New Avalere Health Study Shows that State Decisions about “Essential Health Benefits” Could Have Profound Effect on Patient Drug Coverage

Greg Hules, of Buffalo, Minnesota, a former chair of the board of directors of the Alpha-1 Foundation and a founder and former chair of the Alpha-1 Association, died this morning. He had received a lung transplant in 1997 and had been ill for several months.

House bill would allow FDA to expedite approval of “ultra-orphan” drugs.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) planned to launch TSA Cares, a toll-free helpline to provide information and assistance to passengers with disabilities and medical conditions and their families before they fly.

The Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a state health program that screens newborns for potential illnesses can't store the blood samples for research without parental consent.

Alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency lead to a double lung transplant... 10 years ago today.

Kamada's flagship inhalable AAT replacement treatment has succeeded in five clinical trials and "the safety is almost perfect," bringing hope to sufferers of this fatal genetic disorder.

Ongoing resources are available for seniors and people with disabilities to compare coverage options.

Proposals are being considered to raise Medicare cost-sharing.

The key provisions of the federal health overhaul take effect in 2014 including the creation of new health-coverage marketplaces called "exchanges."

UK scientists took stem cells made from the skin cells of patients with Alpha1-and repaired the gene mutation that causes the condition.

Acetaminophen leads the list of drugs implicated in liver damage requiring transplantation.

Baxter and the Alpha1 Center Test 100,000th Patient for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) Program has identified hundreds of patients with genetic lung and liver disorder.

Californians and Floridians recognized for role in helping rare disease patients who need lifesaving therapies

Rare Genetic Disorder can accelerate Lung and Liver Disease. Treatment available.

Many first responders have shown signs of debilitating illnesses from breathing the dust at the WTC site.

Stakeholders Stress the Need to Exclude Data from Hospitals Participating in the 340B Program from CMS’ Rate-setting Calculations

Consumer Groups, Economists, Members of Congress Oppose Badly Designed Bid System

Third Acquisition This Year for the 153-Year-Old Healthcare Services Company

People living a little longer with lung transplants; median survival rate edges up to 5.7 years

In June, Kamada began a Phase I/II clinical trial of D1-AAT treatment at two medical centers in Israel.

There has been a phase out of additional CFC inhalers, such as Aerobid, Combivent and Maxair, which will take place between June 30, 2011 and December 31, 2013.

Urge Congress to Balance the Budget Without Harming Rare Disease Patients

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an updated drug label for Chantix

Alpha-1 Association and Foundation seek meeting to present case for "Compassionate Allowance" for Alpha-1 disability

A three-judge panel for the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Ohio became the first federal appellate court this month to uphold the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act mandate that all Americans purchase health insurance coverage.

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) officially became the Co-Chair of the Congressional COPD Caucus. The Caucus serves as a platform for the community of patients affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to voice their concerns.

This month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its final rule requiring graphic health warning labels on all cigarette packages and advertisements. In the fall of 2012, the 25-year-old warning requirement that currently appears on the sides of cigarette packs will be replaced with large graphic warning labels. These new labels will be displayed on the top 50 percent of the front and back of all cigarette packs.

Doctors aim to get organs into the recipient as soon as possible. But a new study finds that treating organs on a perfusion machine for several hours before transplantation may increase success.

Grifols announced that it has officially begun to merge its operations with Talecris Biotherapeutics in order to function as one company, following its acquisition of Talecris on June 1.

The Spain-based biotechnology company Grifols has received U.S. antitrust approval for its $4 billion takeover of Talecris Biotherapeutics, creating the world's third-largest player in blood-derived products.

Baxter is providing ARALAST NP packaged with the reconstitution and transfer devices that were used with the product prior to introduction of the BAXJECT II Hi-Flow device in 2010.

HHS to Reduce Premiums, Make it Easier for Americans with Pre-Existing Conditions to Get Health Insurance

Starting this year, seniors enrolled in Medicare no longer have to pay for more than a dozen tests and other services to help prevent or control cancer and other costly and debilitating diseases. These benefits, which also include an annual wellness exam, are part of the new federal health-care law.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued changes to Medicare Advantage (Part C) and Medicare prescription drug (Part D) plans for 2012.

Baxter is instructing customers to discontinue use of the BAXJECT II Hi-Flow device to reconstitute ARALAST NP. It is important to note that ARALAST NP is not affected by this situation and should be used with an alternative means of reconstitution.

