A Cancer survivor from Derby has warned smokers to look after their lungs or they could die. Janet Tandy is speaking out to mark Lung Cancer Awareness Month and telling people to quit smoking to protect their health. The 62-year-old is currently in remission from lung cancer, after smoking for nearly 40 years. [click link for full article]

Construction workers who helped repair damaged structures after hurricanes Katrina and Rita were found to have four distinct skin disorders, according to an article published today in Archives of Dermatology (JAMA/Archives).The authors explain that skin diseases/disorders are commonly found among people after floods and hurricanes. However, not much research has been carried out after outbreaks occur. The researchers write “Hurricane Katrina made landfall on Aug. [click link for full article]

Administering a platinum-based chemotherapeutic agent with gemcitabine, the main drug used to treat pancreatic cancer, could help extend the lives of some patients with this cancer, according to a pooled analysis of previous data from clinical trials. However, patients who are extremely sick should still be treated with gemcitabine alone, the analysis suggests. [click link for full article]

Below is a response from Sanofi-Aventis regarding an article that appeared in The Lancet about Acomplia (Rimonabant)׃”The meta-analyses published today in the Lancet and BMJ reflect the data previously published, and do not introduce any new information that doctors, sanofi-aventis and regulatory bodies have not already considered and acted upon. [click link for full article]

The British Medical Journal recently published an article stating that most obesity drugs achieve ‘modest’ weight loss. Below is the response from Sanofi-Aventis. “We welcome new research that benefits patients, however this latest paper published by BMJ online is an analysis of previously published data and fails to add new information to our understanding of weight management pharmacotherapy in general. [click link for full article]

The Washington Post on Friday examined the Hair Heart and Health program, a collaboration between CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield and [click link for full article]

CMS will propose electronic prescribing standards for Medicare beneficiaries, prompting advocates for organizations that provide and manage drug benefits to call for an “e-prescribing” requirement for the program, CQ HealthBeat reports. [click link for full article]

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Nexavar (sorafenib) tablets, a supplemental NDA (new drug application) for patients with liver cancer (unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma, or HCC). It is the first approved systemic drug therapy for liver cancer, as well as being the only medication therapy proven to significantly improve overall survival in liver cancer patients. Last month Nexavar was approved in Europe for HCC treatment. [click link for full article]

The annual diabetes death rate for black children was more than double that of whites during a 25-year period, according to a study published on Friday in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, HealthDay/U.S. News & World Report reports. [click link for full article]

CMS has revised a Medicare handbook to include more information about the differences in out-of-pocket costs between private Medicare Advantage plans and traditional Medicare coverage, The Hill reports. [click link for full article]