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Today's Opinions: Prevention and small business; Views on medical inflation and health reform; Sebelius letter examined

In this anemic economy, small businesses need all the help they can get, and the Prevention and Public Health Fund provides the best medicine (Dr. Georges Benjamin and Larry Cohen, 9/13).

13 Sep 2010

Sebelius to discuss Obama Administration's efforts to combat AIDS epidemic in America

On Monday, September 13, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will address approximately 3,000 HIV/AIDS activists and advocates at the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) in Orlando, Florida, the largest AIDS-related gathering in the country.

13 Sep 2010

UIC Institute for Juvenile Research centennial anniversary celebrations on Oct. 1

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine's Institute for Juvenile Research will celebrate its centennial anniversary Oct. 1.

13 Sep 2010

Genotoxic effects of exposure to disinfection by-products in indoor swimming pools

Swimming in indoor chlorinated pools may induce genotoxicity (DNA damage that may lead to cancer) as well as respiratory effects, but the positive health effects of swimming can be maintained by reducing pool levels of the chemicals behind these potential health risks, according to a new study published in a set of three articles online September 12 ahead of print in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP).

13 Sep 2010

Lawmakers plot health overhaul tax provision change, other provisions under fire

Senate aides expect Republicans and Democrats to offer competing amendments to change a tax-reporting provision in the health law. "The provision requires businesses to report to the Internal Revenue Service purchases over the course of the year that exceed $600.

13 Sep 2010

Physician shortage could grow under new health law

HealthDay/Bloomberg BusinessWeek: With tens of millions of patients newly insured under the law, "[s]ome experts worry that there could be longer wait times to see a doctor, particularly in rural areas and underserved markets where primary-care physicians are in short supply. … [P]rimary-care physicians make up only 35 percent of America's physician workforce, and the pipeline of fresh talent is tapering off.

10 Sep 2010

Sebelius warns insurers not to blame rate hikes on health overhaul

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Thursday said insurers who blame their rate increases on the new health overhaul could be excluded from health insurance exchanges and the 30 million new customers they promise, The Associated Press reports. "'There will be zero tolerance for this type of misinformation and unjustified rate increases,' … Sebelius said in a letter to the insurance lobby.

10 Sep 2010

Commonwealth among 103 Pennsylvania employers qualified for federal retiree benefit assistance

Governor Edward G. Rendell announced today that the commonwealth is among the 103 Pennsylvania employers accepted into a federal program to help offset the rising health care costs for retirees.

10 Sep 2010

K-V successfully completes FDA inspection for resumption of manufacturing and shipment of products

K-V Pharmaceutical Company announced today that it has received notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") of the successful completion of an inspection of the Company's facilities and approval to return its first product to market. Under the Company's Consent Decree, successful FDA inspections of the Company's quality systems, processes and facilities are expected to be required before K-V is permitted to resume manufacturing and shipment of particular products.

10 Sep 2010

NACHC Conference to discuss primary care foundation in America under Affordable Care Act

Former Health and Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt will address a national conference of Community, Migrant and Homeless Health Center representatives scheduled to convene this week. The 2010 Community Health Institute (CHI) and EXPO, hosted by the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), will take place in Dallas, TX, September 10-14th.

10 Sep 2010

First Edition: September 10, 2010

In this morning's news, the Obama administration takes a hard line against insurers -- warning them not to blame the new health law for their rate hikes.

10 Sep 2010

Sebelius calls upon AHIP to stop misinformation, false blame on premium increases on patient protections

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius wrote America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the national association of health insurers, calling on their members to stop using scare tactics and misinformation to falsely blame premium increases for 2011 on the patient protections in the Affordable Care Act.

10 Sep 2010

GP to continue support for implementation of ISDH's new model for public health preparedness activities

Global performance improvement solutions provider General Physics Corporation (GP), a subsidiary of GP Strategies Corporation, has exercised an option to extend the contract for year three by the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) to continue staffing and providing offices within each of the ten Indiana Homeland Security Districts. The GP staff engages in planning, training, exercise, and volunteer management activities.

