MedWorm: Obama

House speaker vows to stop Obama contraceptive rule

Reuters: Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:28:08 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner on Wednesday denounced President Barack Obama's new rule on contraceptives as an assault on "religious freedom" and vowed to stop it. (Source: Reuters: Health)

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Boehner Vows to Fight Contraception Rule

NYT Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:25:37 +0100

The speaker said House Republicans would push to change the administration’s rule that religious institutions must offer insurance plans that cover birth control. (Source: NYT Health)

House Speaker Boehner vows to stop Obama contraceptive rule

Reuters: Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:18:18 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's new rule on contraceptives is an attack on religious freedom and Congress will act if necessary to stop it, House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said on Wednesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Obama Addresses Ire on Health Insurance Contraception Rule

NYT — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 06:15:01 +0100

Facing criticism from religious-affiliated institutions, the Obama administration promised on Tuesday to explore ways to make a new health insurance requirement more flexible. (Source: NYT)

Obama increases Alzheimer's funding

Health News - UPI.com — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:47:45 +0100

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 (UPI) -- The Obama administration officials said Tuesday in Washington it is immediately allocating an additional $50 million for cutting-edge Alzheimer's research. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

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White House defends contraception rules as criticism mounts

Reuters: Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:50:55 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is willing to work with Catholic universities, hospitals and other church-affiliated employers to implement a new policy that requires health insurers to offer birth control coverage, a top adviser to the president's re-election campaign said on Tuesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Obama Seeks Deal on Birth Control

WSJ.com: Health — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:32:10 +0100

The White House is looking for a way to address the concerns of religious leaders upset by President Obama's decision to require religious employers to cover contraceptives in employee health plans. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Gingrich rally draws hundreds downtown

bizjournals.com Health Care:Physician Practices headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:10:58 +0100

Mitt Romney may raise more money, but Newt Gingrich told supporters in Dayton that he’s a stronger conservative candidate with more “people” power to attract voters to the polls. Gingrich was greeted by hundreds of supporters Tuesday afternoon who packed the front lobby of Memorial Hall downtown. The stop was one of three in Ohio he was schedule to make during the day. Gingrich also took a jab at President Barack Obama for touting the recent drop in unemployment, citing the large numbers of people no longer looking for work but not including in the statistic... (Source: bizjournals.com Health Care:Physician Practices headlines)

White House defends contraception rules as criticisms mount

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:49:42 +0100

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Obama boosts funds for Alzheimer's research

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:42:33 +0100

(Reuters) - The Obama administration plans to spend an additional $156 million over the next two years to help find an effective treatment for Alzheimer's, a fatal brain-wasting disease that affects more than 5 million Americans. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Alzheimer's research in U.S. gets extra $50 million in funding

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:33:11 +0100

Obama administration wants an effective treatment for the disease developed by 2025 (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Obama Plans To Combat Alzheimer's

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:00:00 +0100

A statement released by The Obama Administration claims there are going to be new measures taken against battling Alzheimer's disease. One of these efforts includes a $50 million increase in the amount of money that will be used towards new, advanced research. Also, the administration says their Fiscal Year 2013 budget will increase by $80 million for Alzheimer's exploration. The announcement adds that a $26 million increase will be made in terms of provider education, public awareness, advances in data infrastructure, and care-giver support... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

All Sides Agree: Tax Law Doesn't Apply to ACA

MedPage Today Public Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:43:20 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The Obama administration and plaintiffs suing the federal government over the Affordable Care Act at least see eye-to-eye on one thing: A federal tax law shouldn't bar the Supreme Court from ruling on case. (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)

White House says open to compromise over contraception

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:30:16 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration is willing to work with Catholic universities and hospitals in implementing new rules that require health insurance to cover birth control, a top adviser to the president's re-election campaign said on Tuesday. (Source: Reuters: Health)

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Obama Administration Makes Greater Investment in Alzheimer's Obama Administration Makes Greater Investment in Alzheimer's

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:54:24 +0100

The US government today announced a commitment of $156 million over the course of the next 2 years to fight Alzheimer's disease. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

White House proposes raise for Alzheimer's research

CTV Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:41:37 +0100

The Obama administration is increasing spending on Alzheimer's research -- planning to surpass half a billion dollars next year -- as part of a quest to find effective treatments for the brain-destroying disease by 2025. (Source: CTV Health)

Obama administration to spend $50 million more immediately

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:29:51 +0100

(Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Tuesday it plans to spend an additional $50 million this year and will seek an extra $80 million in fiscal 2013 to bolster research for Alzheimer's disease, a fatal brain-wasting condition that affects more than 5 million Americans. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Catholics want birth control coverage: Survey

USATODAY.com Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:16:00 +0100

Pundits, bishops say Obama's contraception option for insurance plans will repell Catholic voters. Catholics disagree, new surveys find. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

Surveys: Catholics want birth control coverage

USATODAY.com Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:16:00 +0100

Pundits, bishops say Obama's contraception option for insurance plans will offend Catholic voters. Catholics disagree, new surveys find. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

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Obama to boost Alzheimer's research funding

CNN.com - Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:06:11 +0100

The Obama administration will push for a $156 million increase in funding for Alzheimer's research over the next two years, the Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

Obama administration to spend $50 million more on Alzheimer's

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:24:06 +0100

(Reuters) - The Obama administration said on Tuesday it will spend an additional $50 million immediately to bolster research for Alzheimer's, a fatal, brain-wasting disease that affects 5 million Americans. (Source: Reuters: Health)

White House open to compromise over contraception: adviser

Reuters: Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:22:46 +0100

Top Obama adviser defends divisive birth control rule

CTV Health — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 14:44:51 +0100

A political adviser to President Barack Obama said Tuesday the administration didn't intend to "abridge anyone's religious freedom" with its regulation requiring church-affiliated employers to cover birth control for their workers. (Source: CTV Health)

