Spending on healthcare lobbying in US rises: The US healthcare industry spends $1.4m (£0.9m; €1m) a day on lobbying for its interests, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, the drug industry group, doubled its spending to $7m in the first quarter of this year, the Washington Post reports (www.washingtonpost.com, 6 Jul, “Familiar players in health bill lobbying”). Insurance companies, hospitals, and medical groups have hired 350 former government staff members and members of Congress to lobby for the interests of the industry.

Obama names genome expert to head NIH: Barack Obama has nominated Francis Collins, a leader …