Coleman Research Group’s Healthcare Team facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading healthcare professionals on a wide variety of topics including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, clinical research, medical devices, healthcare providers, insurance, and regulatory issues.

Our Healthcare network spans technology industries across the globe and includes doctors, researchers, scientists, healthcare executives, consultants, and former regulatory officials.

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HITRUST makes updates to Common Security Framework

FRISCO, TX – The Health Information Trust Alliance has updated the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) to reflect new regulations and user experiences.

The 2010 version of the CSF reflects updated requirements and references to the HITECH Act interim final rule, the addition of certification control requirements, and improved tools and templates to apply the CSF to an organization or system, as well as other enhancements based on industry feedback, said officials.

The HITRUST Common Security Framework Assurance Program provides healthcare organizations and their business associates with a common approach to managing security assessments. The program leverages the HITRUST CSF, a comprehensive security framework that incorporates the existing security requirements of healthcare organizations, including federal, state, third party (e.g., PCI and COBIT) and other government agencies (e.g., NIST, FTC and CMS).

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Military joint EHR office rapped for bad planning

WASHINGTON – The Government Accountability Office criticized the group directing the project to tie together the electronic health record systems operated by the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments in a recent report.

GAO said the VA-DOD Interagency Program Office (IPO) needed to improve its planning and scheduling – and specifically its ability to create a master plan for the project – if the project is to succeed.

GAO also pointed out several project management basics that the program office needed to work on, including creating an integrated schedule of projects and conducting performance assessments to measure progress of those projects.

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Coleman Research Group’s Healthcare Team facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading healthcare professionals on a wide variety of topics including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, clinical research, medical devices, healthcare providers, insurance, and regulatory issues.

Our Healthcare network spans technology industries across the globe and includes doctors, researchers, scientists, healthcare executives, consultants, and former regulatory officials.

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First U.S. stem cells transplanted into spinal cord

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — For the first time in the United States, stem cells have been directly injected into the spinal cord of a patient, researchers announced Thursday.

Doctors injected stem cells from 8-week-old fetal tissue into the spine of a man in his early 60s who has advanced ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It was part of a clinical trial designed to determine whether it is safe to inject stem cells into the spinal cord and whether the cells themselves are safe.

ALS is a fatal neurodegenerative disease that causes the deterioration of specific nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord called motor neurons, which control muscle movement. About 30,000 Americans have ALS at any given time, according to the ALS Association.

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Democrats scramble on health care after GOP win

Washington (CNN) — Nervous Democrats debated Wednesday how to save a health care reform plan suddenly pushed to the brink of defeat by an upset GOP Senate win in Massachusetts.

Senator-elect Scott Brown’s victory in one of the most progressive states in the nation raised already-high anxiety levels among Democrats looking ahead to midterm elections. It also stripped Democrats of their 60-seat Senate supermajority, giving Republicans enough votes to block any measure in the chamber.

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Coleman Research Group’s Technology, Media & Telecom Group facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading technology professionals on a wide variety of topics including semiconductors, data storage and security, computer hardware and software, satellite system operators, telecom equipment, cable and wireless providers, and advertising spending.

Our TMT network spans technology industries across the globe and includes CTOs, CIOs, marketing and business development executives, engineers, buyers, and resellers.

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Complaints rolling in about Google Nexus One

(Wired) — Google’s Nexus One phone may have been one of the most anticipated devices of the last few weeks. But since the smartphone’s launch last Tuesday, it has left a string of unhappy customers in its wake.

Nexus One has been plagued by consumer complaints including spotty 3G connectivity, a high early termination fee, poor customer support from Google and problems with the touchscreen.

“There are some aspects of the experience that Google didn’t think through as carefully as they should have,” says Charles Golvin, an analyst with Forrester Research.

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Haiti quake relief: How technology helps

London, England (CNN) — Social media aren’t always perceived as an effective way to coordinate fundraising efforts or bring change: In some circles, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the rest are seen as the domain of armchair activists.

But are times changing? Will technology prove its worth following the disastrous Haiti earthquake?

