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Scientists continue work to end chemotherapy pain

With this year's $600,000 grant from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and $1.5 million grant from the NIH, a Saint Louis University investigator is continuing her work to end chemotherapy pain. Noted pain researcher Daniela Salvemini, Ph.D., is using the funding to capitalize on her recent finding published in Pain, a breakthrough that helps scientists understand a molecular pathway by which pain occurs with certain anti-cancer drugs.

17 Dec 2013

San Diego School of Medicine receives grant to provide professional training to senior drivers

For the seventh consecutive year, the Training, Research and Education for Driving Safety (TREDS) program at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has been awarded a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) that will help keep our roadways and senior drivers safe through professional training.

27 Nov 2013

Teen athletes more likely to misuse opioids medications

Teen athletes derive many positive benefits from participating in sports, but their increased risk of sports-related injuries may also heighten their risk for medication misuse and abuse, especially for boys, finds a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

13 Nov 2013

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals net revenue decreases from $12.5 to $6.5 million

Cumberland Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CPIX), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on hospital acute care and gastroenterology, today announced third quarter 2013 financial results.

5 Nov 2013

State highlights: Calif. Gov. Vetoes 'biosimilars' bill; health data gateway opens in Calif.; L.A. health workers required to get flu shots

A selection of health policy stories from California. A bill that would have allowed "biosimilar" drugs to be substituted for biologic drugs was vetoed over the weekend by Gov. Jerry Brown (D), who said it was premature to pass the law until the Federal Drug Administration has worked out standards for the new drugs.

17 Oct 2013

First Edition: October 16, 2013

Today's headlines including stories detailing how certain health law provisions are factoring in to the continuing congressional budget stalemate.

16 Oct 2013

Use of IV acetaminophen with narcotics reduces pain in children with tonsillectomies

Using intravenous acetaminophen with narcotics provides more effective pain relief to children having tonsillectomies, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2013 annual meeting.

13 Oct 2013

New combinations of postoperative pain treatment decreased both pain and use of pain relievers

New combinations of postoperative pain treatment decreased both pain and the use of narcotic pain relievers according to two studies presented this week at the 2013 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.

9 Oct 2013

UCLA study shows how cocaine makes immune cells susceptible to HIV

In many ways, the spread of HIV has been fueled by substance abuse. Shared needles and drug users' high-risk sexual behaviors are just some of the ways that narcotics such as cocaine have played a key role in the AIDS epidemic in much of the world.

3 Oct 2013

Drug use associated with increased risk of fatal crash involvement

Drugged driving has been a safety issue of increasing public concern in the United States and many other countries but its role in motor vehicle crashes had not been adequately examined. In a new study conducted at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, researchers assessed the association of driver drug use, as well as the combination of drugs and alcohol, with the risk of fatal crash.

26 Sep 2013

Consumer advocates, families harmed by dangerous doctors consider amending patient safety ballot measure

The California Medical Association blocked another bill aimed at improving patient safety yesterday, prompting consumer advocates and families harmed by dangerous doctors to consider amending a pending patient safety ballot measure to include those reforms the legislature fails to enact this year.

12 Sep 2013

TAP block procedure poses no significant risks to patients and cuts postoperative use of narcotics

Surgeons at University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, are working to reduce serious complications that have been known to occur with colorectal operations.

29 Aug 2013

Enhanced recovery pathway recovers patients undergoing gynecologic surgery more quickly

Patients who had complex gynecologic surgery managed by an enhanced recovery pathway resulted in decreased narcotic use, earlier discharge, stable readmission rates, excellent patient satisfaction and cost savings, according to a Mayo Clinic study.

27 Aug 2013

Enhanced recovery pathway for patients undergoing gynecologic surgery recovers more quickly

Patients who had complex gynecologic surgery managed by an enhanced recovery pathway (ERP) resulted in decreased narcotic use, earlier discharge, stable readmission rates, excellent patient satisfaction and cost savings, according to a Mayo Clinic study. The findings are published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

27 Aug 2013

UCSF researchers develop assessment tool to predict patient's risk of delirium

UC San Francisco researchers have developed a two-minute assessment tool to help hospital staff predict a patient-s risk of delirium, a change in mental cognition characterized by severe confusion and disorientation that can prolong hospital stays.

7 Aug 2013

Study finds doctors not following medical guidelines on back pain

Researchers report that physicians are often overly aggressive by prescribing addictive narcotics to patients instead of other recommended drugs and too often using surgery and unneeded imaging tools.

31 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 30, 2013

Today's headlines include a USA Today story reporting that personal health care costs rose in the 12 months ending in May at the slowest rate in the last 50 years -- a finding that makes the White House happy.

30 Jul 2013

HealthTrust renews contract with McKesson Automation for pharmacy automation solutions

HealthTrust, a group purchasing and total cost management solutions company representing more than 1,400 acute-care facilities, has renewed its contract with McKesson Automation, ensuring that its member hospitals and health systems have continued access to a full portfolio of central pharmacy and point-of-care pharmacy automation solutions and services.

20 Jul 2013

State highlights: Docs prescribe narcotics too often, CDC chief says; Fla. hospices get close scrutiny; Calif. Medi-Cal provider rate bump delayed

The nation's top public health official on Tuesday sharply criticized the widespread treatment of aches and pains with narcotics, saying that doctors are prescribing such drugs too soon, too often and for too long -- putting patients at risk of addiction and overdose. Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that doctors are relying on these powerful drugs to treat chronic pain when physical therapy, exercise and other remedies would be safer and in many cases more effective (Girion and Glover, 7/2).

4 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 3, 2013

Today's headlines detail the Obama administration announcement that it would delay the health law rule requiring businesses provide insurance to workers.

3 Jul 2013