Health and Human Services News and Research

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Mental health, substance abuse spending grew more slowly than all other health spending: Study

Spending on psychiatric drugs grew by 5.6 percent from 2004 to 2005, down from the 27.3 percent growth from 1999 to 2000 according to a study published today in the February issue of Health Affairs.

5 Feb 2011

Blumenthal steps down from his post leading Obama's health IT office

Kaiser Health News staff writers Phil Galewitz and Christopher Weaver report: "Dr. David Blumenthal, appointed by President Barack Obama to speed the health care system's switch from paper to electronic records, announced Thursday that he is stepping down this spring to return to his teaching post at Harvard University".

5 Feb 2011

Researchers describe the complete genome of Daphnia

From an environmental perspective, Daphnia pulex -- the waterflea - is the best-studied organism on the planet. Scientists know how this species responds to pollution, predators, day and night, making it an important model for ecological and evolutionary research. Its genome, however, remained elusive, limiting understanding of how the environment and genes interact.

5 Feb 2011

Governors get advice from Obama administration on how to handle Medicaid

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius provided information Thursday to state officials explaining ways in which current law allows them to change the federal-state program — to gain savings without slashing eligibility.

4 Feb 2011

Loyola dietitians available to comment on incorporating 2010 Dietary Guidelines

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans were released today by the United States Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services.

4 Feb 2011

GSA commends '2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans'

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) - the nation's largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging - commends the federal government's recent release of the "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" and particularly applauds its inclusion of specific advice for older adults.

4 Feb 2011

Bigger, bolder drinks pack plenty of sugar and calories

Starbucks recently announced a new-sized 31-ounce drink, the "Trenta," which will be in stores this spring. The mega-sized coffee joins the ranks of other energy drinks that can pack plenty of caffeine and calories. Ellen Schuster, a University of Missouri nutrition expert, says that Americans should be wary of extra calories and sugar in the quest for bigger, bolder drinks.

4 Feb 2011

HHS encourages lower-cost drug usage to help reduce Medicaid spending

With Medicaid spending growth almost doubling over the past year, a new document released today by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to all 50 governors encourages the use of lower-cost drugs - including generics - to help reduce Medicaid spending.

4 Feb 2011

Study highlights link between food insufficiency, health care use among homeless adults

Homeless people who do not get enough to eat use hospitals and emergency rooms at very high rates, according to a new study. One in four respondents to a nationwide survey reported not getting enough to eat, a proportion six times higher than in the general population, and more than two thirds of those had recently gone without eating for a whole day. The report will appear in the Journal of General Internal Medicine and has been released online.

4 Feb 2011

And the oversight committee investigations begin...

Making good on a promise to investigate funding, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-Mich., launched an inquiry into the comparative effectiveness research budget.

4 Feb 2011

Roundup: N.Y., Texas, Calif. Medicaid plans spark protests; Conn. nursing homes; Fla. Medical Board

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's effort to strip lawmakers of power over the state's Medicaid program is facing a barrage of criticism in both houses and parties. Lawmakers on Wednesday described the governor's Medicaid proposal as an intrusion on their powers and said they would block it from becoming law.

4 Feb 2011

IDF commends Florida council for recommending SCID screening for all newborns

The Florida Genetics and Newborn Screening Program Advisory Council voted unanimously to recommend that the Department of Health screen all newborns for Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) – commonly known as bubble boy disease.

3 Feb 2011

Cognitive behavioral therapy more effective than antidepressant medications for bulimia nervosa

A new evidence report by ECRI Institute comparing the effectiveness of various treatments for bulimia nervosa indicates that cognitive behavioral therapy is more effective than antidepressant medications and supportive therapies in improving eating disorder symptoms.

2 Feb 2011

New national initiative to increase heart attack awareness among women

A woman suffers a heart attack every minute in the United States. But according to a 2009 American Heart Association survey, only half of women said they would call 9-1-1 if they thought they were having a heart attack -- and many women did not even recognize several key symptoms. This combination has led to dangerous consequences.

2 Feb 2011

Aphios enters subcontract with SAIC-Frederick to develop phospholipid nanoencapsulated camptothecin

Aphios® Corporation today announced that it has entered into a subcontract with SAIC-Frederick, a subsidiary of Science Applications International Corporation, to develop phospholipid nanoencapsulated camptothecin, Camposomes™, for the treatment of pancreatic and other cancers, supporting the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology.

2 Feb 2011

Roundup: Medicaid worries in Texas, Ill., Pa.; California insurance exchanges; Kansas controversy on health law

The current state House and Senate budget proposals include a 10 percent cut in the rate that the state will pay Medicaid providers. Some health care lobbying groups say that when you add in the loss of the enhanced federal Medicaid match paid for by stimulus dollars that have now dried up, you get a 33 percent reduction overall.

2 Feb 2011

FDA approves NCI's Sodium Fluoride F18 NDA for use in bone scans

The FDA has approved a New Drug Application from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, for a new strength of a previously approved drug, Sodium Fluoride F18, for use in bone scans.

1 Feb 2011

John Snow sponsors MEDEA 2011 conference

John Snow, Inc. (JSI) is a proud sponsor of MEDEA 2011, a two-day conference (February 1 and 2) dedicated to improving the country of Georgia's health system by the year 2020. The conference, led by the government of Georgia, brings together high level Georgian and American health professionals to begin to solve some of the country's most pressing health problems.

1 Feb 2011

Eat more seafood to realize health benefits

The United States Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, released today, name seafood among the handful of foods Americans should eat more of because of its heart and brain benefits.

1 Feb 2011

New Medicaid panel 'off to rocky start'; States continue to struggle with Medicaid's pressure on their budgets

Politico gives a progress report on the MACPAC while KHN details how a Medicaid showdown regarding costs and coverage could be in the making.

1 Feb 2011

Health and Human Services News and Research

Mental health, substance abuse spending grew more slowly than all other health spending: Study

Blumenthal steps down from his post leading Obama's health IT office

Researchers describe the complete genome of Daphnia

Governors get advice from Obama administration on how to handle Medicaid

Loyola dietitians available to comment on incorporating 2010 Dietary Guidelines

GSA commends '2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans'

Bigger, bolder drinks pack plenty of sugar and calories

HHS encourages lower-cost drug usage to help reduce Medicaid spending

Study highlights link between food insufficiency, health care use among homeless adults

And the oversight committee investigations begin...

Roundup: N.Y., Texas, Calif. Medicaid plans spark protests; Conn. nursing homes; Fla. Medical Board

IDF commends Florida council for recommending SCID screening for all newborns

Cognitive behavioral therapy more effective than antidepressant medications for bulimia nervosa

New national initiative to increase heart attack awareness among women

Aphios enters subcontract with SAIC-Frederick to develop phospholipid nanoencapsulated camptothecin

Roundup: Medicaid worries in Texas, Ill., Pa.; California insurance exchanges; Kansas controversy on health law

FDA approves NCI's Sodium Fluoride F18 NDA for use in bone scans

John Snow sponsors MEDEA 2011 conference

Eat more seafood to realize health benefits

New Medicaid panel 'off to rocky start'; States continue to struggle with Medicaid's pressure on their budgets

Event guide: 6th Operationalize Expanded Access Programs Summit East eBook

Advancing Intracellular Delivery with LumiPore®

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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