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First Edition: January 14, 2011

Today's headlines include reports that House GOP leaders are poised to return to work on repealing the health law. A vote has been scheduled for next week.

14 Jan 2011

Unintended direct conflict between pharmaceutical marketing and public health

Drugs that pharmaceutical companies market most aggressively to physicians and patients tend to offer less benefit and more harm to most patients - a phenomenon described as the "inverse benefit law" in a paper from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

14 Jan 2011

Baylor Health Care System to implement standardized, certified EHR

Baylor Health Care System is today announcing its intent to continue to improve the quality of patient care in North Texas through the implementation of the electronic health record (EHR) across the health care system. It is one of thousands of hospitals and eligible professionals across the country officially registering with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to demonstrate its commitment to achieve "meaningful use" of EHRs.

14 Jan 2011

U.S. Marshals seize Rite-Dent's dental devices

U.S. Marshals, acting under a court order sought by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on Jan. 5 and 6, seized all dental devices from Rite-Dent Manufacturing Corporation, located in Hialeah, Fla.

14 Jan 2011

Skanska awarded healthcare projects totaling $282M in California

Skanska has been awarded two major healthcare projects in California. The total contract amount is USD 282 M, approximately SEK 1.9 billion, which will be included in order bookings for the fourth quarter of 2010.

14 Jan 2011

USDA revises corn, soybean crop estimates driving up prices

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Wednesday "reported that last year's corn and soybean crop was smaller than its earlier estimates," Minnesota Public Radio reports. "As a result, prices for corn, soybeans and wheat are rising quickly, sparking concern about higher food prices" (Steil, 1/13).

14 Jan 2011

Covidien announces support for FDA on safe use of acetaminophen

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products and the world's largest producer of acetaminophen, supports the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the safe use of acetaminophen.

14 Jan 2011

World marks Haiti earthquake anniversary

Wednesday marked the one-year anniversary since a massive earthquake struck Haiti, the Miami Herald reports.

14 Jan 2011

Women's eNews examines launch of U.N. Women

Women's eNews examines U.N.'s new agency U.N. Women, which officially got off the ground on Jan. 3. According to the news service, U.N. Women's "Manhattan headquarters remain unoccupied, said U.N. Women spokesperson Gretchen Luchsinger"; employees from the previous U.N. entities that focused on women's issues remain in "scattered offices around the U.N. Secretariat building"; and "[s]even high-level staff positions" remain unfilled.

14 Jan 2011

65% of Americans oppose Medicaid cuts

Coming on the heels of a major research report finding that long term care is paid less on an hourly basis than the national minimum wage, a new nationwide poll shows that 65 percent of Americans would oppose further cuts to funding for long term care.

14 Jan 2011

Older adults who lack road skills can benefit from training programs using driving simulator

Older drivers could benefit from training programs that put them behind the wheel-in a driving simulator, with an observer who helps them develop their skills. That's the conclusion of a new article published in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

14 Jan 2011

Study finds racial disparities in weight-related counseling

When it comes to advising obese patients, blacks receive less weight reduction and exercise counseling from physicians than their white counterparts. This is according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who examined the impact of patient and doctor race concordance on weight-related counseling.

14 Jan 2011

Medicaid payments under scrutiny in New York City, on Maryland's eastern shore

New York City is defending its authorization of in-home care for thousands of patients. Meanwhile, in Maryland, investigators disclosed that they had uncovered evidence of fraud at a drug treatment and mental health clinic. In the background, Wisconsin legislators greenlight plans for a sweeping audit of the state's health program for the poor.

14 Jan 2011

Banned chemicals found in pregnant women

The bodies of virtually all U.S. pregnant women carry multiple chemicals, including some banned since the 1970s and others used in common products such as non-stick cookware, processed foods and personal care products, according to a new study from UCSF. The study marks the first time that the number of chemicals to which pregnant women are exposed has been counted.

14 Jan 2011

Judge orders Guidant to pay $296 million fine for withholding information about faulty heart devices

This Boston Scientific Corp. subsidiary faces this fine as well as three years of probation as part of a case that began in 2005.

14 Jan 2011

FDA stops operations of N.Y.-based beverage company

At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice today filed a complaint for permanent injunction against a Jamaica, N.Y.-based beverage company to prevent it from processing and distributing juice and other products.

14 Jan 2011

State health programs face significant budget challenges

In the third quarter of 2010, overall state revenues were down 7 percent compared to two years earlier. That drop has come at a time when the slow economy is putting increasing demands on safety-net services that states administer, such as Medicaid. The state-run health program for people with low incomes has eclipsed K-12 education as the most expensive portion of overall state budgets.

14 Jan 2011

Vanderbilt, Scripps Research form partnership to open new institute

The Scripps Research Institute and Vanderbilt University have formed a partnership to advance science at the interface of chemistry and medicine, the institutions announced today.

14 Jan 2011

GOP leaders reformulate strategies to undo health law

In the wake of last weekend's shootings in Arizona, GOP House leaders are contemplating ways to proceed with their planned health law repeal vote. Meanwhile, even as the debate continues — perhaps with more civility — The Washington Post offers a fact-check of one of the key points in play.

14 Jan 2011

New research shows hospital's design features can improve patient care, reduce health care expenses

Extra large private hospital rooms with plenty of natural light and artwork may seem like unaffordable luxuries, but new research shows that these and other architecture and design features can improve patient care and in the long run reduce health care expenses.

14 Jan 2011