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Obama Administration's Filings On Asylum For Abused Foreign Women Brings 'Overdue Dose Of Clarity,' Editorial Says
The Obama administration recently laid out "a clear but narrow pathway" toward asylum for foreign women who have experienced severe physical or sexual abuse, a New York Times editorial states, noting that the U.S. government has debated the issue for 15 years. According to the editorial, the "question is not the fact of persecution, but whether the women would qualify for protection under the law, which limits asylum to those who suffer due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or "membership in a particular social group."" It adds that attorneys general under former Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush "have gone both ways and in circles" in their decisions.Although "[n]ot all victims will qualify," the Obama administration "made it clear that some could," the editorial states. "A petitioner would have to demonstrate to a judge that domestic violence was widely tolerated by society and government in her country, that women were viewed as subordinate to men and that she had no place within its borders to find a safe haven," the editorial adds.Department of Homeland Security lawyers say the new definition could apply to a severely abused Mexican woman, identified only by her initials, whose asylum petition is before a San Francisco immigration court. The editorial notes that DHS "did not immediately recommend asylum" for the woman, but "it did urge that she be allowed to continue to gather evidence and to refine her case according to the standards it proposed." The editorial concludes, "Advocates who have fought for years to advance women"s rights are celebrating the department"s action, which brings reasoned compassion, and an overdue dose of clarity, to an issue of anguish and difficulty" (New York Times, 7/19).

Expert Statement Issued About Lantus(R) Following Recent Publications In Diabetologia
Sanofi-aventis (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY) announced the release of an Expert Statement by a multidisciplinary board of renowned international experts following an in-depth assessment of the recent publications of registry analyses with Lantus(R) (insulin glargine [rDNA] injection) in Diabetologia. This board of international specialists in the field of endocrinology, oncology and epidemiology came to the conclusion, that all four manuscripts have significant methodological limitations and shortcomings, and that they provide inconsistent and inconclusive results regarding a potential link between insulin glargine use and an increased risk of cancer.
News of the day
Poniard Pharmaceuticals Announces Positive Cardiac Safety Data From Picoplatin Phase 1 Trial Supporting NDA Filing
Poniard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: PARD), a biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative oncology therapies, announced results from a Phase 1 cardiac safety study of picoplatin, a new generation platinum-based chemotherapy agent and the Company"s lead product candidate. The Company worked collaboratively with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to design this study, which is required for new chemical entities.
Cardiovascular

Health Plans Support Consumer Protections

Health plans reiterated their strong support for new market rules and consumer protections to cover all Americans and guarantee coverage for pre-existing conditions. "Health insurance reform is an essential part of health care reform," said AHIP President and CEO Karen Ignagni. "Health plans have listened to concerns of the American people and proposed reforms to cover everyone and make sure no one is locked out of the system because of a pre-existing condition." Last year, health plans offered a proposal that includes far-reaching market reforms and new consumer protections. Health plans proposed guaranteed coverage for pre-existing conditions, discontinuing rating based on a person"s health status or gender and a personal coverage requirement to achieve universal coverage. To learn more about AHIP"s reform proposal, please visit . These proposals are highlighted in a new national television ad campaign AHIP launched last week in support of bipartisan health care reform. To view the ad, please visit here. In a national survey, more than 70% of Americans signaled their support for a personal coverage requirement as part of a reform plan that includes market reforms, new consumer protections and tax credits. To read more on this poll, click here. Background on Individual Market Reform AHIP"s survey of the individual market shows that individually purchased health insurance is far more affordable and accessible than is widely known. The survey found that 9 out of 10 applicants undergoing medical underwriting were offered coverage. The plans commonly purchased by consumers provided financial protection and a wide range of benefits, including coverage for behavioral health, prescription drugs and preventive services. Some individuals are unable to purchase individual health insurance coverage in the private market because of their health status. One approach taken by states to address this issue has been the enactment of guarantee issue legislation without a coverage requirement. These well-intentioned reforms have often resulted in severe unintended consequences, including significantly higher costs for all policyholders. A report by Milliman, Inc. found that enactment of guarantee issue laws in the absence of a coverage requirement may incentivize people to defer seeking coverage until they have health problems - a situation which unfairly penalizes those who are currently insured. According to the report, states that implemented these laws saw a rise in insurance premiums, a reduction of individual insurance enrollment and no significant decrease in the number of uninsured. To learn more about the individual market survey and the Milliman report, please visit here. Providing Health Benefits


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