With flu season just around the corner, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is recommending that people with asthma and other chronic health conditions receive a flu vaccination as soon as possible.
Each year, millions of people in the United States get influenza.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
approximately 36,000 people per year in the United States die from
influenza, and over 200,000 people have to be admitted to the hospital as a
result of the flu.
Influenza is typically spread from person to person through coughing
and sneezing via respiratory droplets. If someone with the flu coughs on
you, there is a high chance you will develop flu symptoms within four days
after the initial exposure to that person. Common flu symptoms include:
-- Fever
-- Muscle aches and tenderness
-- Headache
-- Fatigue
-- Dry cough
-- Sore throat
-- Runny nose
"Symptoms of influenza can be especially severe for patients with
respiratory diseases, such as asthma," said Richard A. Nicklas, MD, FAAAAI,
Chair of the AAAAI's Asthma Diagnosis and Treatment Interest Section. "In
severe cases, influenza can cause pneumonia, may require hospitalization
and sometimes can be fatal.
"
Research has found that the flu vaccine decreases the risk of asthma
exacerbations in patients by as much as 22% to 41%. In addition, it can
also protect against acute asthma exacerbations in children. Vaccinating
all children with asthma could prevent up to 78% of asthma hospitalizations
and emergency room visits during influenza seasons.
The flu season usually ranges from November through March, and peaks in
December, January and February. It takes approximately two weeks to develop
immunity from the vaccine so it is important to get vaccinated each fall in
October or November, before the flu season begins.
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot get the flu from the flu
vaccine. If you feel sick with flu-like symptoms after being vaccinated,
you may have caught another respiratory virus or already had the flu virus
in your system when you received the vaccine.
Discuss any questions that you may have regarding influenza or the flu
vaccine with your physician. For more information, visit the AAAAI Web
site, aaaai, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Web site, cdc/nip/flu, or call the CDC Immunization
Hot Line at (800) 232-2522.
The AAAAI's How the Allergist/Immunologist Can Help: Consultation and
Referral Guidelines Citing the Evidence provide information to assist
patients and health care professionals in determining when a patient may
need consultation or ongoing specialty care by the allergist/immunologist.
Patients should see an allergist/immunologist if they:
-- Need to confirm the diagnosis of asthma
-- Need education on asthma and guidance in techniques for
self-management.
-- Need for daily asthma reliever medications
-- Are not using medications as prescribed, and this is limiting their
ability to control their asthma
-- Have potentially fatal asthma, meaning a prior severe, life
threatening episode that included intubation
To find an allergist/immunologist in your area, call the AAAAI
Physician Referral and Information Line at (800) 822-2762 or visit the
AAAAI Web site at aaaai/physref/.
The AAAAI is the largest professional medical specialty organization in
the United States representing allergists, asthma specialists, clinical
immunologists, allied health professionals and others with a special
interest in the research and treatment of allergic disease. Established in
1943, the AAAAI has more than 6,000 members in the United States, Canada
and 60 other countries. The AAAAI serves as an advocate to the public by
providing educational information through its Web site at
aaaai.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI)
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суббота, 10 сентября 2011 г.
Charles Kennedy, M.D., Vice President For Health Information Technology, WellPoint, Inc., Appointed To National Health I.T. Policy Committee
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced the appointment of Charles Kennedy, M.D., vice president for Health Information Technology, WellPoint, Inc. (NYSE: WLP), to the Health Information Technology Policy Committee, a new advisory body established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. GAO, the investigative arm of Congress, helps meet legislators' needs for timely and reliable information on a wide range of government activities.
The Act, also known as the stimulus legislation, directed the Comptroller General to appoint 13 members to the committee for terms of three years. The committee will make recommendations on creating a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure, including standards for the exchange of patient medical information.
As the only representative of health plans or other third-party payers, Dr. Kennedy will play a vital role in ensuring health care value will be effectively represented in the health I.T. component of health reform and in guiding the development of a new infrastructure for higher quality, more efficient care.
"I welcome the opportunity to help shape the nation's health I.T. infrastructure," said Dr. Kennedy. "From global competitiveness to improving the health of the individual, I can think of no other activity more important than the deployment of health I.T. I expect to focus on tools that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care delivery."
At WellPoint, Dr. Kennedy is responsible for building technical solutions that leverage health plan data sets to help improve patient care. With over 20 years of health care experience, he has deployed several advanced health I.T. tools and was responsible for creating strategic acquisitions and investments in companies that focus on health care technology.
