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State highlights: New abortion restrictions in Louisiana; aging gracefully in the Gopher State

A bill that could result in the shuttering of up to four of Louisiana's five abortion clinics overwhelmingly received full passage from the Louisiana Legislature Wednesday (May 21), and Gov. Bobby Jindal has indicated he will sign it into law. The legislation is, in part, based on a similar measure passed in Texas last year and led to the closing of several abortion clinics in that state. In its last legislative hurdle, the House concurred an amendment on Wednesday (May 21) that was added to the bill on the Senate side (Lane, 5/22).

23 May 2014

First Edition: May 22, 2014

Today's headlines include coverage of the Senate Finance Committee vote to recommend Sylvia Mathews Burwell to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

22 May 2014

Viewpoints: Boehner's 'truthful gaffe' on health law; Larry Kramer's AIDS crusade; costly drugs

Although "repeal and replace" has been the Republican position on Obamacare since 2010, "replace" has been there mainly because it polled well. Republicans were satisfied with the health-care status quo in 2009, and would have been glad to repeal Obamacare to return to it. As Steve Benen points out, Republicans voted for just-plain-repeal many times.

29 Apr 2014

State highlights: Tenn. may send addicted moms to jail; Hawaii autism coverage; Florida medical marijuana

Pregnant women addicted to illegal narcotics or prescription pain pills could soon be jailed in Tennessee under a bill awaiting the governor's signature.

23 Apr 2014

New painkiller, with fewer side-effects, up for FDA approval

The drug, Moxduo, allows patients to take lower doses of other painkillers. Elsewhere, a Food and Drug Administration official talks about another painkiller, Zohydro.

23 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 22, 2014

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including marketplace news about the Novartis purchase of GlaxoSmithKline's oncology unit for $14.5 billion.

22 Apr 2014

Throw away your old medicines safely

Americans spend nearly $1,100 per person on prescription and over-the-counter medications every year, and much of it is left in cabinets, drawers, or forgotten.

17 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 16, 2014

Today's headlines include a report detailing how changes in the Census Bureau's annual survey could mask the health law's impact.

16 Apr 2014

Roundup: Battles fought over Lyme disease, autism and abortion

In Texas, abortion providers file suit to block a state rule that could shut down many of the state's remaining clinics, while lawmakers in Vermont and N.Y. seek to immunize doctors who prescribe long-term antibiotics for patients with lasting symptoms attributed to Lyme disease.

3 Apr 2014

First Edition: April 3, 2014

Today's headlines include reports on how Paul Ryan's budget is playing on Capitol Hill as well as news that the Obama administration is releasing a trove of data on physician services and payments.

3 Apr 2014

FDA approves additional manufacturing suite for Pacira’s EXPAREL

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved an additional bulk manufacturing suite, referred to as Suite C, for EXPAREL (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension). The suite is housed at the company's Science Center Campus in San Diego, where EXPAREL is currently manufactured.

31 Mar 2014

State highlights: Fla. employees' unequal premiums; abuse by Calif. doctor alleged

The Florida Cabinet, state agency managers and legislative staff are among 30,000 top-ranked state workers who will continue to pay ultra-low health insurance premiums in the coming year. In a reverse of the Robin Hood principle, the state charges lower-paid workers six times more than those who have the highest earnings pay. ... [B]oth the House and Senate this week released initial budgets that would keep premiums at the same rate (3/22).

25 Mar 2014

"Doctor shopping" results in increased drug use among postoperative orthopaedic trauma patients

"Doctor shopping," the growing practice of obtaining narcotic prescriptions from multiple providers, has led to measurable increases in drug use among postoperative orthopaedic trauma patients, according to a new study presented today at the 2014 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

11 Mar 2014

Pacira Pharmaceuticals initiates Phase 3 clinical trial of EXPAREL in femoral nerve block

Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:PCRX) today announced that the Phase 3 clinical trial assessing the safety and efficacy of EXPAREL® (bupivacaine liposome injectable suspension) in femoral nerve block for total knee arthroplasty met its primary efficacy endpoint.

27 Feb 2014

Research roundup: Palliative care and ACOs; employers and Supreme Court case on contraception

In preparation for the new ACO environment, leaders recognized the contribution palliative care can make to health care "value," especially in the care of our sickest (and most expensive) patients ...

24 Feb 2014

Study reveals that more than 14% of pregnant women are prescribed opioids for pain

More than 14 percent of pregnant women were prescribed opioids (narcotics) for pain at some time during their pregnancy, according to a study posted to the online version of Anesthesiology.

13 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: Consumers awakening to health law's 'perverse incentives;' Medicaid expansion could help Dems in mid-term elections; new 'devious tactic' in smoking

With fewer glitches to deter them, millions of Americans are now logging on to the ObamaCare health-insurance-exchange websites. When they get there, many are discovering some unpleasant surprises:

25 Jan 2014

New drug helps children and young adults who have severe pain from sickle cell disease

Saint Louis University researchers are studying whether ReoPro® (abciximab), a drug currently given to heart patients undergoing angioplasties to open blocked arteries, also could help children and young adults who have severe pain from sickle cell disease.

23 Jan 2014

Researchers identify new technique to reduce postoperative pain in children

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18 Dec 2013

Chemists able to trace narcotics substances, prescription drugs in Swedish wastewater

Chemists at Ume- University in Sweden have been able to trace narcotics substances and prescription drugs in measurements of wastewater from 33 Swedish sewage treatment plants. Cocaine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine, in measurable concentrations, were found in a total of half of the locations.

17 Dec 2013