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Cognitive behavioural therapy effective when delivered in online by a therapist

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) seems to be effective when delivered online in real time by a therapist, with benefits maintained over 8 months. This method of delivery could broaden access to CBT in primary care. These are the conclusions of an article in this week's Global Mental Health special edition of The Lancet, written by Dr David Kessler, NIHR National School for Primary Care Research, University of Bristol and colleagues.

21 Aug 2009

Coping with burn injuries

More than half a million Americans are treated for burn injuries every year, but many do not have the specific skills necessary to cope with the experience of living with a burn injury after they leave the hospital.

20 Aug 2009

The Dilemma of an Aging Society research study classifies elder people into four groups

A lot of discussion has centered on proposed legislation regarding "death panels" and end of life counseling.

20 Aug 2009

HHS issues new regulations to notify individuals on health information

New regulations requiring health care providers, health plans, and other entities covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to notify individuals when their health information is breached were issued today by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

20 Aug 2009

Shortage of medical isotopes could affect the health of Canadians

Canada's physicians are deeply troubled about the prolonged and unpredictable shortage of medical isotopes and impact the crisis continues to have on patient care.

20 Aug 2009

The President and White House officials try to debunk end-of-life care rumors

The Hill: "Democrats seem to have a new strategy for fighting the 'death panel' charges about healthcare reform legislation.

17 Aug 2009

Obama administration officials soften stance on public plan

Associated Press: "President Barack Obama's administration signaled on Sunday it is ready to abandon the idea of giving Americans the option of government-run health insurance as part of his ambitious health care proposal.

16 Aug 2009

Palin defends 'death panel' claim; Clinton, Dean, Giuliani, Murkowski weigh in

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin defends her "death panel" claim, which is sparking reaction from powerful people.

16 Aug 2009

Grassley: Senate will not include end of life care provision, controversy continues

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, says a Senate health bill will not include end-of-life care consultation, as the dispute over the provision continues to swirl.

16 Aug 2009

Doctors overiding end of life counseling see benefit in current controversy

The paragraphs, buried deep in the 1,000-page House health reform bill, appear innocuous, but they have ignited a firestorm among critics predicting government-sponsored euthanasia.

14 Aug 2009

Despite officials' efforts to clear air, fears about end-of-life care remain

Rumors and controversy continue to swirl around end-of-life issues and health care reform as President Barack Obama and others try to calm fears.

12 Aug 2009

Transcript: President Obama Town Hall meeting in New Hampshire

President Barack Obama continued his press for public support of health reform initiatives at what the White House called a "Health Insurance Reform Town Hall" meeting at Portsmouth High School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

12 Aug 2009

Genzyme updates on Cerezyme supply plus 2009 financials

Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ) today provided an update on the impact of Cerezyme® (imiglucerase for injection) supply constraints on patient treatment regimens and on the company’s 2009 financial results. The company’s Fabrazyme® (agalsidase beta) supply constraint period, Fabrazyme dose conservation guidelines for patients, and Fabrazyme financial guidance are unchanged.

11 Aug 2009

Sorting out the truth in the health care debate

The New York Times reports in a "primer on the details of health reform" that Republican criticism of a government-run insurance plan to compete with private health insurance as "socialized medicine" "seems overblown," it reports. "The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that, under the House bill, the number of people with employer-sponsored insurance would climb to 162 million in 2016, which is 3 million more than expected under current law. Further, it said, enrollment in the proposed public plan might total 11 million, far lower than estimates cited by Republicans."

11 Aug 2009

Debate continues around end-of-life care

Controversy and misinformation about end-of-life care take center stage in the debate on health care reform.

10 Aug 2009

Cooling unconscious cardiac arrest survivors increases survival, cost effective

Cooling unconscious cardiac arrest survivors can increase survival and has a cost effectiveness comparable to other widely accepted treatments in modern health care, researchers report in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

4 Aug 2009

For doctors and even patients, rationing health care is an everday occurrence

In an essay in The Washington Post, an infectious disease specialist writes that "the unspoken truth among doctors is that we objectively or subjectively ration care, and often don't tell patients or their families."

4 Aug 2009

Lawmakers, officials distort the facts to support or oppose health overhaul

"Confusing claims and outright distortions have animated the national debate over changes in the health care system," the Associated Press reports.

3 Aug 2009

Success of GERD therapy hinges on medication type and physician bedside manner

Patient satisfaction with their medications and the quality of interactions with their doctor reflect the success of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) therapy, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

3 Aug 2009

FDA approves Avastin plus interferon-alfa for people with metastatic renal cell carcinoma

Genentech, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Avastin (bevacizumab) plus interferon-alfa for people with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, the most common type of kidney cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, kidney cancer is the eighth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States. In 2009, approximately 13,000 Americans will die from the disease.

3 Aug 2009