Month: June 2013

By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) – A U.S. group that sets policy for organ transplants voted on Monday to give some children access to adult organs after the parents of two children successfully sued to add them to the adult list for lung transplants. The cases, both in Pennsylvania, have touched off a debate in the United States over how donor organs – a scarce, life-saving resource – should be allocated among the 1,659 people, including 30 children, on the waiting list for a lung transplant. …

NEW YORK (AP) — Advocates for women's rights say the federal government's decision to comply with a New York judge's ruling giving all girls easy access to emergency contraception could be "a move forward for reproductive justice."

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The national organization that manages organ transplants rejected making emergency rule changes Monday for children under 12 who are waiting on lungs, but created a special appeal and review system to hear such cases.

By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA (Reuters) – A United Nations human rights investigator accused Israel on Monday of imposing collective punishment on 1.75 million Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and said that the enclave’s viability was at stake. Both Israel and its close ally the United States boycotted the debate at the Human Rights Council where Richard Falk presented his latest report. It also calls for an inquiry into alleged torture of Palestinian detainees in Israel’s custody. “Forty-six years ago today Israel’s occupation of Palestine began. …

(Reuters) – Health insurer Cigna Corp signed a 10-year agreement with pharmacy benefit manager Catamaran Corp and said it expected to record a related charge of about $25 million in the current quarter. U.S.-listed shares of Catamaran, formerly SXC Health Solutions, rose 15 percent in extended trading as the deal lifts uncertainty over a key contract. The Canadian company had a contract with Medicare provider HealthSpring, which was acquired by Cigna. The contract brought in about a third of Catamaran’s 2012 revenue of $9.94 billion. …