Sexual Health
Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) announced the start of patient enrollment in the ORION clinical trial, which is designed to evaluate the Company"s EPIC(TM) Self-Expanding Nitinol Stent System for the treatment of iliac artery disease, a form of peripheral artery disease that impacts a patient"s lower extremities. The first U.S. patient was enrolled on May 14 by Nicolas W. Shammas, M.D., at Trinity Terrace Park Hospital in Bettendorf, Iowa.
More than ever, pediatric dental students at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) are working in communities, with special emphasis on serving the underserved.
The Washington Times recently published an opinion piece and an editorial discussing President Obama"s nomination of Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen to head the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department. Summaries appear below. ~ Mickey Edwards/William Sessions, Washington Times: The Senate should "act expeditiously to approve" Johnsen"s nomination because "her views on the limits of presidential power are precisely what the Constitution envisions and conservatives have long championed," Edwards, vice president of the Aspen Institute and author of "Reclaiming Conservatism," and Sessions, a partner at the law firm Holland & Knight, write in a Times opinion piece. According to the authors, Johnsen "made her views clear" on the limits of presidential power when she joined a bipartisan group of lawyers that declared that the Office of Legal Counsel should promote "presidential adherence to the rule of law." Edwards and Sessions write that Johnsen is being criticized for "being blunt, unserious and critical of presidential policies." However, these attacks are unwarranted, they write, noting that in the legal profession, "a little blunt talk to a client -- in this case, the president of the United States -- might be required." Edwards and Sessions continue, "What is needed in the Office of Legal Counsel is a person with the constitutional understanding to know that even presidents with whose politics she agrees must obey both the Constitution and federal statutes and who has the gumption to say so, even if the advice won"t be well received" (Edwards/Sessions, Washington Times, 5/21).~ Washington Times: The editorial states that Johnsen "is so radical" that 31 Republican Indiana state senators on Monday sent a letter to Sens. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) and Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) asking them to oppose her confirmation. The Republican senators called Johnsen"s views supporting abortion rights "extremely radical" and said she often uses "harsh, sensationalizing rhetoric" in her writings on Supreme Court cases, the editorial states. According to the editorial, Johnsen"s "political advocacy shows a profound disregard for the courts" proper role" because she considers the courts "as making up just another political, policymaking branch of government, not as bodies restrained by the Constitution or existing laws." The editorial continues that Johnsen is "guilty" of "asking judges to impose their own policy preferences" in favor of abortion rights "against the dictates of existing constitutional law." The editorial concludes, "Someone with such contemptuous views of the Constitution should not be the Obama administration"s chief constitutional interpreter" (Washington Times, 5/21).
The advanced wound management market in Europe is experiencing high growth due to the heightened need for better and more cost-effective treatment. As a result, the market is expanding strongly despite significant hurdles, including intense competition and low reimbursement.
As employers increasingly offer no-cost preventive care as a means of controlling health costs, some people under such plans are being charged for services not deemed preventive by the insurer, the Wall Street Journal reports. According to Watson Wyatt Worldwide, 72% of large employers in 2009 cover 100% of preventive care -- such as physicals, colonoscopies or mammograms -- for employees, an increase from 55% of large companies in 2008. The Journal reports that the charges often result from billing errors or from a physician"s office being unaware of an insurer"s procedures. Charges that are the result of billing errors often can be reversed. However, others -- such as a test or treatment not being defined by the insurer as preventive -- force some patients to "wage a protracted battle" to get the charges reversed, according to the Journal. When unexpected charges appear on patients" bills, physicians and employers often receive complaints but they have little control over how insurers classify treatments. The Journal reports that patients can prevent being charged for preventive services by checking with their insurer before seeking care; asking for specific, covered screenings and treatments at physicians" offices; reviewing explanation of benefits forms supplied by insurers; asking supervisors at insurers to review disputed claims; and seeking help from employees in company human re departments (Wilde Mathews, Wall Street Journal, 5/21).
