July 1, 2003 -
July 8, 2003 - Fridley-based Medtronic announced it has received the FDA's blessing to market what it calls an "intelligent" insulin pump and glucose monitoring system. The new system combines a Medtronic MiniMed insulin pump with a glucose monitor from Becton Dickinson to check blood sugar, calculate the insulin needed and signal an implanted pump to send the right dose. Jeff McCaulley is Vice President and General Manager of Medtronic's Mini-Med division. He says the new device could transform the lives of the estimated four million diabetics who depend on insulin to regulate their blood sugar.
July 8, 2003 - The closing of the Minneapolis Shriner's Hospital will be put off for at least another year. Last fall, the Shriners' national board of governors recommended closing the children's hospital. But on Monday, Shriners attending the annual convention held in Minneapolis rejected the proposal. Instead, they voted to accept a plan that seeks alternatives to closing the hospital. Minnesota Public Radio's Brandt Williams reports
July 15, 2003 - Several Minnesota business leaders told a top U.S. trade official yesterday Mon that they could use more help from Washington. U.S. Undersecretary for International Trade, Grant Aldonas, is touring the country to hear from American manufacturers. In Minnesota, many believe the present and future of manufacturing are tied to medical devices and biotechnology. But six leaders in the field told Aldonas the government is not always giving them the support they need. Minnesota Public Radio's Jeff Horwich reports.
July 16, 2003 - Four undocumented immigrants may be denied kidney transplants by Hennepin County Medical Center because they don't have the money to pay for the operations. The state Human Services department estimates that over 21-hundred immigrants are losing General Assistance Medical Care because of stricter eligibility requirements regarding legal immigrant status. Dr. Steve Miles is a professor with the Center for Bioethics in the University of Minnesota's Department of Medicine. He says the fact the patients are illegal immigrants should have no bearing on their ability to receive healthcare.
July 17, 2003 -
July 22, 2003 - Golfers fear it, and experts say it can add five strokes to a players game. We're talking about the "yips." As Mainstreet Radio's Rob Schmitz reports, Rochester's Mayo Clinic is trying to find the cause. For many golfers it's an everyday nightmare. You're on the green of the tenth hole and you're shooting for a birdie. All you have to do is sink a simple, two-foot putt. The last thing that goes through your mind is: "Anyone can make this putt." But you don't. You either freeze up and barely hit the ball, or your wrist makes a jerking motion that sends the ball sailing past the hole. You probably should've taken a gimmee, but you've just yipped it. And golfer Alan Ferguson knows exactly how you feel.
July 22, 2003 -
July 28, 2003 - Snoring has caused more than a few sleepless nights for snorers and the people who love them. But snoring can go well beyond a minor annoyance. It disturbs sleep patterns and deprives snorers of appropriate rest. At its worst, it can cause serious, long-term health problems, including obstructive sleep apnea. A Minnesota company has designed a treatment to provide snoring sufferers with permanent relief. Susan Critzer, the president and CEO of St. Paul's Restore Medical, says more than 20 million Americans suffer from snoring.
July 28, 2003 - The Minnesota Health Department says health care costs increased 16 percent in 2002 for people enrolled in private health insurance plans. It's the largest increase since the Health Department started collecting the data in the mid-nineties. The report also says employee premiums increased 10 percent, the fourth straight year of double digit increases. Business leaders say the increases are causing them headaches and are encouraging the Legislature to make changes to the system. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...