Lower Blood Pressure Without Drugs Research supports claims of local Chiropractor

SIMI VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh, founder of Soft Touch Chiropractic, has long maintained that techniques exist to naturally reduce dependence on many prescription drugs, including blood pressure medications. A recent study published in the Journal of Human Hypertension has proved him right.

The study revealed that chiropractic adjustments to correct misalignment of the atlas vertebrae can actually lower blood pressure. "A misaligned spine can affect all body functions," said Dr. Masoud, chiropractor for more than 13 years. "It interferes with the body\’s nerve impulses and the signals to the brain, which can cause heightened blood pressure as well as many other ailments."

The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 50 patients with Stage 1 Hypertension, who were not taking medication for the condition. During an 8-week period, half the subjects underwent chiropractic care for restoration of atlas alignment using a National Upper Cervical Chiropractic (NUCCA) procedure. A control group received a placebo procedure. Compared to members of the placebo group, those undergoing chiropractic care enjoyed significant drops in both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure, and no adverse effects were detected.

According to the Journal of Human Hypertension, restoration of atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in blood pressure similar to the use of two-drug combination therapy.

For more information, to schedule an interview or a live demonstration with Dr. Masoud, please contact 818.470.6633 or visit http://www.stchiro.com/

About Dr. Masoud

Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh is a leader in the health and wellness arena. He has been in chiropractic practice since 1994. He serves as a resource for the community by sharing his expertise in the art of chiropractic, nutrition, hormonal balance, muscle balancing, food allergies and many other aspects of health through community speaking engagements as well as hosting his own seminars. He received his degree from Cleveland College of Chiropractic where he received the Leadership Award for his service as President of the Gonstead club. He established Soft Touch Chiropractic in Porter Ranch in 2002 where he connects with patients each day to help them on their journey back to wellness.

Soft Touch Chiropractic

CONTACT: Dr. Masoud Shamaeizadeh of Soft Touch Chiropractic,
1-818-470-6633

Web site: http://www.stchiro.com/

eHealth Initiative Releases Blueprint Representing Consensus on an Action Plan for Transforming U.S. Healthcare Using Health IT eHI Blueprint Offers Multi-Stakeholder Consensus on a Shared Vision, Principles, Strategies and Actions for Improving Health and Healthcare Through Information Technology

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today the non-profit eHealth Initiative (eHI) released the eHealth Initiative Blueprint: Building Consensus for Common Action, which represents multi-stakeholder consensus on a shared vision and a set of principles, strategies and actions for improving health and healthcare through information and information technology (IT). Through a collaborative process led by eHI\’s multi-stakeholder leadership, development of the Blueprint involved nearly 200 organizations representing the many diverse stakeholders in healthcare, including clinicians, consumers, employers and healthcare purchasers, healthcare IT suppliers, health plans, hospitals and other providers, laboratories, the life sciences industry, pharmacies, public health agencies, and state and regional leaders. The eHI Blueprint is publicly available and can be accessed at http://www.ehealthinitiative.org/blueprint.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050630/DCTH083LOGO )

Over the last several years, interest in and recognition of the importance of health IT and health information exchange to improve our nation\’s health and healthcare have grown significantly, stimulating leadership as well as a number of activities and policy changes — both at the federal and state levels. To respond to this increasing momentum, national and local leaders alike are calling for guidance, coordination and common agreement on the near- term actions that should be taken in support of a long-term path towards an improved healthcare system enabled by interoperable health IT.

As a result, eHI\’s leadership in March 2007 launched a collaborative process designed to offer practical guidance on how to improve health and healthcare using health IT and health information exchange. The eHI Blueprint catalogs many of the activities that are currently taking place and also provides consensus-based guiding principles, and concrete, practical strategies and actions that can be taken, along with a proposed timeline for their implementation.

The release of the eHI Blueprint represents Phase I of a two-phase process, offering multi-stakeholder consensus on a first set of guiding principles, strategies and actions in five key areas: engaging consumers; transforming care delivery; improving population health; aligning financial and other incentives; and managing privacy, security, and confidentiality. Individuals representing diverse perspectives in healthcare were drawn from eHI\’s leadership to lead and facilitate the work of five multi-stakeholder committees who created the key components of the Blueprint. While agreement was reached on a broad set of issues in each of the areas noted above, the eHI Blueprint process also identified areas where more work is needed-including specific areas related to financing and policies for information sharing.

