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Obama Urges Swift Confirmation Of Sotomayor; GOP Mulls Opposition Strategy
President Obama on Tuesday in his official announcement of his nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor of the Second Circuit Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court emphasized what he called her "extraordinary journey" from a modest background to the top of the judiciary, launching a "confirmation battle that he hopes to wage over biography more than ideology," the New York Times reports. If confirmed, Sotomayor would be the first Hispanic and the third woman to serve on the court, as well as the sixth of the court"s current members with a Roman Catholic background, the Times reports (Baker/Zeleny, New York Times, 5/27). Sotomayor would replace retiring Justice David Souter, who typically is a liberal vote on social issues, the Wall Street Journal reports. Therefore, the addition of Sotomayor would not likely change the ideological balance of the court (Bravin/Koppel, Wall Street Journal, 5/27). The Washington Post reports Obama in his remarks cast Sotomayor "as the embodiment of the qualities he seeks in a judge," including superior intelligence, an understanding of the limited role of the judiciary and what he called "an understanding of how the world works and how ordinary people live" (Barnes/Fletcher, Washington Post, 5/27). The president said he wants Sotomayor to be confirmed before the Senate leaves in August for its summer recess, so she can join the court in time for its September review of potential cases. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said that the Senate has "ample time" to complete the confirmation process, as the average time span is 72 days and there are 74 until the recess (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26). Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) praised Obama"s decision, calling Sotomayor"s record "exemplary" and her nomination "historic." Leahy noted that both former President George H.W. Bush and former President Clinton nominated Sotomayor to federal judgeships, adding, "She has been nominated by both Democratic and Republican presidents, and she was twice confirmed by the Senate with strong, bipartisan support" (Stanton, Roll Call, 5/26).Rulings on Abortion Rights Throughout her career as a federal judge, Sotomayor has not issued what are considered major decisions regarding abortion rights, although her record on cases involving civil and social rights issues appear "more liberal than not," according to the New York Times (Liptak, New York Times, 5/27). Politico reports that Sotomayor has ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights groups in two cases. The first case occurred in 2002 when she sided with the Bush administration in its efforts to implement the "global gag rule," which banned federal funding for international family planning groups that offer abortion services or information with their own funds. Sotomayor ruled that the government had the right to decide how to spend its funding. In 2004, Sotomayor ruled in favor of antiabortion-rights protesters who alleged that they were brutalized while being arrested in West Hartford, Conn. (Gerstein/Javers, Politico, 5/26). Gibbs said that Obama did not ask Sotomayor about issues related to abortion during her vetting and there was "no litmus test" on abortion-rights issues (Koffler, Roll Call, 5/26).Obama"s announcement was well-received by many groups that support abortion rights. NARAL Pro-Choice America President Nancy Keenan said the group is anticipating more information about Sotomayor"s views on abortion rights and the right to privacy. She added that the group is "encouraged by the strong support she receives from her peers and other legal scholars and the fact that the Senate has twice confirmed her for federal judgeships" (Posner, Congress Daily, 5/26). Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization of Women, said that Sotomayor "brings a lifelong commitment to equality, justice and opportunity, as well as the respect of her peers, unassailable integrity and a keen intellect informed by experience." Gandy added that Obama "said he wanted a justice with "towering intellect" and a "common to
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Bovie Medical Corporation Announces FDA Submission Of Laparoscopic Device For Solid Organ Resection
Bovie Medical Corporation (the "Company") (NYSE-AMEX Symbol: BVX), a manufacturer and marketer of electrosurgical products, announced a 510K submission to the FDA seeking pre-market clearance for a laparoscopic SEER device for solid organ resection. The laparoscopic SEER is a line extension of the Saline Enhance Electrosurgical Resection (SEER) device that Bovie launched earlier this year and will address the growing market of minimally invasive liver resection.
News of the day
Unlocking The Mysteries Of The Brain: Investigators Search For Answers About Injuries, PTSD
In the first study of its kind, researchers at Saint Louis University are recruiting patients for a clinical trial that will use cutting-edge imaging equipment to map the brain injuries of combat veterans and civilians, aiming to better understand the nature of their injuries. Funded by a $5.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense, researchers will use three types of imaging equipment together, producing better data and a more complete taxonomy of brain injuries, information that investigators hope may lead to better treatment for blast injuries and car accidents.
Oncology

