Top Health Care Stocks

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MRK +1.48%

AMGN +2.50%

Health care stocks were finishing much higher today with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index climbing 1.7% and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 moving 1.9% higher as a group.

In company news, shares of Vermillion Inc. ( VRML ) were in the red Wednesday after the biotech company developing prospective treatments for gynecologic disease late yesterday said it was promoting Chief Operating Officer Valerie Palmieri to president and CEO, effective with the start of the new year.

Current CEO and board chairman James LaFrance will continue to serve as chairman following the upcoming change-over.

Although Palmieri has only been chief operating officer at VRML since October, she was a strategic consultant with the company during the prior six months. She previously was CEO at two health care startups as well as senior positions at Dianon Systems and later LabCorp after Dianon's acquisition.

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Health Care Sector Update for 12/17/2014: VRML,ASPX,POZN