Over the next twelve months, as part of Phase II of the Blueprint process, eHI will widely disseminate the Blueprint, support its implementation, facilitate the sharing of related best practices, and gain even further input from additional stakeholders both at the national and local levels, so that the principles, strategies and actions can continue to be refined based on an even broader set of perspectives, as well as experiences in the field. In addition, eHI will encourage national dialogue to reach agreement on those areas for which there is not yet consensus, contributing significantly to the debate as it moves forward. Finally, eHI will track and publicly report on progress made on the Blueprint on an annual basis.

"The Blueprint is intended to be a living document that evolves over time as stakeholders identify areas that can be operationalized, as well as develop those areas where consensus and leadership is still needed," said Janet Marchibroda, chief executive officer, eHealth Initiative and eHealth Initiative Foundation. "While many reports call solely for government action, the eHI Blueprint is also focused on what each stakeholder in healthcare can do — right now — to drive healthcare improvement through health information technology."

The Blueprint recognizes and builds upon the work of many projects and initiatives both within the federal government and private sector, and references this work within the "overview of key initiatives" and "resources" sections of the document, offering additional references to healthcare leaders.

About eHealth Initiative (eHI) and its Foundation

The eHealth Initiative and its Foundation are independent, non-profit affiliated organizations whose missions are the same: to drive improvements in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology.

eHI engages multiple stakeholders, including clinicians, consumer and patient groups, employers, health plans, healthcare IT suppliers, hospitals and other providers, laboratories, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, public health, public sector agencies, and its growing coalition of more than 250 state, regional and community-based collaboratives, to reach agreement on and drive the adoption of common principles, policies and best practices for improving the quality, safety and effectiveness of America\’s healthcare through information and information technology. Go to http://www.ehealthinitiative.org/.

Note to editors:

eHI\’s Fourth Annual National Conference is being held October 11-12 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Conference agenda: http://www.ehealthinitiative.org/eHIEventsConf2007.mspx#agenda

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050630/DCTH083LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com eHealth Initiative

CONTACT: Cary Conway, Office: 1-972-731-9242, Cell: 1-214-793-5705,
cary@conwaycommunication.com, for eHealth Initiative

Web site: http://ehealthinitiative.org/

Nobel Prize Awarded to Foundation for Biomedical Research Board Member

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Foundation for Biomedical Research (FBR) congratulates Mario R. Capecchi today for the richly deserved honor of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Capecchi, who sits on FBR\’s Board of Governors, is currently a Distinguished Professor and Co-Chair of the Human Genetics Department at the University of Utah, School of Medicine.

"Groundbreaking research such as Dr. Capecchi\’s has enabled the study of diseases in a way never before thought possible," said FBR President Frankie L. Trull. "This further demonstrates the incredible power and promise of the humane use of animal models in medical research."

The Nobel Foundation recognized Capecchi and two other researchers for the discovery of "principles for introducing specific gene modifications in mice by the use of embryonic stem cells." Their studies resulted in genetically altered mouse models, innovating the way researchers work to combat such diseases as cancer, diabetes and Alzheimer\’s.

Capecchi\’s Nobel Prize-winning work involved gene targeting in mouse embryonic stem cells, allowing scientists to study the pathology of disease in a living system whose genes have been either inactivated or modified. Scientists can now target specific disease-causing genes in an effort to discover new cures or treatments that afflict both humans and animals.

Upon joining FBR\’s Board of Governors, Capecchi said, "I am a very strong advocate for the respect and support of animal research. My scientific life has been devoted to the use of mouse models for the understanding of the development of therapies of human disease as well as for the pathologies."

FBR\’s Board of Governors now includes ten Nobel Laureates. Capecchi is a recipient of numerous other awards, including the Albert Lasker Award in 2001.

FBR is the nation\’s foremost organization devoted to promoting public understanding, respect, and support for the humane and responsible use of animals in medical and scientific research. For more information on FBR, please visit its Web site at http://www.fbresearch.org/.

