The humanitarian community in Sudan is raising its voice against intolerable attacks that are putting the humanitarian operation and the welfare of the people of Darfur in jeopardy. Attacks against those implementing humanitarian activities are never justified. Such incidents in Darfur have reached an unprecedented level.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), working in collaboration with the Ad Council, announced today a program that has delivered their National Mental Health Anti-Stigma public service advertising (PSA) campaign for the first time directly to colleges and universities throughout the country.

Leadership from the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology released the following statement in response to the Thursday announcement of a Food and Drug Administration investigation into Singulair:There are no data from well-designed studies to indicate a link between Singulair and suicide.

At this week’s meeting of the American College of Cardiology in Chicago, GE Healthcare is launching a solution capable of assessing the coronary arteries and cardiovascular function automatically, dramatically improving overall workflow when reviewing cardiac CT images. The two latest advanced CT applications for the Advantage Workstation, CardIQ Xpress 2.

GE Healthcare, the global leader in healthcare technology, continually strives to re-invent and re-imagine its product portfolio. Some of its latest innovations are on display this week at the 57th annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) in Chicago.

Lannett Company, Inc. (AMEX:LCI), a manufacturer of generic pharmaceuticals, announced that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of its Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for Bethanechol Chloride Tablets in 5 mg, 10 mg, 25 mg, and 50 mg, the generic equivalent of Urecholine® Tablets marketed by Odyssey Pharmaceuticals, Inc. According to Wolters Kluwer, total sales of generic Bethanechol Chloride Tablets were $60 million in 2007.

The Scandinavian-based drug development company Lytix Biopharma announced its intention to take its lead anti-cancer molecule LTX-315 through to clinical trials. This decision follows the selection of Lytix’s first lead antimicrobial compound towards end of 2007.

The Business Intelligence firm La Merie S.L. reported that for the first time erythropoietins have been superseded by the major cancer antibodies Rituxan, Herceptin, Avastin and Erbitux as the number one top selling class of biologics with the highest growth rate of 48 % and combined 2007 sales of US$ 15.74 bln. Epoetin alfa brands still are number one drugs with 2007 sales of US$ 5.76bln, but closely followed by (anti-TNF) etanercept with 2007 sales of US$ 5.

The Gore PRODIGY Study enrolled its first patient on March 17, 2008 at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. The procedure was performed by Richard Neville, MD.

At the 57th Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology (ACC), Dr. Jeffrey S. Borer is presenting the findings of a 28-year study that show that a non-invasively measured contractility descriptor previously used to predict clinical outcomes in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR — leaking aortic valve) without surgery is also a superior measure for determining survival after AR is relieved by aortic valve replacement (AVR).