Former President Clinton has joined efforts to raise money for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria from travelers purchasing electronic airline tickets, the New York Times reports. At a press conference in Paris with United Nations special advisor Philippe Douste-Blazy, Clinton said, "If you provide a user-friendly, efficient way of giving, the contributors will use this system."The U.N. is behind the effort, which will enable travelers to voluntarily add a $2 donation for projects to fight malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS when buying an airline ticket, the Times reports. Both Clinton and Douste-Blazy are working with a newly formed group - Leading Innovative Financing for Equity, or LIFE. LIFE is comprised of eight different groups working to raising money for health aid. According to Douste-Blazy, efforts targeting small donors will begin in January 2010. He added that "the idea is that the citizens of the world are connected by the Internet and credit cards and can show their solidarity."The groups also hope to reach people renting cars, booking hotels or buying train tickets, the Times reports (Carvajal, New York Times, 5/21). Clinton said U.S. air passengers will be able to voluntarily participate in the program, adding, "There is no question that huge numbers of people will participate in this. They understand that it doesn"t cost much and that 100% will go to save lives." (AFP/Google.com, 5/20).
HIV in Europe is transmitted primarily in vacation destinations, according to a study published recently in the journal Retrovirology, the PA/Google.com reports. For the study, researchers led by Dimitrios Paraskevis of the University of Athens analyzed samples of HIV-1 subtype B virus, the most prevalent form of HIV in Europe, from 16 European countries and Israel (PA/Google.com, 5/20). The researchers created a family tree of the virus and examined its genetic characteristics to determine how it has evolved.The study found that tourists are more likely to contract HIV in Greece, Portugal, Serbia and Spain, which are popular vacation destinations. Meanwhile, HIV-positive people in Austria, Belgium, Denmark and Luxembourg are more likely to have contracted the virus outside of these countries. The study also found that HIV-positive people in Israel, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom contract the virus both within these countries and in other countries. In addition, the study found that in Poland the virus spread mainly among residents through injection drug use. "Viruses move around with travelers -- thus health programs within countries should not only target the national populations, prevention efforts must also be aimed at migrants, travelers and tourists -- who are both major s and targets of HIV," Paraskevis said (BBC News, 5/20). Lisa Power, head of policy at the Terrence Higgins Trust, said that the findings are not a "surprise," adding, "We"ve known for some time with high levels of mobility in the world these days that it"s very easy for viruses to move around. What it tells us is that you can"t limit HIV prevention and support just to permanent residents" (PA/Google.com, 5/20).
Research led by David Worthylake, PhD, Assistant Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, may help lay the groundwork for the development of a compound to prevent the spread of cancer. The research will be published in the May 29, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.
Mayo Clinic researchers have found that bipolar disorder (BPD) is a more costly chronic condition than diabetes, depression, asthma and coronary artery disease (CAD), based on a review of health care claim costs. Specialty care costs (the costs of seeing any specialist and all tests ordered) were especially higher for bipolar patients. Results of this review were presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association in San Francisco.
People with diabetes who maintain intensive, low blood sugar levels are significantly less likely to suffer heart attacks and coronary heart disease, new research published in The Lancet has shown.
Women"s reproductive and lifestyle characteristics can be linked to different invasive breast cancer subtypes. Data on 2544 breast cancer cases, presented in the open access journal Breast Cancer Research, suggests that traditional risk factors for development of the condition are associated with different kinds of tumor.
Scientists have discovered that cells use a very simple phase transition -- similar to water vapor condensing into dew -- to assemble and localize subcellular structures that are involved in formation of the embryo.
Interfacing neurons with micro- and nano-electronic devices has been a subject of intense studies over the last decade and is used both in basic research and medical applications. The electronic devices used in such neuroelectronic hybrids are mainly planar metal electrodes and planar transistors.
Scientists have determined how to produce replication-competent viruses
Boehringer Ingelheim will present new data on the company"s two lead oncology compounds, BIBW 2992 and BIBF 1120 at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the company announced today. Two studies in the LUX-Lung clinical development program for BIBW 2992 and a Phase II study of BIBF 1120 in ovarian cancer patients will be presented.
