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Blogs address issues surrounding TB, World TB Day

On Sunday, March 24, the international community observed World TB Day. The following is a summary of blog posts published in recognition of the day.

26 Mar 2013

Recommendation against routine PSA measurement relies too heavily on randomized trial data

Do the results of recent randomized trials justify the recent U.S. recommendation against yearly measurement of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a screening test for prostate cancer? That's the topic of debate in a special "point/counterpoint" section in the April issue of Medical Care.

26 Mar 2013

Rethinking sanitation systems on World Water Day

"In 1993 the United Nations General Assembly declared 22 March as World Day for Water, and people have embraced the entire week in an attempt to shine the spotlight on the global water issues," Carl Hensman, a program officer in the water, sanitation, and hygiene program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, writes in the foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog.

26 Mar 2013

Wireless personal health monitoring system can revolutionize U.S. healthcare industry

A wireless personal health monitoring system using smartphones to upload data via the Internet will revolutionize the U.S. healthcare industry, its pioneering creators say.

26 Mar 2013

IPS examines first USAID progress report, released last week

"The United States' main foreign assistance agency is getting widespread plaudits for new data on a series of internal reforms aimed at aid improvement, but some development experts are pointing to a persistent opaqueness from the agency," Inter Press Service reports.

26 Mar 2013

Additional resources needed to stave off TB resurgence

The release of new data by the CDC "showing that the number of people contracting tuberculosis in the U.S. has been declining for 20 years ... should be good news," but "as a physician and adviser working to control TB for more than 40 years, I'm more concerned than ever before about our ability to protect the public from this deadly airborne disease," Lee Reichman of the New Jersey Medical School Global Tuberculosis Institute writes in The Hill's "Congress Blog."

26 Mar 2013

Paramount Advantage to serve eligible Medicaid recipients throughout Ohio

Paramount Advantage has been approved to serve eligible Medicaid recipients throughout Ohio. It was offered a statewide provider agreement by the Office of Medical Assistance (formerly the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services) to expand its service area from 18 to 88 counties.

26 Mar 2013

Wash. bill to mandate abortion coverage awaits state Senate vote

Washington's Reproductive Parity Act would be the first state law to require insurance plans to cover abortion.

26 Mar 2013

Brown University's TVO to provide IP management services to health care system

Under a recent agreement announced today with Lifespan, Brown University's Technology Ventures Office will provide selected IP management and commercialization services to the state's largest health care system.

26 Mar 2013

FDA proposes charging fees to compounding pharmacies to pay oversight costs

The head of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed charging compounding pharmacies fees to pay for the oversight needed to prevent a recurrence of the meningitis outbreak that killed 50 people and sickened hundreds more.

26 Mar 2013

Research: Home visits by health visitors promote health, wellbeing of children

Home visits by health visitors promoting health and positive parenting are invaluable in the early years of a child's life, research has confirmed.

26 Mar 2013

Viewpoints: Health law offers 'lifeline' to many; National exchange could solve many problems with state insurance; Contrasting looks at faulty hip replacements

Republican leaders in Congress regularly denounce the 2010 Affordable Care Act and vow to block money to carry it out or even to repeal it.

26 Mar 2013

Some Republicans propose using Medicaid expansion dollars for private insurance

Some governors who initially opposed the health law's Medicaid expansion are proposing to use the federal money to allow low-income people to buy private insurance in the new exchanges.

26 Mar 2013

Supreme Court to hear case about 'pay to delay' deals between generic and branded drug makers

Generic and the brand-name drug companies -- usually fierce competitors -- will be on the same side as they argue their case against the federal government.

26 Mar 2013

New model helps identify patients who are at high risk for hospital readmission

Hospital readmissions are a costly problem for patients and for the United States health care system with studies showing nearly 20 percent of Medicare patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge at an annual cost of $17 billion.

26 Mar 2013

State roundup: Nurses press for broader responsibilities

For years, nurses have been subordinate to doctors - both in the exam room and the political arena. But aided by new allies ranging from AARP to social workers to health-policy experts, nursing groups are pressing ahead in a controversial bid to persuade state lawmakers to shift the balance of power (Aizenman, 3/24).

26 Mar 2013