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Back log of 900 whistle-blower lawsuits at Department of Justice

Whistle-blower lawsuits alleging that pharmaceutical companies and government contractors defrauded the federal government have created a backlog of more than 900 cases at the Department of Justice, the Washington Post reports. According to the Post, more than 500 of the cases involve the health care and pharmaceutical industries, as well as Medicare and Medicaid.

3 Jul 2008

North Carolina mental health parity law comes into effect

North Carolina health care insurers must provide the same amount of coverage for certain mental conditions as they do for physical ailments under a state law that took effect on Tuesday, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.

3 Jul 2008

USA Today examines financial strain on retirees with fixed incomes as health care costs, other essentials rise

USA Today on Tuesday, in the first article of a series about retirement issues in the 21st century, examined how retirees are seeing "inflation wring much of the value out of their fixed incomes."

3 Jul 2008

Former Pa. Sens. Santorum, Wofford serve as state co-chairs of ONE Vote '08, bring attention to HIV/AIDS

Former Pennsylvania Sens. Rick Santorum (R) and Harris Wofford (D), who competed in a "bitter and high-profile" Senate race in the 1990s, are joining together to serve as state co-chairs of ONE Vote '08 -- which aims to bring attention to issues of extreme poverty and global disease, including HIV/AIDS, during the presidential campaign -- the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

3 Jul 2008

Study examines death rates for people newly diagnosed with HIV

In the five years after their diagnosis, people living with HIV in developed countries and receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy are no more likely to die than HIV-negative people, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Reuters reports (Kahn, Reuters, 7/1).

3 Jul 2008

India reduces rate of HIV transmission in some states

India has managed to reduce the rate of HIV transmission in some states through increased awareness, resources and legislation, according to a report released Monday by India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Reuters reports.

3 Jul 2008

WHO, Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID announce new tuberculosis test that quickly diagnoses MDR-TB

The World Health Organization, Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics on Monday announced a joint project to distribute a new diagnostic test for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis that can produce results in two days instead of the standard two or three months, the New York Times reports. Difficulty in identifying MDR-TB has been a "major obstacle" in controlling TB because many patients die or spread the disease while waiting for test results, the Times reports.

3 Jul 2008

Women over 90 significantly more likely to have dementia than men of the same age

...according UC Irvine researchers involved with the 90+ Study, one of the nation's largest studies of dementia and other health factors in the fastest-growing age demographic.

3 Jul 2008

U.S. Senate forgoes agreement on AIDS, TB, and malaria bill until after G8 summit

World Vision commends the U.S. Senate for approving increases for hunger and developmental assistance for fiscal years 2008 and 2009 in the Supplemental Appropriations Act, including $850 million in the first year to address the global food crisis.

3 Jul 2008

Report says cancer clinicians should understand and consider the economic impact of new interventions

Cancer clinicians should understand and consider the economic impact of new interventions, which often have substantial costs, according to a report appearing in the July/August issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

2 Jul 2008

Brazilian organization files opposition to Gilead's antiretroviral patent application in India

The Brazilian group Interdisciplinary AIDS Association, or ABIA, has joined Indian patient advocacy groups to oppose a patent application for Gilead Science's antiretroviral drug Tenofovir, saying that the patent would have a direct impact on Brazil's ability to produce and access affordable generic versions of the drug, India's Business Standard reports. Opponents of the patent say that the drug consists of a previously known compound and, therefore, cannot be patented under India's Patents Act.

2 Jul 2008

Counseling heterosexual couples about HIV in Zambia, Rwanda could prevent 60% of HIV cases

Counseling heterosexual couples living in Zambia and Rwanda about HIV transmission could prevent up to 60% of new cases, according to a study published Saturday in the journal Lancet, Reuters reports (Fox, Reuters, 6/26).

2 Jul 2008

U.N. Secretary-General Ban to call on G8 to increase aid for health programs, including HIV/AIDS initiatives

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday said he will call on the Group of Eight industrialized nations at its summit next month in Hokkaido, Japan, to increase aid for specific health programs -- including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria initiatives -- AFP/Google.com reports (AFP/Google.com, 6/26).