10 Sep 2010

Change in sociodemographic factors increases substance abuse treatment admissions: SAMHSA

Admissions for substance abuse treatment among those aged 50 and older have more than doubled, and their sociodemographic characteristics have significantly changed, between 1992 and 2008, according to a study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).The findings indicate that sociodemographic factors such as unemployment, lack of income and homelessness all increased among this treatment group during this period.

10 Sep 2010

NIH launches two research studies to examine ways to curtail childhood obesity epidemic

The National Institutes of Health is launching two major research efforts, totaling $72.5 million, to examine ways to curtail the nation's childhood obesity epidemic. One will study long-term approaches to prevent or treat childhood obesity, and the other will examine community efforts to reduce childhood obesity rates.

10 Sep 2010

ECRI Institute PSO launches Patient Safety E-lerts to reduce healthcare events' risk

In response to adverse event reports received by ECRI Institute PSO and to promote such learning, ECRI Institute PSO has begun disseminating periodic Patient Safety E-lerts to participating organizations. The Patient Safety E-lert will bring attention to these issues and is concisely formatted to stimulate discussion and action by interdisciplinary committees focused on reducing the risk of healthcare events.

10 Sep 2010

Researchers find minocycline antibiotics effective for fragile X syndrome

One of the antibiotics most commonly prescribed to treat adolescent acne can increase attention spans and communication and decrease anxiety in patients with fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of mental impairment, according to a new survey study that is the first published on parents' reports of their children's responses to treatment with the medication.

9 Sep 2010

Health reform politics: GOP campaigning against law; Dems have mixed strategy

The Associated Press: "Even if Republicans succeed beyond any current predictions and capture both the Senate and the House, they wouldn't have enough GOP votes to overcome President Barack Obama's veto." But, they could exercise the "congressional power of the purse, denying the administration billions of dollars ... Faced with an opposition Congress 'defunding' his health care plan, would Obama make a stand?

9 Sep 2010

C.A.R.E.S. Alliance launches online tools for addressing misuse and abuse of pain medications

The C.A.R.E.S. Alliance, a new patient safety organization, today launched a range of online tools designed to help solve the growing problem of misuse and abuse of opioids by identifying the risks associated with these powerful pain medications. The free resources offered through the C.A.R.E.S. (Collaborating & Acting Responsibly to Ensure Safety) Alliance promote safety in prescribing, dispensing, using, storing and disposing of these commonly abused pain medications.

9 Sep 2010

Researchers demonstrate how insulin prepares cells for glucose uptake

Using high-resolution microscopy, researchers at the National Institutes of Health have shown how insulin prompts fat cells to take in glucose in a rat model. The findings were reported in the Sept. 8 issue of the journal Cell Metabolism.

9 Sep 2010

Health and Human Services News and Research

Today's Opinions: Prevention and small business; Views on medical inflation and health reform; Sebelius letter examined

Sebelius to discuss Obama Administration's efforts to combat AIDS epidemic in America

UIC Institute for Juvenile Research centennial anniversary celebrations on Oct. 1

Genotoxic effects of exposure to disinfection by-products in indoor swimming pools

Lawmakers plot health overhaul tax provision change, other provisions under fire

Physician shortage could grow under new health law

Sebelius warns insurers not to blame rate hikes on health overhaul

Commonwealth among 103 Pennsylvania employers qualified for federal retiree benefit assistance

K-V successfully completes FDA inspection for resumption of manufacturing and shipment of products

NACHC Conference to discuss primary care foundation in America under Affordable Care Act

First Edition: September 10, 2010

Sebelius calls upon AHIP to stop misinformation, false blame on premium increases on patient protections

GP to continue support for implementation of ISDH's new model for public health preparedness activities

Change in sociodemographic factors increases substance abuse treatment admissions: SAMHSA

NIH launches two research studies to examine ways to curtail childhood obesity epidemic

ECRI Institute PSO launches Patient Safety E-lerts to reduce healthcare events' risk

Researchers find minocycline antibiotics effective for fragile X syndrome

Health reform politics: GOP campaigning against law; Dems have mixed strategy

C.A.R.E.S. Alliance launches online tools for addressing misuse and abuse of pain medications

Researchers demonstrate how insulin prepares cells for glucose uptake

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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