First results from a large tissue survey in Britain of the agent that causes variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) are unable so far to establish that the prevalence is lower than that given by previous estimates, concludes a study published on bmj.com today.
IGF Oncology, a St. Paul-based company, reported the publication of results of a study of its new targeted anti-cancer drug in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. The company"s drug is a modified version of a commonly used cancer chemotherapy drug, modified to be targeted much more specifically to cancer cells and to bypass healthy cells. The results in mice, which are reported in the June issue of Translational Research, show the drug is significantly more effective than the standard drug, methotrexate, even at 6-fold lower dose. The lower dose is expected to result in lower side effects. The study was carried out in collaboration with the University of Minnesota. The authors include Hugh McTavish, the founder of IGF Oncology, and Arkadiusz Dudek, Oncologist and Assoc. Professor of Medicine at the University of Minnesota.
The performance of a new diagnostic test platform that rapidly identifies Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, "staph") bacteremia and determines antibiotic resistance or susceptibility in as little as five hours was presented at the 109th General Meeting of the American Society of Microbiology in Philadelphia, PA this week.
UK charity the Blood Pressure Association has responded to the BMJ research paper "Use of blood pressure lowering drugs in the prevention of cardiovascular disease":
New advice to help people with respiratory problems cope in a heatwave is published by the Department of Health.
Alzheimer imaging aficionados thronged to back-to-back meetings held recently in Seattle for a preview of the latest data from the Alzheimer"s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Launched in the fall of 2004 and set to conclude next year, the $64-million ADNI is comparing imaging methods and fluid biomarkers in the same set of people to determine which measures can best predict and track Alzheimer-disease clinical changes over time. The project is approaching the homestretch of data collection. By the fall of 2010, ADNI scientists will have collected three years of longitudinal data from more than 800 participants (about 200 normal, 400 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 200 with Alzheimer disease) at 59 U.S. and Canadian sites. The Seattle meetings featured preliminary analysis of the one-year data.
Despite calamities from economic recessions, wars and famine to a flu epidemic afflicting the Earth, a new study from the University of Kansas and Gallup indicates that humans are by nature optimistic.
Boxer Evander Holyfield will fight Sammy Retta on July 26 in Ethiopia in an effort to raise money for HIV/AIDS organizations, Reuters India reports. Event organizers hope to raise between $5 million and $10 million from the fight. "I continue to strive to be the very best, but what got me to come here is" HIV/AIDS, Holyfield said, adding, "If we don"t find a cure to this, we"ll be extinct." According to Everton Boland -- CEO of Golden Globe, which is promoting the fight -- a significant portion of money raised will go directly to organizations addressing HIV/AIDS. Organizers said that a group established by African first ladies is the only recipient selected to date but they are considering others (Malone, Reuters India, 5/20).
Researchers of the Max DelbrÃøck Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Germany, have gained crucial insight into how mechanosensitivity arises. By measuring electrical impulses in the sensory neurons of mice, the neurobiologists and pain researchers Dr. Stefan G. Lechner and Professor Gary Lewin were able to directly elucidate, for the first time, the emergence of mechanosensitivity. At the same time they were able to show that neurons develop their sensitivity to touch and pain during different developmental phases but always coincidentally with the growth of the neuronal pathways. (EMBO Journal, 2009, doi:10.1038/emboj.2009.73).*
Colorectal cancer is thought to result from a combination of environmental factors: diet, lifestyle, chronic inflammation and accumulation of specific genetic alterations. The pathogenesis and development of colorectal cancer involves multi-genes and multi-steps. TSPAN1 (GenBank Accession No. AF065388) is a new member of TM4SF located at chromosome 1 p34.1. It encodes a 241 amino acid protein. TSPAN1 was reported as a tumor-related gene recently.
It appears that some superbugs have evolved to develop the ability to manipulate the immune system to everyone"s advantage.