In additional to being a recognized expert in health I.T., Dr. Kennedy has served on multiple boards such as AHIC Successor, Inc, the National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT), the California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO), and was a founding commissioner of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT).
About WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint is committed to improving the lives and health of the people and communities we serve by simplifying the connection between health, care and value. Our goal is to help shape the impact each health care decision has on individuals, the health care system at-large, and our communities. WellPoint's more than 42,000 associates work every day to help create the best health care value for our customers. Through collaborations with providers and with innovative programs, WellPoint's affiliated health plans reward healthy lifestyles and quality, safe and effective care. As the nation's largest health benefits company, with more than 35 million members in its affiliated health plans, WellPoint is at the center of the health care system. This position provides us with the relationships and insights needed to help create affordable and actionable solutions that improve health care.
As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at wellpoint.
WellPoint, Inc.
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The Act, also known as the stimulus legislation, directed the Comptroller General to appoint 13 members to the committee for terms of three years. The committee will make recommendations on creating a policy framework for the development and adoption of a nationwide health information technology infrastructure, including standards for the exchange of patient medical information.
As the only representative of health plans or other third-party payers, Dr. Kennedy will play a vital role in ensuring health care value will be effectively represented in the health I.T. component of health reform and in guiding the development of a new infrastructure for higher quality, more efficient care.
"I welcome the opportunity to help shape the nation's health I.T. infrastructure," said Dr. Kennedy. "From global competitiveness to improving the health of the individual, I can think of no other activity more important than the deployment of health I.T. I expect to focus on tools that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of health care delivery."
At WellPoint, Dr. Kennedy is responsible for building technical solutions that leverage health plan data sets to help improve patient care. With over 20 years of health care experience, he has deployed several advanced health I.T. tools and was responsible for creating strategic acquisitions and investments in companies that focus on health care technology.
In additional to being a recognized expert in health I.T., Dr. Kennedy has served on multiple boards such as AHIC Successor, Inc, the National Alliance for Health Information Technology (NAHIT), the California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO), and was a founding commissioner of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT).
About WellPoint, Inc.
WellPoint is committed to improving the lives and health of the people and communities we serve by simplifying the connection between health, care and value. Our goal is to help shape the impact each health care decision has on individuals, the health care system at-large, and our communities. WellPoint's more than 42,000 associates work every day to help create the best health care value for our customers. Through collaborations with providers and with innovative programs, WellPoint's affiliated health plans reward healthy lifestyles and quality, safe and effective care. As the nation's largest health benefits company, with more than 35 million members in its affiliated health plans, WellPoint is at the center of the health care system. This position provides us with the relationships and insights needed to help create affordable and actionable solutions that improve health care.
As an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, WellPoint serves members as the Blue Cross licensee for California; the Blue Cross and Blue Shield licensee for Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Missouri (excluding 30 counties in the Kansas City area), Nevada, New Hampshire, New York (as the Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in 10 New York City metropolitan and surrounding counties and as the Blue Cross or Blue Cross Blue Shield licensee in selected upstate counties only), Ohio, Virginia (excluding the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.), Wisconsin; and through UniCare. Additional information about WellPoint is available at wellpoint.
WellPoint, Inc.
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Team IDs Weakness In Anthrax Bacteria
MIT and New York University researchers have identified a weakness in the defenses of the anthrax bacterium that could be exploited to produce new antibiotics.
The researchers found that nitric oxide (NO) is a critical part of Bacillus anthracis's defense against the immune response launched by cells infected with the bacterium. Anthrax bacteria that cannot produce NO succumb to the immune system's attack.
Stephen Lippard, the Arthur Amos Noyes Professor of Chemistry at MIT and an author of a paper on the work, said antibiotics developed to capitalize on this vulnerability could be effective against other bacteria that employ the same defense system. Those bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus, which commonly causes infections in hospitals and can be extremely drug-resistant.
The paper appears in the Jan. 21 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Anthrax occurs naturally around the world and can infect all warm-blooded animals including humans. Treatment usually includes large doses of intravenous and oral antibiotics, but the disease can often be fatal-especially if treatment is not started right away.
In the human immune system, specialized cells called macrophages are the first line of defense against anthrax infection. Macrophages engulf the bacteria and bombard them with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, which create chemical reactions toxic to the bacteria.
