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Federal Government should use pre-emption to strengthen citizens' protections, editorial says

"Since the conservative ascendancy in Washington," many of those who once thought federal laws "trampl[ed]" on states' rights have now "begun burying" states' rights -- "not to protect citizens' rights, but to take them away" by using the pre-emption rule, Adam Cohen writes in New York Times opinion piece.

25 May 2008

Massachusetts Medical Society sues group insurance commission over physician rankings

The Massachusetts Medical Society on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the state's Group Insurance Commission, which purchases health insurance for most state employees and retirees, over its physician ranking system, the AP/Boston Herald reports (AP/Boston Herald, 5/21).

25 May 2008

Advocates call for increased funding, renewed efforts for HIV/AIDS vaccine research

Advocates and researchers at a panel discussion on Thursday called for an increase in funding for and a renewal of efforts to develop an HIV/AIDS vaccine, CQ HealthBeat reports.

25 May 2008

Miami Herald examines spread of HIV among IDUs in Florida

The Miami Herald on Thursday examined the spread of HIV among injection drug users in Florida. According to the Herald, needle-exchange programs are banned in the state, so some health workers distribute sterilization equipment in an effort to curb the spread of HIV and other bloodborne diseases.

25 May 2008

Japan pledges $560 million to the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Japan on Friday announced that it had pledged $560 million to the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, AFP/Google.com reports.

25 May 2008

Guyanese Health Minister Ramsammy discusses HIV/AIDS, health worker shortages at World Health Assembly

Guyana's Health Minister Leslie Ramsammy recently examined issues surrounding HIV/AIDS and health worker shortages at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, the CMC/redOrbit reports.

25 May 2008

Bliss Nipple Cream warning from FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers not to use or purchase Mommy's Bliss Nipple Cream, marketed by MOM Enterprises, Inc., because the product contains potentially harmful ingredients that may cause respiratory distress or vomiting and diarrhea in infants.

25 May 2008

AstraZeneca supports transparency legislation on payments to health care providers

AstraZeneca announced today that it supports the revised Physician Payment Sunshine Act as part of the company's latest step to provide the public with more information about the way it does business.

22 May 2008

Pennsylvania State agency seeks to gain control of Medicaid managed care plans' prescription drug benefits

The administration of Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) has proposed shifting control of the prescription drug component of Medicaid managed care plans to the state Department of Public Welfare, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

22 May 2008

Pharmaceutical, medical device industries have shifted campaign contributions to Democratic candidates

Pharmaceutical and medical device companies have contributed more to the campaigns of Democratic candidates than Republican candidates in the current election cycle, a "sharp reversal" from previous cycles and "one more sign of the campaign difficulties the GOP could face this November," the AP/Miami Herald reports.

22 May 2008

Kaiser Family Foundation creates new online tool that provides latest health policy facts and data

The Kaiser Family Foundation today launched Kaiser Fast Facts, a new component of its kff.org Web site, featuring QuickTakes and Kaiser Slides – two new tools providing direct access to facts, data and slides about the nation's health care system and programs, in an easy-to-use format.

22 May 2008

CBO finds health IT unlikely to generate significant savings

Health information technology by itself is unlikely to produce the significant cost savings projected by economic analysts and policymakers, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis released Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reports.

22 May 2008

Senate Finance Committee Democrats to move forward with Medicare package that includes Medicare Advantage plan cuts

Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Wednesday said he will move forward with a Medicare package developed by Democrats that likely will be opposed by Republicans and the Bush administration, CQ Today reports.

22 May 2008

Senate leaders reach agreement on process for considering war supplemental spending bill, Medicaid provision

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday reached an agreement on a process for Senate consideration of the war supplemental appropriations bill (HR 2642), including a provision to delay for one year seven new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush administration, the AP/Detroit News reports (Taylor, AP/Detroit News, 5/22).

22 May 2008

Louisiana Gov. Jindal's administration asks State Senate to restore millions in health care budget cuts

The administration of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) on Monday called on state senators to restore millions of dollars in health care program cuts that were approved last week by the House, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. The House approved a $30 billion state budget for fiscal year 2009 that includes $240 million less than Jindal's proposed budget.

22 May 2008

HHS receives more than thirty applications for electronic health records pilot program

HHS has received more than 30 applications from communities that seek to participate in a Medicare pilot program that uses electronic health records, CQ HealthBeat reports (CQ HealthBeat, 5/20).

22 May 2008

STARS AGAINST AIDS exhibit in Moscow aims to raise awareness, reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma

A photography exhibit featuring 25 well-known women from Russia and Ukraine that aims to raise awareness and reduce stigma associated with HIV/AIDS opened Thursday in Moscow, the Moscow Times reports.

22 May 2008

Most HIV cases traced to transmission of single virus

Most HIV cases can be traced to the transmission of a single virus, according to a study published online Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, the Birmingham News reports. According to researcher George Shaw, a professor at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, the findings are surprising and could have an impact on HIV/AIDS vaccine development.

22 May 2008

St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines small pharmacies' efforts to provide specialized services to people living with HIV/AIDS

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Wednesday examined the efforts of some small pharmacies to provide specialized services to people living with HIV/AIDS. According to the Post-Dispatch, HIV/AIDS care is "resisting" the pharmaceutical industry's overall trend toward distributing medication through mail-order pharmacies rather than through traditional retail.

22 May 2008

Uganda AIDS Commission drafts plan to streamline HIV/AIDS messages

The Uganda AIDS Commission has drafted a strategy to streamline HIV/AIDS communication in the country, the New Vision reports. The plan seeks to unify various national HIV/AIDS awareness messages, UAC Director-General Kihumuro Apuuli said at a recent meeting for the Young, Empowered and Healthy initiative in Kampala, Uganda.

22 May 2008

Health Care News and Research

Federal Government should use pre-emption to strengthen citizens' protections, editorial says

Massachusetts Medical Society sues group insurance commission over physician rankings

Advocates call for increased funding, renewed efforts for HIV/AIDS vaccine research

Miami Herald examines spread of HIV among IDUs in Florida

Japan pledges $560 million to the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

Guyanese Health Minister Ramsammy discusses HIV/AIDS, health worker shortages at World Health Assembly

Bliss Nipple Cream warning from FDA

AstraZeneca supports transparency legislation on payments to health care providers

Pennsylvania State agency seeks to gain control of Medicaid managed care plans' prescription drug benefits

Pharmaceutical, medical device industries have shifted campaign contributions to Democratic candidates

Kaiser Family Foundation creates new online tool that provides latest health policy facts and data

CBO finds health IT unlikely to generate significant savings

Senate Finance Committee Democrats to move forward with Medicare package that includes Medicare Advantage plan cuts

Senate leaders reach agreement on process for considering war supplemental spending bill, Medicaid provision

Louisiana Gov. Jindal's administration asks State Senate to restore millions in health care budget cuts

HHS receives more than thirty applications for electronic health records pilot program

STARS AGAINST AIDS exhibit in Moscow aims to raise awareness, reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma

Most HIV cases traced to transmission of single virus

St. Louis Post-Dispatch examines small pharmacies' efforts to provide specialized services to people living with HIV/AIDS

Uganda AIDS Commission drafts plan to streamline HIV/AIDS messages

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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