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New Hampshire citizens health initiative to promote electronic prescriptions

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) and Citizens Health Initiative -- which includes doctors, pharmacists, insurers and representatives from hospitals -- on Thursday announced a goal for all doctors in the state to be able to use electronic prescription systems by 2008, Foster's Daily Democrat reports.

24 Oct 2006

Use of subcutaneous injections of Epogen for dialysis patients could save Medicare $537 million annually

Administering the anti-anemia drug Epogen to kidney dialysis patients by subcutaneous injections rather than intravenously could save the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars annually, the Boston Globe reports.

24 Oct 2006

Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may lower risk of heart attack more so than not drinking at all

For men with healthy lifestyle habits, drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may be associated with a lower risk of heart attack than drinking heavily or not drinking at all, according to a report in the October 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Oct 2006

Combination therapy of salmeterol and fluticasone improves survival in patients with COPD

A combination of two common medications may help patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) live longer.

23 Oct 2006

Sticking to clinical guidelines decreases deep vein thrombosis in elderly

A multifaceted intervention designed to increase adherence with clinical guidelines for preventing deep-vein blood clots may decrease the rate of such blood clots among elderly patients, according to a report in the October 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

23 Oct 2006

Compliance with medications lowers health care costs

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) who take medications as directed have decreased medical costs, researchers from the University of Chicago researchers report at the American College of Gastroenterology annual scientific meeting in Las Vegas. A second study from the same group, however, suggests that there is no simple way to improve compliance.

23 Oct 2006

Race is associated with unfavorable breast cancer tumor biology

African-American women with breast cancer were more likely to have larger, later-stage tumors that were more difficult to treat and also had lower survival rates than Hispanic and Caucasian women who received the same treatment in two independent series of clinical trials examined by researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

23 Oct 2006

Wall Street Journal examines debate over alternative HRT to treat menopausal symptoms

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined the debate over the risks and efficacy of alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for treatment of menopausal symptoms.

23 Oct 2006

Independent groups to highlight abortion, other issues in Maryland U.S. Senate race

Independent groups plan to emphasize abortion and other issues in television and radio advertisements, fundraising appeals and direct mail campaigns leading up to the Maryland U.S. Senate elections on Nov. 7, the Washington Post reports.

23 Oct 2006

New Jersey Assembly Committee approves bill requiring pharmacists to fill emergency contraception prescriptions

The New Jersey Assembly Health and Senior Citizens Committee on Thursday approved a bill (A 992) that would require New Jersey's 9,000 licensed pharmacists to fill prescriptions for all drugs, including contraceptives, despite "any sincerely held moral, philosophical or religious beliefs," the Newark Star-Ledger reports (Livio, Newark Star-Ledger, 10/20).

23 Oct 2006

Portuguese Parliament approves referendum on loosening abortion restrictions

The Portuguese Parliament on Thursday approved a government proposal to hold a national referendum early next year aimed at loosening abortion restrictions in the country, AFP/Yahoo! News reports (AFP/Yahoo! News, 10/19).

23 Oct 2006

Early detection, treatment of breast cancer leading to declining mortality rates

Although most health professionals agree that breast cancer is a "serious concern for women," there are some who believe the risk of getting breast cancer "has been blown out of proportion, sometimes to the detriment of more pressing issues," the Los Angeles Times reports.

23 Oct 2006

Southern African Clinicians Society head calls for HIV testing in country to be required, confidential

Confidential HIV testing should be required for all people in South Africa so those who test positive can begin safeguarding their health immediately, Francois Venter, head of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society, said at a news conference on Thursday, the Washington Post reports (Timberg, Washington Post, 10/20).

23 Oct 2006

Cleveland Health Department launches HIV prevention campaign aimed at black women

The Cleveland Department of Public Health this week launched a citywide campaign aimed at curbing the spread of HIV among black women, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

23 Oct 2006

18 million children in Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS by 2010

More than 18 million children in Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS-related illnesses by the end of 2010 without increased action to control the spread of the pandemic among young people on the continent, according to a UNICEF report released after a three-day HIV/AIDS conference in Dakar, Senegal, Reuters reports.

23 Oct 2006

Zambia's use of resources to fight HIV/AIDS model for other countries

Zambia has demonstrated how to use donor funding effectively for HIV prevention and treatment programs at the community and ministerial levels, and the country could serve as a model for other nations, Mark Dybul -- who serves as the U.S. global AIDS coordinator and administers the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief -- said on Friday during a visit to the country, Zambia's Daily Mail reports.

23 Oct 2006

Wall Street Journal examines concerns over limits of HIPAA Medical Privacy Rule

The Wall Street Journal on Saturday examined how forms that outline the medical privacy rule under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act "essentially detai[l] the many ways a doctor can use and disclose medical information -- often without a patient's consent or knowledge" -- and how patients who visit physician offices, hospitals and pharmacies mistakenly "assume signing somehow protects their privacy".

23 Oct 2006

Sen. Grassley seeks funding extension for hospitals to ensure Medicare reimbursements reflect local wages

Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Friday said that during the lame-duck session of Congress he will seek a six-month extension of a provision -- Section 508 of the 2003 Medicare law -- that allows reclassification of certain hospitals into different geographic regions for the application of the wage index to receive higher reimbursements, CQ HealthBeat reports.

23 Oct 2006

Democrats should 'stand up strongly' for principles, columnist writes

If the Democrats gain control of at least one chamber of Congress, "the best thing that [they] can do, not just for their party and their country, but for the cause of bipartisanship, is ... stand up strongly for their principles," columnist Paul Krugman writes in a New York Times opinion piece.

23 Oct 2006

Wyo. Gubernatorial Candidate Hunkins will seek abortion ban if Roe overturned, mandate 25-year sentences for assaults on pregnant woman

Wyoming gubernatorial candidate Ray Hunkins (R) on Wednesday said he anticipates the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn its ruling in the 1973 Roe v. Wade case -- which effectively barred state abortion bans -- adding that if such a ruling is made, he will seek to ban abortions in the state except in cases protecting the health of pregnant women, the AP/Casper Star Tribune reports.

22 Oct 2006

Health Care News and Research

New Hampshire citizens health initiative to promote electronic prescriptions

Use of subcutaneous injections of Epogen for dialysis patients could save Medicare $537 million annually

Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may lower risk of heart attack more so than not drinking at all

Combination therapy of salmeterol and fluticasone improves survival in patients with COPD

Sticking to clinical guidelines decreases deep vein thrombosis in elderly

Compliance with medications lowers health care costs

Race is associated with unfavorable breast cancer tumor biology

Wall Street Journal examines debate over alternative HRT to treat menopausal symptoms

Independent groups to highlight abortion, other issues in Maryland U.S. Senate race

New Jersey Assembly Committee approves bill requiring pharmacists to fill emergency contraception prescriptions

Portuguese Parliament approves referendum on loosening abortion restrictions

Early detection, treatment of breast cancer leading to declining mortality rates

Southern African Clinicians Society head calls for HIV testing in country to be required, confidential

Cleveland Health Department launches HIV prevention campaign aimed at black women

18 million children in Africa will have lost one or both parents to AIDS by 2010

Zambia's use of resources to fight HIV/AIDS model for other countries

Wall Street Journal examines concerns over limits of HIPAA Medical Privacy Rule

Sen. Grassley seeks funding extension for hospitals to ensure Medicare reimbursements reflect local wages

Democrats should 'stand up strongly' for principles, columnist writes

Wyo. Gubernatorial Candidate Hunkins will seek abortion ban if Roe overturned, mandate 25-year sentences for assaults on pregnant woman

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