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Medical News Today -- A new study from the UK suggests that doctors' religious faith strongly influences end of life care, with agnostic and atheist doctors nearly twice as willing to take decisions that speed up end of life for very sick patients compared to their deeply religious peers.

BASEL, SWITZERLAND--(Marketwire - August 27, 2010) -

Basilea Pharmaceutica AG / Basilea announces distribution agreement withActelion for Toctino® in Canada processed and transmitted by Hugin AS.The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Basel, Switzerland, August 27, 2010 - Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. (SWISS: BSLN)announced...

STOCKHOLM -- Concomitant use of a proton pump inhibitor and clopidogrel (Plavix) significantly increased the risk of myocardial infarction but not death, a meta-analysis involving almost 160,000 patients found.

August 24, 2010 (PhysOrg.com) -- In a study that could revolutionize how millions of people are treated for painful gastric acid-related diseases, a team led by Yale School of Medicine researchers has shown that zinc salts offer rapid, prolonged suppression of gastric acid secretion. Further, they do so without the side effects that sometimes accompany the use of the popular proton pump inhibitor ...

Bloomberg -- Stallergenes, Europes second- largest maker of allergy medicines, will start looking for a U.S. partner for its Oralair hay-fever treatment after meeting with U.S. regulators later this year.

Physorg.com -- An antibacterial enzyme found in human tears and other body fluids could be applied to certain foods for protection against intentional contamination with anthrax, scientists reported today at the 240th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS).

ScienceDaily (Aug. 26, 2010) Why is it that some people lose weight and body fat when they exercise and eat less and others don't? German researchers say MRI and magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy can provide the answer -- and help predict who will benefit from lifestyle changes. Results of the study are published online and will appear in the November issue of the journal Radiology.

HUENENBERG, Switzerland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS - News) and Nestl S.A. announced today that they have completed the purchase and sale of approximately 156 million shares of Alcon, Inc. (NYSE: ACL - News) for US$28.3 billion in cash.

The transaction was consummated pursuant to an agreement between Nestl and Novartis that was executed on April 6, 2008. With the completion of...

EAST LANSING, Mich. Contrary to popular belief, married couples do not become more similar over time, according to a team of researchers led by Michigan State University.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who use prescription antihistamines to relieve allergy symptoms may be more likely than non-users to carry excess pounds, a new study suggests, although the significance of the connection is not yet clear.

Wall Street Journal -- After a healthy second quarter, Europe's pharmaceutical sector may find itself in trouble in the months ahead as companies face patent expiries, tougher regulation and burdensome health care reforms.

FRANKFURT, Aug 26 (Reuters) - A committee advising the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will discuss Boehringer Ingelheim's Pradaxa pill on Sept. 20, raising the prospect of a speedy market entry for the first drug in a new class of blood thinners.

LONDON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - A rare and dangerous reaction to a range of common medicines including antibiotics and anticonvulsants may be caused by a severe immune response to reactivated herpes virus, scientists said on Wednesday.

SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - August 26, 2010) - Cypress Bioscience, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYPB), a pharmaceutical company engaged in the development of innovative drugs to treat central nervous system (CNS) disorders, today announced that it has acquired patent rights and technology related to a novel, intranasal...

Bloomberg -- Sanofi-Aventis SA is unwilling to pay more than $70 a share for Genzyme Corp. and may consider alternative takeover targets should the transaction fail, according to three people with knowledge of the matter.

STOCKHOLM -- Vitamin D status can predict outcome in patients with heart failure, according to a study to be presented here next week at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology.

MedPage Today -- An engineered cold virus may one day be used to destroy tumors, researchers said.

BOSTON Aug 26 (Reuters) - Genzyme Corp (GENZ.O) said it will end rationing of the Gaucher disease drug Cerezyme for U.S. patients in September, restoring full supplies of the medicine.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALXA) announced today that it has licensed its Staccato nicotine technology to Cypress Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq: CYPB). The Staccato nicotine technology is a novel electronic multidose delivery system...

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug 26, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Chelsea Therapeutics International, Ltd. /quotes/comstock/15*!chtp/quotes/nls/chtp (CHTP 4.18, 0.14, 3.47%) announced confirmation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that its proposed Phase II protocol for CH-4051 in rheumatoid arthritis has been approved by the agency. Chelsea plans to initiate patient screening next month...