Foundation for Biomedical Research

CONTACT: George Goodno of the Foundation for Biomedical Research,
1-202-457-0654

Web Site: http://www.fbresearch.org/

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Doses First Patient in Clinical Trial of Bavituximab in HCV Patients Co-Infected With HIV – New Trial in Important Patient Subgroup Will Assess Safety and Anti-Viral Activity –

TUSTIN, Calif., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer and hepatitis C virus infection (HCV), today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of bavituximab in patients co-infected with HCV and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The multi-center trial is being conducted initially at Saint Michael\’s Medical Center in Newark, NJ under the guidance of Dr. Stephen Smith, director of the Peter Ho Memorial Clinic, the largest HIV/AIDS treatment facility in the state.

"We are delighted that patient treatment has begun in this important clinical trial that was designed to evaluate an extended bavituximab treatment schedule in an important HCV patient population," said Steven W. King, president and CEO of Peregrine. "We believe that bavituximab has the potential to act on both HCV and HIV infections, and this trial gives us our first opportunity to assess the drug\’s anti-viral activity in this underserved group of patients."

This open-label, dose escalation study will be conducted in approximately 24 patients chronically infected with HCV and HIV. Patient cohorts will receive ascending dose levels of bavituximab weekly for up to eight weeks. HCV and HIV viral titers and other biomarkers will be evaluated, although they are not formal study endpoints.

In the United States alone, an estimated 300,000 individuals are co-infected with HCV and HIV, representing up to 30% of all HIV-infected patients. Co-infected patients have been shown to have a lower response to current HCV treatment regimens and the adverse effects of these regimens can be especially problematic for some HIV patients.

Bavituximab is a monoclonal antibody in a new class of anti-phosphotidylserine (PS) immunotherapeutics that targets and binds to cellular components that are normally not present on the outside of cells, but which become exposed on certain virally infected cells and on the surface of enveloped viruses, including both HCV and HIV. Bavituximab helps stimulate the body\’s immune defenses to destroy both the virus particles and the infected cells. Since bavituximab\’s PS target comes from the host and not the virus, bavituximab may be less susceptible to the development of anti-viral resistance. Peregrine has completed two bavituximab Phase l monotherapy clinical trials in patients with chronic HCV infection. In these trials, the drug appeared safe and well tolerated with encouraging signs of anti-viral activity.

About Peregrine Pharmaceuticals

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative product candidates in clinical trials for the treatment of cancer and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The company is pursuing three separate clinical programs in cancer and HCV infection in the U.S. and India with its lead product candidates bavituximab and Cotara(R). Peregrine also has in-house manufacturing capabilities through its wholly owned subsidiary Avid Bioservices, Inc. (http://www.avidbio.com/), which provides development and bio-manufacturing services for both Peregrine and outside customers. Additional information about Peregrine can be found at http://www.peregrineinc.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement: Statements in this press release which are not purely historical, including statements regarding Peregrine Pharmaceuticals\’ intentions, hopes, beliefs, expectations, representations, projections, plans or predictions of the future are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the risk that the results from the co-infected HCV/HIV clinical trial will not be consistent with the results from the Company\’s prior HCV clinical trials and the risk that bavituximab will not be as effective as the current standard of care for co-infected patients. It is important to note that the Company\’s actual results could differ materially from those in any such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, uncertainties associated with completing preclinical and clinical trials for our technologies; the early stage of product development; the significant costs to develop our products as all of our products are currently in development, preclinical studies or clinical trials; obtaining additional financing to support our operations and the development of our products; obtaining regulatory approval for our technologies; anticipated timing of regulatory filings and the potential success in gaining regulatory approval and complying with governmental regulations applicable to our business. Our business could be affected by a number of other factors, including the risk factors listed from time to time in the Company\’s SEC reports including, but not limited to, the annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended April 30, 2007 and the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended July 31, 2007. The Company cautions investors not to place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. disclaims any obligation, and does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements in this press release.

Contacts: GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners Investors Media info@peregrineinc.com Barbara Lindheim (800) 987-8256 (212) 918-4650

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

CONTACT: Investors, 1-800-987-8256, info@peregrineinc.com, or Media,
Barbara Lindheim, 1-212-918-4650, both of GendeLLindheim BioCom Partners

Web site: http://www.peregrineinc.com/

Texas Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Sen. Kirk Watson, Rep. Patrick Rose, Singer Kelly Willis, Breast Cancer Survivors and Activists Rally for Passage of Proposition 15 Texas Joins Nationwide Campaign Challenging U.S. to Close the Gaps in Breast Cancer Research, Care and Mortality

AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ — Tonight, the Texas Affiliates of Susan G. Komen for the Cure will host hundreds of breast cancer survivors and activists at the Komen Community Challenge rally in support of Proposition 15 at Stubb\’s Bar-B-Que with singer Kelly Willis, Senator Kirk Watson (D-Austin), Representative Patrick Rose (D-Dripping Springs) and Cathy Bonner, founder of KillCancer.org. Prop 15 would create billion over 10 years to invest in research to find the causes and cures for cancer.

