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People with tune deafness able to detect a wrong note unconsciously

People with tune deafness aren't able to tell when a musician accidentally strikes the wrong note in a song, but their brains know the difference. Researchers from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), part of the National Institutes of Health, have found that people with tune deafness, an auditory processing disorder in which a person with normal hearing has trouble distinguishing notes in a melody, are able to detect a wrong note unconsciously.

11 Jun 2008

Smoking and body mass index found to be risk factors in age-related hearing loss

Smoking and body mass index (BMI) are risk factors in the development of age-related hearing loss, says one of the largest-ever studies into risk factors for hearing loss - but alcohol has a protective effect.

11 Jun 2008

Bush Administration requests $275 million increase for FDA in FY 2009 budget

The Bush Administration on Monday requested that Congress allocate an additional $275 million in fiscal year 2009 for FDA, the New York Times reports. The funds would be used to improve drug and food safety in the U.S. (Harris, New York Times, 6/10).

11 Jun 2008

CQ's Carey discusses Democratic, GOP Medicare proposals, VA mental health bill, health care IT measure

Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses Senate Democratic and Republican measures to halt a 10.6% reduction to Medicare physician fees; Senate legislation involving veterans' mental health; and a House bill that encourages greater adoption of electronic health records in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ."

10 Jun 2008

Experts to develop national response to growing crisis of premature birth

Experts from throughout the United States will gather to develop a comprehensive national action plan to address the growing crisis of preterm birth.

9 Jun 2008

House panel hearing focuses on health IT privacy, cost concerns

Lawmakers, patient-privacy and health care advocates, and information technology experts on Tuesday "debated ... how Congress can strike a balance between accelerating the adoption of a nationwide system of electronic medical records while protecting patient privacy," CongressDaily reports (Noyes, CongressDaily, 6/4).

8 Jun 2008

Senate Finance Committee hears testimony on health IT, quality of care, medical liability laws in preparation for major health system overhaul efforts next year

Lawmakers should not overstate the ability of health care information technology, quality improvement efforts and medical liability reform to reduce health care costs, Paul Ginsburg, president of the Center for Studying Health System Change, testified on Tuesday at a Senate Finance Committee hearing, CQ HealthBeat reports.

8 Jun 2008

Colorado Gov. Ritter signs 11 health care bills to increase access, expand coverage

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) on Tuesday signed into law 11 health care bills, including measures to expand coverage requirements and increase children's access to care, the AP/Denver Post reports.

8 Jun 2008

Survey shows Americans regard reducing the cost of prescription drugs as highest health care priority

In a national survey released today by the Alliance of Minority Medical Associations (AMMA), Americans noted that their highest health care priority is reducing the cost of prescription drugs. Furthermore, survey respondents shared overwhelming support for creating an approval pathway for generic, or follow-on biotechnology therapies, with 86% of likely voters stating their desire for such a system.

4 Jun 2008

ACLU urges Congress to maximize medical privacy of electronic health records

The American Civil Liberties Union urges the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health at today's hearing to develop privacy and security standards at the same time the health care industry converts from paper to electronic patient records.

4 Jun 2008

Health IT legislation stalled by privacy concerns

Legislation that would promote the adoption and standardization of health information technology is "knotted up" in Congress over privacy issues, CQ Today reports (Wayne, CQ Today, 6/2).

3 Jun 2008

Health insurer lobby releases plan to reduce U.S. health care costs by $145 billion

Officials from America's Health Insurance Plans have proposed a plan they estimate could reduce U.S. health care spending by $145 billion by 2015, The Politico reports. The group plans to present its findings to congressional committee chairs and ranking members and to hold a policy briefing.

3 Jun 2008

New approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome

A new approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome (USH1), the most common condition affecting both sight and hearing, will be unveiled by a scientist at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics tomorrow (Tuesday 3 June).

2 Jun 2008

New studies provide insight into oral cancer, chronic pediatric ear infections, and hearing health

Three new studies published in the June 2008 edition of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery focus on what role gender plays in the prognosis of oral tongue cancer, chronic ear infections in children, and the success rates of hearing aid implants in the elderly.

1 Jun 2008

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

A study of cochlear implant patients seen by Indiana University School of Medicine physicians is the first research to show evidence that cochlear implants in both ears significantly improves quality of life in patients with profound hearing loss and that the cost of the second implant is offset by its benefits.

30 May 2008

House Committee leaders warn pharmaceutical companies to end use of 'misleading' advertisements

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chair Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) in a recent letter warned four pharmaceutical companies to end the use of "misleading and deceptive" direct-to-consumer advertisements for medications, CQ HealthBeat reports.

21 May 2008

Veteran group to present proposals for advance funds for health care in department of Veterans Affairs budget

Disabled American Veterans on Wednesday at a Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing plans to present a proposal under which lawmakers would approve funds for health care in the Department of Veterans Affairs budget one year in advance, The Hill reports.

21 May 2008

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Health Secretary Alan Johnson today called on the NHS to rise to the challenge of providing more and better preventative care for older people.

21 May 2008

Senate leaders agree on privacy protections amendment to health care information technology bill

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) on Wednesday announced that sponsors of a bill (HR 1693) that would promote the use of health care information technology have agreed to include an amendment Leahy proposed to help protect patient privacy, CQ HealthBeat reports. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) introduced the legislation last October.

19 May 2008

House Committee holds hearing on concerns about nursing home ownership, inspections

The House Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Thursday held a hearing to examine the effects that the "increasingly veiled nature" of nursing home ownership and problems with inspections have had on the quality of care for elderly and disabled residents, CQ HealthBeat reports (Reichard, CQ HealthBeat, 5/15).

19 May 2008

Hearing News and Research

People with tune deafness able to detect a wrong note unconsciously

Smoking and body mass index found to be risk factors in age-related hearing loss

Bush Administration requests $275 million increase for FDA in FY 2009 budget

CQ's Carey discusses Democratic, GOP Medicare proposals, VA mental health bill, health care IT measure

Experts to develop national response to growing crisis of premature birth

House panel hearing focuses on health IT privacy, cost concerns

Senate Finance Committee hears testimony on health IT, quality of care, medical liability laws in preparation for major health system overhaul efforts next year

Colorado Gov. Ritter signs 11 health care bills to increase access, expand coverage

Survey shows Americans regard reducing the cost of prescription drugs as highest health care priority

ACLU urges Congress to maximize medical privacy of electronic health records

Health IT legislation stalled by privacy concerns

Health insurer lobby releases plan to reduce U.S. health care costs by $145 billion

New approach to treating vision loss caused by type 1 Usher syndrome

New studies provide insight into oral cancer, chronic pediatric ear infections, and hearing health

Bilateral cochlear implants: A case when two are definitely superior to one

House Committee leaders warn pharmaceutical companies to end use of 'misleading' advertisements

Veteran group to present proposals for advance funds for health care in department of Veterans Affairs budget

Old age is the new middle age - Health Secretary Alan Johnson says

Senate leaders agree on privacy protections amendment to health care information technology bill

House Committee holds hearing on concerns about nursing home ownership, inspections

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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