All talk and no action?

“Slacktivism” has become the popular pejorative to describe the various Internet petitions, well-intentioned Facebook groups and copious retweets intended to sow the seeds of change or bring help where it’s needed. “It’s all fed by slacktivism … the desire people have to do something good without getting out of their chair,” Monty Phan wrote in a 2001 Newsday article.

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To learn more about Coleman Research Group please visit the Coleman Research Group website or at any of the links below:

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Coleman Research Group’s Knowledge Broker

Coleman Research Group’s Technology, Media & Telecom Group facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading technology professionals on a wide variety of topics including semiconductors, data storage and security, computer hardware and software, satellite system operators, telecom equipment, cable and wireless providers, and advertising spending.

Our TMT network spans technology industries across the globe and includes CTOs, CIOs, marketing and business development executives, engineers, buyers, and resellers.

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10 cool new toys from CES

Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) — Three-dimensional televisions, Internet-enabled TVs, touch-screen “tablet” computers, e-book readers and other fun new gadgets were scattered all over the enormous Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.

CES, which ended on Sunday, is regarded as one of the best trade shows for spotting new technologies before they take off. DVDs, CD players and Blu-ray all were introduced at previous shows. It is the largest event of its kind in the world.

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Apps: They’re not just for your phone anymore

Las Vegas, Nevada (CNN) — To most people these days, an “app” is something you download on your smartphone to help you do a specific task — say, find a good nearby restaurant.

But big tech companies, seeing how applications have boosted the appeal of gadgets such as Apple’s iPhone, are starting to view apps as low-cost enhancements for a broader range of products, from netbooks to TVs and beyond.

At the International Consumer Electronics Show here this week, microchip maker Intel launched an app store geared towards netbook computers. Not to be outdone, Samsung announced it will open its own app store for HDTVs, Blu-ray players and mobile phones.

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Coleman Research Group’s Healthcare Team facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading healthcare professionals on a wide variety of topics including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, clinical research, medical devices, healthcare providers, insurance, and regulatory issues.

Our Healthcare network spans technology industries across the globe and includes doctors, researchers, scientists, healthcare executives, consultants, and former regulatory officials.

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Nutritional drink, imaging show promise for Alzheimer’s

(CNN) — Doctors are already good at diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease in a patient with obvious symptoms, which include memory loss, vision problems and confusion. But the cutting-edge research is looking for the brain mechanisms of the condition at its earliest stages, maximizing the potential for intervention.

Two studies published this week that may help pave the way for better treatments for people with Alzheimer’s, which affects as many as 5.3 million Americans, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. One is a drink that you may one day be able to pick up at the pharmacy; the other is a detection method.

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CDC: H1N1 still circulating; vaccine plentiful

Washington (CNN) — The H1N1 influenza virus is still circulating and causing illness, hospitalization and death, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday as officials made another call for vaccination.

“Many people are still susceptible to this virus and would benefit from vaccination,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the CDC. “We want to avoid complacency. We have a very good supply of the H1N1 vaccine all around the country.”

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Coleman Research Group’s Knowledge Broker

Coleman Research Group’s Technology, Media & Telecom Group facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading technology professionals on a wide variety of topics including semiconductors, data storage and security, computer hardware and software, satellite system operators, telecom equipment, cable and wireless providers, and advertising spending.

Our TMT network spans technology industries across the globe and includes CTOs, CIOs, marketing and business development executives, engineers, buyers, and resellers.

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A Verizon iPhone in 2010

Judging from reader comments in this space, there are a lot of cellphone owners in America locked into Verizon (VZ) contracts who would buy an iPhone in a minute if they didn’t have to switch carriers to get it.

Verizon has made it pretty clear that it would cut a deal with Apple (AAPL), were it not for a couple of impediments: 1) the contract that makes AT&T (T) the iPhone’s exclusive U.S. carrier, and 2) the fact that Verizon’s network (based on CDMA2000 technology) is incompatible with Apple’s smartphone (which uses W-CDMA (UMTS)).

