Hampshire nears approval of medical marijuana law

LITTLETON, New Hampshire - New Hampshire is set to become the final state in New England to allow medical marijuana after negotiators from the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic-controlled House agreed Tuesday on a bill backed by Governor Maggie Hassan.

U.S., 10:36am EDT