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Science supports early interventions for children in adversity

Neil Boothby, U.S. government special adviser and senior coordinator to the USAID administrator on children in adversity, writes in a USAID "IMPACTblog" post that the international community has scientific evidence and empirical data "that sho[w] investments made early in the lives of children yield greater returns than at any other point in the life cycle."

20 Dec 2012

Speaker doesn't foresee increase in Medicare eligibility age this year

Congress doesn't need to raise the Medicare eligibility age this year, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) said Tuesday. Raising the eligibility age from 65 to 67 was on the table in earlier debt talks, and has been floated again as Boehner and President Obama look for a way to avoid the looming fiscal cliff.

20 Dec 2012

NPR's 'Shots' blog examines malaria drug resistance in Southeast Asia

"Global efforts to combat malaria are under threat from new strains of drug-resistant malaria, which are cropping up in Southeast Asia," particularly in Cambodia, Myanmar (also known as Burma), Thailand and Vietnam, NPR's "Shots" blog reports.

20 Dec 2012

Malaria Journal article reports on WHO Malaria Policy Advisory Committee meeting

Noting "the Malaria Policy Advisory Committee to the World Health Organization met in Geneva, Switzerland, from 11 to 13 September, 2012," an article published in the Malaria Journal on Wednesday "provides a summary of the discussions, conclusions and recommendations from that meeting," according to the article abstract.

20 Dec 2012

Recreational use of HIV drugs leading to pre-treatment resistance in South Africa

NPR's "Shots" blog examines how "opportunists who market street drugs may be undermining the global struggle against AIDS," writing, "In South Africa, two mainstay HIV drugs have found their way into recreational use."

20 Dec 2012

Malaria progress at risk as funding for global response levels off, WHO report states

"The remarkable gains made in the treatment of malaria over the past decade are under threat because of insufficient increases in funding over the past two years, according to an annual progress report by the World Health Organization," the Guardian reports.

20 Dec 2012

Seattle Times examines partnership between Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Uganda Cancer Institute

The Seattle Times examines a partnership between the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). In 2008, "the two institutes formally agreed to collaborate on clinical care and research projects, and more recently a major building project at Uganda's only cancer-research center," the newspaper writes.

20 Dec 2012

Roundup: States facing Medicaid woes; Experts say N.Y. squeezed; Colorado, N.C. govs extend funding for mental health care

Rising health care costs are pushing up the amounts states must spend on the Medicaid insurance program for the poor, sending some scrambling to find funds, according to a report released on Tuesday by the National Conference of State Legislatures. The report found that spending on Medicaid and other public health care programs is currently over budget in 10 states, compared to six states at the same point last year.

20 Dec 2012

Viewpoints: Does 'fiscal cliff' end justify the means?; A shrinking government under any plan; Wrongly confusing Asperger's with mental illness

It is the third week of December, and all of Washington is focused on whether the country will fall off the "fiscal cliff" it has built for itself. ... As of January 1, physicians' fees for treating Medicare patients are scheduled for an across-the-board reduction of about 27% in addition to the 2% reduction for all services relating to Medicare under sequestration.

19 Dec 2012

Dedicated palliative care consults improve outcomes

Data from a long-term care facility in the USA indicate that a dedicated palliative care consult service results in a more favorable course of treatment and clinical outcomes for residents.

19 Dec 2012

House, Senate pass Reproductive Health bill in Philippines

"Lawmakers on Monday approved legislation calling for government-funded contraception and sex education classes in the Philippines, a first in the heavily Catholic nation," CNN reports (12/17).

19 Dec 2012

Findings emphasize importance of counseling HIV patients on smoking cessation

Among HIV patients receiving well-organized care with free access to antiretroviral therapy, those who smoke lose more years of life to smoking than to HIV, according to a Danish study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases and available online. The findings highlight the importance of smoking cessation efforts in the long-term, integrated care of patients infected with HIV.

19 Dec 2012

IRIN examines efforts to ban, reduce incidence of FGM/C in Sierra Leone

"Campaigns to lower the rate of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in Sierra Leone are having some impact, but efforts to ban the practice have failed thus far, and despite a push to communicate its health risks, many still believe FGM/C promotes good health and hygiene".

19 Dec 2012

AIDS.gov blog highlights themes from mHealth Summit

The AIDS.gov blog recaps some of the major themes of the mHealth Summit: Connecting the Mobile Health Ecosystem, which was held at the beginning of December in Washington, D.C.

19 Dec 2012

Energy drink makers blitz college students amid calls for regulation

With finals season in full swing this month, weary students are looking for anything that can help them endure late-night study sessions. Energy drink companies, whose products are already popular on college campuses, are increasingly looking to replace coffee as a student's go-to answer for a stamina boost during finals - and then for late nights after graduation.

19 Dec 2012

Conn. shootings spur questions about adequacy of mental health services

Lawmakers in both chambers are calling for Congress to start a conversation about mental health issues in the wake of last week's deadly shooting at a Connecticut elementary school, with one goal of ensuring adequate funding for services for those who need treatment.

19 Dec 2012

First Edition: December 19, 2012

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about the "fiscal cliff" negotiations.

19 Dec 2012

Congressional negotitors agree to some abortion coverage for women in the military

Women in the military will receive abortion coverage in cases of rape or incest, under a measure lawmakers included in the final version of the defense authorization bill on Tuesday.

19 Dec 2012

Clock is ticking for insurance exchange implementation

The idea of a health insurance exchange as laid out in President Barack Obama's signature law seems straightforward: an online marketplace where people will shop for private health insurance, like buying an airline ticket or a hotel room.

19 Dec 2012

Continued U.S. leadership crucial to building on global progress against TB

Tuberculosis (TB) "is the second leading cause of death due to infectious disease worldwide; taking approximately 1.4 million lives in 2011 alone," Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), a co-chair of the TB Elimination Caucus, writes in an opinion piece in The Hill's "Congress Blog".

19 Dec 2012