Prescription Drug News and Research

RSS

Many low-income Medicare beneficiaries receive no help from PAPs

Many low-income Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in the prescription drug benefit receive no help from patient assistance programs operated by pharmaceutical companies, according to advocacy groups, USA Today reports.

6 Feb 2007

FDA efforts to improve prescription drug safety encouraging

FDA is "making encouraging moves to strengthen its regulation of drugs that are already on the market," but the "changes fall far short of what's needed to protect millions of unsuspecting patients whose adverse effects may show up only after years of use," a New York Times editorial states.

6 Feb 2007

FDA commits to safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today outlined a comprehensive commitment to the safety of drugs and other medical products.

30 Jan 2007

Some insurance agents might have violated Medicare rules by soliciting fee-for-service plans

According to the Chronicle, the number of fee-for-service plans increased in the past year, and Congress in 2006 eased certain enrollment restrictions.

30 Jan 2007

TV ads for drugs high on the emotions but low on facts

According to a new study television commercials for prescription drugs are heavily loaded on the emotional side but offer scant information on the disease itself and do little to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.

30 Jan 2007

Alternative to artery-clogging trans fats

Alejandro's research group found a way to mix oil, water, monoglycerides and fatty acids to form a gel substance that provides the same structural and functional benefits as trans and saturated fats.

28 Jan 2007

Massachusetts health insurance law could cost more than anticipated

Monthly premiums under the proposed minimum requirements for the new Massachusetts health insurance law would cost an estimated $380 on average for an individual, according to a state panel, the Boston Globe reports.

23 Jan 2007

More med schools, hospitals ban gifts from pharmaceutical companies

An increased number of U.S. medical schools and hospitals have begun to ban meals and other gifts from pharmaceutical companies to physicians, residents and medical students "in response to concerns about whether the pharmaceutical industry's expensive marketing efforts influence which drugs doctors prescribe and whether those costs get passed on to patients.

23 Jan 2007

House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will make Medicare prescription drug benefit oversight priority in 2007

The House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health will examine oversight of the Medicare prescription drug benefit among other priorities for the 110th Congress, House Ways and Means Committee Chair Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) and ranking member Jim McCrery (R-La.) wrote in a letter sent last Wednesday to leaders of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Administration Committee, CQ HealthBeat reports.

23 Jan 2007

Lifestyle changes effective in protecting against Type 2 diabetes

Changing to a healthier lifestyle appears to be at least as effective as taking prescription drugs in reducing the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, says a new British Medical Journal study.

18 Jan 2007

Major variations in Medicare drug costs

Soon, Congress may vote on whether to require the Medicare system to negotiate lower prices for medicines taken by millions of seniors enrolled in Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

10 Jan 2007

New Medicare payment method for prescription drugs covered under Part B reducing spending

Medicare's new payment method for reimbursing physicians for prescription drugs under Part B has reduced spending, according to a report to Congress prepared by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, CQ HealthBeat reports.

7 Jan 2007

Less than 1% of eligible Arkansas residents pre-enroll in prescription drug discount program

Less than 1% of an estimated 400,000 Arkansas residents eligible for a state prescription drug discount program participated in the pre-enrollment period, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports.

7 Jan 2007

Democrats plan to introduce bills addressing stem cell research, Rx benefit

House Democrats plan to introduce bills that would reduce restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research and allow HHS to negotiate directly with pharmaceutical companies on prices for medications under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said on Wednesday, CQ Today reports.

7 Jan 2007

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries will have trouble getting medications in January 2007

Some pharmacists and advocates have raised concerns that many low-income Medicare beneficiaries "will again have trouble getting medications next month, as they did in January of this year," when the Medicare prescription drug benefit began, the New York Times reports.

5 Dec 2006

Medicare prescription drug benefit cost almost $13B less in 2006 than expected

The Medicare prescription drug benefit will cost $30 billion in 2006, a 30% decrease from a previous estimate of $43 billion, according to CMS, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Freking, AP/Houston Chronicle, 11/29).

2 Dec 2006

West Virginia pilot project would create incentive program for Medicaid beneficiaries to live healthier

The New York Times on Friday examined new revisions to the West Virginia Medicaid program that will "reward 'responsible' patients with significant extra benefits or -- as critics describe it -- punish those who do not join weight-loss or anti-smoking programs, or who miss too many appointments, by denying important services" to help reduce costs.

2 Dec 2006

Half of consumer-directed health plan enrollees say they would be likely to switch plans if given the opportunity

Half of individuals enrolled in consumer-directed plans said they would switch out of the plans if given the opportunity, while about one-third of enrollees in more traditional employer-sponsored health plans said they would change their coverage if they had the chance, according to a survey released on Thursday.

2 Dec 2006

Connecticut Judge orders HMOs to publicly release information on reimbursements for Medicaid beneficiaries' care

Three HMOs that administer managed care plans for Connecticut's Medicaid program must make public the rates they pay providers and other information, state Superior Court Judge George Levine ruled on Wednesday, the Hartford Courant reports.

2 Dec 2006

Patients often do not understand usage instructions on prescription drug labels

For the study, Terry Davis of Louisiana State University and colleagues presented five common prescription drug labels to 395 low-income adults in Chicago, Ill.; Shreveport, La.; and Jackson, Miss., and asked them, "How would you take this medicine?" All participants spoke English and had no vision or hearing problems.

2 Dec 2006

Prescription Drug News and Research

Many low-income Medicare beneficiaries receive no help from PAPs

FDA efforts to improve prescription drug safety encouraging

FDA commits to safety

Some insurance agents might have violated Medicare rules by soliciting fee-for-service plans

TV ads for drugs high on the emotions but low on facts

Alternative to artery-clogging trans fats

Massachusetts health insurance law could cost more than anticipated

More med schools, hospitals ban gifts from pharmaceutical companies

House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee will make Medicare prescription drug benefit oversight priority in 2007

Lifestyle changes effective in protecting against Type 2 diabetes

Major variations in Medicare drug costs

New Medicare payment method for prescription drugs covered under Part B reducing spending

Less than 1% of eligible Arkansas residents pre-enroll in prescription drug discount program

Democrats plan to introduce bills addressing stem cell research, Rx benefit

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries will have trouble getting medications in January 2007

Medicare prescription drug benefit cost almost $13B less in 2006 than expected

West Virginia pilot project would create incentive program for Medicaid beneficiaries to live healthier

Half of consumer-directed health plan enrollees say they would be likely to switch plans if given the opportunity

Connecticut Judge orders HMOs to publicly release information on reimbursements for Medicaid beneficiaries' care

Patients often do not understand usage instructions on prescription drug labels

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

Latest News