Cytokinetics, Incorporated (NASDAQ: CYTK) announced that data relating to two Phase IIa clinical trials evaluating CK-1827452, one in stable heart failure patients and one in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and angina, are scheduled to be presented in two poster presentations and in the late breaking trials session at the 2009 Heart Failure Congress of the European Society of Cardiology, to be held May 30-June 2, 2009, at the Nice Acropolis Palais des Congrç¨s et Expositions in Nice, France.
As the nation debates health reform options, the Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS) is launching Transforming Care for Dual Eligibles , a state initiative to test innovative care models for people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid ("dual eligibles"). Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont will implement strategies to improve care and control costs for dual eligibles, a high-need population with health care costs nearly five times those of other Medicare beneficiaries. The program is made possible through support from The Commonwealth Fund.
UroToday.com - Angiogenesis is the process of new blood vessel formation in tumors, facilitating their growth. Endostatin is a cleavage product of collagen and is a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell proliferation and migration. Endostatin causes apoptosis in endothelial and tumor cells. Prostate cancer expresses angiogenic factors.
Funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) could lead to the development of new and better treatments for broken bones and other orthopaedic problems associated with ageing.
Eating fish long considered "brain food" may really be good for the old grey matter, as is a healthy dose of sunshine, new research suggests.
It is well known that people use head motion during conversation to convey a range of meanings and emotions, and that women use more active head motion when conversing with each other than men use when they talk with each other.
The National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) announced its ECON 09 Business Programs for the 2009 Marketplace Conference, to be held June 28-July 1 in Boston, Massachusetts. The presentations are new additions to the Marketplace program.
Neurosensory diseases are difficult to model in mice because their symptoms are complex and diverse. The genetic causes identified are often lethal when transferred to a mouse. The lack of animal models slows progress in understanding and treating the diseases. By strategically altering a protein-making molecule, a mouse was made to help understand nervous system diseases that impair feeling and cause paralysis of the arms and legs in humans.
Researchers in Indiana are reporting an advance toward faster, more sensitive tests for detecting melamine, the substance that killed at least 6 children and sickened 300,000 children in China who drank milk and infant formula adulterated with the substance. The improved tests may ease global concerns about food safety, the researchers say. Their report is scheduled for the May 27 issue of ACS" Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
Relatives of a young person who dies suddenly should always be referred for cardiological and genetic examination in order to identify if they too are at risk of sudden death, a scientist told the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics. Dr. Christian van der Werf, a research fellow at the Department of Cardiogenetics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands said that, although his team"s research showed that inherited heart disease was present in over 30% of the families of sudden unexplained death (SUD) victims, the majority of such relatives were currently not being referred for examination.
Medimix International, a leader in global healthcare marketing research for life sciences industry, announced that it will be exhibiting at the 45th AGM of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which will take place in Orlando, Florida from May 29-June 2, 2009. The annual ASCO meeting is considered to be the premier educational and scientific event in the oncology community, a forum for cutting-edge scientific and educational developments in oncology with a focus on personalizing cancer care.
Program Highlights:
World renowned virologist Professor Albert Osterhaus told participants at Europe"s largest conference on infectious diseases that the outbreak of influenza A H1N1 is without question the most important event of the past 40 years in human influenza. And he stressed that the current H1N1 threat is a serious one.
ReachMD, which provides medical news and information to healthcare practitioners, is raising its profile with the Continuing Medical Education, or CME, application for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. This is the first CME application that lets users listen to all ReachMD Continuing Medical Education content, get regular updates on new Continuing Medical Education content and take Continuing Medical Education tests for credit, all from their iPhone or iPod touch.
Ark Therapeutics Group plc ("Ark" or the "Company") announces that the first patient has been enrolled into the US Phase III study for Trinam®. Trinam® is Ark"s novel gene-based medicine to prevent blood vessels blocking in kidney dialysis patients who have undergone vascular access graft surgery. The product is an adenovirus-mediated VEGF D gene delivered with a novel biodegradeable local delivery device (EG001).