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"Texas has been hard hit by breast cancer, and low-income women and women of color have been hit the hardest," said Ramona Magid, executive director of the Komen Austin Affiliate. "We need to close the gaps in research, public policy and access to quality care that make breast cancer deadlier for some women. As federal funding for cancer research declines, Prop 15 gives us the chance to close the research gap and make Texas a global leader in the war on cancer."

Nationwide, one in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime. This year, nearly 12,000 women in Texas will receive a breast cancer diagnosis and more than 2,400 of them will die from the disease. Low-income women have lower screening rates and are three times more likely to die from breast cancer.

Tonight\’s rally launches Texas\’ participation in the Komen Community Challenge, a 25-city grassroots campaign to elevate breast cancer on the national agenda and draw attention to disparities in breast cancer mortality. Komen for the Cure is marking its 25th anniversary year by ratcheting up the fight against breast cancer and taking its special brand of pink ribbon activism on the road.

About the Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure

The Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure — along with those who generously support us with their talent, time and resources — is working to better the lives of those facing breast cancer in our community. We join more than 100,000 breast cancer survivors and activists around the globe as part of the world\’s largest and most progressive grassroots network fighting breast cancer. Through events like the Komen Austin Race for the Cure, we have invested ,338,108 since 1999 in local breast health and breast cancer awareness programs in Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays, Travis and Williamson counties. Up to 75 percent of net proceeds generated by the Komen Austin Affiliate stay in Central Texas while the remaining income goes to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Grants Program supporting research, awards and educational and scientific programs around the world. Komen Austin will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary in 2007. Join us by calling (512) 473-0900 or visiting us online at http://www.komenaustin.org/

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world\’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. Thanks to events like the Komen Race for the Cure, we have invested nearly billion to fulfill our promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit http://www.komen.org/ or call 1-800 I\’M AWARE.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070122/NYM084LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Susan G. Komen for the Cure

CONTACT: Angela Pauly, 1-202-478-6139, cell, 1-619-606-1150,
apauly@mrss.com, or Ben Grossman-Cohen, 1-202-478-6128, cell,
1-917-282-8546, bgrossman-cohen@mrss.com, both for Susan G. Komen for the
Cure

Web site: http://www.komen.org/
http://www.komenaustin.org/

New England Journal of Medicine Selects ScholarOne\’s Manuscript Central for Online Peer Review

PHILADELPHIA and LONDON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Thomson Scientific, part of The Thomson Corporation (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC) and leading provider of information solutions to the worldwide research and business communities, today announced that the Massachusetts Medical Society\’s New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) has selected ScholarOne\’s Manuscript Central as its online peer review system.

The New England Journal of Medicine is a weekly general medical journal that publishes new medical research findings, review articles, and editorial opinion on a wide variety of topics of importance to biomedical science and clinical practice. Material is published with an emphasis on internal medicine and specialty areas including allergy/immunology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, kidney disease, oncology, pulmonary disease, rheumatology, HIV, and infectious diseases.

"We are very pleased to welcome the New England Journal of Medicine to the Manuscript Central user community," said Keith MacGregor, executive vice president of Academic and Government Markets at Thomson Scientific. "As one of the largest, most distinguished and most influential peer reviewed medical journals today, we are pleased to partner with them to help innovate medical technology and research."

"Our goal in implementing Manuscript Central is to increase the efficiency of our peer review process for authors, reviewers, and editors," said Tad Campion, M.D., Senior Deputy Editor and Online Editor for the New England Journal of Medicine.

Manuscript Central offers a number of features to address scholarly publishers\’ needs, enabling users to submit, review, annotate and format technical manuscripts in innovative ways. In addition, the acquisition of ScholarOne by Thomson Scientific gives authors and publishers access to additional expertise in information and tools that span the entire research process.

