Month: July 2014

By Laila Kearney NEW YORK (Reuters) – A New York-based health insurance company has agreed to reimburse members up to $31 million for previously denied mental health and substance abuse claims, the state attorney general said on Wednesday. As part of a lawsuit settlement, EmblemHealth also will pay a $1.2 million fine for scrutinizing its members’ mental health and substance abuse claims more than medical or surgical claims, in violation of local and federal laws, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement. “Insurers must comply with the laws – and they must treat people with mental health and substance abuse conditions as they do those with medical conditions,” Schneiderman said.

By Natalie Huet and Ransdell Pierson PARIS/NEW YORK (Reuters) – An experimental drug from Sanofi and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc significantly reduced skin lesions and itching in adult patients with atopic dermatitis, a chronic form of eczema that is poorly controlled by standard drugs, the companies said on Wednesday. Dupilumab was named "clinical advance of the year" in 2013 by industry publication Scrip Intelligence, and some analysts expect it to capture annual sales up to $2 billion if approved.

By Bryan Cohen SEATTLE (Reuters) – A Seattle-based company that makes marijuana-infused drinks and candies has become the first business in Washington approved to make edible pot products for the state’s newly opened stores, officials said Wednesday. State officials said two other companies were awarded processing licenses, but did not yet have approved kitchens.  “This is a landmark day, not only for Db3 as a company, but also for the consumers facing a potential shortage of edible products at retail outlets,” the firm’s president, Michael Devlin, said in a statement. The state Liquor Control Board, which regulates the fledgling marijuana sector, is due to consider a proposal next week on packaging and labeling standards for edibles. The state’s first recreational pot stores opened on Tuesday, making Washington only the second state to allow such sales after Colorado.

A novel drug to fight alcohol dependency has been endorsed for use on Britain’s state health service by the country’s cost-effectiveness watchdog NICE in a boost to its Danish maker Lundbeck. Recently launched in Europe, Selincro is a potentially important new product for Lundbeck, which needs new drugs to replace revenue from those going off patent. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said in draft guidance on Thursday that some 600,000 people dependent on alcohol should have access to the once-daily drug, also known as nalmefene, to help them fight addiction. Lundbeck believes Selincro has the potential to generate annual sales of 2.0-2.5 billion Danish crowns ($365-457 million) in all markets, although Chief Executive Ulf Wiinberg told Reuters in March that getting there could be a long haul.

All a person thinks about is eating pure and healthy foods. … Some cut out essential food groups like meats which can lead to severe weight loss and …

Most of my patients can reset their metabolism by switching from sugar and processed foods to real, whole, fresh food. But there are some who need a more powerful reboot, a cleanse. And there are so many programs and cleanses out there — some good, some not.

I want to be energized and more present. Give my best to others. Make meditation and watching the sunset part of my weekly routine. That is what having a thriving life means to me. And if I ever forget how to do it, I will keep going on sabbaticals to rediscover life's magic.

By Michelle Nichols and Tom Miles UNITED NATIONS/GENEVA (Reuters) – Veteran United Nations official Staffan de Mistura, a former U.N. special envoy to Afghanistan and Iraq, will replace Lakhdar Brahimi as the international mediator seeking an end to Syria's civil war, diplomats said on Wednesday. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters later on Wednesday that consultations were still continuing on the appointment and he hoped to make an announcement "very soon." The move comes amid worsening violence as Islamist militants seized swathes of Syria and Iraq and after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was re-elected in a June 3 poll described by Ban as a blow to international efforts to end to the conflict.

By Malathi Nayak SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Zynga Inc has appointed Regina Dugan, a vice president of engineering at Google, to its board, the online gaming company said on Wednesday. Dugan, 51, also leads the advanced technology and projects group at Google that works on new inventions like a tablet that uses 3D motion and depth sensing capabilities. In a blog post, Zynga Chief Executive Officer Don Mattrick said that Dugan’s expertise would help Zynga offer “next generation entertainment experiences that span categories, platforms and devices.” Zynga, known for its “FarmVille” game, has set in motion a business revival plan by overhauling top management, trimming staff and introducing titles that can be played on smartphones and tablets. Dugan becomes the second female director on Zynga’s board alongside former Yahoo executive Ellen Siminoff.