All of us will die, yet until the recent media frenzy surrounding the Terri Schiavo case, Americans have for the most part been unwilling to plan for this eventuality, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization's Caring Connections (Alexandria, Virginia). Schiavo's feeding tube was removed following a court battle over the brain-damaged woman's wishes between her husband and her parents. In response to recent news headlines, tens of thousands of people have requested information on advance care planning, it said.

In a single day, the Caring Connections HelpLine staff fielded 673 calls and processed more than 2,000 emails from people across the country requesting copies of state-specific advance directives.

Caring Connections, a Robert Wood Johnson grant-funded program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, is launching a national consumer education and engagement campaign this spring called It's About How You LIVE. The LIVE acronym is a call to action and empowerment for consumers to:

  • Learn about options for end-of-life services and care;
  • Implement plans to ensure wishes are honored;
  • Voice decisions and plans to family, friends, spiritual care and healthcare providers; and
  • Engage in personal, community or national efforts to improve end-of life care.

DiaSys not in AMEX compliance

DiaSys (Waterbury, Connecticut) reported that it has received a notice from the American Stock Exchange (AMEX; New York), stating that the exchange has accepted the company's plan for regaining compliance with its continued listing standards by the end of Aug. 24, 2006. In the interim, the company's common stock will continue to be traded on the AMEX under the symbol DYX.

On Feb. 23, the company received a letter from the Associate Director-Listing Qualifications of the AMEX, advising that it was not in compliance with the listing requirements since it had shareholder equity of less than $4 million and losses from continuing operations and/or net losses in three out of its four most recent fiscal years. In response, the company submitted a plan, advising the exchange of action it had taken and would take to bring it into compliance with AMEX's listing standards by Aug. 24, 2006.

The company's shares will continue to be listed during the plan period until Aug. 24, 2006, during which time it will be subject to periodic review to determine whether it is making progress consistent with the plan. If the company is not in compliance with the listing standards by that date, the AMEX said it will initiate delisting proceedings.

North Scientific not in Nasdaq compliance

North American Scientific (Chatsworth, California) reported receiving a notice from Nasdaq indicating that it is not in compliance with requirements for continued listing, due to the company's failure to timely file its quarterly report for the quarter ended Jan. 31. As a result, the company's common stock is subject to delisting from Nasdaq at the opening of business on April 1, unless the company requests a hearing to appeal the delisting.

North American said it intends to make an appeal. A request for a hearing will stay the delisting action pending the issuance of a written determination by a Nasdaq listing panel.

The company's common stock will remain quoted on Nasdaq pending the outcome of the appeal under the symbol NASIE. The fifth character "E" was appended to the company's trading symbol at the opening of business on Monday.

North American Scientific develops products for radiation therapy. Its radioisotope-based products include brachytherapy seeds, used primarily in the treatment of prostate cancer, marketed under the trade name Prospera.