About Massachusetts Medical Society

The Massachusetts Medical Society, with more than 18,500 physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society publishes the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world\’s leading medical journals; the Journal Watch family of professional newsletters covering 11 specialties; and AIDS Clinical Care. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education for health care professionals throughout Massachusetts, conducting a variety of medical education programs for physicians and health care professionals. Founded in 1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country.

About ScholarOne, Inc.

ScholarOne, Inc. (http://www.scholarone.com/) provides comprehensive workflow management systems for scholarly journals, books, and conferences. Its Web- based applications enable publishers to manage the submission, peer review, production, and publication processes more efficiently, increasing their profile among authors, decreasing time-to-market for critical scientific data, and lowering infrastructure costs. The Manuscript Central user base has grown to 2.8 million registered users worldwide.

The clients of ScholarOne include prestigious nonprofit societies, university presses, government agencies, and the world\’s leading commercial publishers. The company employs 80 people at its Charlottesville, Virginia, headquarters and in Washington, D.C.; Boston; London; and Bielefeld, Germany.

About The Thomson Corporation

The Thomson Corporation (http://www.thomson.com/) is a global leader in providing essential electronic workflow solutions to business and professional customers. With operational headquarters in Stamford, Conn., Thomson provides value-added information, software tools and applications to professionals in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, scientific research and healthcare. The Corporation\’s common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges (NYSE: TOC; TSX: TOC).

Thomson Scientific is a business of The Thomson Corporation. Its information solutions assist professionals at every stage of research and development-from discovery to analysis to product development and distribution. Thomson Scientific information solutions can be found at scientific.thomson.com.

Thomson Scientific

CONTACT: Nikki Haffey of Thomson Scientific, 1-434-817-2040.
nikki.haffey@thomson.com

Web site: http://www.scientific.thomson.com/

Fauquier Hospital – One of Only Five Nationwide to Receive Formal Designation as Patient-Centered Hospital Planetree Organization Recognizes Hospital for Measurable Achievement and Innovation in Patient-Centered Approaches to Care

WARRENTON, Va., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Fauquier Hospital of Warrenton, VA has been formally recognized by Planetree, Inc. as a "Designated Planetree Patient-Centered Hospital." This designation recognizes Fauquier\’s achievement and innovation in fostering a culture within the hospital that prioritizes patient comfort, dignity, empowerment and well-being, while providing top quality care.

Fauquier Hospital was one of only five hospitals to receive the Patient-Centered Hospital Designation and the only hospital in the state of Virginia to have met the stringent criteria developed by Planetree to distinguish those hospitals nationwide doing the most advanced work in patient-centered care. The long list of criteria covers both quality of care and the ways in which that care is delivered.

All Designated Planetree Patient-Centered hospitals must first meet or exceed national benchmark data as it relates to outcome measures and performance indicators on overall quality, patient satisfaction, and service. The Joint Commission has recognized and added this prestigious Planetree Designation to its Quality Check webpage.

The Planetree specific criteria that Fauquier Hospital had to meet are based on a series of focus groups conducted by Planetree over the past several years with patients across the country. This patient input spotlighted key policies and practices that patients would expect to find in a patient-centered health care environment. The committee considered the hospital\’s physical environment as well as the staff\’s involvement in the implementation of a truly patient-centered model of care. The criteria also call for patient-empowering structures like an open medical record policy, non-restrictive visiting hours, healthy and abundant food options for patients and visitors, and many other individualized services that respect each patient\’s unique needs.

Rodger Baker, President and CEO of Fauquier Health System stated that the designation required long term commitment from all employees. "It has been an eight-year journey that our dedicated staff has enthusiastically undertaken. They embraced the Planetree philosophy as our over-arching model of care, which required that every touch point be evaluated from the patient\’s perspective."

Guided by Planetree\’s ten components of patient-centered care (Human Interaction; Access to Information; Family Involvement; Nutrition; A Healing Environment; Arts and Entertainment; Massage and Caring Touch; Spirituality and Diversity; Integrative Therapies; and Healthy Communities), Fauquier Hospital has implemented a substantial number of initiatives and practices designed to enhance the patient experience.

