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Psychotherapeutic drug spending surges

Spending on prescription drugs to treat depression, anxiety, pain, schizophrenia and other conditions climbed from $7.9 billion in 1997 to $20 billion in 2004 - over a 150 percent increase, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

25 Apr 2007

Costs of treating heart disease and cancer have increased substantially

The costs of treating heart disease and cancer rose markedly between 2000 and 2004, from $62 billion to $90 billion and $42 billion to $62 billion, respectively, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

25 Apr 2007

WHO facilitates influenza vaccine technology transfer to developing countries

As part of a concerted effort to ensure more equitable access to a potential pandemic influenza vaccine, six developing countries are being awarded grants to establish in-country manufacturing capacity for influenza vaccine. The countries are Brazil, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Viet Nam.

25 Apr 2007

SCHIP has been successful in increasing access to health care for low income children

As the debate over reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) heats up in Washington, a new survey of leaders in health policy and health care finds that large majorities feel the program has been successful in increasing access to health care for low income children (71%) and in reducing the rate of uninsured, low-income children (65%).

24 Apr 2007

HHS releases plan for development and purchase of medical countermeasures

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has released for display in the Federal Register the Department's new roadmap for developing and purchasing medical countermeasures against a host of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats.

19 Apr 2007

Confidentiality and privacy of personal health information is critical to acceptance of NHIN

"ACP strongly believes in the goal of widespread adoption and use of health information technology to improve quality of care," Michael H. Zaroukian, MD, PhD, FACP, told the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics subcommittee on Privacy and Confidentiality at their hearing on "Consumer Controls for Sensitive Health Records."

18 Apr 2007

AARP to track Senate vote on Medicare Rx bargaining bill

Today, AARP will be sending the following letter from CEO Bill Novelli to every member of the U.S. Senate alerting them that the association will be recording the upcoming Senate vote on a bill to allow Medicare to negotiate for lower prescription drug prices.

17 Apr 2007

Should stocks of smallpox virus be destroyed?

Smallpox was eradicated in 1980, but the virus still exists in WHO controlled depositories. In this week's BMJ , two experts go head to head over whether these stocks should be destroyed.

15 Apr 2007

Analysis of Rhesus monkey genome provides new clues to primate biology

An international consortium of researchers has published the genome sequence of the rhesus macaque monkey and aligned it with the chimpanzee and human genomes.

12 Apr 2007

Health care reconsidered: Options for change

The Hamilton Project, an initiative at the Brookings Institution, hosted a forum, "Health Care Reconsidered: Options for Change," today at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. At the event, policy papers on reforming Medicare Part "D" (including closing the "donut hole" gap in prescription drug coverage), improving preventive care and promoting greater affordability through progressive cost-sharing were released by The Hamilton Project.

11 Apr 2007

Full impact of mental health and substance abuse disorders on U.S. community hospitals

Almost one-fourth of all stays in U.S. community hospitals for patients age 18 and older – 7.6 million of nearly 32 million stays – involved depressive, bipolar, schizophrenia and other mental health disorders or substance use related disorders in 2004, according to a new report by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

11 Apr 2007

Conceptualizing and defining public health emergency preparedness

A panel of experts convened by the RAND Corporation has recommended actions that communities around the United States should take to be better prepared to deal with bioterrorist attacks, pandemic flu outbreak and other large-scale public health emergencies.

7 Apr 2007

$1.1 billion funding to low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS in U.S.

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has announced more than $1.1 billion in funding to help states and territories provide care, medications and services for low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

7 Apr 2007

Healthy heart behaviors delay onset of heart disease

Most Americans engage in behaviors that can help prevent or delay the onset of heart disease, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

7 Apr 2007

Rural hospitals shown to provide quality care for patients with heart attacks

Contrary to some previous studies, rural hospitals in Iowa do provide quality care for patients with heart attacks and do not have higher death rates when compared to urban hospitals, report University of Iowa researchers.

5 Apr 2007

Child maltreatment declines in the U.S.

Several forms of child maltreatment decreased from 2004 to 2005, adding to more than a decade's worth of declines, according to University of New Hampshire researchers who analyzed the latest data released Monday from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

3 Apr 2007

HHS Assistant Secretary for children, families to step down

Wade Horn -- assistant secretary for HHS' Administration for Children and Families, who oversees abstinence education programs for the Bush administration -- on Monday announced that he will resign from his position, the Washington Post reports.

3 Apr 2007

All U.S. States to begin names-based reporting of HIV cases by end of 2007

All U.S. states and Washington, D.C., by the end of 2007 will begin recording HIV cases using names-based reporting systems rather than code-based reporting systems, the AP/Springfield State Journal Register reports.

3 Apr 2007

Dingell introduces bill that would expand dental coverage for children enrolled in Medicaid, SCHIP

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) last week introduced a bill (HR 1781) that would help improve the delivery of dental services to low-income children enrolled in Medicaid and SCHIP, CQ HealthBeat reports.

3 Apr 2007

Emerging threats demand new approach to disaster preparedness

The SARS epidemic, the South Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and avian influenza all underline a growing need for preparedness planning that addresses multiple hazards and coordinates all levels of government and society, said a panel of public health experts today at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Washington, D.C.

3 Apr 2007