[The Economist] ACROSS the rich world, governments with ageing populations are worried about soaring health-care costs. In Britain this week David Cameron announced yet another reorganisation of the National Health Service (see article). But the problem is most severe in America. Medical spending per head has nearly tripled since 1990, yet most indicators of health [...]

[BioEdge] There is no human right to assisted suicide, the European Court of Human Rights has declared, in a unanimous verdict.

The background to this important judgement is in Switzerland. A 57-year-old Swiss national, Ernst G. Haas, felt that he could no longer live a dignified life after battling a serious bipolar affective disorder for 20 years. [...]

[FirstWord] Deirdre Connelly, president of GlaxoSmithKline’s North American pharmaceuticals unit, indicated that the company has increased its commitment to operate with integrity, be more transparent in how it conducts business and be more respectful of patients, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
As part of this effort, GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Mary Anne Rhyne noted that the company [...]

[Newswise]  New results from a Baylor University study show that different behaviors and strategies lead some families to cope better and emerge stronger after a weather-related event.
Dr. Sara Alexander, an applied social anthropologist at Baylor who conducts much of her research in Central America, studied different households in several coastal communities in Belize. While climate [...]

[newswise] Growing up poor can suppress a child’s genetic potential to excel cognitively even before the age of 2, according to research from psychologists at The University of Texas at Austin.
Half of the gains that wealthier children show on tests of mental ability between 10 months and 2 years of age can be attributed to [...]

[WSJ] The U.S. and Russia will fight international efforts this week to set a deadline to destroy the last known stocks of smallpox, saying the deadly virus is needed for research to combat bioterrorism.
Members of the World Health Organization meet on Wednesday to begin debating the future of what is left of what was one [...]

[WSJ] GlaxoSmithKline PLC said it will record a £2.2 billion ($3.49 billion) charge for the fourth quarter to cover costs relating to a U.S. investigation of its marketing practices, as well as additional costs tied to consumer lawsuits over the diabetes drug Avandia.
The amount is the latest in a series of large charges the U.K. [...]

[mlive]  new testing method developed by Van Andel Research Institute researchers triples the amount of genetic information that can be obtained from dried spots of newborn blood preserved by the state Department of Community Health.
The archived newborn blood, which comes from a poke in the heel a day or two after birth, can be used [...]

[biotech-now] In a first report on synthetic biology, the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues has called for the U.S. government to foster and promote innovation in this emerging field while also taking precautions to avoid misuse of the technology.

The commission identified five ethical principles and highlighted 18 recommendations in the report, “New [...]

 [sciencedaily]  In a groundbreaking achievement that could help scientists “build” new biological systems, Princeton University scientists have constructed for the first time artificial proteins that enable the growth of living cells.
The team of researchers created genetic sequences never before seen in nature, and the scientists showed that they can produce substances that sustain life in cells [...]