Grifols SA (GRF) won tentative U.S. antitrust approval to buy Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings Corp. (TLCR) for $4.09 billion after agreeing to sell some assets, reducing the number of major companies in the blood-plasma industry to three.

Grifols, S.A. (GRF.MC) and Talecris Biotherapeutics Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: TLCR) announced today they have signed a Consent Agreement with the staff of the Bureau of Competition of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that outlines the conditions necessary for Grifols' acquisition of Talecris to proceed.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) proposed new requirements for Medicare-certified providers that are designed to expand access to seasonal influenza vaccination.

Many studies have found that the majority of adults in the U.S. have consulted the Internet for answers to health questions. But a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project found that the most prolific Internet users are those with rare diseases or those caring for someone with one.

The 1099 tax-reporting provision would have jeopardized access to plasma protein therapies

Another Arizona state resident is affected by the suspension in Medicaid funding for transplants.

Arizona is reinstating life-saving transplants that were dropped to save money.

The US Office of Patents and Trademarks has awarded Kamada Ltd. (TASE: KMDA) a patent for the inhalable version of its Alpha 1 Antitrypsin (AAT-1) protein replacement therapy to treat congenital respiratory diseases.

In it's 25th anniversary year, Genetic Alliance honors Dennis Pollock with the annual Art of Advocacy Award. Pollock was a great advocate and leader in the Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency community who lost his battle with Alpha-1 on October 4, 2010.

This year, roughly 49,100 Medicare beneficiaries in Oklahoma hit the donut hole, or gap in Medicare Part D drug coverage, and received no extra help to defray the cost of their prescription drugs.

A bipartisan bill that would encourage the development of new treatments for rare and neglected diseases that disproportionately affect children.

Nearly 4 million Medicare beneficiaries receive help with prescription drug cost under Affordable Care Act

We just want to tell people to please put yourself on the donor list," said Doodle. "This is not just for me, this is for everyone. You don't have any use for your organs when you are dead and gone."

Serious safety concerns and deaths during a national study aimed at reducing hospital readmissions among veterans with chronic breathing problems led officials to cancel a portion of the study.

Fewer U.S. adults are smoking, and those who do smoke are on average smoking less, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Federal judge Roger Vinson granted the Obama Administration’s request this week for a temporary stay of his January 31st ruling invalidating the entire Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Congress should consider reducing payments for home oxygen therapy, according to a report issued last week by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Weizmann Science Park, Ness Ziona, Israel, February 14th 2011 – Kamada, a bio-pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacturing and marketing of specialty life-saving therapeutics, announced today that it received the interim report of its phase 2-3 trial to treat Alpha -1 deficiency with its flag product, Alpha-Antitrypsin, delivered by inhalation.

The House is expected to pass the FY2011 spending bill sometime late tonight, following final debate and votes on about 129 amendments.

Yesterday, Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius, along with Steve Larsen, Director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) at HHS, held a conference call about seven states that received early innovator grants to develop information infrastructure to implement state-based health insurance exchanges.

“The title, ‘Full Tilt Boogie’ invites folks to get up and move.

WASHINGTON, DC — A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure timely access to generic biologic drugs for consumers and reject efforts to further block or delay affordable generic competition.

These are not just issues that are important to Alpha-1 families, but are topics that are important to everyone!

A Florida judge could on Monday become the second U.S. judge to declare President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law unconstitutional.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida researchers have safely given new, functional genes to patients with a hereditary defect that can lead to fatal lung and liver diseases, according to clinical trial findings slated to appear this week in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (May 28, 2009) — Talecris Biotherapeutics presented results last week from two phase III studies assessing the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetic comparability of a more concentrated formulation of Prolastin® (Alpha1-Proteinase Inhibitor [Human]) produced via a modification of the current manufacturing process that incorporates technological changes.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (May 28, 2009) — Talecris Biotherapeutics, Inc. yesterday was informed that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) would file an administrative complaint challenging CSL’s proposed acquisition of Talecris and a complaint in U.S. Federal District Court to enjoin the transaction.

--Initial delivery anticipated to begin in September, pending regulatory approval-- King of Prussia, PA, May 29, 2009—CSL Biotherapies, Inc. announced today that it has signed a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide Novel A (H1N1) influenza vaccine antigen in bulk form to support HHS’ pandemic influenza preparedness efforts. The initial order under contract will be for an amount of at least $180 million. CSL Biotherapies anticipates initial delivery of the antigen by September, subject to regulatory approval. The new vaccine antigen will be tested in clinical trials funded by HHS.