The research team found that NO produced by the bacteria preemptively defends against attack by reactive oxygen species produced by the macrophages soon after infection. Twelve hours later, when the macrophages release NO to join in the attack, it is too late-by then the bacteria have taken over and eventually destroy the macrophages.
When the gene for the enzyme that synthesizes NO is knocked out in the bacteria, they cannot defend against early attack by the macrophages, which can then survive the infection.
"With the aid of an intracellular probe developed in our laboratory, which fluoresces in the presence of NO, our collaborators Evgeny Nudler and his group discovered a completely new target for the next generation of antibiotics," said Lippard.
With this knowledge in hand, the researchers are now using the fluorescent probe to screen libraries of chemicals for compounds that could potentially interfere with the bacterium's ability to synthesize NO, said Lippard. Such compounds could eventually be developed into new antibiotics.
Lead author of the paper is Konstantin Shatalin of the New York University School of Medicine. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
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The researchers found that nitric oxide (NO) is a critical part of Bacillus anthracis's defense against the immune response launched by cells infected with the bacterium. Anthrax bacteria that cannot produce NO succumb to the immune system's attack.
Stephen Lippard, the Arthur Amos Noyes Professor of Chemistry at MIT and an author of a paper on the work, said antibiotics developed to capitalize on this vulnerability could be effective against other bacteria that employ the same defense system. Those bacteria include Staphylococcus aureus, which commonly causes infections in hospitals and can be extremely drug-resistant.
The paper appears in the Jan. 21 online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Anthrax occurs naturally around the world and can infect all warm-blooded animals including humans. Treatment usually includes large doses of intravenous and oral antibiotics, but the disease can often be fatal-especially if treatment is not started right away.
In the human immune system, specialized cells called macrophages are the first line of defense against anthrax infection. Macrophages engulf the bacteria and bombard them with reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, which create chemical reactions toxic to the bacteria.
The research team found that NO produced by the bacteria preemptively defends against attack by reactive oxygen species produced by the macrophages soon after infection. Twelve hours later, when the macrophages release NO to join in the attack, it is too late-by then the bacteria have taken over and eventually destroy the macrophages.
When the gene for the enzyme that synthesizes NO is knocked out in the bacteria, they cannot defend against early attack by the macrophages, which can then survive the infection.
"With the aid of an intracellular probe developed in our laboratory, which fluoresces in the presence of NO, our collaborators Evgeny Nudler and his group discovered a completely new target for the next generation of antibiotics," said Lippard.
With this knowledge in hand, the researchers are now using the fluorescent probe to screen libraries of chemicals for compounds that could potentially interfere with the bacterium's ability to synthesize NO, said Lippard. Such compounds could eventually be developed into new antibiotics.
Lead author of the paper is Konstantin Shatalin of the New York University School of Medicine. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
mit.edu
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H1N1 Flu Virus: Government Of Canada Provides Travel Guidance
The Government of Canada today provided important guidance on how to reduce the spread of the H1N1 flu virus on planes, trains, ferries and inter-city buses.
"Canadians want to know how the H1N1 flu virus affects their regular travel " said Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. These guidelines help clarify how passengers, crews, travel agencies and operators can help reduce the spread of infection on planes, trains, ferries and buses ."
The guidance document primarily targets travellers undertaking longer trips, particularly those traveling between cities, provinces or countries. Canadians who are feeling healthy are encouraged to continue their regular use of public transit.
"Everyone has a role to play in reducing the spread of the H1N1 flu virus," said Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones. "If you are sick you should postpone your travel plans until you feel well enough to participate fully in all regular activities."
Guideline recommendations include:
passengers and crew members staying home if they are sick;
travel companies, airlines, bus lines and others who operate public conveyances allowing Canadians to easily rebook their travel plans if they get sick;
operators posting preventive measure signs advising travellers to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer, and to cough and sneeze into arms, and not their hands;
travel companies ensuring that facilities for hand washing are readily available for passengers;
regular cleaning of common surfaces in transportation vehicles according to cleaning and disinfection procedures developed by Health Canada; and
crew members avoiding using gloves, masks, facemasks, and eye protection in most situations.
The guidance document also provides advice on how to deal with sick passengers on board planes, trains, ferries and buses, and outlines the responsibilities of conveyance operators for notifying public health or other appropriate authorities about sick passengers (see backgrounder ). The first priority is to arrange for immediate medical attention of a passenger, if required.
The guidance document has been distributed to all conveyance operators, and is available on the website of the Public Heath Agency of Canada.
