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Advocates Eager To Learn More About Supreme Court Nominee Sotomayor's Abortion-Rights Views
Abortion-rights groups on Wednesday offered their support for Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor but said that they were eager to learn more about her views on abortion rights, an issue on which she has made few major rulings in her time as a judge, the New York Times reports. According to the Times, groups on both sides of the abortion-rights debate tend to believe that Sotomayor would uphold Roe v. Wade because she was nominated by President Obama, who supports abortion rights. However, when asked on Tuesday if Obama questioned Sotomayor about her views on abortion rights before the nomination, White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs said that the president "did not ask that specifically." In addition, none of her rulings has directly dealt with the underlying issues of constitutional privacy that are the foundation for the Roe decision, according to the Times. The abortion-related cases Sotomayor has handled in the past have "turned on other legal issues," rather than privacy, and they have resulted in rulings in favor of abortion-right opponents, the Times reports. For example, in 2002, she wrote an opinion upholding the Bush administration"s "global gag rule" policy banning federal funding of international groups that offer abortion information or services. "The Supreme Court has made clear that the government is free to favor the antiabortion position over the pro-choice position and can do so with public funds," Sotomayor wrote in the opinion. In 2004, she said that antiabortion-rights protesters were permitted to sue police who they claimed used excessive force in stopping a demonstration at a clinic. Sotomayor also has ruled on several immigration cases related to people fighting deportation orders to China over its family planning policies, the Times reports. Because of the limited information on Sotomayor"s abortion-rights views, advocates have stressed that senators ask questions about her views during her confirmation hearing. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan in a letter to supporters urged them to press senators to ask Sotomayor about privacy rights. Keenan wrote, "Discussion about [Roe] will -- and must -- be part of this nomination process. As you know, choice hangs in the balance on the Supreme Court as the last two major choice-related cases were decided by a 5-to-4 margin" (Savage, New York Times, 5/28). Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, said that she would be surprised if an Obama nominee did not support abortion rights but added that "other presidents have been surprised before" when their nominees" views did not align with their assumptions. Northup said that "no one has been able to give us an assurance" of Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights, adding that she would be "very concerned if the question is not asked and answered during the Senate hearings." Feminist Majority Foundation President Eleanor Smeal said, "What we know about [Sotomayor] we like, but I don"t know that answer on abortion rights" (Savage/Nicholas, Los Angeles Times, 5/28). The New York Times reports that more about Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights could come to light if a past writing on the subject surfaces, as was the case during Justice Samuel Alito"s confirmation process. Steven Waldman, editor in chief of beliefnet.com, said, "Everyone is just assuming that because Obama appointed her, she must be a die-hard pro-choice activist, but it"s really quite amazing how little we know about her views on abortion" (Savage, New York Times, 5/28). Thomas Goldstein, a leading appellate attorney and founder of scotusblog.com, said that the "fact that she hasn"t gone off on these sorts of questions" on contentious topics like abortion rights and gay marriage, "I think shows that honestly she"s not a dyed in the wool liberal." He added that there are issues on which Sotomayor could prove to be more conservative than retiring Justice David Souter (Lerer, Politico, 5/27).According to the Washington Post, many antiabortion-rights supporters are critic
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Clinical Research Casts Doubt On Accuracy Of Obesity Measurements
The Body Benchmark Study was launched in March 2007, with the goal of developing the Body Volume Index (BVI) as a potential long-term replacement for the Body Mass Index (BMI) for the measurement of obesity and associated health risks. Now, the latest results in the ongoing research aimed at validating its use in a medical context are showing more accuracy than results from using a tape measure.
News of the day
Initial Therapy With Janumet™ Provided Significantly Greater Blood Sugar Lowering Compared To Metformin Alone In Type 2 Diabetes
New data presented at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 69th Annual Scientific Sessions showed that initial treatment with "Janumet"* (sitagliptin/metformin) provided significantly greater blood sugar improvements in drug-naç¯ve** patients with type 2 diabetes, compared with metformin alone.[i]
Public Health

Competitive Technologies' Pain Therapy Medical Device To Be Used In Independent Clinical Study

Competitive Technologies, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CTT) announced today that CTT"s pain therapy medical device will be used by clinical investigators at the Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center for a Phase II independent clinical study. The study will examine the ability of CTT"s U.S. FDA-cleared device to decrease pain associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). "We are very proud to be able to offer this breakthrough device for clinical research study at VCU Massey Cancer Center, a National Cancer Institute-designated center that helps lead our nation"s cancer research agenda," said John B. Nano, CTT"s Chairman, President and CEO. "The device treats pain without the harmful side effect of most drugs, including morphine. This technology brings CTT to the forefront in providing a solution to the needs of cancer patients and the improvement of palliative healthcare in the U.S. and globally. This medical device is a prime example of our strategy to connect clinical science to patient care." Massey is the first site in the U.S. to offer a clinical study for pain in cancer patients with this device. Two international leaders in palliative care and pain management at Massey, Patrick Coyne, RN MSN, and Tom Smith, MD, the Massey Endowed Chair in Palliative Care Research, sought out CTT"s device after learning of its positive results from a pilot study for patients with pain. "CIPN can be a very debilitating side effect for some 20-30 percent of cancer patients, affecting their hands and feet with sharp pain," Dr. Smith said. "If we can minimize the opioids given to patients and reduce or eliminate pain through non-invasive procedures, we will improve quality of life for cancer patients, and create a major shift in how pain is treated in America." Massey has received IRB approval for its study and expects to begin enrolling patients on the trial this summer. The treatment protocol calls for 15 patients with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy to be studied first. About the Device The medical device is a non-invasive method for rapid treatment of high-intensity oncologic and neuropathic pain, including pain resistant to morphine and other drugs. The device has U.S. FDA clearance for sales in the U.S., as well as Medical Device CE certification from the E.U. allowing sales throughout Europe and several other countries. CTT has exclusive worldwide rights to this device. The unit, with a biophysical rather than a biochemical approach, uses a multi-processor able to simultaneously treat multiple pain areas by applying surface electrodes to the skin. CTT"s partner, GEOMC Co. Ltd. of Korea is manufacturing the device commercially for worldwide distribution. CTT has developed a financing unit, Competitive Technologies Financial Services (CFS), which offers customers opportunities for leasing of CTT"s pain therapy medical device in the U.S. market. For more information on the device, visit http://www.CalmareTT.com. The device has been used on over 3,000 patients in Europe, including at the Pain Management Center at Tor-Vergata University Medical Center in Rome (http://www.ptvonline.it/uo_ter_ant_ing.asp). Developed in Italy by CTT"s client, Prof. Giuseppe Marineo, the technology was brought to CTT through the efforts of the Zangani Investor Community™. Aris D. Despo, CTT"s Executive VP, Business Development, noted, "We are pleased to know that national leaders at Massey will be conducting the CIPN independent study with our therapy unit. Their expertise in clinical research and in relieving pain and suffering for people with cancer ensures that the study will yield scientifically valid information as we endeavor to make this therapy more readily available in the U.S." Massey has the largest menu of clinical trials in Virginia, offering patients some of the latest treatments and technologies available. In addition, Massey is one of only six national centers designated by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation as a Palliative Care Leadership Center, through which Dr. Smith and colleagues train other professionals from across the country in how to develop and administer palliative care programs, which include pain and symptom management. Competitive Technologies, Inc.


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