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Statistics Show Drop In Births, Lower Demand For Infertility Services During Recession
More people in the Atlanta area and across the U.S. are delaying pregnancy in a possible reaction to the current economic recession, leading to a decline in the number of couples seeking infertility treatments, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. According to the Journal-Constitution, 13 states saw a decrease in the number of recorded births in 2008 compared with 2007. The Georgia Hospital Association reports that there were 5,352 fewer recorded births in Georgia in 2008 than in 2007. Mark Perloe of Georgia Reproductive Specialists said there has been a 20% decline in the number of people seeking infertility services. To retain business during the economic downturn, Perloe said Georgia Reproductive Specialists is offering a discount on select services of as much as 70%.Elisabeth Burgess, a Georgia State University sociology professor who focuses on families, said, "In times of economic downturns, different people react in different ways." For some people, "[f]amily becomes more important, so you might decide to have a child." The Journal-Constitution reports that one cycle of treatment can cost $15,000 or more, which some people pay for through credit, retirement savings or home equity loans. Evelina Sterling, co-author of a book on budgeting finances for infertility treatments, said that 70% of infertility patients cover the costs of the treatments completely out of pocket. She added that some older infertility patients "can"t wait on" the economy to recover to start a family.Carol Hogue, a professor of maternal and child health at Emory University, said there has been a "very predictable" pattern of reduced births during periods of economic recessions dating back to the Great Depression. The Journal-Constitution reports that some people delay planned pregnancy because of concerns over job security, health insurance, income and the cost of raising a child. Statistics from USDA show that the average middle-class family will pay $11,000 to raise a child in the first year, with the largest portion of that cost going to child care. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reported in 2007 -- the latest year for which data are available -- that prenatal care and routine delivery costs about $7,600 after insurance (Cash, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 5/24).

Association of American Medical Colleges Supports Hospital Agreement On Health Care Reform
AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., issued the following statement on the agreement reached by the hospital community, the Obama administration, and the Senate Finance Committee in support of health care reform:
News of the day
MGH Study Identifies First Molecular Steps To Childhood Leukemia
A Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)-based research team has identified how a chromosomal abnormality known to be associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)- the most common cancer in children- initiates the disease process. In the July issue of Cell Stem Cell, they describe how expression of this mutation in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which usually occurs before birth, leads to the development of leukemia many years later.
Medical Devices

Tapentadol Tablets For Moderate To Scute Pain In Over 18s Now Available For Use In The United States

German pain expert company GrÃønenthal GmbH announces that the new centrally acting analgesic tapentadol is now available in the United States. The drug is indicated for the relief of moderate to severe acute pain in patients 18 years of age and older. Approval was given by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in November 2008 for tapentadol (NUCYNTATM) tablets. With the cooperation of GrÃønenthal and its marketing partner Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., the medication can now be prescribed by physicians and other appropriate health care professionals in the United States. "This first launch of tapentadol which has been discovered by GrÃønenthal and co-developed with Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C, is an important step in our endeavour to further improve pain management worldwide", said Dr. Alberto Grua, Head of Palexia Global Division, Global Commercial Operations of GrÃønenthal. "The US patients are the first to benefit from tapentadol which shows comparable efficacy to strong classical opioids and offers a favourable tolerability profile." More than 25 million Americans experience acute pain each year as a result of injuries or surgery1, and acute pain is the most common reason people seek medical attention.2 The FDA approval of tapentadol was based on data from clinical studies involving more than 2.100 patients with acute pain. The studies found that tapentadol provided significant relief of moderate to severe acute pain compared to placebo. In Europe, GrÃønenthal has submitted the Marketing Authorisation Application for two tablet formulations (tapentadol and tapentadol prolonged-release tablets) to several European authorities in April 2009. GrÃønenthal is seeking a European indication for the relief of severe acute pain and the management of severe chronic pain requiring centrally acting analgesic therapy in adults 18 years of age and older. Tapentadol is the first new substance in its class for more than 25 years. About Tapentadol Tapentadol has been under development for severe chronic pain. In the United States, tapentadol was approved by the Food and Drug Administration on November 20, 2008 for the relief of moderate to severe acute pain in patients 18 years of age or older. On April 30th, 2009 GrÃønenthal has submitted the Marketing Authorisation Application for tapentadol and tapentadol prolonged release to several European authorities. GrÃønenthal is also preparing the submission of tapentadol to regulatory authorities in Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, and Venezuela in 2009. Other countries will follow later. Two Mechanisms of Action Tapentadol has a unique profile with two mechanisms of action, combining mu-opioid receptor agonism and noradrenaline reuptake inhibition properties in a single molecule. Preclinical studies suggest that both mechanisms contribute to the analgesic effects of tapentadol. Îúu-receptor agonists are drugs which act at various levels in the pain pathway, by inhibiting the transmission of the pain signal, the emotional aspect of pain and pain realisation. In addition, the analgesic effect of tapentadol, can be explained by the descending inhibition arising from the noradrenaline reuptake inhibition, a recognized analgesic mechanism. Tapentadol Partnership GrÃønenthal discovered tapentadol. GrÃønenthal and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD) have conducted the Phase IIb and III development programs for tapentadol for acute and chronic pain conditions. GrÃønenthal licensed exclusive rights to tapentadol to Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD), for the United States, Canada and Japan. PriCara®, a division of Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceutical, Inc. will market tapentadol in the United States. GrÃønenthal holds the rights in Europe and other countries worldwide. References 1. National Pain Survey (1999). The American Pain Foundation. Conducted for Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical 2. Coda BA, Bonica JJ. General considerations of acute pain. In: Loeser JD, Butler SH, Chapman CR, et al, eds. Bonica"s Management of Pain. 3rd ed. Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2001:222-240. GrÃønenthal


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