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Internet TV

Hulu touts about TV anytime, anywhere. But hooking your TV to the Net? Crazy talk!

Funny pages: Hulu offers web video, but doesn’t encourage Net TV. Image: Hulu
I had an epiphany early last year when I visited Hulu for an article David Kirkpatrick and I were writing about the unexpectedly successful young venture.

Watching TV shows on Hulu was such a pleasant experience with Hulu that the company should encourage users to connect their PCs to televisions. Technologically it’s not a difficult thing to do, but it’s not terribly convenient. A PC needs to be near the TV, the remote-control experience isn’t good, and so on. I remember Hulu executives smiling kindly at my suggestion but not offering much in the way of feedback.

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To learn more about Coleman Research Group please visit the Coleman Research Group website or at any of the links below:

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Coleman Research Group’s Healthcare Team facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading healthcare professionals on a wide variety of topics including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, clinical research, medical devices, healthcare providers, insurance, and regulatory issues.

Our Healthcare network spans technology industries across the globe and includes doctors, researchers, scientists, healthcare executives, consultants, and former regulatory officials.

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Google Health adds telehealth services to the mix

SAN FRANCISCO – Google Health is introducing telehealth services to its platform through a partnership with Boca Raton, Fla.-based MDLiveCare.

The partnership, which was announced Tuesday at the Health2.0 conference in San Francisco, will allow Google Health users with an MDLiveCare HIPAA access to secure video, phone or email telehealth consultations with a board-certified physician or mental health therapist, allowing them to share their medical records with a physician before the appointment and get records after the appointment.

“Patients remember less than 25 percent of what they’re told when they consult with a doctor,” said Bob Smoley, the CEO of MDLiveCare. “By directly synchronizing the information that’s shared during telehealth consultations with electronic patient health records, we’re able to provide patients with a convenient solution to review their physician or therapist encounters, time and time again, which significantly increases patient awareness and treatment compliance. This integration allows us to further empower patients with better access to all of their health information and to provide a service unprecedented in medicine today.”

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New Web site aims to increase price transparency

SEATTLE – PriceDoc.com, a free Web site looking to provide healthcare consumers with price transparency, has launched its pilot program nationwide.

The Seattle-based Web site was originally launched in April with the goal of providing uninsured or underinsured consumers as well as those seeking elective procedures with insight regarding potential healthcare costs from qualified providers.

“Based on our recent experiences, there is a huge demand for what PriceDoc.com brings to consumers and healthcare providers,” said Patrick Bradley, the company’s president and chief operating officer. “Clearly, the idea of transparent medical pricing resonates with both groups.”

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Coleman Research Group’s Technology, Media & Telecom Group facilitates consultations between our clients (institutional investors) and leading technology professionals on a wide variety of topics including semiconductors, data storage and security, computer hardware and software, satellite system operators, telecom equipment, cable and wireless providers, and advertising spending.

Our TMT network spans technology industries across the globe and includes CTOs, CIOs, marketing and business development executives, engineers, buyers, and resellers.

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HTC: Your next fave smartphone?

The largest smartphone maker you’ve never heard of wants to capture the hearts – and dollars – of the U.S. consumer.

Motorola’s (MOT) Droid phone is getting a ton of buzz, and that’s by design. Verizon Wireless (VZ) chief Marketing Officer John Stratton has said the marketing campaign behind its iPhone competitor will be the largest in its history.

But the Google (GOOG)-powered device isn’t the only smartphone the company is likely to begin selling at the start of November. Though no one has officially confirmed, the carrier is expected to announce a second device that will also run on Google’s Android operating system at half the price: the HTC Droid Eris.

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Verizon, Motorola unveil the Droid

(CNET) — Verizon Wireless customers will soon be able to get their hands on the much anticipated Google Android phone called the Droid.

The companies officially unveiled the device at an event here. Like most smartphones of its class, the phone will cost $199 with a two-year contract. And it will be available to consumers starting November 6.

Customers can pre-register for the device now. John Stratton, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Verizon Wireless, said at the event that the device could be pre-ordered, but Verizon’s public relations team said he mispoke, and users can simply put their name on a list to get more information about the device.

