Uncle Sam is struggling to figure how best to ensure the safety, quality, and accessibility of a major surgery for a sharply rising number of seniors who need it and want the government, through Medicare, to pay for it. Baby boomers, after decades of running, dancing, aerobics, football, basketball, zoomba, and all manner of joint-stressing….
Continue ReadingArchives for December 2016
U.S. Senate committee rips drug makers for predatory price-gouging
Congress must stop Big Pharma predators from ripping off American consumers by acting like hedge funds, buying up decades-old, off-patent drugs and jacking up prices on long-standing “gold standard” prescription medications, a Senate committee has recommended after a bipartisan industry investigation. The Senate Special Committee on Aging, chaired by Maine Republican Susan M. Collins and….
Continue ReadingAt home and abroad, Big Pharma has been flooding narcotic pills into markets and spreading opioid drug abuse crisis
The opioid drug abuse crisis isn’t going away with 2016’s end. If anything, even as the nation has just committed $1 billion to combating this scourge, news reports are disclosing how Big Pharma made it even worse than had been known in at least one ravaged state, and how industry players are threatening to export it so….
Continue ReadingHappier new year? Don’t overdo holiday eating, drinking, travel, socializing
Here’s hoping the holidays are going well for one and all. But, even as they fly away, moderation and some common sense about the seasonal celebrations is worth keeping in mind. It can pay, for example, to be careful about what you eat in this festive time. Researchers at the RAND Corporation have just issued….
Continue ReadingStar-power reconsidered: What’s the cost of celebrities’ cancer commentaries?
Celebrity is a powerful force in public opinion, and it often has been pursued by medical experts eager to tap its do-good potential. But a pair of recent star turns on preventive testing have caused consternation over their unintended and unwelcome outcomes. Have Angelina Jolie and Ben Stiller led their fans astray, prompting some to misunderstand….
Continue Reading20 states, U.S. take aim at collusion claims, soaring prices for generic drugs
If there ever were naïve wishes that parts of Big Pharma might work in more enlightened ways for patients, the attorney generals in 20 states and federal prosecutors, have dashed optimism about “white hat” drug makers. Led by Connecticut’s chief legal officer, the attorney generals have sued a half dozen makers of generic drugs, asserting….
Continue ReadingNew cautions issued on babies and anesthesia, newborn screenings
Some new cautions have been issued on some key aspects of children’s health care. The federal government is increasing its warnings on anesthetic use for children and expectant moms, while a newspaper investigation is raising issues with common newborn screenings and their inconsistency and inaccuracy. Meantime, a health news site is adding to questions about….
Continue ReadingHospital study finds big gaps between best and worst but won’t name names
Patients need much more information in more user-friendly fashion to determine how hospitals might work best for them, a big new study finds, while also debunking a notion that’s a little hard to fathom on its face. Ordinary consumers seem clearly to understand that hospitals differ greatly in their quality, right? But this research doesn’t….
Continue ReadingSome hospitals play nice, others Scrooge patients over deductibles
Let’s give thanks to all the doctors, nurses, and others who will devote time during the holidays to taking care of others—and let’s give at least a small cheer for some hospitals, yes, that occasionally fulfill a higher mission than pure profit making. Modern Healthcare, an industry publication, has provided a glimmer of seasonal light….
Continue ReadingMerry, merry, and happy, happy? Some ideas to keep the holidays safe, healthy
Because the holidays should be filled with abundant joy, here are a few ways to safeguard the health and well-being of you and yours in the days ahead: Don’t ignore deadly fire dangers The tragic Oakland, Calif., warehouse-concert hall blaze that claimed at least 36 lives has provided a timely reminder: Fires remain a huge concern,….
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