Birth-control fight unlikely to hurt Obama, his strategists say

Los Angeles Times - Science — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Democratic strategists think that most U.S. Catholic women believe birth control should be available and that people who oppose Obama because of a new rule for employers would not vote for him anyway.Even as angry Catholic leaders vow to fight a new federal requirement that most employers include contraceptives in their health insurance coverage, the Obama administration believes any political damage will be limited because it's on the side of women's rights. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

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ACLU sues Obama over drone killings of U.S. citizens

NaturalNews.com — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

You may remember that lawyers for the Obama administration have advised the president that using drones to target and kill American citizens without a trial is perfectly legal. If you were outraged by this so-called legal opinion and convinced it was made without any... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

First lady's push-ups raise fitness bar

USATODAY.com Health — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 23:15:54 +0100

Michelle Obama and Ellen DeGeneres put on an impressive push-up demonstration -- setting a great example for other women their age. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

White House Begins to Map Course toward Bio-Based Economy

Washington Watch — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 19:26:34 +0100

Politicians and pundits clogged the airwaves last year with rhetoric about the state of the nation's economy. Amid this noise, a few economic policy initiatives did begin to take shape. For instance, last fall, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a request for comments on a draft policy to stimulate the bioeconomy. Scientists have long asserted that research is an investment that yields economic prosperity. A growing number of scientists and engineers have more recently advised that the biological sciences are poised to inspire transformative discoveries that can solve persistent problems while stimulating new economic opportunities. Indeed, in 2009, the National Research Council (NRC) released a 112-page report, A New Biology for the 21st Century: Ensuri...

Michelle Obama to Tour Little Rock Air Force Base

Arkansas Business - Health Care — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:41:04 +0100

The White House says first lady Michelle Obama will visit the Little Rock Air Force Base next week to promote the second anniversary of her "Let's Move!" initiative geared at reducing childhood obesity. (Source: Arkansas Business - Health Care)

Memo Reveals Obama Thinking on Malpractice

MedPage Today Public Health — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:54:33 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- A memo from two White House aides to President Obama reveals the administration's thinking on medical malpractice reform and its role in passage of the Affordable Care Act. (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)

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U.S. religious groups outraged over law on contraception

CTV Health — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:51:19 +0100

The Obama administration's decision requiring church-affiliated employers to cover birth control was bound to cause an uproar among Roman Catholics and members of other faiths, no matter their beliefs on contraception. (Source: CTV Health)

Molecules to Medicine: Plan B: The Tradition of Politics at the FDA

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:39:00 +0100

Morning After The Morning's Trash In my last post , I focused on flaws in the medical device approval process. The Union of Concerned Scientists FDA at a Crossroads meeting also covered problems with drug approval. This is perhaps no better illustrated than by the disappointing decision by Secretary of Health Kathleen Sebelius to deny the emergency contraceptive, Plan B, over-the-counter status for women under the age of 17 . This was a particular disappointment to many because President Obama had promised that decisions at the FDA would be made based on science, rather than politics. Some of us, naively, hoped that change we can believe in was real, having forgotten that the Tooth Fairy wasn t. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Health Insurance Stocks For a Republican Win

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:16:03 +0100

Investors busy assessing how the state of the global economy will affect their stock portfolios should start thinking about how the presidential race will weigh in. In particular, investors may want to look at how to play the health insurance space. Health care remains a subject of divide between the two parties, with Republicans trying to repeal Obama's nationwide health care reform since 2010. And, while it is unlikely they can overturn the entire law, they can certainly chip away at parts of it. Related Links (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

Obama's economic policies have created a nation of jobless citizens dependent on government handouts

NaturalNews.com — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

It's no secret that the U.S. national debt is poised to increase by more than $6 trillion during President Obama's first four years in office. All of this additional spending, he has often said, was needed to "stimulate the economy", curtail unemployment and get Americans... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

The Truth About Contraception, Obamacare And The Church

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 01:45:58 +0100

Image by AFP/Getty Images via @daylife Much has been misunderstood about what the Affordable Care Act requires when it comes to religious institutions and contraception. Recently, the Catholic Church lashed out at the Obama Administration, including HSS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, for handing down regulations that fail to exempt certain operations of the (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

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Heat from Farmers Results in Rethinking of Youth Labor Limits

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Washington Times, (DC) article reports that bowing to an angry backlash from agriculture groups and family farmers across the country, the Obama administration Wednesday said it would scale back proposed new rules that would have sharply limited the amount of work young people can do on farms. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

Obama Administration Announces Pilot Program to Help Rural Borrowers Refinance Mortgages, Get Lower Interest Rates

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a pilot program to help rural borrowers refinance their mortgages to reduce their monthly payments. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

Repealing the CLASS Act

Forbes.com Health News — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:14:16 +0100

The first part of the health reform law to fall was not struck down by the Supreme Court, blocked by state governments, or defunded by Congress ? it was struck down by the Obama Administration itself, which stated that the program could not be implemented as passed, and therefore would simply be ignored. The Community ... (Source: Forbes.com Health News)

First lady to promote healthy food in Calif.

USATODAY.com Health — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:57:44 +0100

First lady Michelle Obama visits the future Northgate Gonzalez Market to showcase efforts made to for grocers in low-income neighborhoods. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

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Pfizer EVP Among Obama 'Top Money Bundlers'

Drugs.com - Pharma News — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:51:18 +0100

Obama releases list of top money 'bundlers' From Associated Press (February 1, 2012) WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama's re-election campaign identified its top fundraisers on Tuesday, including 61 people who each raised at least half a million... (Source: Drugs.com - Pharma News)

Congressional Research Service: Courts Could Force HHS to Implement CLASS Act, Despite Its Insolvency

Forbes.com Health News — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:31 +0100

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 1173, the Fiscal Responsibility and Retirement Security Act of 2011, sponsored by Rep. Charles Boustany (R., La.). This two-page bill would repeal the fiscal disaster known as the CLASS Act, Obamacare's new long-term care entitlement, which was "suspended" by the Obama Administration because Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius could not certify that the entitlement was fiscally sustainable. Why, you might ask, should Congress bother to repeal CLASS, given that Sebelius has suspended its implementation? Because, according to the Congressional Research Service, courts could force her to implement the new entitlement, despite the fact that it will blow up the deficit. (Source: Forbes.com Health News)

Guest Post: Why Obama Rejected Keystone XL

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0100

Keystone XL should be approved. It is an economic, geopolicitcal, and even an environmental no-brainer, but it was still rejected. Why? Many are claiming that President Obama was swayed by the protestors outside the White House, or by environmental groups, or that he just hates oil and doesn t want to create jobs. As an oil engineer that has worked in the Obama White House, I can tell you that none of these reasons are true.So why was Keystone XL rejected? [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

First Lady to Promote Healthy Food in Calif.

RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0100

First lady Michelle Obama [will visit] the site of a future Northgate Gonzalez Market in Inglewood on Wednesday to showcase efforts being made to draw grocers to low-income neighborhoods. Obama, who is on the second day of her two-day visit to the Los Angeles area, is making the stop as part of her "Let's Move!" campaign to boost healthy food and fitness. Part of the campaign includes promoting initiatives such as the new $264 million California FreshWorks Fund, which finances grocery businesses in areas underserved by traditional supermarkets. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity)

Military Proposes Budget Cuts, Protects Research Programs

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:37:03 +0100

The Department of Defense has released a blueprint for how it would reduce its spending by $259 billion over the next five years. The reductions would bring the department’s budget in line with the spending caps mandated by last year’s deficit reduction agreement. At a press conference to announce the plan, the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff defended the proposal as a carefully crafted, balanced package. Secretary Panetta noted, “while some programs are eliminated or delayed, others are increased. The budget looks to re-shape the military to be more agile, quick and flexible that incorporates the lessons learned in 10 years of war.” The proposed budget for fiscal year (FY) 2013 would be one percent less than current spending; th...

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Opportunity: Thank President Obama for Highlighting Science in the State of the Union

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:37:03 +0100

On 24 January, President Obama delivered his third State of the Union address. In the speech, the President called on Congress to sustain investments in science: “Innovation also demands basic research. Today, the discoveries taking place in our federally-financed labs and universities could lead to new treatments that kill cancer cells but leave healthy ones untouched. New lightweight vests for cops and soldiers that can stop any bullet. Don’t gut these investments in our budget. Don’t let other countries win the race for the future. Support the same kind of research and innovation that led to the computer chip and the Internet; to new American jobs and new American industries.” Please write to President Obama today to thank him for highlighting the benefits of a...

Learn about the Political Highs and Lows for Science in 2011

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:37:03 +0100

Now that 2011 is in the books, it is worth pausing briefly to consider some of the year’s notable science policy developments at the White House, in the Capitol, and across the nation. Among the highlights: Congress nearly shutdown the federal government in April by failing to reach a compromise on fiscal year 2011 spending. A last minute spending deal cut budgets for nearly all federal science programs. President Obama signed into law a reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act. Federal agencies developed policies to ensure scientific integrity. In July, a federal judge dismissed a case brought against the federal government that had previously halted federally funded research involving human embryonic stem cells. Dr. John C. Wingfield was named the new Assistant Director for N...

Public Input Sought on Draft National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy

Public Policy Reports — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:37:03 +0100

The Obama Administration is working to develop a national strategy to respond to the impacts of climate change on our nation’s natural resources. The draft National Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy has been developed with input by federal, state, and tribal organizations and seeks to provide “a unified approach—reflecting shared principles and science-based practices—for reducing the negative impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, plants, and the natural systems upon which they depend.” The strategy is unique in that it aims to be national in scope, not just a federal framework for cooperative climate response. A series of online public workshops will be held in January and February to educate the public about the draft strategy a...

Catholic Church Blasts HHS Birth Control Rule

MedPage Today Campaign '08 — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:57:14 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The Catholic Church is protesting an Obama administration rule that requires nearly all employers -- even Catholic ones -- who provide insurance to their employees to include coverage of birth control services. (Source: MedPage Today Campaign '08)

Contraceptive mandate could face tough sledding in Supreme Court

Los Angeles Times - Science — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:44:00 +0100

The healthcare law's mandate to require religious-affiliated employers to pay for contraception for their workers has prompted two lawsuits. If the matter gets to the Supreme Court, it will go before justices who recently affirmed — in a 9-0 ruling — that the 1st Amendment gives special leeway to religious employers.The Supreme Court and the Obama administration, already headed for a face-off in March over the constitutionality of the healthcare law, appear to be on another collision course over whether church-run schools, universities, hospitals and charities must provide free contraceptives to their students and employees. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

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Political Science | Women and Faith: Law Fuels Contraception Controversy on Catholic Campuses

NYT — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 19:00:58 +0100

Many Catholic colleges are pushing back against a ruling by the Obama administration that the new health care law requires insurance plans at Catholic institutions to cover birth control. (Source: NYT)

The Florida Republican primary: a basket case of sick puppies | Carl Hiaasen

Guardian Unlimited Science — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 14:07:10 +0100

This article was first published by the Miami Herald, and is reproduced by permissionFloridaRepublican presidential nomination 2012RepublicansBarack ObamaNewt GingrichMitt RomneyUS politicsUnited StatesCubaFidel CastroNasaUS economyCarl Hiaasenguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)

Political Science | Women and Faith: Law Fuels Contraception Controversy on Catholic Campuses

NYT Health — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:32:06 +0100

Food Industry Urges Obama Administration to Reject Food Safety Fees

RWJF News Digest - Public Health — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

A coalition of more than 30 food industry groups wrote to the Obama administration Monday urging officials to request more congressional funding for food safety efforts instead of relying on food taxes. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health)

Obama Family Values

Psychology Today Relationships Center — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:57:52 +0100

Credit should be given where credit is due. Here is a man who has spent decades in public life, a product of Chicago politics, an Illinois state senator, a US Senator and President of the United States, without a whiff of scandal about his personal life.read more (Source: Psychology Today Relationships Center)

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State of the Union: Should Obama Have Said More About Healthcare?

