Women's News

Denver Post Examines Outlook For Embryonic Stem Cell Research Policy Shift With Next President
The Denver Post on Wednesday examined possible changes to federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research with the next president. According to the Post, stem cell research in the U.S. is "likely to get a fresh look" from the next president, "no matter who it is.

'Telepsychiatry' Allows Nurses To Treat Women With Postpartum Depression
Women suffering with postpartum depression may in future be able to receive psychotherapy from a specially trained nurse over the phone, eliminating barriers to treatment such as distance, time or the availability of a psychologist or psychiatrist.Professor Cindy-Lee Dennis, Canada Research Chair in Perinatal Community Health at U of T's Lawrence S.

Opponents Of Colo. Ballot Proposal Warn Against Unintended Consequences For Physicians, Women
A coalition of opponents against a Colorado ballot initiative that would define a fertilized embryo as a person and extend to it rights and protections under the state constitution said Tuesday that the amendment could lead to a range of unintended consequences for women and doctors in the state, the AP/Denver Post reports.

BiPar Sciences Expands Phase 2 Clinical Trials Of BSI-201, A Novel DNA Repair Inhibitor, In Ovarian Cancer
BiPar Sciences, Inc. announced the expansion of Phase 2 clinical trial programs for its lead product, BSI-201, in ovarian cancer. This is the third major clinical trial of BSI-201 that BiPar has launched in the past 6 months, expanding on on going trials in breast and brain cancer.

Patients, Doctors, Pharmacists Praise Bipartisan House Resolution On Compounded Hormones Containing Estriol
The International Academy of Compounding Pharmacists joined hundreds of thousands of women and doctors in applauding the introduction of H. Con. Res. 342, a bipartisan resolution stating that "the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) new policy restricting women's access to medications containing estriol does not serve the public interest" and calling on the FDA to "reverse its policy." Reps. Mike Ross (D-Ark.), Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.), Sam Farr (D-Calif.

Appropriate Treatment Methods Can Prevent Nearly All Risk Of Mother-To-Child HIV Transmission, Study Says
Providing appropriate treatment methods to HIV-positive women during pregnancy can prevent nearly all risk of mother-to-child transmission of the virus, according to a study published online Wednesday in the journal AIDS, the PA/Google.com reports (Kirby, PA/Google.com, 5/6).

AFP/Google.com Examines Use Of Surrogate Mothers Among Gay Male Couples
AFP/Google.com on Tuesday examined the increasing number of gay male couples who are having children through surrogacy services. According to AFP/Google.com, the number of gay couples in the U.S. who have children through surrogacy or adoption is increasing. The

Wal-Mart Adds Prescription Women's Health Medications To Discount Drug Program
Wal-Mart Stores on Monday announced that it is adding several women's health-related medications to its discounted prescription drug program, the Wall Street Journal reports. Wal-Mart pharmacies will provide $9 generic prescriptions for up to 30-day supplies of several drugs that treat breast cancer, hormone deficiency, menopause and osteoporosis (Zimmerman, Wall Street Journal, 5/6).

Bonaventura Reproductive Medicine To Offer Pioneering Test Of A Woman's Biological Clock
Bonaventura Reproductive Medicine announced it will offer the Repromedix's PlanAhead test, an innovative blood test that provides an assessment of a woman's egg supply by combining multiple factors including the measurement of ovary-related hormones AMH, Inhibin B, and FSH. The window of opportunity for a woman to have children by natural conception is dependent upon an adequate supply of eggs, which inevitably declines as a woman ages and her "biological clock ticks.

National Community Pharmacists Association Statement On "Sense Of Congress" Resolution Opposing FDA Restrictions On Estriol Usage
Yesterday H. Con. Res. 342 was introduced by Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) opposing the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) decision to restrict Estriol (a form of Estrogen), a compounded hormone preparation used by women to alleviate the symptoms of menopause. The action was taken after the FDA sent letters to seven pharmacies in January asking them to cease and desist with the use of estriol.

GE Healthcare Helping Women Lead Healthier Lives, Showcasing Latest Advancements At ACOG 2008
GE Healthcare is featuring its innovative technologies that can enable earlier detection, more accurate diagnoses of health conditions, and personalized treatment plans for women who are pregnant or affected by cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, uterine fibroids and other conditions.

PEPFAR Reauthorization Bills Should Address Increased Risk Of HIV Among Women In Africa, Editorial Says
When reauthorizing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Congress should address the "cultural tragedy" that married women in Africa are at an increased risk of HIV, a Kansas City Star editorial says.