Colorado Stem Cell Awareness Rally To Take Place In Denver, Colorado On June 13th, 2009

Building on the momentum of their previous events, The Stem Cell Awareness Association will hold a Stem Cell Awareness Rally in Denver, Colorado on June 13th, 2009. The group"s last event, in Punta Gorda, Florida, drew past patients, prospective patients, news media, U.S. physicians and specialists, as well as members of the public interested in learning more about stem cell treatment. Since their first Stem Cell Awareness Rally on July 24th, 2007, the association has steadily increased its following as more and more patients have returned from abroad after receiving stem cell treatment for diseases deemed untreatable by their US doctors. Carol Peterson (See http://www.cameronsmiracleofsight.com), who launched the association at the first event, summarizes the mission of the association in four simple words, "Educated Freedom of Choice." "Our group is mainly made up of patients who have experienced what is really available in other countries and while we don"t want to exert influence over other patients" decisions, we do want to make sure they are aware that what is available in the US is not representative of what is available throughout the world." A key component of the rallies is for patients who have returned from treatment abroad to share their stories, both good and bad, with those in attendance. One such patient is David Aldrich from Florida who is a spinal cord injury survivor and was legally blind before his treatment abroad. (http://stemcellschina.com/blog/david/) "I am pretty worn out from dealing with a medical establishment that does not provide me with the best treatment available and even at times tries to stop people like me from seeking treatment abroad under the guise of protecting me," said Aldrich. "My short term goal is to let people know that there is help available, no matter what your physician says. But my real goal is focused on bringing people together to figure out what can be done so I don"t have to go abroad for my next treatment." The group"s mission incorporates David"s "real goal" and is focused on increasing the U.S. medical community"s knowledge and acceptance of stem cell therapy by encouraging patients who go abroad to do evaluations with their local doctors before and after the treatment and by inviting the doctors to engage in dialogue about what is happening abroad. Shel Morse spoke at the 5th rally about the association"s mission and what it meant to her to see her sixteen year old daughter, Macie, get her driver"s permit after returning from treatment in China. Macie was treated in July 2008 and has ONH, a leading cause of blindness in children. The following is an excerpt of Shel"s speech: "Macie"s journey to stem cells started when she turned 15 and asked for a driving permit. It wasn"t even an option with her current vision, not to mention the fact a vision teacher of hers had stated it was never going to be possible and we should just face reality. At that point I knew that it was my mission to let people know that they don"t necessarily have to live with the diagnosis their locals doctors give them. "Macie"s doctors not only criticized the companies we told them about but actively discouraged us from help overseas - help that they could not offer. The reason why I got behind this organization and decided to set up this event in Denver is because the patients need to join together to have a voice." said Shel Morse. "Our medical society needs to get serious about real health care, we cannot rely on our current system - it is broken. US doctors and scientists need to focus on doing what is necessary to help patients instead of their reputations and how they can make money." The rally this June will continue to create a community as stem cell patients from across the U.S. and Canada are provided the opportunity to share their experiences with prospective patients. It will also provide an opportunity for doctors and medical specialists to not only connect with patients but also consider how stem cell technology can be successfully implemented in North American medical systems. Complimenting their Stem Cell Awareness events, the Stem Cell Awareness Association web site (http://www.stemcellaware.com) serves as a community forum where people can discuss stem cell therapies, policies, options and treatment experiences. All patients who are considering stem cell treatments or have already had stem cell treatments are welcome to join the next Stem Cell Awareness Rally: Location: Denver, Colorado Place: Stella"s Coffee House Date: June 13th, 2009 Time: 2pm Stem Cell Awareness Association


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