Physicians Practice — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +0100

For physicians, paying attention to the healthcare law and future healthcare policies is more important than ever. (Source: Physicians Practice)

White House: Don't Scrap ACA If Mandate Thrown Out

MedPage Today Public Health — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 10:43:09 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- If the Supreme Court rules that the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate is unconstitutional, the entire law doesn't need to be thrown out, lawyers for the Obama administration argued in a brief filed Friday with the high court. (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)

Obama lawyers argue rest of health law can survive

Reuters: Health — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:59:55 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration told the Supreme Court on Friday that nearly all of President Barack Obama's healthcare overhaul can survive if the court declares unconstitutional the law's centerpiece provision requiring health coverage. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Local Doctor Talks About Treating Gabrielle Giffords

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 21:47:02 +0100

BOSTON (CBS) – As Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords hugged President Obama at the State of the Union address, a speech-language pathologist here in Boston was watching with tears in her eyes. Dr. Marjorie Nicholas, an Associate Professor at the MGH Institute of Health Professions, spent two weeks working with Giffords in October. Dr. Nicholas says it was an intense period of speech and language therapy. “It was extremely exciting,” she says. “As the rest of the world has seen with Gabby, she is a very inspiring person. It was a great honor for me to be able to work with her and be part of her rehabilitation.” Dr. Nicholas says Giffords has a condition called Aphasia, a language disorder caused by an injury to the brain. The left side of Giffords’ brain, which is associated w...

What Happens After CLASS?

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:05:20 +0100

My best guess is that Congress will formally repeal the CLASS Act in 2012. Already abandoned by the Obama Administration, CLASS has no champion on Capitol Hill and is likely to fall victim to implacable Republican opposition and a lack of Democratic support. Thanks to technical budget rules, Congress can now kill the national, voluntary long-term care insurance program without adding to the deficit. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

Obama calls for renewed focus on manufacturing

Chemistry World | Latest News — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:02:42 +0100

Although chemical trade groups support the Presidents emphasis on manufacturing and energy, they caution against overregulation (Source: Chemistry World | Latest News)

Health IT challenge to improve care transitions for hospital-discharge patients

ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:28:13 +0100

Source: Brian Ahier, Ahier.net Content: “The i2 Initiative is a bold new effort to spur innovations in health IT. The program utilizes prizes and challenges to facilitate innovation and obtain solutions to intractable health IT problems. Aligned with the Obama administration’s innovation agenda, i2 is the first federal program to operate under the [...] (Source: ICMCC: The International Council on Medical and Care Compunetics)

Structure-function Analysis of Nel [Neurobiology]

Journal of Biological Chemistry — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

In this study, we have performed structure-function analysis of Nel, by using a series of expression constructs for different regions of the Nel protein. Our studies demonstrate that the TSP-N domain is responsible for homo-multimer formation of Nel and its heparin-binding activity. In vivo, Nel and related Nell1 are expressed in several regions of the mouse central nervous system with partly overlapping patterns. When they are expressed in the same cells in vitro, Nel and Nell1 can form hetero-multimers through the TSP-N domain, but they do not hetero-oligomerize with thrombospondin-1. Whereas both the TSP-N domain and cysteine-rich domains can bind to retinal axons in vivo, only the latter causes growth cone collapse in cultured retinal axons, suggesting that cysteine-rich domains intera...

Obama calls for expanded use of natural gas

Los Angeles Times - Science — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:25:00 +0100

In Nevada, President Obama declares the U.S. the 'Saudi Arabia of natural gas' and encourages shipping companies and others to power their fleets with the fuel resource.Declaring the United States the "Saudi Arabia of natural gas," President Obama began pushing Thursday for greater use of the fuel resource under domestic soil as he continued to pitch his economic plan on a tour of battleground states. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

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Obama administration unveils forest management plan

Los Angeles Times - Science — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:15:00 +0100

It is an attempt to balance competing interests of industry and conservation groups, replacing a framework that has long been at the center of legal battles.Collaboration and a greater reliance on science are the keys to the Obama administration's new guidelines in managing about 193 million acres of national forest and juggling the competing interests of industry and conservation groups. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

Obama Pitches 'All Of The Above' Energy Strategy

NPR Health and Science — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:03:00 +0100

The president is promoting the sale of new oil and gas drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico and the promise of cars running on natural gas in two key states for his re-election campaign, Nevada and Colorado. The push comes days after he drew sharp Republican criticism for rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline from Canada.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Obama Discusses Details From His Energy Agenda

NPR Health and Science — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0100

The Obama administration released more details Thursday about the energy plan he previewed at the State of the Union this week. He announced an oil-and-gas-lease sale on nearly 38 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico — and proposals for new incentives to increase the use of natural gas in heavy trucks and buses.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Race and Religion at the Ballot Box: Building a Better Bias Detector

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100

The color of a candidate’s skin failed to sway voters to depress the lever for either Obama or McCain in the 2008 election, immediate analyses of that contest seemed to suggest. Some pundits hailed it as the first postracial election. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Why Newt Gingrich's moon base will remain an impossible dream

Guardian Unlimited Science — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:19:15 +0100

This article was amended on 26th January. It originally stated that spending on NASA rose to 3.45% of America's GDP in the 1960s. This has been change to 3.45% of federal spending.The moonNasaSpaceNewt GingrichRepublican presidential nomination 2012RepublicansUS elections 2012US politicsFloridaAlok Jhaguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds (Source: Guardian Unlimited Science)

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Health Highlights: Jan. 26, 2012

Primary Care News - Doctors Lounge — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:19:00 +0100

High Heels Affect Biomechanics: Study Fake News Sites for Acai Berry Pills Shut Down by FTC Groups Urge Obama to Keep Health Plan Summaries Rule Hospital Stays for C. difficile Level Off After Huge Increase Founder of French Breast Implant Company Arrested No Obvious Medical Explanation for Mysterious Skin Disease: CDC Experts Call for More Research on Risks of Nanomaterials (Source: Primary Care News - Doctors Lounge)

New Rules for School Meals Aim at Reducing Obesity

NYT — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:17:16 +0100

The Obama administration announced long-awaited changes to government-subsidized school meals, issuing rules that add more fruits and green vegetables and reduce the amount of salt and fat. (Source: NYT)

