Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

First anniversary of Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

One year ago, President Obama signed the historic Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act). Under the Tobacco Control Act, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration obtained authority to regulate tobacco products, with a special emphasis on preventing their use by children and youth and reducing the impact of tobacco on public health.

22 Jun 2010

BD, PEPFAR commence multi-year initiative to improve blood collection practices in African clinics, hospitals

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today set in motion a joint, multi-year initiative to improve blood collection practices in African clinics and hospitals.

From BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) 22 Jun 2010

Research article sheds light on liability concerns and electronic health records systems

Electronic health record systems likely will soon become a fixture in medical settings. Advocates claim they will reduce health care costs and improve medical outcomes, which could be critical since the new health care reform law increases access for millions of Americans. Although benefits of bringing information technology to health records can be substantial, EHR systems also give rise to increased liability risks for health care providers due to possible software or hardware problems or user errors.

22 Jun 2010

University of Utah receives $2.4M, four-year grant to track children with ASDs

In the ongoing effort to understand the growing prevalence of autism spectrum disorders nationwide, the University of Utah has received a $2.4 million, four-year grant to estimate the number of Utah 8-year-olds with ASDs and other developmental disabilities.

22 Jun 2010

NHLBI funds nine research grants to determine safety and efficacy of red blood cell transfusions

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, is funding nine research grants to determine if the safety and efficacy of red blood cell transfusions vary depending on how long the cells have been stored. One of the grants supports the first large, multi-center, randomized clinical trial to compare outcomes in heart surgery patients who receive transfusions of red blood cells that have been stored for shorter or longer amounts of time.

22 Jun 2010

Reform law gives major boost to community health centers, medical homes

The Washington Post: "The health-care legislation signed into law in March provides a major boost to community health centers: $11 billion over five years. The first of these federally supported primary-care clinics opened in 1965." The law also provides funding designed to increase the supply of primary-care providers. And, "[o]n Wednesday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced that the federal government will spend $250 million in programs to increase the number of doctors, nurses and other care providers.

21 Jun 2010

Gamida Cell-Teva Joint Venture's StemEx program receives FDA Fast Track Designation

Gamida Cell announced today that the Gamida Cell-Teva Joint Venture has received an FDA Fast Track Designation for StemEx, in development as an alternative to a bone marrow transplant for patients with blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma.

21 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 21, 2010

Today's news includes an exploration of the impact of Medicare payment rates on physicians, an analysis of the fate of the COBRA subsidy and how an innovation may offer a medical malpractice fix.

21 Jun 2010

Thomson Reuters identifies top 10 U.S. health systems from second annual study

Thomson Reuters today released its second annual study identifying the top 10 U.S. health systems based on their clinical performance.

21 Jun 2010

Early-life exposure to PCBs diminishes immune response to diphtheria and tetanus vaccinations: Study

Children exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls early in life later had a diminished immune response to diphtheria and tetanus vaccinations, according to a study published online June 20 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives. This result suggests that PCB exposure during the first years of life, a critical period in immune system development, could undermine the effectiveness of childhood vaccinations and possibly impair immune system responses to infection.

21 Jun 2010

Father's Day: CHMC releases new resources for fathers

"The most important thing a father can do for his child is to love their mother," said theologian Theodore M. Hesburgh. With Father's Day at the forefront of everyone's minds, California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC) has released new resources for fathers.

21 Jun 2010

U.S. releases statement on Global Health Initiative

The U.S. government continues to lay the groundwork for efforts under the U.S. Global Health Initiative (GHI), announcing the first round of "GHI Plus" countries, as well as the program's governance structure. GHI is a six-year, $63 billion initiative to help partner countries improve measurable health outcomes by strengthening health systems and building upon proven results. It places a particular focus on improving the health of women, newborns and children.