"Planetree is very pleased to award Fauquier Hospital this designation," said Susan Frampton, Ph.D., Planetree\’s President. "Fauquier Hospital offers its patients and visitors an environment that is healing in the broadest sense of the word," said Frampton. "Extensive renovations a few years ago resulted in private rooms with internet connections for all inpatients, overnight accommodations for visitors, and a bistro that serves restaurant quality meals. And while these aspects of the physical surroundings are important and valued by patients, it is the intangible way that Fauquier\’s staff embodies the Planetree philosophy that makes this hospital a shining example of patient-centered care in practice."

About Fauquier Health System

Fauquier Health System is a non-profit community health system dedicated to high quality, patient-centered care in a unique environment that considers the multiple facets of healing and respects the individuality of each and every patient. Located in Warrenton, Virginia, Fauquier Health System serves the residents of Fauquier and several surrounding counties. It comprises: Fauquier Hospital, a full accredited, 86-bed hospital; Warrenton Overlook Health and Rehabilitation Center, a 115-bed long-term care and rehabilitation facility; and a medically-supervised LIFE Center offering health and wellness programs. It also has a 50% ownership in two joint ventures: Piedmont Home Care, a retail outlet offering medical, home health, and wellness supplies, and the Cancer Center at Lake Manassas, a state-of-the-art radiation treatment facility. In 2006, Fauquier Health System provided .4 million in charity care to its community. More information on Fauquier Health System is available online at http://www.fauquierhospital.org/.

About Planetree

Founded in 1978 by a patient in San Francisco, today Planetree is an internationally recognized leader in the growing movement to transform the health care experience by considering health care facilities, processes and protocols from the perspective of the patient. In diverse healthcare settings throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, Planetree is demonstrating that patient-centered care is not only an empowering philosophy, but a viable, vital, and cost-effective model of care.

MEDIA CONTACT: Gayla VandenBosche, Fauquier Health System, Public Relations

vandenboscheg@fauquierhospital.org. Office (540)-341-0884, Cell (703)-314-7510

Fauquier Health System

CONTACT: Gayla VandenBosche of Fauquier Health System, Public Relations,
1-540-341-0884, 1-703-314-7510 (cell), vandenboscheg@fauquierhospital.org

Web Site: http://www.fauquierhospital.org/

Maryland Pharmacists Urge House Majority Leader Hoyer to Put Patients First Pharmacists ask Hoyer to fix flaws in Medicaid Generic Prescription Drug System

LA PLATA, Md., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today Maryland community pharmacy owners held a press conference at County Drug urging U.S. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) to bring H.R. 3140 — Saving Our Community Pharmacies Act of 2007 — to the House floor for a vote. The Medicaid generic prescription drug pharmacy reimbursement will take effect in early 2008, and if left alone threatens community pharmacy\’s economic viability, as well as patient access to pharmacy services.

"I have been a practicing pharmacist for 45 years, and have owned County Drug for fifteen," said Jon Johnson, owner of County Drug in La Plata. "I have always said that I don\’t have customers, I fill prescriptions and provide services for folks I consider friends. I am concerned that the Medicaid reimbursement formula threatens that relationship, and now that the government has the power to do the right thing, I know our congressman, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, will make sure H.R. 3140 is taken up — before it is too late."

In 2005, the Deficit Reduction Act cut Medicaid pharmacy services by over billion, causing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to create new rules for Medicaid generic reimbursement based on an Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) formula. A December 2006 Government Accountability Office report found that, on average, pharmacies would be paid 36 percent below their acquisition costs using this new formula, therefore forcing patients to seek services from expensive emergency rooms and doctors\’ offices.

H.R. 3140 defines the benchmark for pharmacy reimbursement to accurately reflect pharmacy acquisition costs; excludes all sales from mail order facilities and pharmacy benefit manager price concessions and rebates that are not provided to retail pharmacy; and includes provisions to drive generic utilization that would increase government savings.

"Who can stay in business at 36% below cost?" said Howard Schiff, executive director of the Maryland Pharmacists Association. "AMP does not properly measure retail acquisition costs; it includes sales prices that are unavailable to community pharmacies like County Drug here in La Plata. In Maryland there are 332 community pharmacies that ably provide patients with quality services — services that are not often found in large chain and mail order pharmacies."

Marie Therese Oyalowo owner of ComCare Pharmacy in Bowie and David Houston, owner of Anchor Pharmacy in Waldorf were also in attendance to offer insight on how they expect their patients to be impacted.

To learn more about this issue go to: http://www.ncpanet.org/pdf/leg/hr_3140_factsheet.pdf.

