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Innovative strategies to reduce infections in health-care settings

Can probiotics prevent pneumonia in patients breathing with the help of ventilators? That's just one question researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis hope to answer as part of innovative new studies to reduce infections in health-care settings.

15 Mar 2011

Study evaluates potential national savings from discount generic medication programs

If all eligible patients filled their prescriptions through a $4 generic drug program, the societal savings could amount to nearly $6 billion, according to a University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health study.

15 Mar 2011

Majority of Americans fall short of vitamin D

Well-known for its role in keeping bones strong, vitamin D is now being hailed for so much more – from normal muscle function to a healthy immune system. Yet despite the growing research on the power of vitamin D, seven out of 10 Americans still fall short of the recommended vitamin D in their diets each day, according to the recent Dietary Guidelines Committee Advisory report.

14 Mar 2011

External panel issues draft report saying WHO response to H1N1 lacked cohesion, clarity

An independent panel of experts commissioned by the WHO to probe its response to the H1N1 pandemic on Thursday released a draft report stating that while the organization performed well in many ways, it made "crucial mistakes" and "warned tens of millions could die if there is a severe flu outbreak in the future," the Associated Press reports.

14 Mar 2011

New insights into factors affecting adolescent marijuana use

What factors are associated with a higher or lower risk of marijuana use among adolescents? There are some important differences for boys versus girls, according to a study in the March Journal of Addiction Medicine, the official journal of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

14 Mar 2011

Bad relationship with partner is the strongest predictor of maternal emotional distress

Pregnancy is meant to be a joyous time however some women experience overwhelming 'baby blues' before the birth of their child. Anxiety and depression during pregnancy can result in premature birth, or low birth weight, and impact the child's health even into early school years.

14 Mar 2011

Swine flu pandemic declaration by WHO being investigated by experts

Experts who have been investigating the World Health Organization’s management of the response to the H1N1 pandemic have announced that they found no evidence that the drug industry influenced the agency’s decision making over how to handle the virus. In their draft report that panel of independent experts did acknowledge that the WHO failed to understand and respond to conflicts of interest among experts on its advisory Emergency Committee, which had previously acknowledged their pharmaceutical industry ties.

14 Mar 2011

Novel biomarkers may aid in diagnosis and management of asthma, COPD

Four novel biomarkers have been identified which may aid in the diagnosis and management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study conducted by researchers in Australia, who determined the biomarkers may be used in different combinations to successfully identify patients with either of the airway diseases.

14 Mar 2011

Flu pandemics may return & mutating strains: Studies

Scientists have warned that we have not seen the end of H1N1 swine flu that swept the globe in 2009/10. The strain of the virus could easily morph into a more transmissible form, while an older, mid-20th century virus could also come roaring back they say. Asian influenza, a H2N2 strain, first appeared in 1957 and killed one to four million people despite a major vaccination campaign. Studies have shown that most people today aged 50 or older retain some immunity to the virus, which continues to circulate in birds and swine. But the younger are more vulnerable they warn.

12 Mar 2011

Longer looks: Best health policy picks from thought-provoking publications

Every Thursday, KHN's Jessica Marcy compiles this selection of interesting perspectives, from a variety of publications, on health care in America.

11 Mar 2011

Study: Dog-walking can help increase physical activity in adults

Man's best friend may provide more than just faithful companionship: A new study led by a Michigan State University researcher shows people who owned and walked their dogs were 34 percent more likely to meet federal benchmarks on physical activity.

11 Mar 2011

Researchers find four in five office-based physicians can qualify for new EHR Incentive Programs

Researchers at The George Washington University Department of Health Policy have found through analysis of federal survey data that more than four in five office-based physicians could qualify for new, federal Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

11 Mar 2011

FDA announces consent decree of permanent injunction against McNeil-PPC

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that a consent decree of permanent injunction has been filed against McNeil-PPC and two of its officers for failing to comply with current good manufacturing practice requirements as required by federal law.

11 Mar 2011

Gastric bypass patients tend to overuse alcohol

Patients who have had a gastric bypass operation take longer to process alcohol, potentially leading some of them to overindulge when drinking, according to the results of a new study in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

11 Mar 2011

Defunding strategy takes aim at health law's mandatory spending provisions

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee held a hearing yesterday to begin the process of marking up legislation to remove certain parts of health law funding.

11 Mar 2011

Surgical robot acquisition increases rate of surgery to treat prostate cancer

A new study conducted by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center and Yale School of Medicine shows that when hospitals acquire surgical robotic technology, men in that region are more likely to have prostate cancer surgery. The study, "The Association between Diffusion of the Surgical Robot and Radical Prostatectomy Rates", was published this week in the online edition of the journal Medical Care.

11 Mar 2011

Researchers concerned about use of mercury-based compound in inactivated flu vaccines

As the United Nations, the European Commission, and the United States Food and Drug Administration evaluate the health and environmental risks associated with mercury, a known neurotoxin, carcinogen, mutagen, teratogen, and immune-system disruptor, new research continues to fuel concerns about Thimerosal, a mercury-based compound used as a preservative in inactivated flu vaccines.

11 Mar 2011

SAMHSA study finds 51.5% drug-related hospital visits by older patients

Adults aged 50 and older comprise 51.5 percent of all emergency department visits each year related to adverse reactions to medications, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

11 Mar 2011

NCI report: Number of US cancer survivors increases to 11.7 million during 2007

The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. There were 3 million cancer survivors in 1971 and 9.8 million in 2001.

10 Mar 2011

Coffee consumption may reduce risk of stroke in women

Drinking more than a cup of coffee a day was associated with a 22 percent to 25 percent lower risk of stroke, compared with those who drank less, in a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

10 Mar 2011