Health and Human Services News and Research

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HHS and BioCryst advance development of new influenza drug

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt announced that the Department has awarded a $102.6 million, four-year contract to BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for advanced development of their influenza antiviral drug, peramivir.

7 Jan 2007

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries will have trouble getting medications in January 2007

Some pharmacists and advocates have raised concerns that many low-income Medicare beneficiaries "will again have trouble getting medications next month, as they did in January of this year," when the Medicare prescription drug benefit began, the New York Times reports.

5 Dec 2006

Susan Winckler appointed as acting FDA Chief of Staff

Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs (FDA), today announced the appointment of Susan C. Winckler, RPh, Esq., as the agency's Acting Chief of Staff. Ms. Winckler is replacing Patrick Ronan who announced his resignation last week after several years of service at the FDA.

5 Dec 2006

House Republicans tentatively schedule consideration of fetal pain bill

House Republicans have tentatively scheduled consideration next week on a bill (HR 6099) that would require women seeking abortions to be offered an anesthetic for the fetus and told that there is evidence the procedure can cause fetal pain, the AP/Forbes reports.

2 Dec 2006

New Hampshire to provide Gardasil at no cost to girls

New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services officials on Wednesday announced plans to become the first state to provide Merck's human papillomavirus vaccine Gardasil at no cost to girls ages 11 to 18 as part of a state program that offers immunizations to minors, the AP/Nashua Telegraph reports.

2 Dec 2006

US orders more bird flu vaccine for the stockpile

The U.S. government has ordered enough vaccine to protect another 2.7 million people against bird flu.

22 Nov 2006

HHS purchases more vaccines for an influenza pandemic

HHS has announced the purchase of additional vaccine that could be used in the event of a potential influenza pandemic.

20 Nov 2006

Bush Administration says it opposes Democrats' plan to allow Government to negotiate Medicare drug prices

The Bush administration will oppose any attempts by congressional Democrats to pass legislation that would authorize the government to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit, according to HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt, the New York Times reports.

13 Nov 2006

Drug industry concerned about California Law allowing State to seek drug discounts

A new California law set to take effect in January 2007 "provides a glimpse of the type of government price controls the drug industry fears," the Boston Globe reports.

13 Nov 2006

Congress to focus on labor-HHS, other unfinished appropriations Bills during Lame-Duck session

Congress likely will focus on the fiscal year 2007 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill and other unfinished spending bills during a lame-duck session that began on Monday, the Wall Street Journal reports.

13 Nov 2006

Former HHS Secretary Thompson says states will take lead on health care reform

Former HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson, chair of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and a partner at the law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, on Thursday told reporters that states likely will take the lead on health care reform in the absence of federal action, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Oct 2006

Health care IT bill could increase costs by $416 million

America's Health Insurance Plans released a new study that found a provision in a health care information technology bill (HR 4157) passed earlier this year by the House could increase U.S. health care costs by as much as $416 million, CQ HealthBeat reports (Carey, CQ HealthBeat, 10/27).

30 Oct 2006

Texas Comptroller calls for immediate end to social services contract citing mismanagement

Texas Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn in a letter to lawmakers on Wednesday said a five-year contract with an Accenture LLP group that administers enrollment for Medicaid, the state's SCHIP program and other social services "must be ended" because of mismanagement, the Houston Chronicle reports.

30 Oct 2006

Health officials announce physician quiz campaign to help reduce medical errors

HHS and other health officials on Monday announced a new campaign designed to limit surgical complications by encouraging patients to quiz their doctors about medical procedures, CQ HealthBeat reports.

24 Oct 2006

Statement by Mike Leavitt on WHO global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply

The World Health Organization (WHO) has taken a significant step forward in the global effort to prepare for an influenza pandemic by publishing the Global Pandemic Influenza Action Plan to Increase Vaccine Supply.

23 Oct 2006

Medicare cuts to wheelchair reimbursements prompt opposition from lawmakers, suppliers

Lawmakers from several states recently criticized Medicare cuts that will change reimbursement rates for power wheelchairs, the AP/Columbia State reports.

22 Oct 2006

HHS should ensure abstinence education material used by Federal grantees contains accurate information on condoms, STIs

The Government Accountability Office's general council office on Wednesday released a legal opinion saying that under the Public Health Service Act, HHS should ensure abstinence education material prepared and used by groups receiving federal funding includes accurate information on sexually transmitted infections and the effectiveness of condoms, CQ HealthBeat reports.

19 Oct 2006

Louisiana residents open to reforming or eliminating charity hospital system

Seventy-two percent of Louisiana residents believe the state's health care system needs to be changed or completely rebuilt in order to provide better care to the uninsured, according to a poll released Monday by the non-partisan Council for a Better Louisiana, the AP/New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

19 Oct 2006

HRSA to allocate $14M to public umbilical cord blood banks

HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration plans to allocate $14 million to public umbilical cord blood banks nationwide in an effort to increase the supply of cord blood from 50,000 to 150,000 units, the AP/Washington Post reports.

17 Oct 2006

Few doctors have implemented, effectively use electronic health records

About one in four physicians use some type of electronic health records, while fewer than one in 10 use a comprehensive EHR system, according to a study that suggests "a technology frequently billed as a way to improve the quality and efficiency of care has yet to win widespread acceptance," the Washington Post reports.

16 Oct 2006

Health and Human Services News and Research

HHS and BioCryst advance development of new influenza drug

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries will have trouble getting medications in January 2007

Susan Winckler appointed as acting FDA Chief of Staff

House Republicans tentatively schedule consideration of fetal pain bill

New Hampshire to provide Gardasil at no cost to girls

US orders more bird flu vaccine for the stockpile

HHS purchases more vaccines for an influenza pandemic

Bush Administration says it opposes Democrats' plan to allow Government to negotiate Medicare drug prices

Drug industry concerned about California Law allowing State to seek drug discounts

Congress to focus on labor-HHS, other unfinished appropriations Bills during Lame-Duck session

Former HHS Secretary Thompson says states will take lead on health care reform

Health care IT bill could increase costs by $416 million

Texas Comptroller calls for immediate end to social services contract citing mismanagement

Health officials announce physician quiz campaign to help reduce medical errors

Statement by Mike Leavitt on WHO global pandemic influenza action plan to increase vaccine supply

Medicare cuts to wheelchair reimbursements prompt opposition from lawmakers, suppliers

HHS should ensure abstinence education material used by Federal grantees contains accurate information on condoms, STIs

Louisiana residents open to reforming or eliminating charity hospital system

HRSA to allocate $14M to public umbilical cord blood banks

Few doctors have implemented, effectively use electronic health records

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