The National Community Pharmacists Association, founded in 1898, represents the nation\’s community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 23,000 pharmacies. The nation\’s independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains dispense nearly half of the nation\’s retail prescription medicines. To learn more go to http://www.ncpanet.org/.

National Community Pharmacists Association

CONTACT: Lisa Camooso Miller, lisa.miller@ncpanet.org, or John Norton,
john.norton@ncpanet.org, both of the National Community Pharmacists
Association, 1-703-683-8200

Web site: http://www.ncpanet.org/

Governor Rendell Launches \’Tour to Insure\’ in Warren County; Urges Passage of Plan to Give Access to Affordable Health Insurance

WARREN, Pa., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Just one week after Cover All Pennsylvanians, the centerpiece of his "Prescription for Pennsylvania," was introduced in the Legislature, Governor Edward G. Rendell today stopped in Warren as part of his statewide "Tour to Insure." The five-day, nine-stop tour will highlight the need to lower health care costs and expand coverage. Warren County, the location of today\’s event, has the 3rd highest rate of uninsured adults in Pennsylvania.

"One-in-four adults in Warren County don\’t have insurance, which means they are more likely to forgo needed care, get sicker more often and for longer," said Governor Rendell. "We need to remember that these are not just statistics – we\’re talking about real people who work hard every day to provide for their families, but still don\’t have access to affordable health care. The current situation is bad for businesses and bad for workers and it needs to change."

Governor Rendell said Warren County was a stop on the "Tour to Insure" because it has one of the highest rates of uninsured in the commonwealth, with nearly 23 percent of its population uninsured. The Governor said his Cover All Pennsylvanians (CAP) health insurance initiative and the rest of his Prescription for Pennsylvania will help every person in the commonwealth.

A key component of the Governor\’s plan is reducing costs for everyone by reducing the estimated .6 billion in avoidable costs in Pennsylvania\’s health care system. The legislature passed provisions designed to reduce the .5 billion spent treating avoidable hospital acquired infections, the .7 billion wasted because of inadequate management of chronic diseases and the 65 million spent on avoidable medical errors and readmissions to hospitals.

But more needs to be done, the Governor said.

"My Prescription for Pennsylvania sets out a common sense plan to attack all the problems driving up the cost of health care for businesses and individuals," Governor Rendell said. "We know that attacking chronic care management, hospital acquired infections, and more aggressively overseeing the insurance industry will save everyone money and will make sure we\’re doing the right thing for people."

Over the past five years, the cost of health care in Pennsylvania has gone up 75 percent while average wages have only increased by 13 percent. If historical trends continue, the cost to insure a family of four in 2011 would top 0,000 per year, representing about one-third of the annual household income for a family of four. However, according to the Governor, if the entire Prescription for Pennsylvania package were adopted, a small business would save between 20-30 percent and a large group would save at least 16 percent by 2012.

Cover All Pennsylvanians – or CAP – is the Governor\’s proposal to expand access to affordable health insurance for small businesses and the uninsured. This portion of the Governor\’s Prescription for Pennsylvania health care reform plan was recently introduced in both chambers of the legislature by Rep. Mike Sturla (D-Lancaster) and Sen. Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) as HB 1870 and SB 1117, respectively.

"I applaud Sen. Costa and Rep. Sturla for their leadership. By introducing our CAP legislation, they are helping us reach our goal of expanded access to health care. I encourage the legislature to quickly take up and enact these bills so that all Pennsylvanians have access to health care coverage."

Details of the Governor\’s health care reform initiative may be found at http://www.rxforpa.com/.

The Rendell administration is committed to creating a first-rate public education system, protecting our most vulnerable citizens and continuing economic investment to support our communities and businesses. To find out more about Governor Rendell\’s initiatives and to sign up for his weekly newsletter, visit his Web site at: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/.

EDITOR\’S NOTE: For a list of all 67 counties, go to RxforPa.com. Top Ten Counties with the Highest Per-Capita Uninsured Population Total Number Uninsured % Uninsured Rank highest of Adults Adults Adults per capita (19-64) (19-64) Tioga 21,718 7,721 35.6% 1 Forest 2,453 663 27.0% 2 Warren 23,570 5,325 22.6% 3 Crawford 47,142 8,814 18.7% 4 Philadelphia 801,005 138,950 17.3% 5 Susquehanna 23,637 4,025 17.0% 6 Jefferson 24,719 4,139 16.7% 7 Mercer 60,945 10,039 16.5% 8 Perry 25,502 4,107 16.1% 9 Allegheny 691,148 108,835 15.7% 10

Figures derived from the 2004 Health Insurance Survey conducted by Market Decisions LLC for the Pennsylvania Insurance Department.

