Health and Human Services News and Research

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Common gene variant linked to development of prostate cancer

Researchers have described how a common genetic variation may be involved in the development of prostate cancer.

22 Apr 2009

Stress in the form of depressive symptoms affects exercise patterns in breast cancer patients

The first study to monitor physical activity in breast cancer patients for five years suggests that patients with greater depressive symptoms and a lower emotional quality of life are less likely to exercise as part of their recovery than are patients reporting less distress.

22 Apr 2009

New drug use screening tools for physicians

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health, today unveiled its first comprehensive Physicians' Outreach Initiative, NIDAMED, which gives medical professionals tools and resources to screen their patients for tobacco, alcohol, illicit, and nonmedical prescription drug use.

20 Apr 2009

New AIDS research training grants awarded for projects in 15 countries

The Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health has awarded seven grants totaling almost $2.7 million to train HIV/AIDS researchers in 15 low- and middle-income countries.

14 Apr 2009

Survey research looks at attitudes, obstacles to walking and biking to work

According to researchers with Kansas State University's Physical Activity and Public Health Laboratory, active commuting -- walking or biking to school or work -- can be an easy, effective and efficient way to integrate physical activity into the daily routine.

13 Apr 2009

Medicare payments for outpatient prescription medications jumped $38 billion between 2005 and 2006

Medicare payments for outpatient prescription medications increased by more than $38 billion when comparing 2005 and 2006 data, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

13 Apr 2009

Multivitamins have no impact on risk of cancer or heart disease in postmenopausal women

The largest study of its kind concludes that long-term multivitamin use has no impact on the risk of common cancers, cardiovascular disease or overall mortality in postmenopausal women.

12 Apr 2009

Large safety gaps identified between top and bottom performing hospitals

The 2009 HealthGrades Patient Safety Excellence Award™ recipients were identified in a report issued today by the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

8 Apr 2009

Classroom-based intervention reduces children's viewing of violent TV

A team of Oregon State University researchers has successfully implemented a classroom-based intervention that reduces the amount of violent TV that children watch.

8 Apr 2009

GAO official names first 13 members of HIT Policy Advisory Committee

Government Accountability Office acting Comptroller General Gene Dodaro last week named 13 members to a policy committee on health care information technology established under the federal economic stimulus package, CongressDaily reports.

6 Apr 2009

Senate unlikely to vote on Gov. Sebelius' nomination as HHS Secretary until later this month

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), President Obama's choice for HHS secretary, "sailed through" a Senate Finance Committee confirmation hearing on Thursday, but the Senate likely will not take up the nomination until later this month because of objections for an immediate vote by several Republican members, the New York Times reports (Pear, New York Times, 4/3).

5 Apr 2009

NIH Nanotechnology Task Force and the NIH Nanomedicine Roadmap initiative host NanoWeek 2009

The NIH Nanotechnology Task Force and the NIH Nanomedicine Roadmap Initiative will host NanoWeek 2009 from Tuesday, April 7 through Friday, April 10 at the Natcher Conference Center on the NIH campus in Bethesda, Md. NIH's first-of-a-kind series of events focusing on science at the nanoscale, NanoWeek 2009 will include symposia with experts in the field, demonstrations, talks, and posters from NIH scientists.

4 Apr 2009

HHS report says health reform vital to U.S. economy as costs rise, quality of care worsens

Comprehensive health care reform is necessary this year because of rising costs and the declining quality of care, according to an HHS report released on Monday, Reuters/Boston Globe reports.

31 Mar 2009

CQ's Armstrong discusses budget reconciliation, coverage proposal from private insurers, Sebelius confirmation

Drew Armstrong, a Congressional Quarterly staff reporter, discusses efforts to use budget reconciliation to fast-track health reform, a compromise offered by private health insurers and the scheduled confirmation hearing for Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), President Obama's nominee for HHS secretary, in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."

30 Mar 2009

South Carolina audit finds inadequacies in Medicaid transportation service program

The South Carolina Legislative Audit Council, the investigative arm of the General Assembly, on Wednesday released an audit report finding that the state might have improperly managed the Medicaid transportation program, the Columbia State reports.

30 Mar 2009

NIH might use stimulus funds for comparative effectiveness research that includes cost comparisons, acting director says

NIH Acting Director Raynard Kington on Thursday during a House Appropriations Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee hearing said that the agency might use some of the $10.4 billion it received from the economic stimulus package to fund comparative effectiveness research that includes comparisons on the cost of treatments, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Mar 2009

Drug-coated stents lower risk of heart attack and death

Heart disease patients 65 and older who receive stents coated with medicine to prevent blockages are more likely to survive and less likely to suffer a heart attack than people fitted with stents not coated with medication, according to a new study supported by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and the American College of Cardiology's National Cardiovascular Data Registry.

30 Mar 2009

Florida senators introduce bill to prevent Medicaid fraud

Florida Senate Health Regulation Committee Chair Don Gaetz (R) and state Senate Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee Chair Durell Peaden (R) at a news conference on Wednesday "expressed confidence" that lawmakers will pass legislation (SB 1986) aiming to prevent and detect Medicaid fraud, the Tallahassee Democrat reports.

30 Mar 2009

Clinical effectiveness of coronary stents in the elderly

29 Mar 2009

Sebelius, DeParle discuss health care reform with congressional lawmakers

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D), President Obama's nominee for HHS secretary, and Nancy-Ann DeParle, the director of the White House Office for Health Reform, each met with congressional lawmakers on Tuesday to discuss plans for health care overhaul, CQ Today reports. Sebelius said she met with nearly 40 senators who expressed "a lot of interest in health reform."

25 Mar 2009

Health and Human Services News and Research

Common gene variant linked to development of prostate cancer

Stress in the form of depressive symptoms affects exercise patterns in breast cancer patients

New drug use screening tools for physicians

New AIDS research training grants awarded for projects in 15 countries

Survey research looks at attitudes, obstacles to walking and biking to work

Medicare payments for outpatient prescription medications jumped $38 billion between 2005 and 2006

Multivitamins have no impact on risk of cancer or heart disease in postmenopausal women

Large safety gaps identified between top and bottom performing hospitals

Classroom-based intervention reduces children's viewing of violent TV

GAO official names first 13 members of HIT Policy Advisory Committee

Senate unlikely to vote on Gov. Sebelius' nomination as HHS Secretary until later this month

NIH Nanotechnology Task Force and the NIH Nanomedicine Roadmap initiative host NanoWeek 2009

HHS report says health reform vital to U.S. economy as costs rise, quality of care worsens

CQ's Armstrong discusses budget reconciliation, coverage proposal from private insurers, Sebelius confirmation

South Carolina audit finds inadequacies in Medicaid transportation service program

NIH might use stimulus funds for comparative effectiveness research that includes cost comparisons, acting director says

Drug-coated stents lower risk of heart attack and death

Florida senators introduce bill to prevent Medicaid fraud

Clinical effectiveness of coronary stents in the elderly

Sebelius, DeParle discuss health care reform with congressional lawmakers

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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

From Puberty to Menopause: Clue’s CEO, Audrey Tsang on the Power of Femtech

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