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Coleman Research Group’s Consumer Goods & Services Group facilitates consultations between our clients and leading consumer goods, retail, and services professionals a wide variety of topics including consumer products manufacturers, electronics, automotive OEMs, international retail chains, leisure goods and services, and more.

Click here to learn more about Coleman Research Group’s Consumer Goods & Services Group.

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Avon Reports Third-Quarter Results

Avon Products, Inc. (NYSE: AVP) today reported third-quarter 2009 total revenue of $2.6 billion, 4% lower than that of 2008’s third quarter, but up 7% on a local-currency basis as foreign exchange pressured growth by 11 percentage points. Beauty sales in the third quarter of 2009 were 3% lower versus the prior-year period, but increased 8% on a local-currency basis. Active Representatives grew 10%, with growth in all regions. Units overall rose 5% versus the prior-year quarter and Beauty units increased 6%.

Avon’s 8% local-currency growth in Beauty sales included gains in all categories: fragrance, color cosmetics, skin care and personal care grew 9%, 17%, 1%, and 7%, respectively. On a reported basis, these growth rates were -4%, +4%, -8% and -4%, respectively.

Third-quarter 2009 gross margin of 62.6% was 50 basis points below that of the prior-year quarter. Strong manufacturing productivity gains, benefits from the company’s Strategic Sourcing Initiative, and strategic price increases offset most of 140 basis points of unfavorable transaction-exchange impact on 2009 gross margin.

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Goodbye Mirdles! Freshpair Launches Stylish Men’s Shapewear Department

NEW YORK, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ — For the past eight years, Freshpair.com has been helping women look slim and sleek with an extensive shapewear department. Women have had push-up bras and shapewear for years. Freshpair decided it was time men had some options to help them look better under their clothes as well - be it slimming down or bulking up. In October, Freshpair launched their men’s shapewear department: www.freshpair.com/mens/shapewear.html, full of stylish ways for men to look leaner and more sculpted (plus styles that enhance the male anatomy).

Until now, men have not had many options when it came to shapewear. Men’s girdles (aka mirdles) have been around for over 25 years, but these garments were strictly functional - not fashionable. Freshpair is now offering shaping tops and bottoms for men from designer labels that look more like regular underwear and t-shirts. Men can wear many of these compressive items to the gym, under work clothes or alone with jeans.

“According to our recent poll, 79% of men said they were unhappy with their current body, citing their love handles as the main problem area. Of that 79%, 61% said they would be willing to try men’s shapewear if it looked like normal clothing,” reported Freshpair President, Michael Kleinmann. “The styles in our new Men’s Shapewear Department will definitely hide love handles, back bulges and man boobs, while looking stylish and modern.”

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Coleman Research Group Testimonials

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~ Analyst at a $1.2B Long/Short Fund New York City

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Our TMT network spans technology industries across the globe and includes CTOs, CIOs, marketing and business development executives, engineers, buyers, and resellers.

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Smartphone security threats likely to rise

Worms, spam, viruses and hackers — they’re not just for your desktop or laptop anymore. According to internet security experts they could be well on their way into your pocket or purse.

The popularity of smartphones — like the Blackberry, iPhone, Palm and the emerging Droid — is on the rise and shows no signs of letting up.

And that’s making the phones a sweeter target for online ne’er do-wells looking to, at the very least, cause mischief and, at worst, rip off unsuspecting phone owners.

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Net neutrality faces political, legal hurdles

Net neutrality supporters may be celebrating the Federal Communications Commission’s unanimous vote Thursday to begin developing open Internet regulation, but the battle is far from over as the yet-to-be-written regulation is already facing Congressional opposition and will also likely be challenged in court.

Votes at the FCC for the proposal to get the ball rolling on new rules to protect an open Internet hadn’t even been cast when Senator John McCain, a Republican from Arizona, introduced legislation on Thursday morning that would block the agency from regulating the Internet. McCain said that Net neutrality rules would stifle innovation and hurt the job market.

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