Byetta death toll rises; S&P savages not-for-profit hospitals;

> The death toll for Byetta, the diabetes drug that Eli Lilly and Amylin Pharmaceuticals together market, is rising. According to only a week's worth of reports, the drug has lead to six deaths. FiercePharma

> Standard & Poor's has taken a meat-axe to the credit ratings of not-for-profit hospitals of late. During the first six months of 2008, credit downgrades for non-profit hospitals and health systems rated by S&P almost doubled, while upgrades fell, compared with the same period during the previous year. FierceHealthFinance

> The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has just posted a $5 million profit for fiscal 2008, nothing to sneeze at unless you note that this is down from a record $612 million for the previous year. This came despite the fact that operating revenue for its core businesses rose 12 percent to a record $7.02 billion, up from $6.28 billion in fiscal 2007. FierceHealthFinance

> New research suggests that non-melanoma skin-cancer sufferers may have a higher chance of developing other types of cancers in the body over their lifetime. Article

And Finally... Ever wonder where your baggage goes once you check it in? This woman found out, the hard way. Article