Health Care News and Research

RSS

Schering-Plough launches CLARITIN 12-Hour for non-drowsy relief from allergy symptoms

Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE: SGP) today announced the introduction of CLARITIN 12-Hour, the only 12-hour allergy medicine found in the allergy aisle. New CLARITIN 12-Hour lasts all day and provides effective, non-drowsy relief from the worst indoor and outdoor allergy symptoms. The product is available for adults and children ages six and up.

1 Sep 2009

First edition: Sept. 1, 2009

Today's headlines indicate that September speculation regarding health care reform is heating up.

1 Sep 2009

Retail clinics offer better quality care at lower costs than other venues

A new study by Rand Corporation, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, concludes retail clinics provide quality care at lower costs and equal or better quality than other urgent care options.

1 Sep 2009

Senator Bob Dole urges a 'fresh start' on the issue of health care reform

In today's Washington Post, Senator Bob Dole urges a 'fresh start' on the issue of health care reform and said it is "the vital issue of our time, and Obama should be out front with his specific plan on this make-or-break issue."

1 Sep 2009

Davita Chairman is one of 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare

DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today announced that Modern Healthcare Magazine, one of the nation's leading health care industry publications, named Kent Thiry, Chairman and CEO for DaVita(R), as one of the 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare in 2009.

1 Sep 2009

USAction affiliates to participate in rallies in support of affordable health care

As Congress prepares to return to work, USAction affiliates and partner organizations are participating in at least 102 rallies and other events in 20 states in support of quality, affordable health care with a public health insurance option.

1 Sep 2009

Poll finds more confidence about paying for health care; young adults most supportive of reform

A new survey finds growing confidence in Americans' ability to pay for health care costs. Meanwhile, young adults are the group most supportive of health reform.

1 Sep 2009

Nighttime acid reflux symptoms impair sleep quality

There has been much debate about the relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and sleep. Three new studies in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology explore GERD's effect on sleep quality and the health-care system as well as how a widely prescribed sleeping pill may mask the disease.

1 Sep 2009

State wrap: Mental illness in Arizona, stimulus "windfall" in Texas, Medicaid expansion in Nebraska

Local newspapers report on health care issues including mental health in Arizona, the stimulus "windfall" in Texas and a family health insurance plan in Nebraska.

1 Sep 2009

VAERS calls for reporting of GBS cases following 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) are requesting neurologists to report any possible new cases of Guillain-Barr- syndrome (GBS) following 2009 H1N1 flu vaccination using the CDC and U. S. Food and Drug Administration Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

1 Sep 2009

TIME examines debate over using female condom to fight HIV/AIDS in Uganda

TIME examines the debate over the Ugandan government's recent decision to use money from the U.N. Population Fund to purchase and distribute 100,000 female condoms to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS. Supporters of the government's plan say female condoms increase a woman's ability to negotiate with her partner.

1 Sep 2009

Obama's aging czar calls issue 'A unifying topic'

"Kathy Greenlee, assistant secretary for aging in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the country's top authority on issues facing the massively expanding population of older Americans."

1 Sep 2009

MyMedicalRecords Pro EMR system launched by MMR Information Systems

MMR Information Systems, Inc. (OTCBB: MMRF) (the "Company"), which through its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc. ("MMR"), provides consumer-controlled Personal Health Records ("PHRs") (www.mymedicalrecords.com) and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions (www.myesafedepositbox.com), announced that it has launched its MyMedicalRecords Pro ("MMRPro") product which is designed to help doctors take the first steps towards an EMR system by digitizing medical records and making them available to patients through a patient portal that incorporates the MyMedicalRecords.com Personal Health Record.

1 Sep 2009

House bill would strengthen federal comparative effectiveness programs

The Christian Science Monitor: "Should the US government mount a comprehensive effort to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various treatments for health conditions? That question is at the heart of a dispute over whether some provisions in the healthcare reform bills now under consideration in Congress eventually might lead to the rationing of care. At issue is comparative effectiveness research, which tries to figure out just how well drugs, medical devices, and surgical techniques work, compared with alternatives. Both the House and current Senate versions of health legislation would expand exisitng federal efforts in this area."

1 Sep 2009

New clinical predictors required to determine future asthma attacks

Screening tests used to predict asthma activity in patients may have little tracking success when applied to people with persistent disease who are adhering to their health care regimens, UT Southwestern Medical Center physician report.

1 Sep 2009

Globe and Mail examines HIV/AIDS rate in India

The Globe and Mail writes that "[w]hen India announced in 2007 that it had 2.3 million people living with HIV, rather than the 5.7 million reported the year before, the government first attributed much of the change to better data collection. Many in the AIDS field were skeptical."

1 Sep 2009

Today's opinions and editorials

Dr. Obama's Toughest Patient The Washington Post

1 Sep 2009

Ways to save money without letting health care suffer

Recent reports show that more and more people are cutting back on their health care or medicines to save money. But cutting back to save money isn't always the best solution, especially when it comes to doctor's appointments and required medicines

1 Sep 2009

Officials flesh out new grant program to help states, doctors with health IT

Two weeks ago, the Obama administration offered nearly $1.2 billion in stimulus-funded grants to set up state-run health information exchanges, and create 70 "health IT regional extension centers" to help physicians adapt to the digital era, a term officials defined in greater detail during a conference call late last week, Modern Healthcare reports.

1 Sep 2009

'Public plan' divides Democrats on health bills

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has pledged to include a government-run insurance option in the House bill that will be voted on next month. This reassures liberals but will make it difficult or impossible to get the votes needed to pass it if the public option is included. … 'I don't see how we get to 218,' said a senior Democratic aide. 'The Blue Dogs are 'Hell nos.' The people who voted yes [on energy] want to vote 'no' twice.'"

1 Sep 2009