Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALNY), a leading RNAi therapeutics company, reported positive data for the ALN-RSV01 Phase II experimental infection study, now called “GEMINI.” The GEMINI study was designed to evaluate the safety and anti-viral activity of ALN-RSV01, an RNAi therapeutic for the treatment of RSV infection. Top-line results show that ALN-RSV01 was safe and well tolerated and demonstrated statistically significant anti-viral activity.

The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare last week launched a program to identify and stop Medicaid payments for care related to preventable hospital errors, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The state also will prohibit hospitals from charging patients for such errors. Under the policy, which Gov.

A $150 billion economic stimulus package being debated by lawmakers likely will not include a temporary funding increase for states’ Medicaid programs because Republicans are questioning whether the money would benefit the economy, CongressDaily reports. Congressional aides said the Medicaid provision could re-emerge in the planning of the package, but “they added there is little enthusiasm about it,” according to CongressDaily.

While dental care appears to be improving among Massachusetts children, many minority and low-income children are not experiencing improvements, according to a report released Thursday by Delta Dental of Massachusetts, the Boston Globe reports.

About 9.7 million children worldwide under age five die annually from preventable and treatable causes, including HIV/AIDS, according to a UNICEF report released on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

The following highlights recent news of state actions on women’s health-related legislation.Abstinence-Only EducationArizona: Gov. Janet Napolitano (D) on Wednesday said the state is rejecting federal funding for the Title V abstinence-only education program, Capitol Media Services/Arizona Daily Star reports.

Sorafenib, a new anti tumour (antineoplastic) drug marketed by Bayer under the brand Nexavar, and used to treat patients with advanced kidney or liver cancer, has been found to increase significantly the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Advocates, lawmakers and officials from the cable network Lifetime on Wednesday gathered in Washington, D.C., to lobby for legislation (HB 758,

Diabetes cost the U.S. $174 billion in 2007 in both direct care and lost productivity, an increase over $132 billion in costs related to the disease in 2006, according to a report released on Wednesday by the American Diabetes Association,

Helaine Smith, DMD is now offering a new diagnostic tool, Vizilite Plus, to aid in the early detection of oral cancer, which includes cancers of the mouth, sinuses, and throat. Studies suggest that people with more than five oral sex partners increase their risk for throat cancer by 250%.