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Editorial, opinion piece address emergence of H7N9 bird flu strain in China

The following is a summary of an editorial and an opinion piece addressing the emergence of a new strain of bird flu -- H7N9 -- in China.

2 May 2013

Vanderbilt University launches Health App Challenge contest

Vanderbilt University announced today a $20,000 worldwide contest called the Health App Challenge, aimed to transform patient clinical summaries into easy to understand personalized health information.

2 May 2013

Blog examines drug donation programs, Big Pharma's role in public health agenda

"Drug donations, reinvestment of profits in developing countries and a more flexible approach to intellectual property have all signaled a more collaborative approach from industry with the likes of GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, Johnson & Johnson and Merck all performing well in the 2012 Access to Medicine Initiative," Adam Robert Green, senior reporter with the Financial Times' "This is Africa," writes in the Royal African Society's "African Arguments" blog.

2 May 2013

New online resource provides practical guidance on caring for patients with dysphagia

Healthcare professionals caring for patients with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) now have access to a new and comprehensive online resource called 'Medicines Optimisation in Patients with Dysphagia'.

2 May 2013

Women's health care proves challenging for VA system

The nation's imagination may be captured by the expanding combat role of women in the U.S. military. But for the Department of Veterans Affairs, there's a more pragmatic challenge.

2 May 2013

Viewpoints: Outrage at mistaken report on Hill health coverage; Two views of Florida's option on Medicaid

Because members of Congress are accustomed to high-quality medical care provided to them through federal employee benefit programs, one might expect that they would push for top quality care to be delivered through the exchanges too.

2 May 2013

Roundup: Battles in five states become central to abortion fight; Calif. prison spending on anti-psychotics raises treatment questions

Five states have moved to adopt tighter abortion regulations, including North Dakota, where a new law prohibits abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected. Jeffrey Brown gets perspectives from Charmaine Yoest of Americans United for Life and Ilyse Hogue of NARAL Pro-Choice America (4/30).

2 May 2013

FDA OKs over-the-counter 'Plan B' contraception for women and girls older than age 15

The move, regulators said, was made independent of a recent federal district judge's ruling that called for the emergency contraceptive to be made available over-the-counter to women of all ages without restriction.

2 May 2013

NY health care advocates: Medicaid managed care shuns the most disabled users

Managed-care companies in New York have come under fire for signing up vigorous older adults referred to them by social day care centers, customers whose health needs are relatively small. But on Tuesday, legal advocates for the disabled told the state's Medicaid director that the most seriously impaired people were getting the opposite treatment (Bernstein, 4/30).

2 May 2013

New consumer conundrum: To buy insurance or pay the penalty

Media outlets report on a range of health law implementation issues -- including how medical homes might be helpful in treating the newly insured as well as an analysis of the whether the health law's penalties for not buying insurance have enough bite.

2 May 2013

Obama aims to tamp down fears about health law

During a Tuesday news conference, President Barack Obama acknowledged likely "bumps and glitches" as key provisions of the health law take effect, but said that many elements of the measure are already in place and "working fine."

2 May 2013

Insurers face key health exchange deadline

Modern Healthcare reports that May 1 is the deadline for insurers to apply to offer heatlh plans for sale on state-run exchanges. However, the deadline for participation in states that have opted for federally run exchanges has been extended until Friday.

2 May 2013

At the Florida State House, Medicaid expansion drama continues

News outlets also detail the latest expansion news from Oklahoma, Iowa, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine and Arizona.

2 May 2013

Aetna cuts projections for policies it will sell in new marketplaces

Aetna said it expects to sell fewer health insurance policies than initially projected in the health law's online marketplaces, which are slated to open in October. The insurer also said its 1st-quarter profit slipped 4 percent but raised its 2013 forecast.

2 May 2013

42 percent of Americans unsure if health law stands

One poll about the health law highlights a continued lack of understanding about the measure and a second shows voters are still split in their support.

2 May 2013

First Edition: April 30, 2013

Today's headlines include reports that the Obama administration has simplified the application for health insurance benefits under the health law.

30 Apr 2013

Congress should maintain support of global health programs 'despite fiscal challenges'

"U.S. support for global health has had a major impact around the world, particularly our contributions to fighting malaria through the President's Malaria Initiative and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria," Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.), co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases, and Steve Davis, CEO of PATH, write in a Washington Times opinion piece.

30 Apr 2013

Somalia launches pentavalent vaccine with support from GAVI, UNICEF, WHO

"Coinciding with World Immunization Week, the Somali government announced on 24 April its intention to vaccinate all children under the age of one with a new five-in-one vaccine, known as a pentavalent vaccine, funded by the GAVI Alliance, with [UNICEF] and the [WHO] as implementing partners," IRIN reports.

30 Apr 2013

PBS blog features stories looking at mobile technology and health in Africa

PBS's "Rundown" blog features two stories as part of the "Cheers Report," a "series of reports on the impact of mobile technology and health in 10 African countries."

30 Apr 2013

IPS examines work of U.N. High-Level Task Force on population, development to eliminate stigma surrounding reproductive health

Inter Press Service examines efforts by the U.N. High-Level Task Force for the International Conference on Population and Development to overcome stigma surrounding sexual and reproductive health in global discussions about population growth and development.

30 Apr 2013