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Family Of Murdered Abortion Provider Tiller Announces Permanent Closure Of Clinic
The family of murdered Kansas abortion provider George Tiller announced on Tuesday that his Wichita clinic will not re-open, leading some abortion-rights advocates to voice concern about access to the procedure, the New York Times reports. Tiller was one of a handful of abortion providers who performed the procedure in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, and women for decades have traveled to the clinic from across the U.S. and other countries. The clinic, Women"s Health Care Services, also was Kansas" only clinic outside the Kansas City area (Davey, New York Times, 6/10). The Tiller family said in a statement that the clinic will be "permanently closed" effective immediately. The family also said it does not plan to be involved "in any similar clinic" but will "honor Dr. Tiller"s memory through private charitable activities" (Slevin/Stein, Washington Post, 6/10).While abortion-rights advocates expressed empathy for the family, some added that they also are concerned that the clinic"s closure could have devastating effects for women who learn of fatal health problems late in their pregnancies, the Times reports. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said, "It is unacceptable that antiabortion intimidation and violence has led to the closing of Dr. Tiller"s clinic." She added, "Not only have we lost a fearless defender of women"s fundamental health and rights in Dr. Tiller"s murder, but the closing of his clinic leaves an immediate and immense void in the availability of abortion" (New York Times, 6/10). Suzanne Poppema, board chair of Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health and a retired ob-gyn who performed abortions, said that abortions later in pregnancy would still be available, including through university hospitals that do not advertise the service. The closing is "not going to stop people who want to provide the service, but it will slow them down," she said. Marla Patrick, Kansas coordinator for the National Organization for Women, said abortion-rights advocates are working to open another Wichita-based clinic that provides abortions later in pregnancy (Bello, USA Today, 6/10). The AP/Yahoo! News reports that Kansas state law permits abortion after 21 weeks" gestation only if continuing the pregnancy would endanger the woman"s life or cause a "substantial and irreversible impairment" of a major bodily function, which courts have interpreted to include the mental health of the woman (Hegman/Hanna, AP/Yahoo! News, 6/9).According to the Times, some abortion-rights advocates had hoped other abortion providers would take over Tiller"s work at the clinic. LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider who also worked with Tiller, said he is "currently exploring every option to be able to continue to make second- and early, medically indicated third-trimester abortions available." Warren Hern, a Colorado abortion provider who performs procedures later in pregnancy, said, "Where does it end? The antiabortion fanatics got exactly what they wanted" (New York Times, 6/10). According to the Wall Street Journal, abortion-rights opponents" response to the closure was "subdued." Some expressed concern that antiabortion-rights extremists would think that violence "gets results where legal protest doesn"t," the Journal reports (Simon, Wall Street Journal, 6/10). Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, said that while the group is "thankful" that the clinic is closed, they "wish it would have come through the peaceful, legal channels that we were pushing" (New York Times, 6/10).Broadcast CoverageMSNBC"s "The Rachel Maddow Show" on Tuesday reported on the clinic"s closure and included a discussion with Susan Hill, president of the National Women"s Health Organization, about violence against abortion providers and an increase in the hostility of protesters outside abortion clinics since Tiller"s murder (Maddow, "The Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC, 6/9). NPR"s "All Things Considered" on Tuesday also reported on the clinic"s closure ("All Things

Genomic Health's Oncotype DX(R) Colon Cancer Test Predicts Individualized Recurrence Risk For Stage II Colon Cancer Patients
Genomic Health, Inc. (Nasdaq: GHDX) announced positive results from the landmark QUASAR validation study, which demonstrated that the Oncotype DX(R) colon cancer test can independently predict individual recurrence risk in stage II colon cancer patients following surgery. Importantly, the Oncotype DX colon cancer Recurrence Score(R) provided additional independent clinical value beyond standard measures. The study showed that the colon cancer Recurrence Score maintained significance (p=0.008), independent of mismatch repair (MMR), also known as MSI (Microsatellite Instability), T-stage, nodes examined, grade and lymphovascular invasion.
News of the day
National Public Reporting Of Health-Care-asociated Infections Supported By Experts
Five organizations representing the nation"s experts in infectious diseases medicine, infection prevention in healthcare settings, and public health and disease prevention announced their support for a provision requiring national reporting of healthcare-associated infection (HAI) rates, which is contained within the healthcare reform bill introduced by leaders of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Health Insurance