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation Aims to Cut Health-Care Costs

RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The Obama administration touts it as a key solution to the nation’s runaway health-care spending: a new national center set up by the 2010 health-care law to test and implement groundbreaking ways to cut costs while improving patient care. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality)

School Lunches to Become Healthier

WSJ.com: Health — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:31:02 +0100

First lady Michelle Obama unveiled new nutrition rules for school meals Wednesday in an effort to combat the nation's high rate of childhood obesity. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

First lady pushes healthier school lunches

Health News - UPI.com — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:39:29 +0100

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 (UPI) -- First lady Michelle Obama and Tom Vilsack, agriculture secretary, said Wednesday 32 million U.S. children will have healthier choices for their school lunch. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

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New Rules for School Meals Aim at Reducing Obesity

NYT Health — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:17:16 +0100

Improving School Meals In American Schools - USDA Unveils New Standards

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:00:00 +0100

The US Department of Agriculture has announced new standards for the country's school meals, which it claims will result in healthier eating for children nationwide. The new standards were unveiled by Michelle Obama, First Lady, and Tom Vilsack, Agriculture Secretary. They explained that the USDA's move will affect the health and wellbeing of approximately 32 million school kids. According to a news release issued today by the USDA, this is the first improvement in school meal standards in over 15 years... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Newt Gingrich promises moon base by the end of his second term

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:36:00 +0100

"To infinity and beyond!" is the theme of Gingrich's latest campaign pitch: a lunar colony within eight yearsThere are two givens in any election campaign: 1) the candidates will make grand promises that they can never keep and 2) they will pander to their audience at every opportunity. But on Wednesday, Newt "grandiose is my middle name" [it isn't] Gingrich took those truisms on to a whole new, extraplanetary level. Speaking to an audience on Florida's Space Coast ahead of the state's primary next week, the big-thinking Republican hopeful turned his science fiction fantasies into a hard and fast campaign promise. "By the end of my second term we will have the first permanent base on the moon and it will be American," he said. According to Talking Points Memo Gingrich went on to say that t...

New School Lunch Rules Aimed at Reducing Obesity

NYT Health — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:42:18 +0100

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Obamacare: Obama Ends Medicare As We Know It

The Heritage Foundation Papers: Health Care — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:03:00 +0100

Obamacare makes massive changes to Medicare. Obamacare contains more than 160 provisions to the program that increases government’s control over the delivery of care, hits doctors with unsustainable payment cuts, and leaves taxpayers with higher deficits. (Source: The Heritage Foundation Papers: Health Care)

State of the Union: Research, Technology and Energy

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:00:08 +0100

Welcome to the Scientific American podcast Science Talk, posted on January 25th, 2012. I’m Steve Mirsky. Last night, President Obama delivered the State of the Union Address. Here is a little more than six minutes of it, the sections dealing with research, technology and energy. Anywhere I’ve made an edit in the audio, you’ll hear a musical interlude. And I’ve lowered the volume on some of the applause for the sake of all of our ears. I think science-interested listeners across the political spectrum can find points of both strong agreement and major disagreement in these few minutes of the talk: [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Limbaugh and Hannity Endorse Obama!

Psychology Today Anxiety Center — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0100

My elementary school friends, Melvin Limbaugh and Charley Hannity were always such blowhards. They had an opinion about everything. And they always agreed about everything, which I could never quite understand. read more (Source: Psychology Today Anxiety Center)

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Decline Despite Political Gridlock

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:25:00 +0100

President Obama mentioned climate change almost in passing during last night's State of the Union address, noting: "The differences in this chamber may be too deep right now to pass a comprehensive plan to fight climate change." [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

Science Education Experts Respond to Obama's Speech

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:54:00 +0100

Obama delivering his 2012 State of the Union address In his State of the Union address last night, President Barack Obama spent less time than in years past discussing his ambitions to reform science education. He referred to his administration’s offer to let states opt out of No Child Left Behind (” … grant schools flexibility to teach with creativity and passion; to stop teaching to the test …”). And he brought up the Common Core State Standards in math and language arts which 45 states plus the District of Columbia have now adopted (“we ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards for teaching and learning — the first time that s happened in a generation”). (By the way, a state survey out today from the Center on...

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Healthcare gets short shrift in State of the Union, GOP response

Healthcare IT News — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:40:25 +0100

Neither President Obama, in his State of the Union Address, nor Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, in his Republican response, said very much about healthcare. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News)

School lunches to get healthy revamp

Health News: CBSNews.com — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 11:58:14 +0100

Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary to announce 1st major nutritional overhaul in 15 years (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

State of the ... Health Care Reform

Forbes.com Health News — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 07:45:36 +0100

President Obama?s largest legislative accomplishment to date was the passage of the health care reform law, which has been going into effect in stages, with regulations currently being written for the most substantial changes due to take effect in 2014. So it is odd the President mentioned health care only briefly, and in passing, in ... (Source: Forbes.com Health News)

Obama on Health Insurance Reform: 'I Won't Go Back' (State of The Union Excerpts)

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Kaiser Health News article reports that in his State of the Union speech, President Barack Obama made just one explicit mention of the 2010 health law and offers a transcript of the few parts of his speech that mentioned health care issues. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

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State of the Union speech: Promising outlook for research and innovation

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

(Research!America) Research!America's Board chair, former Congressman John Edward Porter (R-Ill.), applauds President Obama's commitment to protect our nation's investment in basic research. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

New Rules for School Meals Aim at Reducing Obesity

RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Hoping to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity, the Obama administration on Wednesday announced its long-awaited changes to government-subsidized school meals, a final round of rules that adds more fruits and green vegetables to breakfasts and lunches and reduces the amount of salt and fat. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity)

School Lunches to Have More Veggies, Whole Grains

RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Schoolchildren's favorite lunch — the ubiquitous frozen pizza — is about to get healthier. First lady Michelle Obama and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack are expected to announce Wednesday that most school meals, including pizza, will have less sodium, more whole grains and more fruits and vegetables as sides. The popular pizzas will still be on school lunch lines but made with healthier ingredients. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Childhood Obesity)

