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Study finds nearly a quarter of prescriptions go unfilled

Many people whose doctors start them on medications for conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure may never fill those prescriptions, a new study suggests. Researchers found that among more than 75,000 Massachusetts patients given drug prescriptions over one year, 22 percent of the prescriptions were never filled.

19 Feb 2010

Valensa International enters into license agreement with Biova for BiovaFlex ingredient

Valensa International (Eustis, FL USA) announced today that it has entered into a license agreement with Biova, LLC (Johnston, Iowa USA) that will allow Valensa to include the patented BiovaFlex(TM) water-soluble egg shell membrane ingredient in a proprietary new series of formulated joint health products.

19 Feb 2010

Socioeconomic status can affect life expectancy, says VCU researcher

People who live in areas with lower household incomes are much more likely to die because of their personal and household characteristics and their community surroundings, according to Steven H. Woolf, M.D., M.P.H., director of the VCU Center on Human Needs, professor in the Department of Family Medicine and lead author of the study.

19 Feb 2010

Sens. Gregg, Baucus and Rep. Braley: Health care reform should happen

News outlets reports on the health care opinions of several lawmakers, including Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Rep. Bruce Braley, D-Iowa.

19 Feb 2010

Report examines how medical technology changes state of health care

Federal researchers Wednesday released a report that examines how medical technology is changing the state of health care.

19 Feb 2010

Six states to study sickle cell disease and thalassemias in national pilot project

Medical researchers are developing a new surveillance system to determine the number of patients diagnosed with a family of inherited blood disorders known as hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease, thalassemias, and hemoglobin E disease.

19 Feb 2010

FDA may drop medical device 'fast track' amid overuse concerns

The Food and Drug Administration may eliminate a program that allows medical devices to be approved quickly because of concerns the program is overused, The Wall Street Journal reports. An internal FDA memo proposes the elimination or tightening of the "fast track" as officials question the use of private, third-party companies "hired by device makers to pre-review products.

19 Feb 2010

Obama administration nominates former Clinton adviser to lead UNICEF

The Obama administration has nominated former Clinton administration adviser Anthony Lake to lead UNICEF, Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports. He would succeed Ann Veneman, who will step down at the end of her five-year term on April 30 (Varner, 2/18).

19 Feb 2010

Community health centers providing return on investment

Kaiser Health News staff writer Andrew Villegas writes about a hefty infusion of cash for community health centers in last year's federal stimulus package.

19 Feb 2010

Physicians look toward profitable Medicare services; Former Virginia official tapped for a position at CMS

A study finds physicians veer toward more profitable services amid lower Medicare fees. Meanwhile, Humana tests a patient-centered medical home program in Florida and a former Virginia official is chosen to take on a top position at the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.

19 Feb 2010

Some Dems say single health reform bill is close, GOP settles on summit strategy

News outlets report on party politics in advance of the president's health care summit.

19 Feb 2010

University of Missouri to offer health literacy courses for health professionals

The cost of low health literacy - the difference between patients' abilities to understand health information and providers' abilities to effectively communicate complex medical information - is $106 billion to $238 billion annually, according to Pfizer, a leading biopharmaceutical company. To improve the health literacy of professionals and patients, the University of Missouri will offer a health literacy study emphasis beginning this fall.

19 Feb 2010

WHO recommends H1N1 be added to next year's seasonal flu virus

The WHO is recommending the H1N1 (swine flu) virus be added to the regular flu vaccine for the Northern Hemisphere's 2010-2011 regular flu season, the Associated Press reports (2/18).

19 Feb 2010

HHS report scolds insurers for rate hikes, points to increases as reason for reform

According to an Obama Administration report released Thursday, double-digit insurance premium increases such as the proposed 39 percent one by Anthem Blue Cross in California are a "worrisome sign of the times," The Associated Press reports.

19 Feb 2010

GOP, Democrats staking out reform positions, strategies in advance of health summit

The Associated Press: The White House is preparing a bill "designed to win passage without Republican support if GOP lawmakers fail to embrace bipartisan compromises" during next weeek's White House health summit.

18 Feb 2010

Michigan sends letters to 500,000 warning COBRA expiration

Michigan's state unemployment insurance agency has sent letters to 500,000 residents warning them that their benefits could expire starting in March if Congress fails to act on extending jobless benefits including a federal subsidy for COBRA health insurance, The Detroit News reports.

18 Feb 2010

Dartmouth Atlas analyses of hospital spending called 'flawed'

The New York Times reports that certain hospitals, including the Mayo Clinic, are lauded "for delivering high-quality care at low costs" based on "a widely cited analysis called the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care."

18 Feb 2010

Obama admin. to redouble campaign against insurers' rate hikes

After criticizing California insurer Anthem for raising premiums 10 days ago, Obama administration officials are preparing for more, The Washington Post reports. "Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has scheduled a late-morning news conference, at which she is to cite half a dozen examples," where insurers have sought big rate hikes for individual coverage.

18 Feb 2010

A selection of today's opinions and editorials

The epic of health care evolution is complex and is worth reviewing over the last five decades. Having practiced medicine in the same community in Southeast Missouri for more than 30 years, I have seen changes in health care beyond the scope of imagination (Dr. S.D. Madduri, 2/18).

18 Feb 2010

Humana schedules layoffs as insurers struggle to cut costs

Dow Jones Newswires/Wall Street Journal reports that Humana, one of the nation's largest health insurers, "said it will shed nearly 1,400 jobs, or 5% of its work force, this year" because of declines in enrollment. The company will cut a total of 2,500 jobs, but plans to hire 1,100 new employees to help with such issues as controlling medical costs and managing pharmacy benefits.

18 Feb 2010

Health Care News and Research

Study finds nearly a quarter of prescriptions go unfilled

Valensa International enters into license agreement with Biova for BiovaFlex ingredient

Socioeconomic status can affect life expectancy, says VCU researcher

Sens. Gregg, Baucus and Rep. Braley: Health care reform should happen

Report examines how medical technology changes state of health care

Six states to study sickle cell disease and thalassemias in national pilot project

FDA may drop medical device 'fast track' amid overuse concerns

Obama administration nominates former Clinton adviser to lead UNICEF

Community health centers providing return on investment

Physicians look toward profitable Medicare services; Former Virginia official tapped for a position at CMS

Some Dems say single health reform bill is close, GOP settles on summit strategy

University of Missouri to offer health literacy courses for health professionals

WHO recommends H1N1 be added to next year's seasonal flu virus

HHS report scolds insurers for rate hikes, points to increases as reason for reform

GOP, Democrats staking out reform positions, strategies in advance of health summit

Michigan sends letters to 500,000 warning COBRA expiration

Dartmouth Atlas analyses of hospital spending called 'flawed'

Obama admin. to redouble campaign against insurers' rate hikes

A selection of today's opinions and editorials

Humana schedules layoffs as insurers struggle to cut costs

Event guide: 3rd Measuring Patient Engagement Summit eBook

How ELRIG Is Helping Mid-Career Scientists Navigate Leadership, Career Change and Redundancy

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

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