Categories
Cardiovascular
Diagnostics
Endocrinology
Health Insurance
Medical Devices
Mental Health
Nutrition
Oncology
Public Health
Sexual Health
Popular Articles

Clinics Report Rise In Egg, Sperm Donations During Recession
More men and women are seeking to donate sperm and eggs as a way to make money during the continuing recession, according to sperm banks and egg donation agencies, USA Today reports. Compensation for donations varies by region, state and donor agency, according to USA Today. David Battaglia, lab director for Oregon Health and Science University Fertility Consultants, said that sperm donors receive $100 per collection and can donate twice per week, while egg donors -- who undergo an outpatient extraction process -- can receive $5,000 for a donation. Battaglia said his lab has seen "easily a 25%-30% increase in calls in the last nine months." Kim Springfield, vice president of sales for donor referral service Health News, said that the company"s donations have seen "a definite spike" of about 40% since February. Robin van Halle, president of Alternative Reproductive Res, which works with egg donors, said, "Our calls have just about doubled." However, she noted, "It"s not a quick buck."Springfield said that many prospective donors choose not to begin the process once they learn that medical and psychological screening can take weeks or months and rules out most interested people. Egg donors must be screened for mental and physical health, then chosen by prospective parents. Battaglia said that OHSU Fertility Consultants require that egg donors are between ages 21 to 32 and that sperm donors are between ages 20 to 39 to improve fertility odds. Von Halle noted that the rise in donors is giving infertility patients more choices. However, because in vitro fertilization can cost thousands of dollars, economic concerns are forcing many to postpone their plans, she said (Keen, USA Today, 7/7).

NICE Welcomes Office For Life Sciences New Blueprint To Support Innovative Drugs
NICE today welcomed the Office for Life Sciences new Blueprint to support the life sciences industry, which will also improve patient access to innovative new drugs.
News of the day
First Patient Of NOTES Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) Study Successfully Treated With Ethicon Endo-Surgery Devices
Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. announced the successful treatment of the first patient of its IDE feasibility trial. The case, which was performed at The Ohio State University Center for Minimally Invasive Surgery, marks the first natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedure involving the company"s investigational devices. NOTES is a surgical method in which external incisions are eliminated, potentially leading to reduced pain, a quicker recovery and a faster return to normal activities for the patient.
Nutrition

Obama Pledges $73M To Zimbabwe

Following talks with Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai at the White House Friday, President Obama pledged $73 million in aid to the country, AFP/Google.com reports (Carmichael, AFP/Google.com, 6/13). The U.S. aid, however "will not be going to the government directly because we continue to be concerned about consolidating democracy, human rights and rule of law," Obama said (Stolberg, New York Times, 6/13), but channeled through appropriate aid agencies (ZimOnline, 6/15). "The president, President Mugabe, I think I"ve made my views clear, has not acted, oftentimes, in the best interests of the Zimbabwean people and has been resistant to the kinds of democratic changes that need to take place," Obama said. Regardless, "[t]he people of Zimbabwe need very concrete things: schools that are reopened, a health-care-delivery system that can deal with issues like cholera or HIV/AIDS, an agricultural system that is able to feed its people," he said (Fletcher, "44," Washington Post, 6/12). "Of course we need billions of dollars, but as far as we are concerned, this is the step in the right direction," Tsvangirai told reporters after meeting with Obama, adding, "It is an endorsement of confidence in the process. It is an appreciation that whatever we do to improve our conditions must be rewarded because that is how you consolidate the process" (AFP/Google.com, 6/13). During a meeting between Tsvangirai and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Thursday, Clinton said she wants "to look for ways that [the U.S.] appropriately can be supportive" after acknowledging the steps Tsvangirai"s government was making "to move Zimbabwe forward into a better future" (Carmichael, AFP/Google.com, 6/12). Tsvangirai will travel this week to "Germany, France and other European countries to continue diplomatic re-engagement and make the case for transitional support to Harare," VOA News reports (Zulu, VOA News, 6/12). Zimbabwe To Add Three Male Circumcision Clinics By End Of June The ZimDiaspora examines the opening of several male circumcision clinics this month in an effort to reduce the spread of HIV in the country. "Studies which have been done have shown that circumcision reduces the spread of HIV by up to 60 percent and a number of countries have embraced male circumcision as a strategy to control the spread of HIV," said Minister of Health and Child Welfare Henry Madzorera. In the lead up to the opening of the clinics by the end of the month, the Ministry of Health is "training doctors and other health practitioners on how to use surgical equipment during circumcision," ZimDiaspora writes (ZimDiaspora, 6/11). This information was reprinted from globalhealth.kff.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Global Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at globalhealth.kff.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


Add your comment:
Name:
Site address: http://
Your message:
Enter today\\\\'s date, 2 digits
(spam protection):

© Copyright 2009