Kansas Breast And Cervical Cancer Screening Program For Low-Income, Uninsured Women Runs Out Of Funding
The Kansas Early Detection Works program, which provides uninsured low-income women in the state with breast and cervical cancer screenings at no cost, has depleted its operating funds and will delay almost all cancer screenings until July 1, the Wichita Eagle reports.

Mo. Appeals Court Rules On Challenge To Ballot Summary Of Stem Cell Research Ban
The Western District of the Missouri Court of Appeals on Friday ruled that part of a ballot summary for an initiative to limit stem cell research prepared by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) is "unfair and insufficient," the AP/Columbia Missourian reports.

McCain To Discuss His Principles Regarding Appointment Of Supreme Court Justices
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to address his judicial philosophy and the principles he would use to appoint Supreme Court justices in a Tuesday speech at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C., the Wall Street Journal reports.

Ob-Gyns Hear Medical Liability Success Stories "Look Beyond Caps" Message Is Echoed
Advocating solely for tort reform in the legislative arena does not get to the root of the medical liability crisis, according to Richard Boothman, JD, chief risk officer for the University of Michigan Health Systems, who presented the 6th Scientific Session-The Donald F. Richardson International Symposium, "Medical Malpractice Reform: Beyond Caps"- at The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) 56th Annual Clinical Meeting. Moreover, Mr.

Benefits Of IUD Extend Beyond Contraception Expert Says
The intrauterine device (IUD) isn't just an effective contraceptive, it also provides some protection against endometrial cancer, according to David A. Grimes, MD, of Chapel Hill, NC, who presented the 3rd Current Issues Update - "New Uses for IUDs: Contraception and Beyond" today at The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) 56th Annual Clinical Meeting. Dr.

Conservative Groups To Send Letter Asking Bush To Revive Domestic Family Planning Gag Rule
Nearly 80 conservative groups have signed a letter that will be sent to President Bush Tuesday, asking him to ban federal funding for family planning groups that provide abortion referrals or share facilities with abortion providers, according to Tom McClusky, vice president of government affairs at the Family Research Council,

Women Who Quit Smoking Quickly Reduce Heart Risk But Lungs Take Longer
Women who quit smoking significantly reduce risk of death from coronary heart disease within 5 years, but impact on risk of death from lung and other cancers take longer.These are the findings of Dr Stacey A Kenfield, of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, USA, and colleagues in a new study published in the May 7th issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA.

SRS Medical Launches Personalmed.com, Patient Website For Female Pelvic Health
SRS Medical announced the launch of a new patient website, http://www.personalmed.com, devoted to female pelvic health. The launch announcement was timed to coincide with the ACOG conference (The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) in New Orleans, where SRS Medical is conducting a physician survey to help in "fine tuning" the site.

PEAK Surgical Announces Positive Results From Preclinical Study Of PEAK PlasmaBlade(TM) For Obstetric And Gynecologic Surgery
PEAK Surgical, Inc., a medical device company that is developing new tissue dissection systems based on a proprietary technology, released results from a preclinical study demonstrating that its PEAK PlasmaBlade(TM) cut freshly excised human abdominal tissue with little thermal tissue injury compared with traditional electrosurgery. The PEAK PlasmaBlade is a low-temperature tissue dissection tool that uses pulsed plasma energy to create surgical incisions and control bleeding.

More Women Than Men Sought Services At Uganda's AIDS Support Organization In 2007, Report Says
More women than men in Uganda sought services of the AIDS Support Organization, or TASO, according to a recently released TASO report, Uganda's Weekly Observer reports. TASO provides HIV testing and counseling, as well as antiretroviral drugs and other HIV/AIDS-related services.

Appeals Court Leaves Preliminary Injunction In Place Allowing Wash. State Pharmacists To Refuse To Dispense EC
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday left in place a preliminary injunction that allows Washington state pharmacists to refuse to dispense emergency contraception if they have moral or religious objections, Reuters reports. In a split decision, the appeals court denied a request to block the injunction against a state

Bliss Kaneshiro, MD, Wins First Prize For Research Paper - American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) awarded first prize to ACOG Junior Fellow, Bliss Kaneshiro, MD, for her research paper Relationship Between Body Mass Index and Sexual Behavior. Dr. Kaneshiro, an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii in Honolulu, presented her winning paper at ACOG's 56th Annual Clinical Meeting.

The Future Of Health Care Ob-Gyns Get Lesson On What's Driving Reform
Spiraling health care costs and the imperative to improve patient safety and quality performance represent the most important issues on the US health care agenda, according to Gail Wilensky, PhD, a leading health care economist, who delivered the Samuel A. Cosgrove Memorial Lecture, "The Future of Health Care," during the opening session of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' (ACOG) 56th Annual Clinical Meeting.