Cord Blood America, the umbilical cord blood stem cell preservation company focused on bringing the life saving potential of stem cells to families nationwide and internationally, announced that since it launched a Referral Rewards Program on July 7, 2011, referral sales have risen from 8 to 21 percent of total sales.

The program, announced by CorCell, its domestic brand for cord blood stem cell collection and storage, offers $200 to anyone making a referral and a $200 discount on the enrollment fee for the family.

“We believed this program would be a success, and that friends would tell friends about the importance of saving a baby’s stem cells at the time of birth, but even we didn’t envision the program succeeding this well,” said Erin Tecca, Business Development Manager.  “Quarter over quarter, the new enrollee sales are increasing by five percent.”

“We always have had a great number of referrals, most from within our customer base, but with the new Referral Rewards Program we are receiving referrals from a much larger network of people,” Ms. Tecca said.

Cord blood stem cells are used today to treat 75 diseases including leukemia, severe anemia, metabolic blood disorders and immune deficiencies, with ongoing research worldwide to treat many of the world’s most serious diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and stroke.


New Interactive Online Guide Helps Find the Best Dermatologists

  • Author: Health Informer
  • Filed under: Health News
  • Date: Oct 30,2011

Another winter season means another set of challenges for proper skincare. FindTheBest’s new dermatologists comparison lets users make informed decisions about their skin, hair and nail care with an easy-to-use interactive comparison guide.

Begin with FindTheBest’s overview of how to find a dermatologist that includes what qualifications to look for in a doctor, a list of dermatological conditions and their definitions, a list of procedures, and tips for things to avoid. Then, filter FindTheBest’s list of dermatologists by name, location or conditions treated with a few mouse clicks to reorganize the 3,269 listed doctors.

Users can compare doctors in FindTheBest’s dermatologists comparison, as well as see what other users have compared in the suggested popular dermatologists comparison section of the site. The dermatologist comparison also features a special new section: The Expert Blog. Physician Mark Becker, M.D., contributes regularly to the dermatology blog at FindTheBest with articles about common ailments and news updates. He’ll help shed light on everything from effective acne treatments to brand new treatments for rosacea.

FindTheBest’s comparisons guide consumers from start to finish in the decision-making process: start with a slideshow of top doctors, and end up with detailed guides on pages like our plastic surgery guide and plastic surgery procedures. Let FindTheBest help enrich the decision-making process. (www.findthebest.com )


Leading cancer care advocates and providers gathered to discuss the results of a new study that finds that per-patient-per-month (PPPM) chemotherapy service costs and patient copay amounts for Medicare beneficiaries are significantly lower in community-based care settings.

The study, “Site of Service Cost Differences for Medicare Patients Receiving Chemotherapy,” was performed by Milliman and commissioned by McKesson Specialty Health, a division of McKesson Corporation, on behalf of The US Oncology Network. Representatives of The US Oncology Network explained the importance of this cost difference as it relates to a proposed $3 billion Medicare reimbursement cut to cancer care offered to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (Select Committee) as a potential payment offset within federal debt reduction efforts.

“In their memo outlining deficit-cutting actions the Select Committee may consider, Democratic House Ways and Means staffers noted that if Congress implements this drastic funding cut for all cancer drugs administered in physician offices, some smaller physician practices may not be able to afford to administer these drugs in their offices,” said Roy Beveridge, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, The US Oncology Network. “We want the Select Committee and Congress to realize that ensuring high-quality, cost-effective care, and lower costs for Medicare and its beneficiaries fighting cancer, requires a viable community cancer care delivery system.” Read the rest of this entry »


In a Review Article covering 30 years of studies published in the journal Public Health Nutrition (September 2011), noted Norwegian researcher Johan Moan concluded that the overall health benefits of an improved vitamin D status may be more important than the possibility of increased CMM (cutaneous malignant melanoma) risk resulting from controlled UV exposure.

Professor Moan, a member of The Royal Norwegian Academy of Science, and his colleagues reviewed data published between 1981 and 2011 that addressed the relative risk for cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) associated with sunbed use, vitamin D and UV effects on human health.

In their review the researchers said, “Sun exposure is commonly supposed to be the main cause of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) in most populations.  However, the matter is disputed.”  Dr. Moan also concluded, “It can be estimated that increased sun exposure to the Norwegian population might at worst result in 200-300 more CMM deaths per year, but it would elevate the vitamin D status by about 25 nmol/l and might result in 4,000 fewer internal cancers and about 3,000 fewer cancer deaths overall.” Read the rest of this entry »


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