BUPA Launches Breakthrough Treatment For Back And Knee Pain

New research reveals around 22 million people suffered back pain in the last year - just under half of all UK adults (45 percent)[1]. More than one in four UK adults - nearly 13 million people - suffered from knee pain in the last year. Over 80 percent of the people with back or knee pain still suffer some pain after undergoing treatment recommended by a healthcare professional. Bupa is making APOS Treatment for knee and lower back pain available in the UK for the first time. The breakthrough treatment can eliminate the need for prescription pain relief for seven out of 10 people[2]. The APOS Treatment (which stands for All Phases of Step Cycle) has two key elements: The APOS WalkrightTM, high-tech footwear which is individually adjusted to address patients" specific pain needs, and a six-month programme of care that provides ongoing clinical and computerised assessment of the patient"s walking pattern and readjustments as needs change. The APOS Treatment combines two simple principles: realigning the body as it walks and introducing a mild instability, encouraging retraining of the joints. The APOS Treatment can reduce the intensity of knee pain by an average of 66 percent after just eight weeks[3] and has a high success rate - 86 percent of people who have experienced the APOS Treatment would recommend it to a friend or relative[4]. The launch could be a major breakthrough for around 22 million back and 13 million knee pain sufferers in the UK, more than 60 percent of whom have suffered pain for more than a year (64 percent back, 61 percent knee).[5] Leading physician Dr Richard Budgett, said: "APOS combines two widely-recognised and applied medical principles into one unique new treatment. The concept is simple and could provide an effective new way to treat joint pain. It could become the foundation of non-surgical care for this type of pain." The new research also reveals that amongst the UK"s lower back and knee pain sufferers: - around a half of sufferers feel that treatment options are limited (54 percent back, 47 percent knee) - whether or not a treatment is non-surgical is an important factor in treatment selection for around eight in ten of those who have used/received some kind of treatment (82 percent back, 77 percent knee) - in the last year, around half of those who have taken any time off work due to their pain have taken a week or more off (49 percent back, 51 percent knee). The APOS Treatment was first invented in Israel in 2005 at the acclaimed Assaf Harofeh Medical Centre. Since then, 12,000 people have undergone the APOS Treatment. Patients interested in the APOS Treatment will undergo a free hour-and-a-half assessment at a Bupa centre to see whether it is suitable for them. This includes an in-depth consultation with a clinician and a computerised gait analysis. If the APOS Treatment is appropriate, patients will receive a six-month programme of care, including a series of follow-up assessments with a clinician, where the Walkrights are adjusted to meet their changing pain needs, as well as on-call telephone support from the Bupa team. APOS Treatment is covered by Bupa health insurance. The cost of APOS Treatment is ÷£2,925 when paid up front or ÷£3,250 when spread over six-months: an initial payment of ÷£1,750 followed by five monthly payments of ÷£300. Dr Peter Mace, Bupa"s assistant medical director said: "Existing treatments for knee and back pain may need long-term medication, surgical intervention with the risk of complications and exercise regimes which may patients may find difficult to sustain. Research shows that often these treatments are not effective at relieving chronic pain. APOS Treatment takes a different approach and can provide a long-term, sustainable solution, with less need for long term medication and surgery. The added benefit for the patient is that this treatment is easy to fit into everyday life." Dr Amit Mor, chairman and co-founder of APOS, said: "People are best placed to treat their joint problems if they have good alignment and feel less pain, features which APOS provides." References [1] Research Now - online survey of a representative sample of 4,008 UK adults (aged 16 +) between 4th and 11th June 2009. [2] Communications Centre of the Brandman Institute in Tel Aviv. Telephone interviews conducted in March, 2008 among 200 people, aged 35 +,using the APOS Treatment. Seventy percent of those taking prescription pain relief before their APOS Treatment reported no longer needing pain relief afterwards. Eighty percent of the sample were being treated with APOS for knee pain, and 20 percent for back pain. [3] for this emerging evidence is: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center. Zerifin, Israel. A medical study of 57 people with knee osteoarthritis was carried out in Israel between September 2005 and February 2006. The study has been registered with http://www.clinicaltrials.gov http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT00457132 [4] As footnote 2 - above [5] As footnote 1 above BUPA


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