IsoRay Medical (Richland, Washington) has selected Catalyst Financial Resources to execute a comprehensive investor awareness campaign aimed at enhancing shareholder value. Catalyst Financial Resources will initiate a program which includes investor conferences, institutional targeting and equity research coverage to help promote the visibility of IsoRay Medical in the financial marketplace. IsoRay, through its subsidiary, IsoRay Medical, produces the Cesium-131 brachytherapy seed, used to treat prostate and other cancers.

Survey: insulin pump beats injections

According to a recent nationwide diabetes management survey, 82% of endocrinologists believe that patients using standard insulin injections do not control glucose levels well enough. The survey, conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs (New York) and commissioned by Medtronic (Minneapolis), showed that endocrinologists and patients believe insulin pump therapy is a more effective way to control glucose levels and avoid hypoglycemic events.

Nearly 90% of endocrinologists surveyed agreed that insulin pump therapy reduces the risk of hypoglycemic events, according to the report. When asked to choose a therapy for themselves or their family members, two-thirds of endocrinologists said they would choose an insulin pump over insulin injections, citing that insulin pump therapy provides greater flexibility and control of glucose levels. One in 10 adult patients surveyed admitted to calling 911 within the past three months for a serious hypoglycemic event.

Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar (glucose), occurs when glucose drops too low to provide enough energy for the body to maintain daily activities. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can lead to unconsciousness and even death in severe cases.

The findings are based on telephone interviews among 201 primary care physicians and 200 endocrinologists treating patients with type 1 diabetes. All primary care physicians were treating at least five patients with type 1 diabetes at the time of the survey. Telephone interviews were also conducted with 101 adult type 1 patients currently seeing a primary care physician, 106 adult type 1 patients seeing an endocrinologist and 133 parents of juvenile type 1 patients who are treated by an endocrinologist. The patients used three or more daily insulin injections to manage their diabetes during the survey.