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Hackers Going After Medical Records
Hackers raided a server at the University of California, Berkeley last fall, stealing everything from Social Security numbers to immunization records in an episode that highlights one danger of moving health information from file cabinets to cyberspace, Forbes reports in a first-person account by one of the 160,000 victims. "Stealing medical data has become more attractive to hackers and identity thieves as banks and individuals have become more sophisticated about protecting credit-building information." One consumer group estimates that as many as 12 percent of digital security breaches target the medical industry.
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Former Health Insurance Spokesman Criticizes Industry Practices
A former health insurance spokesman speaks out against insurance practices. The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones reports: "Wendell Potter, former chief spokesman for health insurer Cigna Corp., describes himself in his Twitter bio as a "journalist who spent 20 years undercover as HMO PR flack, now writing all about it." While Potter chuckles about the line, he is serious about his foray into the U.S. health reform debate, where he is campaigning for a public health-plan option and, with mild delivery and tough words, targeting what he calls "deceptive and dishonest" tactics of a for-profit health insurance industry that"s fighting such a plan."
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WHO Raises Pandemic Alert To Phase 6, Director General Gives Speech
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 5 to phase 6, following an
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Incyte Provides Update On Special Protocol Assessment For INCB18424 As A New Treatment For Myelofibrosis

Incyte Corporation (Nasdaq:INCY) announced that based on recent input from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding Incyte"s request for a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA) for INCB18424 for patients with primary myelofibrosis (PMF), post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis (PPV-MF) and post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis (PET-MF), it is clear that the most appropriate single primary endpoint for Incyte"s U.S. Phase III trial is the proportion of treated patients achieving a 35% reduction in spleen volume as compared to patients receiving placebo. Paul A. Friedman, M.D., President and CEO of Incyte, stated, "Because INCB18424 is a first-in-class compound and there has never been a registration trial for this disease conducted in the U.S., it has taken a couple of iterations on the SPA request to establish that reduction in spleen volume is the most appropriate primary endpoint to support approval of a new treatment for myelofibrosis." Dr. Friedman added, "Although resubmitting our request will cause a modest delay in starting the Phase III study, we still anticipate completion of the study in a time frame that will allow for filing a New Drug Application in late 2010 or early 2011 assuming positive results are achieved. This time frame is consistent with prior guidance provided." Based on the aforementioned interaction with the FDA, Incyte expects to begin enrollment of COMFORT-I (COntrolled MyeloFibrosis Study with ORal JAK Inhibitor Treatment) in August 2009. The Phase III European trial, COMFORT-II, is scheduled to begin enrollment in June 2009. COMFORT-II is an open-label study designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of INCB18424 as compared to the best-available therapy in 150 patients with PMF, PPV-MF or PET-MF. This trial is expected to involve approximately 70 clinical sites in 10 European countries and has been designed based on scientific advice from the European Medicines Agency. The primary efficacy endpoint in COMFORT-II is the proportion of patients achieving at least 35% reduction in spleen volume from baseline to week 48. About Myelofibrosis Myelofibrosis is a serious neoplastic condition for which there are no approved therapies in the U.S. It is characterized by varying degrees of bone marrow failure, splenic enlargement and debilitating constitutional symptoms resulting in a significant loss in quality of life and reduced life-span. Myelofibrosis is part of a related group of hematological neoplasms called myeloproliferative disorders that includes myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia. Approximately 10 to 20% of patients with polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia progress to myelofibrosis. Myelofibrosis can also develop without a prior history of polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia. About Special Protocol Assessments The SPA is a process that allows for official FDA evaluation of the clinical protocols of a Phase III clinical trial intended to form the primary basis for an efficacy claim and provides trial sponsors with a binding written agreement that the design and analysis of the trial are adequate to support a marketing application submission if the trial is performed according to the SPA. The SPA agreement may only be changed through a written agreement between the sponsor and the FDA, or if the FDA becomes aware of a substantial scientific issue essential to product efficacy or safety. For more information on Special Protocol Assessment, please visit http://www.fda.gov/cder/guidance/3764fnl.htm. Incyte


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