How Obama Plans to "Double Down" on Clean Energy

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:52:00 +0100

Early in his state of the union speech, President Obama renewed his call of last year for investments in clean energy. Unbowed by the troubles with Solyndra , Obama said he would direct the defense department to throw its buying power behind clean energy supplies for the U.S. military.The U.S. military constitutes a huge market for alternative fuels. The Air Force alone burns 2.4 billion gallons of jet fuel a year. The Department of Defense burns $18 billion worth of oil a year , four fifths of the federal governments’ energy tab. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

State of the Union Speech Long on Jobs, Short on HealthcareState of the Union Speech Long on Jobs, Short on Healthcare

Medscape Today Headlines — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:35:09 +0100

President Barack Obama lays out a vision for economic fairness but pays little attention to the state of healthcare. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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Obama: 'I Will Not Walk Away From The Promise Of Clean Energy'

NPR Health and Science — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:24:00 +0100

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama called for more domestic oil and gas production, saying that "a future where we're in control of our own energy" is within reach, where the nation's security and prosperity would not be so closely linked to unstable parts of the world.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Obama Targets Jobs Not Health in State of the Union

MedPage Today Public Health — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 03:08:44 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- President Obama scarcely mentioned healthcare in his third State of the Union address Tuesday night, even as the healthcare reform law he championed is hanging in the balance at the Supreme Court. (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)

Catholics Blast Rule on Contraception

WSJ.com: Health — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:28:31 +0100

Catholic leaders lashed out at the Obama administration's decision to require religious employers' health plans to cover contraceptives, accusing the White House of betraying them on the issue. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Foreign Oil Imports Drop As U.S. Drilling Ramps Up

NPR Health and Science — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:15:00 +0100

President Obama's critics say he has blocked domestic oil production. But under his administration, a steady uptick in U.S. drilling operations, combined with falling overall consumption, has led to a steep drop in the percentage of oil the U.S. imports. Analysts say by 2035, the U.S. will import a little more than a third of its oil, down from 60 percent in 2005.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Op-Ed: Canada Must Change XL Pipeline Debate

NPR Health and Science — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:00:00 +0100

President Obama rejected Wednesday a proposal to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast — generating intense debate in both countries. Murray Mandryk, political columnist for the Leader-Post of Sasketchewan, offers a Canadian perspective on the controversy.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

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Obama Health Care Overhaul Lags in States

Arkansas Business - Health Care — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:32:21 +0100

Here's a reality check for President Barack Obama's health overhaul: Three out of four uninsured Americans live in states that have yet to figure out how to deliver on its promise of affordable medical care. (Source: Arkansas Business - Health Care)

The Food Safety Modernization Act—One Year Later

RWJF News Digest - Public Health — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:45:36 +0100

Just over a year ago, President Obama used 15 pens to sign the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) into law. The most sweeping update to U.S. food safety law in more than 70 years, FSMA is a huge undertaking for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and, not surprisingly, the agency is already behind on some major deadlines in its efforts to implement it. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Public Health)

Obama Calls For Agency Revamp

Chemical and Engineering News — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:00:41 +0100

Bureaucracy: Reorganization plan faces skepticism in Congress (Source: Chemical and Engineering News)

Gingrich as wrong as Obama on tax rate 'most Americans' pay

NaturalNews.com — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews)Newt Gingrich must have been getting desperate in theRepublican primary,because he took to channeling President Obama. By making an incorrect assertion regarding Romney's federal income tax rate, ostensibly to "prove" how "out-of-touch" the multimillionaire former Massachusetts... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

News Analysis: Hard Truths About Disclosure

NYT Health — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 20:34:03 +0100

Disclosure has often become an endpoint in the chain of responsibility, an act of compliance with the letter of the law rather than the spirit of transparency. (Source: NYT Health)

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Obama says NO to WhiteHouse.gov petition to legalize raw milk at federal level

NaturalNews.com — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

Even though the federal government does not actually have the right or authority to dictate what free individuals can and cannot eat, the Obama administration has officially rejected a WhiteHouse.gov petition signed by more than 6,000 Americans seeking freedom from federal... (Source: NaturalNews.com)

Editorial: Who Else Is Paying Your Doctor?

NYT — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:12:08 +0100

Badly needed regulations will require manufacturers of drugs, medical devices and medical supplies to disclose all payments they make to physicians or teaching hospitals. (Source: NYT)

White House Keeps Rule on Birth Control

WSJ.com: Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:51:28 +0100

The Obama administration moved ahead with plans to require most employer health insurance to cover birth control without copayments, but gave religious employers an extra year to make the change. (Source: WSJ.com: Health)

Justice Dept. Asks Court to Reconsider Bone Marrow Ruling

MedPage Today Public Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 21:29:45 +0100

WASHINGTON (MedPage Today) -- The Obama administration has asked an appeals court to reconsider its decision that people who donate bone marrow can be paid for it. (Source: MedPage Today Public Health)

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U.S. gives church groups a year on birth control rule

Reuters: Health — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 20:03:56 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration on Friday ruled that religiously affiliated nonprofit organizations, including hospitals and universities, will have to offer birth-control coverage to women employees but gave the organizations an extra year to comply. (Source: Reuters: Health)

Religious Hospitals Get Extra Year on Birth Control Rule

MedPage Today Infectious Disease — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:37:51 +0100

WASHINGTON --Nonprofit organizations with religious affiliations will have until August 2013 to begin offering employees full coverage of contraceptives, the Obama administration announced Friday. (Source: MedPage Today Infectious Disease)

Concern Overblown on Health Law Decision -- Aetna CEOConcern Overblown on Health Law Decision -- Aetna CEO

Medscape Medical News Headlines — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:24:15 +0100

Wall Street's concern about the U.S. Supreme Court's looming decision on President Obama's healthcare overhaul is overblown because the provision at the heart of the law already has little teeth, the top executive at Aetna Inc said. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)

