Tag: economics
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Full Coverage of Meds Reduces Later Heart Attacks, Failures
Academic and industry researchers have found heart attack patients whose insurance fully covered their medications had lower rates of rehospitalization for heart attack or heart failure compared to patients who had prescription co-pays. The team from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston, Aetna Insurance in Hartford, Connecticut, and CVS Caremark in…
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National Lab: U.S. Energy, Fossil Fuels Use Up in 2010
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California reports total U.S. energy use grew in 2010, particularly in the burning of fossil fuels. The lab’s annual accounting also shows the nation’s overall renewable fuel use in 2010 remained about the same as 2009, but wind energy and biomass power increased. Total energy use in the U.S. grew…
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Canadian Corporate R&D Spending Drops for 5th Straight Year
Industry market research company Research Infosource in Toronto, Ontario says total corporate R&D spending in Canada dropped for the fifth year in a row in the 2010 fiscal year, despite an increase in revenues for these companies. The top R&D spenders among Canadian companies in 2010 were found in the information technology, engineering, and aerospace…
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Math Model Detects Financial Asset Bubbles
Statisticians in the U.S. and France have devised a mathematical model that they say can detect asset bubbles, such as vastly over-valued stocks, in real time. Robert Jarrow of Cornell University and risk management company Kamakura Corp. in Honolulu, Younes Kchia at Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, and Philip Protter of Columbia University published their findings…
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U.S. Agencies Directed to Speed Science to Marketplace
President Obama today directed federal research agencies to take additional steps to transfer discoveries from their labs into the hands of businesses. The actions outlined by the White House also require agencies to develop five-year plans with goals and measures of progress. The president’s memorandum aims to cut in half the time it takes to…
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Gates Foundation, China to Partner on Health, Agriculture
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and China’s Ministry of Science and Technology announced a partnership to support research and development and manufacturing of new products to improve global health and agriculture. Bill Gates and vice-minister Zhang Laiwu signed an agreement that they say affirms their focus on meeting the needs of developing countries and…
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Novartis to Cut Jobs in U.S., Switzerland; Add Jobs in Asia
In its third-quarter financial report released today, the Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG said it would cut some 2,000 jobs in Switzerland and the U.S., but add 700 jobs in China and India. The cuts were announced at the same time the company said it recorded gains in third quarter sales of 12 percent and…
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National Academies Urge Single, Simple Food Rating System
A study by the National Academy of Sciences recommends federal agencies develop an easy-to-understand point system that rates the nutritional value of packaged food and beverages. The point system, says the study authors, should reflect a single numerical rating that reflects calorie counts with saturated and trans fats, sodium, and added sugars. The study was…
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Investment Fund to Back Health Cost-Cutting Technologies
The West Health Investment Fund, an angel capital enterprise in San Diego, unveiled its first set of investments and plans to support other entrepreneurs developing health care technologies and services designed to lower the cost of health care. Gary and Mary West, who established the fund, expect to invest $100 million in early-stage companies. The…
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Pharma, Technology Lead Worldwide Corporate R&D Rebound
Research and development spending by the largest 1,400 corporate R&D spenders worldwide increased by more than 4 percent to €465 billion ($US 630 billion) in 2010, reversing a nearly 2 percent decline in 2009. The data are compiled in the European Commission’s EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard, released today. Pharmaceuticals/biotechnology, technology hardware, and automotive companies…