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Florida Democrats ask CMS to explain overcharging of Medicare beneficiaries

Florida Democratic Reps. Robert Wexler, Alcee Hastings, Ron Klein and Debbie Wasserman Schultz last week sent a letter to CMS acting Administrator Leslie Norwalk requesting information regarding a computer glitch that withdrew money from some Medicare beneficiaries' Social Security checks, The Hill reports (Young, The Hill , 4/26).

30 Apr 2007

House approves bill that bans discrimination based on genetics

The House on Wednesday voted 420-3 to approve a bill (HR 493), sponsored by Rep.

30 Apr 2007

Mexico City bill that legalizes abortion during first three months' gestation published into law

A bill that allows pregnant women to obtain a legal abortion in Mexico City during the first three months' gestation was published into law on Thursday, the AP/Houston Chronicle reports (Castillo, AP/Houston Chronicle , 4/26).

30 Apr 2007

U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments in case over Wisconsin antiabortion group's appeal of campaign finance law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday heard oral arguments in a challenge of a lower court ruling in favor of a Wisconsin anti-abortion group's constitutional challenge to the McCain-Feingold federal campaign finance law, the New York Times reports (Greenhouse, New York Times, 4/26).

30 Apr 2007

UNESCO launches programs to build capacity of education sector in southern Africa to address HIV/AIDS

UNESCO is launching programs aimed at building the capacity of the education sectors throughout Southern Africa to help fight HIV/AIDS in the region, UNESCO Zimbabwe Representative Juma Shabani said Tuesday at an HIV/AIDS skills-building meeting in Harare, Zimbabwe, Xinhua/People's Daily reports.

30 Apr 2007

Panel calls on G8 to deliver on 2005 promises made for Africa

The Africa Progress Panel on Tuesday in Berlin called on the Group of Eight industrialized nations to fulfill commitments made at its 2005 summit regarding aid to Africa, including HIV/AIDS funding, the Washington Post reports (Williams, Washington Post , 4/25).

30 Apr 2007

Democratic Presidential candidates discuss abortion rights

Eight candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday in a debate at South Carolina State University "uniformly criticized" the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last week to uphold a federal law (S 3) banning so-called "partial-birth" abortion, the Washington Post reports (Balz, Washington Post , 4/27).

30 Apr 2007

60% of HIV-positive people in India live in rural areas

About 60% of the approximately 5.2 million adults living with HIV/AIDS in India live in rural areas, according to a report recently released by the World Health Organization, PTI/Financial Express reports.

30 Apr 2007

Health advocates, drug industry reps lobby lawmakers for support in Thailand drug licensing dispute

International health advocates and drug industry representatives are lobbying U.S. lawmakers and the Bush administration for their support in the dispute over Thailand's decision to issue compulsory licenses for medications, including some antiretroviral drugs, CongressDaily reports (Vaughan, CongressDaily , 4/26).

30 Apr 2007

AARP launches campaign to encourage Presidential candidates to focus on health care, financial security

AARP on Wednesday in Nevada launched a campaign that seeks to focus the 2008 presidential election on health care and financial security issues, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.

30 Apr 2007

Brazilian Health Minister says country will purchase generic version of Merck antiretroviral if price not lowered

Brazilian Health Minister Jose Gomes Temporao on Wednesday signed a decree declaring that the country would purchase from an India-based drug maker a generic version of Merck 's antiretroviral Efavirenz if the company does not offer the drug at a lower price, the AP/Forbes reports.

30 Apr 2007

Web site to list medications of natural disaster evacuees

SureScripts on Tuesday unveiled a Web site that will allow health care workers to access the prescription information of people who live in areas impacted by natural disasters, the AP/Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports.

30 Apr 2007

Cover the uninsured week focuses on enrolling children in SCHIP

Several states have held events as part of Cover the Uninsured Week, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

30 Apr 2007

House subcommittee debates rural veterans' access to care

House Veterans Affairs Health Subcommittee members on Thursday discussed several bills to improve veterans' access to health care, particularly in rural areas, CQ HealthBeat reports.

30 Apr 2007

House approves bill banning genetic discrimination

House lawmakers on Wednesday voted 420-3 to pass legislation (HR 493) that would ban discrimination against U.S. residents based on the results of genetic tests, CQ Today reports (Armstrong, CQ Today, 4/25).

30 Apr 2007

Report on effects of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields on human health

A response to the Stakeholder Advisory Group's report on the effects of extremely low frequency electric and magnetic fields, by a member of SAGE.

30 Apr 2007

Helping eating for kids

Two years ago, Jenny O'Dea set herself a tough challenge: to persuade her one-year old daughter, Katherine, to eat a salty, black olive. The little girl took a small bite, Jenny and her husband cheered and applauded loudly, and Katherine grinned and ate the whole thing.

30 Apr 2007