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Walgreens offers H1N1 vaccinations throughout Indiana

Walgreens, the nation’s largest drugstore chain and industry leader with more than 17,000 certified or licensed immunizers, is now offering H1N1 vaccinations at all of its pharmacies throughout Indiana.

24 Dec 2009

New study indicates growing number of people are abusing prescription painkillers

This entire year was marked by an abundance of media coverage and attention surrounding prescription painkillers, largely the result of widespread misuse throughout Hollywood.

24 Dec 2009

Salix Pharmaceuticals sued over alleged kidney damage due to OsmoPrep

Suits were commenced Dec. 23, 2009 in North Carolina for four users who allege kidney damage due to the use of OsmoPrep, a prescription drug used to cleanse the intestines in preparation for a colonoscopy. (Holshouser et al v. Salix Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. and Salix Pharmaceuticals. Inc.)

24 Dec 2009

Terri McCormick's statement on Senate healthcare reform bill

In the rush to pass the so-called "healthcare reform bill," U.S. Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) stomped his feet and held his breath until he extracted his presents from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. One such gift exempts Nebraska from paying the $45 million increase in Medicaid imbursement costs. Nelson was the 60th Democrat to get his stocking stuffed.

24 Dec 2009

Drug companies winners of the American prescription drug debate

On Dec. 15, the Obama Administration rejected a plan to allow the wholesale reimportation of cheaper prescriptions drugs from abroad, despite projected intentions to take on the drug industry and secure cheaper prescription for Americans.

24 Dec 2009

Senate rejects mass importation of medicine from Canada

In the midst of President Obama's push for health care reform, the Senate rejected a plan to allow American pharmacies and drug wholesalers to import federally approved drugs from abroad. That vote has proved to be a headache for customer service staff at companies like Canadameds.com (http://www.Canadameds.com), which sells low-cost prescription drugs directly to American consumers.

24 Dec 2009

Lawmakers brace for conference as House Liberals vow not to give in on key issues

The Los Angeles Times reports that Democrats are looking ahead — and at each other — before beginning the "potentially difficult" process of reconciling the Senate and House versions of health care reform.

23 Dec 2009

Prescription medication at lower costs for Oregon state agency employees

Public employees in the state of Oregon will soon have access to a wider range of prescription medication at lower costs.

22 Dec 2009

New Medicare Advantage PPO plan launched by Clear One Health Plans

Clear One Health Plans, Inc. introduces its new Medicare Advantage PPO plan, the first plan to include both out-of-network coverage and in-network coverage in Central Oregon, Southern California, and Arizona.

22 Dec 2009

Cell Therapeutics supports Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. announced today its support of the Pharmaceutical Research Manufacturers of America's (PhRMA) "Code on Interactions with Healthcare Professionals, revised July 2008" (PhRMA Code). Adherence to the Code is voluntary for commercial biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies.

22 Dec 2009

FDA extends action date for its review of Cephalon's sNDA for NUVIGIL Tablets

Cephalon, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has extended the action date to March 29, 2010, for its review of the supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for NUVIGIL® (armodafinil) Tablets [C-IV].

22 Dec 2009

EMEA grants orphan drug designation for pixantrone in Europe

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. ("CTI") announced today that the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) has granted pixantrone orphan drug designation for the treatment of DLBCL which accounts for about 80% of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

21 Dec 2009

Direct primary care amendment may offer affordable health care options for Americans

The U.S. Senate today made an important step that could expand health care coverage to more Americans while simultaneously reducing costs. The Manager's Amendment, introduced by Senator Harry Reid (D-Nev.) this morning, includes a provision that would allow flat-fee direct primary care practices, in which patients pay a flat fee for primary and preventive care, to compete in the proposed insurance exchange. This will provide Americans more affordable health care options beyond traditional insurance.

21 Dec 2009

Medica's clinic-based chronic care management program delivers promising results

Medica’s clinic-based chronic care management program with six clinic partners shows that focusing on care coordination is beginning to deliver promising results. A recent program evaluation reported that members participating in the clinical pilots had 1 percent more doctor visits and 3 percent more prescription fills than members with similar conditions seen in traditional clinic settings.

19 Dec 2009

Roundup of health policy research and analyses

Urban Institute/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: What Would Health Care Reform Mean for Small Employers and Their Workers? - "Small employers and their workers face a broad assortment of barriers to obtaining health insurance coverage today," such as "high administrative costs, limited ability to spread health care risk, and a low-wage workforce."

18 Dec 2009

Antidepressants may play a key role in improving adolescents’ mental health

Suicidal adolescents who were prescribed an antidepressant medication during inpatient psychiatric hospital treatment were 85 percent less likely than others to be readmitted within a month after discharge, a new study found.

18 Dec 2009

Proposed health care legislation to set new standards in employer-based insurance system

If proposed health care legislation is enacted, it would set new standards in the employer-based insurance system. Approximately 18.4 million Californians and 161 million Americans under the age of 65 rely upon employer-based insurance for their health care coverage.

17 Dec 2009

ODAC to review Cell Therapeutics' NDA for pixantrone

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI) announced today that on February 10, 2010 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) will review the New Drug Application (NDA) for pixantrone for the treatment of relapsed/refractory aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL).

17 Dec 2009

Reid assures Medicare Part D 'doughnut hole' will be closed

CBS News: "With the clock ticking on Senate Democrats' efforts to draw up a health care bill they all can agree on before the end of the year, Senate leaders on Monday said they would commit to providing seniors with better prescription drug coverage through Medicare." Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pledged to close a gap -- known as the "doughnut hole" -- in Medicare's drug coverage.

16 Dec 2009

Cost-effective alternative to original Medicare or Medicare supplement plan for Syracuse-area residents

At a time when many people with Medicare in Syracuse are increasingly concerned about finding affordable health insurance, they now have a new Medicare Advantage option for 2010.

16 Dec 2009