Source
Health Canada
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"Canadians want to know how the H1N1 flu virus affects their regular travel " said Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. These guidelines help clarify how passengers, crews, travel agencies and operators can help reduce the spread of infection on planes, trains, ferries and buses ."
The guidance document primarily targets travellers undertaking longer trips, particularly those traveling between cities, provinces or countries. Canadians who are feeling healthy are encouraged to continue their regular use of public transit.
"Everyone has a role to play in reducing the spread of the H1N1 flu virus," said Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones. "If you are sick you should postpone your travel plans until you feel well enough to participate fully in all regular activities."
Guideline recommendations include:
passengers and crew members staying home if they are sick;
travel companies, airlines, bus lines and others who operate public conveyances allowing Canadians to easily rebook their travel plans if they get sick;
operators posting preventive measure signs advising travellers to wash their hands frequently with soap and water or alcohol-based sanitizer, and to cough and sneeze into arms, and not their hands;
travel companies ensuring that facilities for hand washing are readily available for passengers;
regular cleaning of common surfaces in transportation vehicles according to cleaning and disinfection procedures developed by Health Canada; and
crew members avoiding using gloves, masks, facemasks, and eye protection in most situations.
The guidance document also provides advice on how to deal with sick passengers on board planes, trains, ferries and buses, and outlines the responsibilities of conveyance operators for notifying public health or other appropriate authorities about sick passengers (see backgrounder ). The first priority is to arrange for immediate medical attention of a passenger, if required.
The guidance document has been distributed to all conveyance operators, and is available on the website of the Public Heath Agency of Canada.
Source
Health Canada
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Prevention Guidelines Help Predict Women's Cardiovascular Risk
A simplified strategy for assessing cardiovascular disease risk can predict women's odds of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular events in the following 10 years, according to new research in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, a journal of the American Heart Association.
The strategy, outlined in the 2007 update to the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women, was tested using the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study. In the WHI, researchers followed an ethnically diverse population of 161,808 women, ages 50 to 79, for nearly eight years. Using known cardiovascular risk factors as recommended in the 2007 association guidelines, researchers classified 11 percent as high risk, 72 percent as at risk and 4 percent as optimal (low) risk.
An additional 13 percent didn't fit into any of the categories - they lacked risk factors but didn't have the good health habits required for the optimal category. These women warrant further consideration and future versions of the guidelines will need to address them, said Judith Hsia, M.D., a cardiologist who led the research.
The researchers found that the higher the risk categorization, the higher the odds of a cardiovascular event in the subsequent decade in both white and non-white populations. Among the high-risk women, the chance of heart attack or coronary death over 10 years was 12.5 percent, compared with 3.1 percent among the at-risk women and 1.1 percent among the optimal-risk group.
The association's guidelines may provide a way for physicians to assess risk and for patients to grasp how to improve their health that's easier than a commonly used approach from the Framingham Heart Study, Hsia said. That approach incorporates seven variables - such as age, smoking status and cholesterol levels - into a formula to derive a risk score, a process Hsia said can be time-consuming for doctors and confusing to patients.
In contrast, using the American Heart Association's strategy, researchers labeled those with diabetes or known cardiovascular disease as high risk. They determined the next two levels of risk by number of risk factors, diet and physical activity level. People with one or more major risk factors - including smoking, hypertension, obesity, cholesterol problems, physical inactivity and/or a diet high in saturated fats - were at risk. People with optimal risk had no risk factors and prudent lifestyle, defined in this analysis as eating less than 7 percent of their calories in saturated fats, and exercising the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking six times a week.
Because it pinpoints the most relevant risk factors, the association's strategy "intrinsically conveys to patients why they are at risk, so what they have to do to reduce their risk is clearer," said Hsia, who began the study as a professor of medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and is now with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
This analysis simplified the assessment of diet by using only the saturated fat standard of less than 7 percent of daily calories - "which saves having to also track daily cholesterol, sodium, trans fat and other nutrient intake," Hsia said. WHI researchers have previously found that consumption of a diet with less than 6.1 percent of daily calories from saturated fats correlated with lower cardiovascular risk, and people consuming this low saturated fat diet were likely to meet other specific dietary guidelines.
Minorities made up about 20 percent of the study population. As with the overall population, minorities classified at higher risk were more likely than others to have cardiovascular troubles in the next decade. But actual rates of cardiovascular events for each group varied. For instance, in subjects with optimal risk, Asians had the lowest risk, with a 1 percent rate of cardiovascular events, compared with 4 percent for blacks, 3.6 percent for whites and 2.2 percent for Hispanics.