The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) praises Representative Allyson Schwartz and nearly 100 cosponsors of The Preserving Patient Access to Primary Care Act for their leadership in health care reform. This legislation, which will increase the number of primary care providers and improve patient access to primary care services, is a critical step if we truly are to reform our health care delivery system. Our nation needs leaders like Representative Schwartz to affect real and lasting change in our health care system.
New research from the US suggests that children whose parents won"t let them be vaccinated are 23 times more likely to get whooping cough
Accumetrics, Inc. announces that it has enrolled its 1,000th patient
Patients living with migraine have strong reason for new optimism concerning a positive future. Two review articles and an accompanying editorial, "The Future of Migraine: Beyond Just Another Pill," in the current issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, are the basis for an ironic premise.
Sections of proteins previously thought to be disordered may in fact have an unexpected biological role - providing certain proteins room to move - according to a study published by researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in this month"s issue of the journal Structure (Cell Press).
A short, preoperative team briefing prior to cardiac surgery - where each person on the team speaks - improves communication and reduces errors and costs, according to a pilot study conducted at Mayo Clinic.
Today sees the European launch of the first topical calcineurin inhibitor to be approved for the maintenance treatment of eczema to prevent flares and prolong flare-free intervals. PROTOPIC ointment (tacrolimus monohydrate) is already licensed to treat moderate and severe eczema (atopic dermatitis), often involving the treatment of flares as and when they occur.* It is now also approved for twice-weekly application to previously affected skin to prevent these exacerbations and prolong flare-free periods in PROTOPIC-responsive patients.ò€ Clinical studies have shown that this new approach brings significant benefits with over 40% of patients with moderate to severe eczema remaining flare-free for at least a year.1 Flares are known to place an enormous burden on patients. The International Study of Life with Atopic Eczema (ISOLATE) found that about 55% of these patients worried about the onset of their next exacerbation and that they spent on average over a third of the year (136 days) with their eczema in flare.2
It"s not just MPs who can make inappropriate claims for recompense or misunderstand the rules, warns the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS).
The Excellence in Oncology Awards (EinO) 2009 are now open for entry. The Awards, now in their fourth year, recognise and reward best practice in oncology management, education and patient care throughout the UK. Winners will be announced at a prestigious dinner on 6 October 2009 during the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference.
The New Jersey Senate on Thursday unanimously passed legislation (A 2030) that would require pharmacists to inform consumers when they have substituted generic drugs for brand-name prescriptions, the Newark Star-Ledger reports. The General Assembly approved the legislation in February and it now moves to Gov. Jon Corzine (D).If Corzine signs the bill, the law would take effect within 180 days, making New Jersey the first state in the U.S. to have such a requirement. State Sen. Christopher Bateman (R) said, "We"re hoping that other states will follow our lead" (Megerian, Newark Star-Ledger, 5/22).
Research from the National Osteoporosis Society has revealed that almost half (49%)* of young people do not know that there are steps they can take to keep their bones healthy. This knowledge gap puts them at risk of osteoporosis and fractures in later life.
Synosia Therapeutics announced today that it has started a Phase I clinical trial of SYN-120, its new generation 5-HT6 antagonist under development for the treatment of cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer"s and schizophrenia. The study will assess the safety and tolerability of single ascending doses of SYN-120 in healthy volunteers.
For patients who experience pain and depression, common co-existing conditions, an intervention that included individually tailored antidepressant therapy and a pain self-management program resulted in greater improvement in the symptoms of these conditions than patients who received usual care, according to a study in the May 27 issue of JAMA.
Anaphylaxis Canada is responding to the growing public health challenge of keeping teens and young adults with potentially life-threatening food allergies safe by creating a number of interactive tools including a groundbreaking new website, http://www.whyriskit.ca, an online "Reaction Registry" and radio podcasts. These tools are part of a comprehensive new strategy to help allergic youth manage risky situations by reaching out to them in forums in which they are comfortable.
