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Asian-American/Pacific Islanders have higher survival rates than others for gastric cancers

Asian-American/Pacific Islanders with early-stage stomach cancers have an overall median survival rate that is higher than those of other races or ethnicities, according to new research, Reuters Health reports.

26 Aug 2008

Aggressive treatment regimens can successfully treat XDR-TB, MDR-TB

Aggressive treatment regimens successfully can treat nearly half of patients with extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis and can help prevent multi-drug resistant TB from developing into XDR-TB, according to a study conducted in prisons in Tomsk, Russia, and published Monday in the journal Lancet, Reuters reports. XDR-TB is resistant to the two most potent first-line treatments and at least two of the classes of second-line drugs.

26 Aug 2008

CDC to no longer fund advanced HIV/AIDS monitoring system in eight states and Puerto Rico

CDC on Friday announced that it will no longer fund an advanced HIV/AIDS monitoring system in eight states and Puerto Rico, the New York Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

CMS official expresses concerns with timeline, scope of Texas Medicaid overhaul plan

In an Aug. 7 letter to Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins, CMS official Dianne Heffron questioned whether the state's plan to overhaul Medicaid by providing subsidized health coverage to 2.1 million uninsured residents would move quickly enough and be broad enough to justify relaxing federal rules, the Dallas Morning News reports. Heffron wrote, "It appears that significant, comprehensive reform would not begin until September 2010."

26 Aug 2008

Presidential candidates' positions on health and economic issues

A number of newspapers have recently looked at the presidential candidates' positions on health and economic issues, and how new figures on the number of uninsured Americans may play in the campaign.

26 Aug 2008

HHS releases proposed rule on conscientious objections that would protect providers who refuse to perform abortions

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Thursday announced plans to implement a regulation intended to protect health care providers and other workers from disciplinary measures if they refuse to provide abortions or refer patients to other providers for abortions because of personal, religious or moral reasons, the Washington Post reports.

26 Aug 2008

Lack of oversight by CMS to ensure private Medicare drug plans have anti-fraud programs in place 'risks significant use of funds,' according to GAO

CMS has not conducted audits to ensure that Medicare prescription drug plans have implemented programs to prevent fraud as required by law, a lack of oversight that "risks significant misuse of funds in this $39 billion program," according to a Government Accountability Office report scheduled for release on Monday, the AP/Orlando Sentinel reports. For the report, GAO examined five unnamed plans to determine whether they met requirements to participate in the Medicare prescription benefit.

26 Aug 2008

FDA issues new rules on product warning label updates for pharmaceuticals, medical devices

FDA last week issued new rules that aim to ensure medication warning labels provide clear and concise information to consumers, the AP/Denver Post reports.

26 Aug 2008

Infections of amniotic fluid may be a significant cause of premature birth

Previously unrecognized and unidentified infections of amniotic fluid may be a significant cause of premature birth, according to researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

25 Aug 2008

New Zealand Ministry of Health increases funding to the very low cost access and zero fees for under sixes schemes

The New Zealand Ministry of Health has further increased the amount invested into the primary health care sector to support the over 800 general practices/health centres charging very low fees and free healthcare to children under six.

25 Aug 2008

Uninsured spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care

Americans who lack health insurance for any part of 2008 will spend $30 billion out of pocket for health services and receive $56 billion in uncompensated care while uninsured. Government programs pay for about three-quarters, or roughly $43 billion, of the uncompensated care bill, researchers report in today's Web Exclusive edition of Health Affairs. The researchers define uncompensated care as care received but not paid for fully by the uninsured or by a health insurer.

25 Aug 2008

Hunt for baby denied HBV shot

Authorities in New South Wales, Australia, continue to search for a couple who have refused to have their newborn baby immunised against hepatitis B.

25 Aug 2008

Computer modeling technology helps HIV treatment in developing nations

In the past 10 years, the global campaign to expand treatment for millions of people with AIDS living in resource-limited countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, has gained substantial commitments in public and private financing, and has made major strides in making treatment available to those who need it.

24 Aug 2008

Obesity in elderly creating a ticking time bomb for health services in developed countries

Research carried out at the Peninsula Medical School in the South West of England has discovered that obesity in later life does not make a substantial difference to risks of death among older people but that it is a major contributor to increased disability in later life - creating a ticking time bomb for health services in developed countries.

21 Aug 2008

Camera in teddy bear catches carer thieving from sick elderly woman

A carer caught on camera stealing from her sick and elderly client has been sentenced to six months in prison after pleading guilty to two charges of theft.

20 Aug 2008

79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt in U.S.

The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt.

20 Aug 2008

Obesity raises risks of serious gastrointestinal diseases

The prevalence of obesity and overweight in the United States coupled by the increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases related to obesity raises serious implications for the health of Americans. Several scientific studies in the August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology examine the association between obesity and the risk of colorectal cancer and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD.

19 Aug 2008

Wake Forest University launches major initiatives in bioethics

Responding to a looming 'bioethics crisis,' Wake Forest University is launching several initiatives in bioethics to address the ethical and social aspects of medical care and technology.

18 Aug 2008

President signs bill that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products

President Bush signed a federal bill today that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products. His signature bolsters Congress' overwhelming support for this legislation, and sends a clear message that toxic chemicals have no place in toys.

14 Aug 2008

Advisers to Presidential candidates discuss health care proposals during online debate

Advisers to the two major presidential candidates during an online debate on the Wall Street Journal Web site discussed the effect that their health care proposals would have on the employer-sponsored health insurance market, the Journal's "Health Blog" reports.

13 Aug 2008

Health Care News and Research

Asian-American/Pacific Islanders have higher survival rates than others for gastric cancers

Aggressive treatment regimens can successfully treat XDR-TB, MDR-TB

CDC to no longer fund advanced HIV/AIDS monitoring system in eight states and Puerto Rico

CMS official expresses concerns with timeline, scope of Texas Medicaid overhaul plan

Presidential candidates' positions on health and economic issues

HHS releases proposed rule on conscientious objections that would protect providers who refuse to perform abortions

Lack of oversight by CMS to ensure private Medicare drug plans have anti-fraud programs in place 'risks significant use of funds,' according to GAO

FDA issues new rules on product warning label updates for pharmaceuticals, medical devices

Infections of amniotic fluid may be a significant cause of premature birth

New Zealand Ministry of Health increases funding to the very low cost access and zero fees for under sixes schemes

Uninsured spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care

Hunt for baby denied HBV shot

Computer modeling technology helps HIV treatment in developing nations

Obesity in elderly creating a ticking time bomb for health services in developed countries

Camera in teddy bear catches carer thieving from sick elderly woman

79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt in U.S.

Obesity raises risks of serious gastrointestinal diseases

Wake Forest University launches major initiatives in bioethics

President signs bill that bans six toxic phthalates from children's products

Advisers to Presidential candidates discuss health care proposals during online debate

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