Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

Hard work of GPs pays off: high levels of patient satisfaction reported

Commenting on the publication of the 'Patient Experience Survey of GP and Local NHS Services 2011/12' results, Dr Dean Marshall, Chair of BMA Scotland’s General Practice Committee said:

30 May 2012

Officials at WHA fail to agree on convention to encourage R&D into health issues in developing countries

Health officials attending last week's World Health Assembly "failed to come to an agreement on a binding convention on stimulating research and development [R&D] focusing on the health problems of developing countries," BMJ reports.

30 May 2012

Researchers discover new HIV-suppressing protein

Scientists have identified a new HIV-suppressing protein in the blood of people infected with the virus. In laboratory studies, the protein, called CXCL4 or PF-4, binds to HIV such that it cannot attach to or enter a human cell.

30 May 2012

Health law opinions: 'Improvised explosive' device tax; Iowa legislators force role for brokers on insurance exchanges

"Taxmageddon" isn't only about the half-trillion-dollar blow to the economy that arrives in 2013 on the end of the Bush-Obama tax rates. Several of the Affordable Care Act's worst tax increases kick in too, such as the new excise tax on medical devices. The 2.3 percent levy applies to the sale of everything from cardiac defibrillators to artificial joints to MRI scanners. The device tax is supposed to raise $28.5 billion from 2013 to 2022, and it is especially harmful because it applies to gross sales, not profits.

30 May 2012

Study focuses on the best way to change multiple health behaviors

A new study, supported in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, suggests that a combination of mobile technology and remote coaching holds promise in encouraging healthier eating and physical activity behavior in adults. The study focused on the best way to change multiple health behaviors.

29 May 2012

Health law may allow some limited insurance coverage

Politico Pro points out that the overhaul might not guarantee minimum standards in some specific cases. Another analysis finds that drug companies could be hurt if the Supreme Court strikes down some or all of the law.

25 May 2012

BMA ballot results on industrial action to be published next week

The BMA’s ballot of doctors on industrial action on major changes to the NHS pension scheme closes at 5pm on Tuesday 29 May 2012.

25 May 2012

Linagliptin safe and effective for African American patients with type 2 diabetes

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company today announced Phase 3 study results for linagliptin 5 mg once-daily, which showed significant hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c or A1C) reduction of 0.88 percent compared to 0.24 percent in the placebo group (p=0.0002) at 24 weeks in black or African American adult patients with type 2 diabetes whose blood sugar was not adequately controlled.

25 May 2012

Viewpoints: Politics of the Medicare debate; Measuring the impact of Catholic bishops' legal challenge

So don't expect the Obama administration to agree to any cuts in Medicare between now and Election Day. And don't expect them to show any support for Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to privatize Medicare. Holding strong on Medicare is the silver bullet for Obama. It may offset some of seniors' concerns about low interest rates on their savings.

25 May 2012

Obese patients with fatty liver disease show only small benefit on lipoprotein levels with moderate exercise

New research found that moderate exercise does not improve lipoprotein concentrations in obese patients with non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Results published in the June issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, report that moderate physical activity produces only a small decrease in triglyceride and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels.

24 May 2012

Study sheds light on role of microglia in the normal brain

Researchers have shown in mice how immune cells in the brain target and remove unused connections between brain cells during normal development. This research, supported by the National Institutes of Health, sheds light on how brain activity influences brain development, and highlights the newly found importance of the immune system in how the brain is wired, as well as how the brain forms new connections throughout life in response to change.

24 May 2012

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius addresses World Medical Association in Geneva

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published on its website a transcript of a speech about women's health, delivered by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to the World Medical Association in Geneva on Tuesday.

24 May 2012

Strategies, views on the health law's future vary depending on politics

Congressional Republicans continue to appear divided over what their strategy should be if the Supreme Court strikes down all or part of the health law. More immediately, though, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, is targeting the measure's device tax as part of the Senate's consideration of a bill that would reauthorize the Food and Drug Administration user fees.

24 May 2012

CMS sticks with Medicare coverage of PSA test

The federal government is not changing coverage plans "at this time." Meanwhile, a number of urologists and other medical specialists raise concerns that new recommendations against prostate cancer screening will hurt men's health.

24 May 2012

State roundup: Labor unions continue Wis. Governor recall push; 'Affordability gap' in Minn.

Democrats and unions hoping to turn Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker out of office over his efforts to tame the power of organized labor are finding it tough going with only two weeks to go before a historic recall election. … Walker pushed through the legislature a law requiring public sector union members to pay part of the cost of health insurance and pensions, limited pay rises, made paying union dues voluntary and forced unions to be recertified every year.

24 May 2012

Progress report on health law's risk adjustment rule; Status check on state-based exchanges

News outlets offer updates regarding state progress related to developing the health law's insurance exchanges, the timing for risk adjustment rules and the release of the final federal rule on the health insurance premium tax credit.

23 May 2012

Scientists trace origin and development of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus

National Institutes of Health-funded scientists have determined the genome sequences of a dozen strains of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria known to be resistant to vancomycin, an antibiotic of last resort. The researchers demonstrated -that resistance arose independently in each strain, and identified shared features among the strains that may have helped them acquire vancomycin resistance and evade human immune defenses.

23 May 2012

Health and Human Services News and Research

Hard work of GPs pays off: high levels of patient satisfaction reported

Officials at WHA fail to agree on convention to encourage R&D into health issues in developing countries

Researchers discover new HIV-suppressing protein

Health law opinions: 'Improvised explosive' device tax; Iowa legislators force role for brokers on insurance exchanges

Study focuses on the best way to change multiple health behaviors

Health law may allow some limited insurance coverage

BMA ballot results on industrial action to be published next week

Linagliptin safe and effective for African American patients with type 2 diabetes

Viewpoints: Politics of the Medicare debate; Measuring the impact of Catholic bishops' legal challenge

Obese patients with fatty liver disease show only small benefit on lipoprotein levels with moderate exercise

Study sheds light on role of microglia in the normal brain

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius addresses World Medical Association in Geneva

Strategies, views on the health law's future vary depending on politics

CMS sticks with Medicare coverage of PSA test

State roundup: Labor unions continue Wis. Governor recall push; 'Affordability gap' in Minn.

Progress report on health law's risk adjustment rule; Status check on state-based exchanges

Scientists trace origin and development of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus

Researchers identify new mechanism for drug-related autoimmune reactions

NIH Pain Consortium selects 11 health professional schools as CoEPEs

Mexico and HHS Secretary announce series of new steps to strengthen health security cooperation

Event guide: 6th Operationalize Expanded Access Programs Summit East eBook

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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

The role of UV-Vis in biopharma QC

Latest News