An estimated 35 percent of U.S. adults age 40 and older have vestibular dysfunction (inner ear balance disorders), and those who do may have a higher risk of falling, according to a report in the May 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Exercise and behavioral intervention improves fitness and lowers systolic blood pressure, according to a study presented today at the 56th American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Annual Meeting in Seattle. The findings are consistent with ACSM"s Exercise is Medicine™ ™ (EIM) program, which recommends physical activity as a standard health care component.
John P. Cogswell, PhD, has been chosen as the recipient of the 2009 Alzheimer Award presented by the Journal of Alzheimer"s Disease in recognition of his outstanding work, "Identification of miRNA changes in Alzheimer"s disease brain and CSF yields putative biomarkers and insights into disease pathways" (J Alzheimers Dis 14: 27-41, 2008) by J.P. Cogswell et al.
Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN) today announced it has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the Company"s Supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) for BOTOX® (Botulinum Toxin Type A) to treat upper limb spasticity in post-stroke adults. Allergan submitted its sBLA for this indication in the third quarter of 2008.
New findings by researchers UT Southwestern Medical Center are accelerating efforts to eradicate worm infections that afflict a third of the world"s population.
A new way of assessing professionalism among medical students could help to make better doctors, a new research study suggests.
Research from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine has found that a less toxic, solvent-free chemotherapy drug more effectively prevents the progression of metastatic breast cancer and has fewer side effects than a commonly used solvent-based drug.
Daniel Hauser, 13, who has Hodgkin"s lymphoma, and ran away with his mother after she refused chemotherapy treatment, is to be allowed treatment, his parents said. Daniel"s mother, Colleen Hauser, said she had wanted him to be treated with natural remedies for religious reasons. Hodgkin"s Lymphoma or Hodgkin"s Disease is a cancerous (malignant) growth of cells in the lymph system.
Many Americans support increased funding to address HIV/AIDS in the U.S. according to a report released Wednesday for the National AIDS Coordinating Committee with support from the MAC AIDS Fund, Reuters Health reports.The report -- titled "Impressions of HIV/AIDS in America: A Report on Conversations With People Throughout the Country" -- aimed to provide a better understanding of perceptions regarding HIV/AIDS among average U.S. residents. For the report, researchers interviewed "people in five focus groups, which featured a cross-section of Americans living in urban, suburban and rural settings. Several experts in HIV/AIDS also contributed to the report," according to Reuters. Focus group participants were generally supportive of increased domestic funding for HIV/AIDS programs, particularly prevention, education and vaccine research programs. The report found that HIV/AIDS has fallen "off the radar" of many Americans but that many people are sympathetic to HIV-positive people. The report also found that some people continue to attach a stigma to HIV and do not understand how the virus is transmitted. Many participants also said HIV-positive people have "risky lifestyles," the report found. "Many people we spoke with had inconsistent views of HIV/AIDS," lead researcher Jonathan Rochkind said, adding, "Even though most people were aware of the primary ways HIV is transmitted, when presented with the idea of being in casual contact with people who are HIV-positive, they often said it was a possibility HIV could be transmitted that way and that they were concerned about the risk." Rebecca Haag, CEO and president of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, said the report "highlights the empathy people have for those living with HIV/AIDS, and an understanding that access to medical care and drug treatment is critical." Haag added, "Unfortunately, the reality in this country is that about one-half of those living with HIV/AIDS are not in care and treatment" (Reuters Health, 5/13).
Kristen L. Billiar, associate professor of biomedical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to work at the National University of Ireland Galway on research and education related to tissue engineering. Billiar, who will be in Ireland for the 2009-10 academic year, is the 14th member of the current WPI faculty to be awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant.
A Senior Lecturer from Canterbury Christ Church University has been awarded Fellowship of the Institute of Healthcare Management (IHM) at a ceremony on Thursday 14th May.