CONTACT: Amy Kelchner-GOHCR 717-346-8379

Pennsylvania Office of the Governor

CONTACT: Amy Kelchner of the Pa Office of the Governor, 1-717-346-8379

Web Site: http://www.governor.state.pa.us/
http://www.rxforpa.com/

New All-Natural Dietary Supplement Made from Muscadine Grape Skins Helps Inhibit Growth of Certain Cancers Main ingredient of Vinetra(TM) Cited in Recent Scientific Studies

LEWISVILLE, N.C., Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ — An antioxidant made from the locally-grown muscadine grape contains the highest available natural concentrations of a compound that has been proven to inhibit the growth of many types of cancer cells, it was announced today.

Vinetra is an all-natural dietary supplement made by Lewisville, NC-based Muscadine Naturals. Made from these native grapes grown in North Carolina, Vinetra is the only all-natural supplement known to feature piceatannol, heralded by some as a "miracle compound."

A recent study from the National Cancer Institute and the National Institute of Health has shown that the antioxidant resveratrol inhibits the growth of a number of cancer cell types including prostate cancer cells. This is independent of and in addition to the effects of piceatannol, which was also shown to inhibit prostate cancer cell growth in other recently released studies. The most interesting fact to come from the study was that the piceatannol is the more active and more readily absorbable compound of the two and both are present and maximally preserved in the muscadine grape skin powder which is used to make Vinetra.

Science Direct reports that L. Li-Lian from the Department of Applied Chemistry of National Chiayi University of Taiwan says: "considering the anticancer activity…piceatannol becomes a promising natural compound in cancer treatment." (L.-L. Lin et al./J. Chromatogr. B 853 (2007) 175-182)

Another study recently released from scientists at Clemson University reveals that muscadine grapes "could possess high levels of anticarcinogenic compounds and should be seriously considered as components of a cancer chemo-prevention program." (Med Food 10 (1) 2007, 54-59).

The recent findings regarding piceatannol and cancer powerfully supplement the sheaths of data that are coming to light regarding the healing powers of the muscadine grape. Besides cancer, alone or in combination, the compounds in Vinetra have been shown to have beneficial effects in a host of other maladies including rheumatoid arthritis, heart disease, stroke, neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer\’s, inflammatory conditions, menopausal symptoms, bone loss, and symptoms associated with cancer treatments such as nausea, vomiting, and hair loss.

"Mother Nature has already packaged these compounds and has offered them to us in a form which man and animal alike have been taking for eons of time without a problem," says Bob Dalton, president of Muscadine Naturals. "Why not take what Mother Nature has offered?"

Dalton\’s muscadine grapes are grown without the use of pesticides or any other sprays, therefore making Vinetra an all-natural product. The process by which Dalton uses to formulate the product has received a provisional patent approval.

Also noteworthy is the fact that Vinetra has shown no adverse side effects from usage. Tamaro S. Hudson of Howard University Cancer Center, Department of Medicine in Washington, D.C., says that "Importantly, no known toxicities that have been reported to date are related to products of muscadine grapes." (Cancer Res 2007; 67 (17): 8396-405).

Scientists at Clemson University, Colorado State University, Texas A&M University and at the National Cancer Institute all concur that Mr. Dalton may be at the forefront of an important scientific trend. It has even been predicted that there will someday be many Vinetra-like products on the market offered by both his and other companies and that the pharmaceutical companies will follow close on their heels.

However, Vinetra, the only 100 percent natural muscadine antioxidant, will be particularly well-positioned as it contains no chemically-created compounds or fillers.

Also, visit Muscadine Naturals at http://www.muscadinenaturals.com/ and Vinetra at http://www.vinetra.com/.

Muscadine Naturals

CONTACT: Tanya Ferguson of Amplify Communications, 1-336-553-3982, for
Muscadine Naturals

Web site: http://www.muscadinenaturals.com/
http://www.vinetra.com/