Drug Vote: An FDA advisory panel voted 9-6 against approving dapagliflozin, a new type of diabetes drug from Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca, saying more information is needed on possible risks including breast and bladder cancers, the WSJ reports . Some panel members, however, said teasing out those possible safety problems would be best accomplished not by requiring more studies before approval, but by using post-marketing studies and patient registries. The FDA often, but not always, follows the advice of its outside panels. VC Dollars: Venture-capital investors invested $1.24 billion in biotech companies during the second quarter, 46% more than in the first quarter, Bloomberg News reports , citing a report from the National Venture Capital Association and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Meantime, medical device and equipment makers received $841 million in funding during the second quarter, up 20%, BN says. Sluggish Medical Demand: Earning reports out yesterday from insurer UnitedHealth Group and drug maker

Johnson & Johnson show the effects of still-sluggish demand for medical products and services, the WSJ reports . UnitedHealth saw second-quarter earnings rise 13% due in part to below-average utilization of medical care, though the company said it expects demand to pick up later this year. J&J also saw better-than-expected earnings , but continued to warn about economic pressures restraining demand for elective procedures this year, the paper says. Practice Changes: The Ivy League will announce strict rules governing how many full-contact practices football teams will be able to hold, allowing only two such practices weekly during the season compared to the NCAA’s maximum of five, the New York Times reports . The move is an attempt to reduce traumatic head injuries that research suggests may be linked to future dementia. Image: iStockphoto

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A.M. Vitals: FDA Panel Votes Against Diabetes Drug From Bristol, Astra