Chronic pain is associated with a reduction in reward seeking, but not just because people are hurting and do not feel up to the task. New Stanford brain research is providing a more comprehensive picture of how molecular changes in the brain dictate loss of motivation in painful settings.

It is easy to create generics from conventional drugs, but not so for biologics, which involve active biological ingredients such as proteins that can be leveraged to treat cancer and a range of other diseases. Biosimilars, which mimic biologics as closely as possible, could be the next big thing in the U.S., but a hot debate has been pitched over what to name these drugs.

Varian Medical Systems, makers of radiation oncology technology announced Aug. 18 that the company’s board of directors authorized an additional repurchase of six million shares of common stock until December 31, 2015.

A $1.5 million contract for the development of an investigative, monoclonal-antibody based PET radiotracer that can detect pancreatic cancer has been awarded to Telik, the Palo Alto-based pharmaceutical company announced today.

A treatment for stroke involving optogenetics fires up neurons in the motor cortex by way of a beam of light. This treatment has been shown in preclinical research to improve movement and coordination after a stroke, say researchers at Stanford University in Stanford, Calif.

An investigational cancer immunotherapy leverages the power of nanotube-polymer composites to create an environment where immune cells can be incubated and made significantly stronger outside the body and then injected back into the blood to blast off a stronger offense against cancer, Yale University announced Aug. 13.

Radioiodine therapy has been around for a long time now as an effective treatment for thyroid cancer. However there may be some scenarios in which an alternative or combined treatment may be better suited, according to a review published Aug. 11 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

FUJIFILM NAMED CATEGORY LEADER IN 2013 BEST IN KLAS: SOFTWARE AND SERVICES REPORT  Stamford, Conn., February 20, 2014 – FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc. was recognized as the Category Leader for Radiology (Ambulatory) in the 2013 Best in KLAS: Software and Services report, published by KLAS Research.  SYNAPSE RIS, the advanced Radiology Information System on the market today, received the highest marks in the ambulatory radiology information systems category.  “We are honored by this recognition as it is based on the opinions and experiences of healthcare providers who rely on Fujifilm’s expertise and innovative solutions,” said Jim Morgan, vice president of Medical Informatics, FUJIFILM Medical Systems U.S.A., Inc. “At Fujifilm, we strive to go above and beyond our customers’ expectations.  We will continue to focus on quality, innovation and service to deliver the best solutions available.” The Category Leader award is given to the software and services vendor/solutions that have outperformed all others in their specific field. It is entirely based on provider feedback. Contributing to Fujifilm’s ranking was customer feedback and ratings on the product’s functional strengths. “We listened to the providers, and these are the results,” said Adam Gale, CEO and president of KLAS Research. “This report is a reflection of thousands of providers who wanted to be heard and counted. That is the reason top-performing vendors should be proud of their achievements.” Synapse RIS offers a host of features designed to meet the needs of outpatient facilities, radiology groups and hospitals. The system has also received EHR certification, enabling it to be part of the Meaningful Use initiative that provides financial incentives to medical professionals who use a certified EHR.  New this year is improved Synapse financials, patient portal and a new business analytics module. The annual report ranks the best-performing healthcare IT vendors in more than 100 market segments based on ratings from over 18,000 interviews with healthcare providers. KLAS evaluations are weighted in the following key areas: sales and contracting; implementation and training; service and support; and general and overall services. To see a demonstration of Fujifilm’s “Best in KLAS” product line at HIMSS, please register here: http://himss.fujimed.com. For more information visit, www.fujimed.com.   About KLAS KLAS is a research firm on a global mission to improve healthcare delivery by enabling providers to be heard and counted. Working with thousands of healthcare professionals and clinicians, KLAS gathers data on software, services, medical equipment, and infrastructure systems to deliver timely reports, trends, and statistical overviews. The research directly represents the provider voice and acts as a catalyst for improving vendor performance. Follow KLAS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/KLASresearch