U.S. Says 28 States Acted on Health Insurance ExchangesU.S. Says 28 States Acted on Health Insurance Exchanges

Medscape Medical News Headlines — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:05:38 +0100

The Obama administration said that 28 U.S. states have taken steps to establish insurance exchanges under the 2010 healthcare law, despite the legal and political uncertainties threatening the overhaul. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)

Med students to get training to treat PTSD, combat head injuries

American Medical News - GOVERNMENT — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:02:17 +0100

The Obama administration is encouraging schools to address the hundreds of thousands of new veterans with mental health problems and traumatic brain injury. (Source: American Medical News - GOVERNMENT)

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Rejected Pipeline Becomes Hot-Button Election Issue

NPR Health and Science — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0100

The Obama administration has rejected a Canadian company's permit request to build the Keystone XL pipeline. The president said he turned down the proposal because congressional Republicans gave him a 60-day deadline that did not allow for a thorough review of the project.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Congress has its own conflicts of interest

Health Facts and Fears — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

As part of the Obama administration’s 2010 health care overhaul, legislators are pushing to require drug companies to publicly disclose any payments they make to physicians for research, consulting, speaking, travel, or entertainment. (Source: Health Facts and Fears)

Obama administration denies Keystone XL oil pipeline permit

Los Angeles Times - Science — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:11:00 +0100

The State Department says it needs more time to assess the proposal under current law. Project advocates and opponents both are likely to prolong the political fight.The Obama administration denied a permit for the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada, leaving the door open for the builder to reapply this year but prolonging a bitter political fight that has raged for months and energized each party's political base. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

Keystone: Dead Pipeline Lives On As Election-Year Issue

NPR Health and Science — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:28:00 +0100

Now that President Obama has rejected the Keystone XL pipeline, an obvious question is what will it mean for the 2012 presidential election? The key to Keystone is which side will have the most success in framing its case to enough voters for it to make a difference.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

UCLA joins forces with White House to meet unique needs of veterans, families

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0100

As part of a White House effort to ensure that America's military heroes receive care worthy of their service, the UCLA Health System and the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA have pledged to mobilize their uniquely integrated missions in education, research and clinical care to help train physicians to meet the special needs of veterans, active service members and their families. Joining Forces, an initiative launched by first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, announced last week that UCLA and a number of other renowned institutions, along with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM), have partnered to help create a new generation of doctors, medical schools and research facilities tha...

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Obama Proposes Moving NOAA to Interior

Public Policy Reports — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:12:42 +0100

On 13 January 2012, President Obama proposed a reorganization of the Department of Commerce (DOC). Although much of the emphasis during the announcement of the plan centered on the realignment of several DOC bureaus that focus on small businesses, the President would also like to move the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from DOC to the Department of the Interior. Interior is currently home to NOAA’s terrestrial science equivalent, the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Details on the proposed reorganization are scarce, but are expected to be released in the coming months. President Obama does not currently have the authority to restructure the Executive Branch, although previous Presidents have held this power. The administration has asked Congress to gr...

Obama Set to Reject Keystone Oil Pipeline

Scientific American - Official RSS Feed — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0100

By Jeff Mason WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration was poised on Wednesday to reject the Keystone crude oil pipeline, according to sources, a decision that would be welcomed by environmental groups but inflame the domestic energy industry. [More] (Source: Scientific American - Official RSS Feed)

HHS Rewards Use of Technology to Boost Health

RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:56:51 +0100

The Obama administration on Tuesday announced a "Healthy New Year Video Challenge" that rewards contestants who create videos showing how they'll use health information technology to achieve a New Year's resolution. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality)

Hitler reacts to SOPA [video] | GrrlScientist

Guardian Unlimited Science — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0100

It's a satirical meme video, but it actually does a decent job telling you about the USA's attempt to enact dumbass anti-freedom legislation next week"[T]he more freely information flows; the stronger that society becomes." Barack Obama, President of the United States.Since I postponed my morning science video this morning to share my thoughts on SOPA/PIPA, here is the morning video, a little later than usual and with one change: it's not a science video. Instead, it's one of my favourite YouTube meme videos, a video that has been adapted to comment on SOPA/PIPA legislation. It is wonderfully satirical and informative but at the same time, it is probably in some vague and not-yet-determined way in violation of SOPA/PIPA rules, should either of those dumbass bills pass next week: Visit Figh...

White House Outlines Progress, Plans

News stories via the Rural Assistance Center — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:00:00 +0100

NRHA Rural Health Voices blog reports that six months after President Barack Obama created the White House Rural Council to address challenges in rural America, the National Rural Health Associations Rural Roads magazine asked Doug McKalip, White House senior policy advisor for rural affairs, to explain how the council has and hopes to impact rural health. (Source: News stories via the Rural Assistance Center)

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Blocking Keystone Won't Stop Oil Sands Production

NPR Health and Science — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0100

Oil from the Canadian north is already making its way into the U.S. market through existing pipelines and tanker shipments. Energy experts say that even if President Obama blocks the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, it may already be too late to stop Americans from relying on this dirty source of fuel.» E-Mail This » Add to Del.icio.us (Source: NPR Health and Science)

Gov't wants Alzheimer's treatment that works by 2025

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 17:57:25 +0100

Obama administration announced its National Alzheimer's Plan to fight disease that is expected to strike 16 million Americans by 2050 (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Obama's plan to shift NOAA to Interior Department gets mixed reviews

Physics Today News Picks — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Science: Although the Obama administration has proposed to move the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration from the US Department of Commerce to the Department of the Interior, it looks unlikely that the move will be approved by Congress, writes David Malakoff for Science. The proposal, part of President Obama’s plan to reorganize and streamline the federal government, is drawing mixed reactions from former staff, members of Congress, and outside organizations. Some supporters say it would allow several agencies with weather, geographical, and geological responsibilities to work together under one agency. Among those voicing objections, however, are environmental groups that worry this may not be a good time to shake things up. According to Frances Beinecke, president of the...

