> The President's 2007 budget proposal calls for $169 million in funding for healthcare IT initiatives. The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology gets $116 million. Article
> Houston-based medical device maker Cyberonics reported lower-than-expected first quarter numbers, sending its shares into a tailspin. The company markets an implantable pacemaker-like device for the treatment of depression. Article
> CareFusion hits one out of the park, signing the Veteran's Health Administration in a deal that will see its barcoding software used in a major safety initiative in VA hospitals and clinics nationwide. Release
> NeoGuide won FDA clearance to market its computer-assisted colonoscope, a technology it says will revolutionize endoscopy. Release
> MedCath, an operator of specialty cardiac care facilities, reported disappointing first quarter earnings today. Release
> AmerisourceBergen said it has completed the purchase of Network for Medical Communications and Research (NMCR), a CME and analytics provider for the oncology market. The deal is worth $90 million. Article
> Picis announces good numbers and says it signed 70 new medical centers during the fourth quarter. Release
And Finally... The H5N1 virus has been found in a chicken farm in northern Nigeria, UN health officials confirmed this morning. The case is the first reported outbreak in Africa. Article