19 Jun 2010

CFIDS Association applauds AABB for responding to questions about safety of general blood supply

The CFIDS Association of America commends the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banking) for its actions to protect the safety of the nation's blood supply by recommending that blood collectors actively discourage potential donors who have been diagnosed by a physician with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, also known as chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome, or CFIDS) from donating blood through the use of donor information materials made available at the donation site.

19 Jun 2010

Ingen Technologies to exhibit, sponsor at upcoming Medtrade conference

Ingen Technologies, Inc., a medical device manufacturer with an emerging new medical product line for the $8B respiratory market, announced today that the company has officially accepted to be an exhibitor and sponsor at the upcoming Medtrade conference in Atlanta, Georgia from November 15-18, 2010 at the Georgia World Congress Center.

19 Jun 2010

HHS Secretary announces new $250M investment to improve health and well-being of Americans

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced $250 million in new Affordable Care Act investments to support prevention activities and develop the nation's public health infrastructure.

19 Jun 2010

Patients' relationship with primary care physician improves health care quality: Study

Patients who report having a regular doctor either at a community health center or at the physician's office report receiving better quality health care, and have a better health care experience, than patients who have a regular place of care, but lack an established physician relationship. The findings are part of a study published in the May Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, and authored by Anne Beal, MD, MPH, head of the Aetna Foundation, and Susan Hernandez, MPA, formerly of The Commonwealth Fund.

19 Jun 2010

Federal agencies will establish a 'do not pay list' to prevent fraud

President Obama will order federal agencies Friday to establish a national 'do not pay list' to prevent the government from paying benefits, contracts, grants and loans to ineligible people or organizations, according to senior administration officials. The moves are part of a series to cut government waste and fraud and come amid calls for more fiscal restraint from Republicans and moderate Democrats.

19 Jun 2010

AHRQ: Only 57% of U.S. men see doctor for routine care compared to 74% of women

Just over half of U.S. men (57 percent) see a doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assistant for routine care, compared to nearly three-quarters (74 percent) of women, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Routine care is typically defined as a visit for assessing overall health rather than one prompted by a specific illness or complaint.

18 Jun 2010

ACP supports announcements of $250M in investments to expand primary care workforce

The American College of Physicians (ACP) today said it supports the announcements of $250 million in investments to expand the primary care workforce by President Obama and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

18 Jun 2010

Drug makers face tightened regulations by FDA and less clout at medical meetings

The Washington Post: "The Food and Drug Administration this week began posting online the results of safety evaluations of recently approved drugs and vaccines. The action follows a law enacted in 2007 that requires the agency to provide more safety information to consumers and health professionals. The evaluations must be conducted 18 months after a new drug comes on the market.

18 Jun 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

First anniversary of Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

BD, PEPFAR commence multi-year initiative to improve blood collection practices in African clinics, hospitals

Research article sheds light on liability concerns and electronic health records systems

University of Utah receives $2.4M, four-year grant to track children with ASDs

NHLBI funds nine research grants to determine safety and efficacy of red blood cell transfusions

Reform law gives major boost to community health centers, medical homes

Gamida Cell-Teva Joint Venture's StemEx program receives FDA Fast Track Designation

First Edition: June 21, 2010

Thomson Reuters identifies top 10 U.S. health systems from second annual study

Early-life exposure to PCBs diminishes immune response to diphtheria and tetanus vaccinations: Study

Father's Day: CHMC releases new resources for fathers

U.S. releases statement on Global Health Initiative

CFIDS Association applauds AABB for responding to questions about safety of general blood supply

Ingen Technologies to exhibit, sponsor at upcoming Medtrade conference

HHS Secretary announces new $250M investment to improve health and well-being of Americans

Patients' relationship with primary care physician improves health care quality: Study

Federal agencies will establish a 'do not pay list' to prevent fraud

AHRQ: Only 57% of U.S. men see doctor for routine care compared to 74% of women

ACP supports announcements of $250M in investments to expand primary care workforce

Drug makers face tightened regulations by FDA and less clout at medical meetings

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Latest News