September is National Sickle Cell Month.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) affects people of many racial and ethnic groups. In the U.S., 90,000 to 100,000
people, mainly Blacks or African Americans have SCD. The disease occurs among about 1 of every 500 Black or
African-American births and among about 1 out of every 36,000 Hispanic-American births.
SCD can be a life-threatening condition and social, economic, cultural, and geographical barriers often
limit access to comprehensive care. Advances in patient advocacy preventative screenings, as well as
access to resources, have increased the quality of life and life expectancy of people with SCD.
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LifeScience Moment: The Hatch-Waxman Act was passed to encourage development of generic prescription drugs.
On Sept. 24, 1984 the Hatch-Waxman Act (Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act) was passed to encourage development of
generic prescription drugs.
The Act, named for its sponsors, Representative Henry Waxman of California and Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, established a process
whereby marketers of generic drugs can file Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs) to seek FDA approval of the generic; allows 180 day
exclusivity to companies that are the "first-to-file" an ANDA against holders of patents for branded counterparts; and streamlined the process
for approving generic drugs by requiring only that manufacturers demonstrate "bioequivalence" to an already approved innovator drug.
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Life Science Evolution...
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It's a Small World
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Salmonella Typhimurium (Photo Credit: Janice Haney Carr)
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Science Quote
"Science is the desire to know causes."
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William Hazlitt, English essayist
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(1778-1830)
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