Quality of care is not linked to the cost of care, according to a study published last week on the Web site of the journal Health Affairs, CQ HealthBeat reports. For the study, researchers from Dartmouth College and Harvard University analyzed the health care bills of chronically ill Medicare beneficiaries in their last two years of life who received end-of-life care from 2,172 unidentified hospitals. The patients had one of three common conditions: heart attack, pneumonia or congestive heart failure. The study -- sponsored by the National Institute on Aging -- looked at common quality indicators at a hospital-by-hospital level instead of regional level (Norman, CQ HealthBeat, 5/22). Researchers compared the data with some of the quality measures reported on the HHS Hospital Compare Web site (Goldstein, "Health Blog," Wall Street Journal, 5/21). The study found that among the one-fifth of hospitals that spent the least, the cost of end-of-life care was $16,059 on average. In comparison, the cost of end-of-life care at the top 20% of highest-spending hospitals was $34,742 on average. The study also found no link -- or even evidence against a link -- between spending and the quality indicators. The researchers noted that the results might be skewed because the quality indicators they used might penalize hospitals that treat sicker patients. In addition, the study used process-of-care measures instead of patient outcomes. According to CQ HealthBeat, the findings of the study could have an effect on the debate over health care reform legislation because lawmakers and President Obama both have said that a reform plan must be able to control costs and expand access to high-quality, affordable health care (CQ HealthBeat, 5/22).
Over the next 18 months, psychiatrists will revise the American Psychiatric Association"s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which is used to determine how U.S. residents" mental health is assessed, diagnosed and treated, the Los Angeles Times reports. Since the manual was last updated in 1994, technologies such as brain imaging and new understandings of the biological and genetic causes of many disorders have "almost guaranteed alterations" in the number of mental disorders included in fifth DSM volume, which is scheduled to be published in 2012, the Times reports.While some psychiatrists argue the manual should be broad enough to determine treatment for those who need it, others are concerned that if too broad, the manual will diagnose conditions that would otherwise be considered normal human behavior. David Kupfer, a psychiatrist at the University of Pittsburgh"s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinics and chair of the DSM-V task force, said the DSM-V will recognize variations of disorders that have not been seen as part of "classic" illnesses, and will describe disorders in more detail, including how they differ based on race, gender, age, physical health and culture. Health insurance companies use the manual to determine coverage options for certain treatments.People involved in the revisions said the manual will be a better reflection of mental conditions of "real" people, rather than just those with the most severe cases of disorders or obvious diagnoses, the Times reports (Roan, Los Angeles Times, 5/26).
United Auto Workers leaders on Tuesday agreed to accept up to 20% of General Motors stock, as well as concessions on labor rules and retiree health care obligations, as the automaker faces a June 1 deadline to restructure or seek bankruptcy protection, the Detroit News reports (Aguilar/Shepardson, Detroit News, 5/27). Under the deal, the voluntary employees" beneficiary association would receive 17.5% of common GM stock, $6.5 billion of preferred shares, a $2.5 billion note and warrants equal to 2.5% of GM"s stock (Reuters/USA Today, 5/27). In addition, the VEBA would receive $585 million annually in interest income on its preferred stock (Detroit News, 5/27). Another concession included in the tentative deal is the elimination of dental, vision and some prescription drug coverage for hourly retirees (Shepardson/Aguilar, Detroit News, 5/26). UAW also would hold a seat on the GM board of directors (Cho et al., Washington Post, 5/27).Because of a proposed deal announced earlier this month, the Treasury Department and UAW, together, are to own 89% of GM"s stock, meaning that if the UAW-GM deal is approved, the Treasury would own about a 70% share of GM"s stock (Detroit News, 5/26). Current bondholders would hold about a 10% stake in the company (Washington Post, 5/27). The remaining 1% would be held by existing shareholders (Detroit News, 5/26).The total 20% is about half of what was anticipated (Higgins, Detroit Free Press, 5/26). The "significant concessions" made by UAW, which was eligible to receive up to 39% of GM"s equity through the VEBA, "could mean that [GM] is attempting to appease unsecured bondholders, who charged that the UAW was getting a better deal," according to the News (Detroit News, 5/27). UAW said the revised agreement with GM was necessary for the automaker to survive, but the deal will leave hundreds of thousands of GM retirees paying higher out-of-pocket medical expenses, the Wall Street Journal reports (Stoll et al., Wall Street Journal, 5/27).UAW members are scheduled to vote on the agreement on Wednesday and Thursday (Detroit News, 5/26). However, "[e]ven with UAW approval, GM is still likely to file for bankruptcy, since bondholders are unlikely to swallow deep concessions," according to the News (Detroit News, 5/27).
