News

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded more than $119 million to states and U.S. territories to support public health efforts to reduce obesity, increase physical activity, improve nutrition, and decrease smoking.

With more people gaining access to affordable coverage and an increasing elderly population, America will need more general internists and other primary care doctors than the primary care physician supply, according to the American College of Physicians (ACP).

AARP?s Public Policy Institute finds that average manufacturer price increases for brand-name and specialty prescription drugs widely used by Medicare beneficiaries continued to outstrip the price increases for other consumer goods and services.

Survey results show that the majority of employer clients are strongly considering adopting some of the more progressive strategies to encourage the use of lower-cost generic medications.

Despite being known teratogenic agents contraindicated in pregnancy, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin-receptor blockers (ARBs) are being increasingly prescribed to women with hypertension during their childbearing years.

Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who undergo coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery are less likely to develop fatal outcomes when given ticagrelor instead of clopidogrel as an antiplatelet medication, new research indicates.

Physicians who check the DNA of patients before initiating warfarin therapy are more likely to provide the correct dose, avoiding the possibility of readmittance to a hospital.

On March 12, 2010, FDA announced that the manufacturers of clopidogrel, an antiplatelet agent given to reduce the risk of heart attack, unstable angina, stroke, and cardiovascular death in patients with cardiovascular disease, will be placing a new black box warning into the drug's prescribing information.

New molecular entity: Velaglucerase alpha for injection (VPRIV) was approved February 2010 as an enzyme replacement therapy for the long-term treatment of type 1 Gaucher disease in pediatric and adult patients.

Generic drugs approved by FDA (through February 2010): Tamsulosin hydrochloride capsules, 0.4 mg, Imiquimod cream, 5%, Diltiazem hydrochloride extended-release tablets

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death in patients with diabetes mellitus, accounting for 50% of all deaths. Dyslipidemia is an important modifiable risk factor in diabetic patients and represents a key area for intervention in these patients. Diabetic patients have a lipid profile characterized by low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and an increase in triglyceride levels. Diabetics have increased numbers of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) particles but with a shift to smaller, denser LDL-C particles. The net effect is that patients with type 2 diabetes do not have substantially higher LDL-C concentrations than patients without diabetes.

Naproxcinod, a cyclooxygenase-inhibiting nitric oxide donor, is pending FDA approval for the indications of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Treating osteoarthritis pain can be challenging because many agents commonly used for this indication carry potential risk for increased cardiovascular events including increased blood pressure, increased upper gastrointestinal bleeding, and increased hepatotoxicity.

New added financial incentives are slated to drive adoption of electronic health record systems by doctors and hospitals, and increased government funding may finally lead to standards for interoperability and e-health exchanges necessary for the free flow of secure health data.

Recent FDA approvals (through April 2010) related to Silenor, Carbaglu, Hizentra, Norditropin FlexPro, Xifaxan, Differin, Botox

Agents in late-stage development for the treatment of hepatitis C.

Recent experience points to specific areas where waste may be embedded inadvertently in routine processes. Once discovered, some have relatively easy fixes.

The bad news: PBMs have the weakest performance on the aspects that matter most to employers.

Kerry Weems, a finance and budget expert, formerly the chief of CMS, warns managed care of rate fights around every corner.

Americans see alcoholic drinks nearly every day-on TV, at parties and even on the family dinner table.

Industry executives were grilled at congressional hearings and summoned to a White House meeting called by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to discuss rising premiums

The rapidly approaching shift from ICD-9 to ICD-10 is a massive system overhaul that many have underestimated.

Customize your obesity program for children, beginning as early as preschool

In a move toward accountable care, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Assn. (BCBSA) has established a policy that denies acute care hospitals reimbursement for certain never events.

Two of the major causes of blindness in the United States are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which often can be controlled with medication.

In the arcane argot of antitrust, the debate between the American Medical Assn. (AMA) and the nation's health insurers is a case of he said/she said.

Eventually, the conversations attacking health insurers will tire out, and providers will become the next health-reform punching bag.

Congressional authority is not the same as the authority given to a court of law

Generic drugs have certainly made their mark, but don't count on the same savings in the specialty market.