Health News Roundup: GSK, AstraZeneca rivalry takes center stage at cancer conference

The genetic-screening sales reps turn out

The genetic-screening sales reps turn out at health fairs, houses of religion, parks and elder enclaves, offering seniors a chance to learn if they or their loved ones are at risk of developing cancer. All they need, the reps say, is a free cheek swab. In truth, U.S. federal investigators say, some of the sales representatives are part of a burgeoning industry that threatens to become what multiple government investigators call the next big frontier in healthcare fraud: genetic testing, which is reaping millions of dollars from unnecessary tests that target senior citizens.

GSK, AstraZeneca rivalry takes center stage at cancer conference

GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca will each present trial data on a promising new class of drugs against ovarian cancer on Saturday as Britain's top drugmakers compete to burnish their oncology credentials. They will unveil results of studies for rival drugs to block cancer's ability to repair its genetic code, presenting their findings at the European Society for Medical Oncology's (ESMO) annual conference in Barcelona over the weekend.

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