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FAMU, FAU partner to create Medical Honors Program between two institutions

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University has partnered with the Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee to establish a first-of-its-kind Medical Honors Program (MHP) between the two institutions.

10 Nov 2011

FDA creates new Internet resource to protect consumers from health fraud scams

The science of public health was still in its infancy in the 19th and early 20th centuries when early incarnations of the modern Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tried to protect consumers from "snake oil salesmen" and other shifty characters who swindled the sick and gullible.

10 Nov 2011

SEIU-UHW and CHW call for protecting Medi-Cal and Medicare funding programs

SEIU United Healthcare Workers West, Catholic Healthcare West, doctors, patients and healthcare providers will hold a joint press conference on Thursday, November 10, 2011 at St. Francis Memorial Hospital in an effort to protect Medi-Cal and Medicare funding and programs that keep California families, seniors and children healthy.

10 Nov 2011

Too much at stake to scale back U.S. global engagement

Frank Carlucci, former national security adviser and secretary of defense under President Ronald Reagan; Lee Hamilton, a retired Democratic congressman and former vice chair of the 9/11 Commission; and Tom Ridge, former homeland security secretary under President George W. Bush -- all members of the Advisory Council for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition -- write in this Washington Times editorial, "At a time of economic distress and huge deficits that demand tough choices, it is tempting for elected officials to scale back this country's engagement around the globe, in particular by making cuts to programs that support diplomacy and international development. Yet too much is at stake to diminish America's leadership and competitiveness in a world that is growing more interconnected and interdependent -- as well as more turbulent -- virtually every day."

10 Nov 2011

D.C. Court of Appeals upholds health law's individual mandate

One of the nation's most closely watched federal courts ruled Tuesday that the new health care law's requirement that most Americans get health insurance is constitutional, giving a surprise boost to President Obama's signature domestic achievement.

10 Nov 2011

New poverty figures show large increase in number of poor older Americans nationwide

New poverty figures released this week by the U.S. Census Bureau show a large increase in the number of poor Americans nationwide, specifically older adults.

10 Nov 2011

Younger anxious adults tend to immediately avoid anti-smoking videos

Younger adults who generally feel anxious tend to immediately avoid anti-smoking videos that describe how cigarettes can lead to death, disease and harm to others, before considering the message, according to a new University of Georgia study.

10 Nov 2011

HFHP now able to offer two stand-alone prescription drug plans statewide

It began in 1996 as a local, community-based alternative to out-of-state insurance mega-giants, but now it is venturing out beyond the Space Coast for the first time. In what has become a real Space Coast business success story, Health First Health Plans (HFHP), which prides itself on its reputation for being community oriented and 100% dedicated to serving the specific needs of Floridians, is now able to offer two stand-alone prescription drug (PDP) plans from the Panhandle to the Keys.

10 Nov 2011

State roundup: Alaska's dental problem; some Minn. health funding blocked

The need for dental care in rural Alaska is huge. According to a recent CDC report, the rate of cavities among rural Alaska Native children is four and a half times greater than the general population of U.S. children of the same age. ... But it's important to note the dental therapist program in Alaska is not without controversy.

10 Nov 2011

Clinical diagnoses of autism may vary widely across centers

To diagnose autism spectrum disorders, clinicians typically administer a variety of tests or scales and use information from observations and parent interviews to classify individuals into subcategories listed in standard psychiatric diagnostic manuals.

10 Nov 2011

WebMD Magazine names UCSD professor as 2011 Health Hero

Ellen Beck, MD, clinical professor of medicine in the UC San Diego School of Medicine's Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, has been named a 2011 Health Hero by WebMD Magazine.

10 Nov 2011

LCA calls on VA to screen veterans at high risk for lung cancer

Lung Cancer Alliance (LCA) salutes the nation's 22 million Veterans for their service to our country and calls on the Department of Veterans Affairs to institute CT screening for those at high risk for lung cancer.

10 Nov 2011

APS supports CDC's call for multifaceted approach to address prescription drug misuse

As reported by the U.S Centers for Disease Control, some 15,000 deaths occurred in the U.S. in 2008 from overdoses of prescription pain medications, and demand for treatment of prescription opioid addiction increased almost six fold between 1999 and 2009.

10 Nov 2011

A range of studies highlight health care shortcomings

The New York Times reports that a $20 million government-supported study regarding an operation to prevent strokes was cut short when it found the surgery was not helping patients. Also, a Commonwealth Fund study concluded that the U.S. ranks near the bottom when compared to other countries on how it cares for the sickest patients. Lastly, the Health and Human Services inspector general finds a quarter of hospitalized Medicare patients received improper treatment.

10 Nov 2011

Miss. voters reject abortion measure; Ohio restores pubic employees' rights

Ohio voters passed a constitutional amendment to block implementation of the individual mandate, but that measure could easily become moot if the Supreme Court rules on the issue.

10 Nov 2011

Cigna to launch Go the Distance for Veterans program

Cigna today announced the company will honor the men and women who served and defended our nation with a Go the Distance for Veterans program launching Friday.

10 Nov 2011

World-renowned cardiologist receives 2011 TCT Career Achievement Award

Eric J. Topol, MD, a world-renowned cardiologist and physician-scientist, was presented the 2011 TCT Career Achievement Award in a ceremony held today during the 23rd annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation.

10 Nov 2011

Kansas Gov. announces revamping of Medicaid

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback announced a major overhaul of the state's Medicaid program today, which would put nearly all Medicaid recipients into private, managed-care plans. While low-income families are currently in such plans, elderly and disabled Kansans receive care through a fee-for-service system.

10 Nov 2011

U.N., aid groups appeal for additional funding, supplies for Pakistan flood victims

The U.N. and several other international aid groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children, Care and ACTED, on Wednesday "warn[ed] they are running short of money and supplies to help millions of people affected by floods in Pakistan," the Associated Press reports.

10 Nov 2011