WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is promoting his health care overhaul’s benefits for small businesses as he tries to rally public support behind the new law scorned by Republicans and protesters.

A speech Thursday in Portland, Maine, is the second in a series of planned appearances to plug the sweeping changes coming to health care. Obama was to focus the event on the short- and long-term benefits for small companies, which have suffered during the economic downturn.

After speaking in Maine, Obama planned to travel to Boston to attend two fundraisers for the Democratic National Committee. His trip comes as much of the Northeast is suffering through devastating flooding caused by record-setting rainfall.

One of Rhode Island‘s Democratic congressmen, Rep. Jim Langevin, sent a letter to the White House Thursday requesting that Obama view the damage to that state during his travels Thursday. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano plans to travel to Rhode Island on Friday.

The president remains on a campaign to sell his newly passed health plan to America, emphasizing different aspects as he goes.

Under the plan, businesses that have 25 or fewer employees with average annual wages of less than $50,000 will receive tax credits this year if they provide health care coverage to their workers. Those credits are expected to increase by 2014, with 4 million small businesses benefiting, according to the White House.

Businesses that may be eligible for the tax credits will receive letters from the government in the coming weeks, another step in the administration’s efforts to tout the benefits of the health care overhaul.

Also starting in 2014, companies with up to 100 employees will be able to buy insurance through new state-based purchasing pools, or exchanges, with the goal of giving small businesses the same kind of purchasing power as larger companies. Twenty-two million self-employed Americans will also be able to purchase insurance through the exchanges…. (more…)

HOUSTON – A major development in helping children with Juvenile, or Type 1, Diabetes. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation announces an artificial pancreas is now being developed and is expected to change and save lives.

JDRF is partnering with Johnson & Johnson’s Animas Corporation, to develop the first artificial pancreas. 

We found a mother in Sugar Land, who has been volunteering and raising money for JDRF, to go specifically toward funding the new device. Lisa Brettman’s 16-year old son, Trevor, has been dealing with Type 1 Diabetes most of his life….. (more…)

TORONTO — Pop a vitamin, ban doctors’ neckties, vacuum away swine flu germs and smoke an e-cigarette to ward off H1N1.

Those are just some of the suggestions making the rounds on the Internet that have health officials and experts shaking their heads.

The Web is awash with dubious advice and various flu kits for sale as H1N1 deaths continue to rise, vaccine shortages force clinics to close and officials find themselves unable to provide a hard date for when the general public can get their flu shot…. (more…)

(live-PR.com) – Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue. More information regarding this report:World Market for Cancer Therapeutics and Biotherapeutics, 3rd. Edition, The http://www.reportlinker.com/p0119229/World-Market-for-Cancer-Therapeutics-and-Biotherapeutics-3rd-Edition-The.html?utm_source=LivePR&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=LivePR Worldwide cancer affects more than 10 million people each year. This number is expected to increase by 2.4% by 2020 to 14 million each year. Worldwide approximately 22 million people are living with cancer and nearly 7 million people die. The most common cancers affecting the world include lung, breast, colon/rectum, stomach, liver, prostate, cervical, esophageal, and bladder. This Kalorama Information report – The World Market for Cancer Therapeutics and Biotherapeutics – focuses on several segments for cancer treatment. The report covers both currently marketed and late stage development cancer products. Revenues for each current market segment were generated using dollar and unit sales for each product. The following approaches to cancer therapeutics are covered in the report: Biotherapeutics Monoclonal Antibodies Interleukins/ Interferons Kinases and Other Treatments Chemotherapy Alkylating Agents Antimetabolites Cytotoxic Agents Plant Derivatives Hormone Therapy Corticosteroids Hormone Antagonists/ Antagonists Aromatase Inhibitors SERMS The report includes market share by type of cancer and market share by company for each of the three major segments. It also includes statistical information for cancers by type worldwide, with special emphasis on the U.S. market.

Specifically, cancers where there are current products available or are in development and/or have significant incidence/mortality rates are profiled. The market segments provide an overview, description of products on the market, list of products in late-stage development, market estimates and forecasts, and competitive analysis of leading providers. The report also includes current issues and trends affecting the industry. A Primary Research Effort The information for this report was gathered using both primary and secondary research including comprehensive research of secondary sources such as company literature, databases, investment reports, and medical and business journals….. (more…)

The results of a study performed by the National Institute of Cancerologia in Mexico City may raise new hopes for patients diagnosed with the asbestos-related illness, mesothelioma.

The study, which followed 30 patients with pleural mesothelioma from September 2007 until April 2009, aimed to determine whether the use of liposomal doxorubicin and cisplatin, two chemotherapy medications, would improve the survival rates of the patients.

Cisplatin is a drug  approved by the Federal Drug Administration in 1976 and is often used in combination with the drug Alimta in the treatment of mesothelioma….. (more…)

A patient with mesothelioma often demonstrates symptoms 15 to 50 years after initial exposure to asbestos. The cancer may take decades to develop in the body and symptoms do not arise until after the cancer is present. Many patients are unaware of the severity of their condition since mesothelioma symptoms typically resemble symptoms of less serious illnesses…. (more…)