Keystone XL pipeline would be hard to kill, analysts say

Los Angeles Times - Science — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 +0100

Even if the Obama administration rejected it on environmental grounds, demand for oil and jobs means an alternative probably would emerge.A provision attached to the recent payroll tax bill requires President Obama to decide by Feb. 21 on the construction of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline from Canada to the U.S. (Source: Los Angeles Times - Science)

U.S. to Force Drug Firms to Report Money Paid to Doctors

RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

To head off medical conflicts of interest, the Obama administration is poised to require drug companies to disclose the payments they make to doctors for research, consulting, speaking, travel and entertainment. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality)

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White House Says It Opposes Part of Two Antipiracy Bills

News from STM — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:03:02 +0100

January 15, 2012. WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Saturday that it strongly opposed central elements of two Congressional efforts to enforce copyrights on the Internet, all but killing the current versions of legislation that has divided both political parties and pitted Hollywood against Silicon Valley. http://nyti.ms/xkFzta (Source: News from STM)

The Default of Faultlines: The US Debt Ceiling, Creativity, and Performance

Psychology Today Work Center — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:02:34 +0100

The big news story all year has been about lack of agreement- our government appears paralyzed by a dysfunctional congress (as President Obama has called it) to come up with any solution to solve the US budget problem. We saw the drama play out earlier this year with the debt ceiling showdown and now with the payroll tax dilemma.read more (Source: Psychology Today Work Center)

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Joins Forces with First Lady Michelle Obama to Support Veterans and Their Families- 1/12/12

Johns Hopkins Medicine News — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:40:27 +0100

As part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Joining Forces initiative, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is teaming up with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM) to create a new generation of doctors, medical schools and research facilities that will make sure our military veterans and their families receive the care worthy of their service. (Source: Johns Hopkins Medicine News)

[World Report] Republican presidential candidates united on health care

LANCET — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

All of the Republican presidential hopefuls have expressed their opposition to Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act and are promising to abandon it if elected. Nellie Bristol reports. (Source: LANCET)

The science behind memory glitches

Guardian Unlimited Science — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:22:00 +0100

What is deja vu? And why do we sometimes enter a room only to forget why we're there? Christian Jarrett explains the science behind common memory misfitsDeja vuEach lived moment usually feels unique. But about two-thirds of us occasionally experience the fleeting sensation that life is on repeat. It's as if we've been in exactly the same place having exactly the same experience before, even though we know that's an impossibility.Known as deja vu (literally "already seen"), an early explanation was that the feeling arises from a delayed signal arriving from one of the eyes after a scene has already been processed by the brain. However, that idea was seemingly refuted by the case of a blind man who experienced deja vu.Modern theories focus on the memory process of familiarity, as distinct ...

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Rough Sailing for Plan to Move NOAA?

ScienceNOW — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:42:17 +0100

The Obama Administration's proposal to move the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from... (Source: ScienceNOW)

What Would Wiping Out the Commerce Department Mean for Science?

ScienceNOW — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:06:41 +0100

President Barack Obama's proposal to eliminate the Commerce Department promises to reignite sharp debates... (Source: ScienceNOW)

White House Calls Increases in Health Insurance Rates Too High

NYT — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 06:13:09 +0100

The Obama administration ordered a health insurance company to rescind the rate increases it sought or justify its refusal to do so. (Source: NYT)

First lady: More research on veterans medical care

USATODAY.com Health — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:43:15 +0100

First lady Michelle Obama told military members, veterans that more medical schools are teaming up to boost training and research. (Source: USATODAY.com Health)

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Tanzania: Where Is Medical Insurance Taking Health Services?

AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:51:33 +0100

Daily News (Dar es Salaam)-WHEN President Obama set out to reform health care in USA as soon as he was elected, he was not playing politics. Health care is the right of every citizen. Ordinary Tanzanians want health services for free because if they get seriously sick, their families will not have to commit burglary to pay the cost of health care. (Source: AllAfrica News: Health and Medicine)

Medical schools join first lady's health initiative for veterans

CNN.com - Health — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:24:39 +0100

Two medical education groups and 130 medical schools signed on to first lady Michelle Obama's initiative to "train the nation's physicians to meet the unique health care needs of the military and veterans communities," the White House announced Wednesday. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

The Obama Administration's War on Alzheimer's

Forbes.com Healthcare News — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:59:39 +0100

On Monday, a presidential advisory group set a goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer's Disease by 2025. There is much to like about this proposal, but it should come with a consumer warning: There is a lot less to this plan than meets the eye. (Source: Forbes.com Healthcare News)

States oppose Obama healthcare Medicaid law

Reuters: Health — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 17:28:04 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twenty-six states challenging President Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul filed a Supreme Court brief on Tuesday arguing the law unconstitutionally expands the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. (Source: Reuters: Health)

US states oppose Obama healthcare Medicaid law

Modern Medicine — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Twenty-six states challenging President Barack Obama's sweeping healthcare overhaul filed a U.S. Supreme Court brief on Tuesday arguing the law unconstitutionally expands the Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. (Source: Modern Medicine)

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Guatemalans' STD lawsuit invalid, U.S. argues

Health News: CBSNews.com — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 15:30:27 +0100

Obama administration says U.S. protected by Federal Tort Claims Act, cannot be sued for "troubling" 1940s experiments (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)

Obama Lawyers Defend Healthcare Law in Supreme CourtObama Lawyers Defend Healthcare Law in Supreme Court

Medscape Medical News Headlines — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:55:16 +0100

The Obama administration defended its healthcare overhaul law before the U.S. Supreme Court on Friday. Reuters Health Information (Source: Medscape Medical News Headlines)

Obama urges translation speed

Nature Biotechnology — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Nature Biotechnology 30, 9 (2012). doi:10.1038/nbt0112-9b Author: Jeffrey L Fox (Source: Nature Biotechnology)

White House Cheers News that Health Law Not Adding to Healthcare Costs

RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

The Obama administration on Monday cheered new evidence that the president's healthcare reform law isn't making healthcare more expensive. (Source: RWJF News Digest - Quality/Equality)