Doctor News and Research

RSS

CT colonography effective in diagnosing colorectal cancer in adults over 65

Computed tomography (CT) colonography can be used as a primary screening tool for colorectal cancer in adults over the age of 65, according to a new study published online in the journal Radiology.

23 Feb 2012

Making a medicinewise choice between brands

Following reports the first generic version of atorvastatin will be hitting pharmacy shelves this week, NPS is urging consumers to be medicinewise when making a choice between medicine brands.

22 Feb 2012

Gluten-free diet more of a fad than absolute necessity for many

Many people claim that gluten sensitivity is on the rise and consequently gluten-free products are more popular than ever. A study explores whether shunning gluten is really necessary and finds that in most cases it is not.

22 Feb 2012

New analysis highlights ongoing scale of tobacco problem among children

Every year around 157,000 children aged 11-15 start smoking - that's enough to fill 5,200 classrooms or make up nearly 14,000 junior football teams. These shocking figures, revealed in a new analysis by Cancer Research UK, highlight the ongoing scale of the tobacco problem, and underline the importance of sustained action to discourage young people from starting to smoke, including by introducing plain packaging for all tobacco products as soon as possible.

22 Feb 2012

Essential benefits, health exchanges trigger questions, answers

Today's headlines include a range of stories about the implementation of the health law and related policy developments.

22 Feb 2012

State roundup: Calif. expands uninsured access, gives adult day care reprieve

Nearly two years before the federal health reform law kicks in, 10 California counties have expanded medical coverage to more than 250,000 people who were previously uninsured, according to new state data.

22 Feb 2012

Autism Speaks releases two new ATN tool kits

Autism Speaks, North America's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today released the Sleep Strategies for Children with Autism: A Parent's Guide and Treating Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Tool Kit for Dental Professionals, both available for free download on Autism Speaks Tools You Can Use webpage.

22 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Medicare mudslinging, 'pound-foolish' doc fix and unrealistic death attitudes

For all its technological sophistication and hefty price tag, modern medicine may be doing more to complicate the end of life than to prolong or improve it. ... When families talk about letting their loved ones die "naturally," they often mean "in their sleep" - not from a treatable illness such as a stroke, cancer or an infection. ... While it's easy to empathize with these family members' wishes, what they don't appreciate is that very few elderly patients are lucky enough to die in their sleep.

22 Feb 2012

Contraception opinions: We're all Catholics now, a sex tax? And the 'safe, legal, rare' illusion

Because when the state comes against the Catholics, or the Jews, or the Muslims, or the Pentecostals, or the Mormons or those of any other faith – exotic or familiar – we must all stand up as one: We are all Catholics now. ... Perhaps this is a hard line. But when it comes to the separation of church and state, we need absolutes.

22 Feb 2012

New triple-therapies found cost-effective for chronic hepatitis C patients with advanced liver disease

A towering $60,000 bill, a year of fierce, flu-like symptoms and a running risk of depression are among the possible costs of two new hepatitis C treatments. But according to Stanford University health policy researchers, they might be worth it.

21 Feb 2012

Axway-GE Healthcare combined HIE solution selected by HITE-CT

Axway, the Business Interaction Networks company, and GE Healthcare, a leading health information exchange software provider and a division of General Electric Company announced today that the Health Information Technology Exchange of Connecticut (HITE-CT), the state designated Health Information Exchange (HIE), has selected its combined solution for HIE.

20 Feb 2012

Open application marketplace for ambient assisted-living solutions

The success of Apple's App Store and the Android Market has inspired EU-funded developers of 'Ambient assisted-living' (AAL) solutions to develop their own open application marketplace and work together on interoperable platforms. In doing so, they are hoping to mainstream technology that will help older people live more active and comfortable lives.

20 Feb 2012

Substituting antiepileptic drugs may lead to increase in risk of epilepsy

The substitution of brand-name antiepileptic drugs with cheaper generic equivalents has been an ongoing point of contention among doctors, federal officials and people with epilepsy.

18 Feb 2012

Vaccines are for people of all ages, not just children and seniors

Keeping up with vaccines is not always easy, particularly if you live in a household with family members of different ages. Vaccination needs can also change quickly if there's an outburst of a disease.

18 Feb 2012

CHPA releases statement on new Oklahoma economic impact study

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) today released the following statement regarding a new economic impact study that analyzed the potential economic consequences a prescription requirement for safe and effective cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine (PSE) would have on the state of Oklahoma.

18 Feb 2012

State roundup: U.S. Senators demand more medical board oversight; Californians losing coverage; Arizona's prison 'quandary'

"The administration never consulted us," said Susan Millerick, spokeswoman for the Hartford-based Aetna. Other Connecticut health insurers are letting the American Health Insurance Plans, a Washington-based trade association, voice their concerns. ... "We are concerned about the precedent this proposed rule would set," AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach said.

17 Feb 2012

Congressional negotiators announce 'doc fix,' payroll tax cut deal

Some Democrats fretted over cuts to the health care law to help pay for the package; physician groups were disappointed it did not replace Medicare's sustainable growth rate formula.

17 Feb 2012

Nordion celebrates first anniversary of market launch of TheraSphere

Nordion Inc., a leading provider of products and services to the global health science market, today celebrated the first anniversary of the market introduction of TheraSphere, an innovative radioembolic liver cancer therapy, in the Republic of Turkey.

17 Feb 2012

Shortage looming, drug maker agrees to release emergency supplies of kids' cancer drug

A shortage of a drug used to treat children's cancer seems to have been averted for a time as the Food and Drug Administration says it reached an agreement with the drug supplier to release emergency supplies. Elsewhere, rules sometimes force hospitals to throw away scarce drugs.

17 Feb 2012

Viewpoints: Contraception conscience vs. political objections; Is the mandate the 'non-tax' tax?

The president's new birth control plan would insure coverage of women's birth control without copayments or deductibles. Sounds fair, especially given that men's anti-impotence Viagra treatments have been covered by insurance plans for years.

17 Feb 2012