2 Jul 2008

CMS rule requires hospice providers to track, improve quality of care delivered

CMS has issued a new rule requiring hospice providers participating in Medicare to implement a quality assessment and improvement system, the Washington Post reports.

2 Jul 2008

Democratic lawmakers call Bush administration's efforts to temporarily hold Medicare physician payment rates at current levels 'misleading'

Democratic Sens. Jay Rockefeller (W.Va.) and Charles Schumer (N.Y.) in a letter to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt wrote that there "have been several misleading -- and possibly incorrect -- reports from the [Bush] administration regarding actions on physician claims filed beginning July 1," The Hill reports (Young, The Hill, 6/30).

2 Jul 2008

Legislation To Reauthorize PEPFAR Still Getting Blocked In Senate Despite Agreement Reached Last Week, Bush's Support

Efforts to pass a measure (S 2731) aimed at reauthorizing the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief failed on Friday after Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) rejected a request by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to vote on the bill, CQ Today reports.

2 Jul 2008

Costs pose challenge to Massachusetts health insurance law one year after deadline for residents to obtain coverage

One year after the deadline for Massachusetts residents to obtain health coverage under the state's health insurance law, the percentage of uninsured has declined but the law "still faces a huge challenge: costs," USA Today reports.

2 Jul 2008

President Bush signs war supplemental spending bill that blocks six new Medicaid rules

President Bush on Monday signed into law a supplemental war appropriations bill (HR 2642) with a provision that will delay for one year six new Medicaid regulations proposed by his administration, CongressDaily reports (Sanchez, CongressDaily, 6/30).

2 Jul 2008

Pharmaceutical companies say new approach by FDA has led to decrease approvals of new medications

An "intensifying focus on safety and a diminished tolerance for side effects" by FDA have "dramatically lowered" the chances that experimental medications will reach the market and have led to a recent decrease in approvals of new treatments, according to pharmaceutical companies, the Wall Street Journal reports.

2 Jul 2008

Minnesota researchers developing web site that aims to curb spread of HIV among MSM

The Minneapolis Star Tribune on Sunday profiled Sexpulse, a Web site in development at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health that is the latest strategy to curb a "second wave" of HIV/AIDS cases among young men who have sex with men.

2 Jul 2008

Health Care News and Research

Back log of 900 whistle-blower lawsuits at Department of Justice

North Carolina mental health parity law comes into effect

USA Today examines financial strain on retirees with fixed incomes as health care costs, other essentials rise

Former Pa. Sens. Santorum, Wofford serve as state co-chairs of ONE Vote '08, bring attention to HIV/AIDS

Study examines death rates for people newly diagnosed with HIV

India reduces rate of HIV transmission in some states

WHO, Stop TB Partnership, UNITAID announce new tuberculosis test that quickly diagnoses MDR-TB

Women over 90 significantly more likely to have dementia than men of the same age

U.S. Senate forgoes agreement on AIDS, TB, and malaria bill until after G8 summit

Report says cancer clinicians should understand and consider the economic impact of new interventions

Brazilian organization files opposition to Gilead's antiretroviral patent application in India

Counseling heterosexual couples about HIV in Zambia, Rwanda could prevent 60% of HIV cases

U.N. Secretary-General Ban to call on G8 to increase aid for health programs, including HIV/AIDS initiatives

CMS rule requires hospice providers to track, improve quality of care delivered

Democratic lawmakers call Bush administration's efforts to temporarily hold Medicare physician payment rates at current levels 'misleading'

Legislation To Reauthorize PEPFAR Still Getting Blocked In Senate Despite Agreement Reached Last Week, Bush's Support

Costs pose challenge to Massachusetts health insurance law one year after deadline for residents to obtain coverage

President Bush signs war supplemental spending bill that blocks six new Medicaid rules

Pharmaceutical companies say new approach by FDA has led to decrease approvals of new medications

Minnesota researchers developing web site that aims to curb spread of HIV among MSM

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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