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Tuesday sent state lawmakers a plan to reduce more than $5 billion in spending that includes cuts to HIV/AIDS services, the Los Angeles Times reports (Rothfeld/McGreevy, Los Angeles Times, 5/27). The proposed cuts include $55.5 million in California"s AIDS Drug Assistance Program and other state Office of AIDS programs. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Schwarzenegger"s plan would make HIV-positive people pay more for drugs, while HIV/AIDS programs such as counseling, monitoring and education would be reduced or eliminated. "We were expecting cuts, but this is much, much worse than what we were expecting," Courtney Mulhern-Pearson, policy and legislative associate for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said (Yi, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/27). Tuesday"s plan follows a separate proposal to cut $16 billion in overall state spending that Schwarzenegger announced two weeks ago. Aides say that Schwarzenegger plans to propose an additional $3 billion in reductions by the end of the week to offset a projected $24.3 billion budget shortfall. "Behind every one of these dollars that we cut there are real faces," Schwarzenegger said, adding, "Even though those are tough choices, what is the alternative?" (Los Angeles Times, 5/27).
In Japan reports of violence linked to SSRI antidepressants have raised
The very latest information on the 2009 swine influenza (H1N1) outbreak is the subject of a landmark afternoon symposium hosted by the New York Academy of Sciences today, Thursday, May 28. Speakers will discuss the new recombinant virus, epidemiology, treatment, vaccine development and the public health implications of a worldwide pandemic.
Promoting physical activity during Girl Scout meetings can be an effective way for young girls to get the exercise they need to be healthy, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine"s 56th Annual Meeting in Seattle.
As part of its Centennial Celebration and Conference, Mental Health America-in partnership with the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health-will hold a dedication ceremony on June 10 at 10 a.m. for a memorial planned on the grounds of Saint Elizabeths Hospital for hundreds of thousands of patients who were buried, many with unmarked graves, at state psychiatric hospitals nationwide.
New UK research confirms the groundbreaking cancer drug abiraterone provides significant benefit for up to two-thirds of men with advanced and aggressive prostate cancer, according to a study published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
A report released by the consumer health organization Families USA spotlights a growing crisis among insured families, as rising health care costs devour a growing portion of their pre-tax income.
That"s one conclusion from a new study that looked at how virulence evolves in parasites. The research examined whether parasites evolve to be more or less aggressive depending on whether they are closely connected to their hosts or scattered among more isolated clusters of hosts.
Researchers have identified the locking mechanism that allows some neurons to form synapses to pass along essential information. Mutations of genes that produce a critical cell-adhesion molecule involved in the work were previously linked to autism.
Could a holiday in the sun reduce the risk of developing multiple sclerosis? In a recent review for F1000 Medicine Reports, Bridget Bagert and Dennis Bourdette highlight recent advances in potential treatments.
A new instrument for improving patient understanding and acceptance of long-acting injectable antipsychotic therapy (LAT) has been published in the April edition of Psychiatry 2009.1 This novel, psychosocial approach encompasses Goal setting, Action planning, Initiating treatment, and Nurturing motivation (GAIN) through the use of a clinical discussion tool.
Variations in both milk feeding and in the weaning diet are linked to differences in growth and development, and they have independent influences on body composition in early childhood, according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society"s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).
The Atlantic cod has, for many centuries, sustained major fisheries on