One of the greatest strains on the nation's financial stability is the increasing cost of health care. And in recent years, the focus has centered on the burden of obesity-related diseases, such as Type II diabetes, which has been described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as "a growing epidemic."

WASHINGTON - The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries' heavy reliance on patents and aggressive enforcement of intellectual property (IP) are creating an environment of intimidation that prevents scientists from using tools vital to innovation, researchers from McGill and Duke universities contended Tuesday during a Capitol Hill briefing. (BioWorld Today)