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BC Cancer
launched its Millennium Campaign today, a bold new plan to create
a world-class research and treatment centre for excellence in
cancer science. BC Cancer is positioning itself to make significant
breakthroughs. The new millennium is the target date to have in
place the means for finding the cures. The cornerstone of the
Millennium Campaign is the construction of a 200,000-square foot
research centre and a $100-million fund-raising project to support
the plan. The fund-raising target is the largest ever attempted
by a health care organization in Canada.
A team of University of Alberta medical
researchers has developed a revolutionary new cancer therapy to
induce the body to create an enhanced immune system to destroy
cancer cells. This promising new treatment will be used in Phase
1 human clinical trials scheduled for June at the University Hospitals
in Edmonton. This breakthrough is the result of research conducted
by Dr. Lung-Ji Chang, a Heritage researcher, and his research
team in the University of Alberta's department of medical microbiology
and immunology. The therapy (immunogene therapy) is the result
of a unique combination of two genes and includes the gene (B7-2),
never before tested in cancer clinical trials. The phase 1 study
will target the most common and aggressive form of brain cancer
and a highly aggressive form of skin cancer, and will evaluate
the safety and toxicity of the vaccine. Briana Bio-Tech Inc.,
an Edmonton-based biopharmaceutical company, has licensed the
research and is funding the clinical trials and the ongoing research
and development for this promising technology for at least the
next three years. The company has exclusive worldwide distribution
rights of this technology.
Patient InfoSYSTEMS, Inc., Rochester, NY has
entered into an agreement with Health Alliance (Alliance Santé)
Division Astra Pharma, Inc.) in Mississauga, Ontario, to provide
its disease management program in the area of asthma. This exclusive
program will be incorporated throughout Canada in Health Alliances'
Sharing a Healthier Future Program. This program is an initiative
developed by Health Alliance to combat Canada's rising healthcare
system cost, and offer patients comprehensive and extended personalized
healthcare services.
Kingston General Hospital
has extended its license to include Hotel Dieu Hospital in a multi-year
agreement to install ULTICARE, an enterprise-wide patient-care
information system developed by Health Data Sciences Corp., San
Bernardino, Calif. The agreement represents a strategic partnership
between Hotel Dieu and Kingston General Hospitals. Kingston General
recently joined with Hotel Dieu and other healthcare providers
in the area to form a unique regional integrated delivery system
designed to better deliver quality care to southeast Ontario residents.
KGH will continue to provide inpatient acute-care services with
more than 400 beds while Hotel Dieu converts its 200-bed acute-care
facility into an ambulatory care centre.
Eli Lilly and Company, Eastern Virginia Medical
School and McGill University have entered into a licensing
agreement regarding the discovery of a gene and its related products
that could potentially play a key role in treating diabetes more
effectively. Two research teams, led by Aaron L. Vinik, M.D.,
Ph.D., director of the EVMS Diabetes Research Institute and Lawrence
Rosenberg, M.D. Ph.D., director of the McGill Transplantation
Surgery Program and the Centre for Pancreatic Diseases at the
Montreal General Hospital, have identified a new gene whose products
appear to stimulate the regeneration of islet cells, which produce
insulin in the pancreas and regulate its production to meet the
body's demands.
Med-Chem Health Care Limited,
Toronto has announced that it has reached agreement for the purchase
of all of the outstanding shares of Flemingdon Medical Laboratories
Limited and FML Consultants Inc.,Toronto. Flemingdon and FML collectively
operate a medical diagnostic laboratory under the name Flemingdon
Medical Laboratories with annual revenues of approximately $6.8
million. Flemingdon Medical Laboratories will bring to Med-Chem
Health Care specialized expertise in histopathology.
New guidelines for managing Helicobacter
pylori have been generated by the first Canadian Helicobacter
pylori Consensus Conference. The guidelines represent a collaboration
between specialists, primary care physicians, and government representatives.
They have major implications for reducing serious health risks
in Canada.
The guidelines specifically identify which
patients should be evaluated for Helicobacter pylori (also known
as H. pylori) and treated if the bacteria is present. It is estimated
that approximately 40% of Canadians have this gastrointestinal
infection, although only a proportion develop complications. The
guidelines summarize what is currently known about the risks of
infection and the benefits of treatment. For further information:
Dr. Alan B.R. Thomson, University of Edmonton, Alberta, (403)
492-6490; Dr. Richard H. Hunt, McMaster University, Hamilton,
Ontario, (905) 521-2100 ext. 6404.
Canadian Medical Laboratories,
Mississauga, ON wishes has acquired Excel Bestview Medical Laboratories
and integrated Excel's entire business volume of into its central
testing laboratory. Excel Bestview was acquired by Canadian Medical
Laboratories immediately following the initial public offering
completed by Canadian Medical Laboratories on November 25, 1996.
Canadian Medical Laboratories expects the contribution of Excel
Bestview to Canadian Medical Laboratories' consolidated earnings
will be substantial due to the economies of scale and other synergies
to be realized.
Viragen, Inc., Miami, Fla, and the Canadian Red Cross have entered into a collaborative agreement to develop a natural interferon program for Canada.
Healthcare in Canada - March 1997
Healthcare in Canada - February 1997
Healthcare in Canada - January 1997
Healthcare in Canada - December 1996
Healthcare in Canada - November 1996
Healthcare in Canada - October 1996
Healthcare in Canada - September 1996
Healthcare in Canada - August 1996
Healthcare in Canada - July 1996
Healthcare in Canada - June 1996
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