One limitation of the study is that it included only women ages 50 to 79, Hsia said; however, cardiovascular events are infrequent in younger women.
Noting that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for women and men, Hsia urges doctors and patients to focus on treating risk factors, improving exercise levels and diet and addressing obesity.
Co-authors are Rebecca J. Rodabough, M.S.; JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Simin Liu, M.D., Sc.D.; Matthew S. Freiberg, M.D., M.Sc.; William Graettinger, M.D.; Milagros C. Rosal, Ph.D.; Barb Cochrane, Ph.D.; Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Jennifer G. Robinson, M.D., M.P.H.; and Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.
Source
American Heart Association
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The strategy, outlined in the 2007 update to the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in Women, was tested using the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study. In the WHI, researchers followed an ethnically diverse population of 161,808 women, ages 50 to 79, for nearly eight years. Using known cardiovascular risk factors as recommended in the 2007 association guidelines, researchers classified 11 percent as high risk, 72 percent as at risk and 4 percent as optimal (low) risk.
An additional 13 percent didn't fit into any of the categories - they lacked risk factors but didn't have the good health habits required for the optimal category. These women warrant further consideration and future versions of the guidelines will need to address them, said Judith Hsia, M.D., a cardiologist who led the research.
The researchers found that the higher the risk categorization, the higher the odds of a cardiovascular event in the subsequent decade in both white and non-white populations. Among the high-risk women, the chance of heart attack or coronary death over 10 years was 12.5 percent, compared with 3.1 percent among the at-risk women and 1.1 percent among the optimal-risk group.
The association's guidelines may provide a way for physicians to assess risk and for patients to grasp how to improve their health that's easier than a commonly used approach from the Framingham Heart Study, Hsia said. That approach incorporates seven variables - such as age, smoking status and cholesterol levels - into a formula to derive a risk score, a process Hsia said can be time-consuming for doctors and confusing to patients.
In contrast, using the American Heart Association's strategy, researchers labeled those with diabetes or known cardiovascular disease as high risk. They determined the next two levels of risk by number of risk factors, diet and physical activity level. People with one or more major risk factors - including smoking, hypertension, obesity, cholesterol problems, physical inactivity and/or a diet high in saturated fats - were at risk. People with optimal risk had no risk factors and prudent lifestyle, defined in this analysis as eating less than 7 percent of their calories in saturated fats, and exercising the equivalent of 30 minutes of brisk walking six times a week.
Because it pinpoints the most relevant risk factors, the association's strategy "intrinsically conveys to patients why they are at risk, so what they have to do to reduce their risk is clearer," said Hsia, who began the study as a professor of medicine at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., and is now with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
This analysis simplified the assessment of diet by using only the saturated fat standard of less than 7 percent of daily calories - "which saves having to also track daily cholesterol, sodium, trans fat and other nutrient intake," Hsia said. WHI researchers have previously found that consumption of a diet with less than 6.1 percent of daily calories from saturated fats correlated with lower cardiovascular risk, and people consuming this low saturated fat diet were likely to meet other specific dietary guidelines.
Minorities made up about 20 percent of the study population. As with the overall population, minorities classified at higher risk were more likely than others to have cardiovascular troubles in the next decade. But actual rates of cardiovascular events for each group varied. For instance, in subjects with optimal risk, Asians had the lowest risk, with a 1 percent rate of cardiovascular events, compared with 4 percent for blacks, 3.6 percent for whites and 2.2 percent for Hispanics.
One limitation of the study is that it included only women ages 50 to 79, Hsia said; however, cardiovascular events are infrequent in younger women.
Noting that coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for women and men, Hsia urges doctors and patients to focus on treating risk factors, improving exercise levels and diet and addressing obesity.
Co-authors are Rebecca J. Rodabough, M.S.; JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Simin Liu, M.D., Sc.D.; Matthew S. Freiberg, M.D., M.Sc.; William Graettinger, M.D.; Milagros C. Rosal, Ph.D.; Barb Cochrane, Ph.D.; Donald Lloyd-Jones, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Jennifer G. Robinson, M.D., M.P.H.; and Barbara V. Howard, Ph.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript.
Source
American Heart Association
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Anti-obesity Vaccine Tested By Scripps Research Scientists
The study is being published in an advanced, online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences during the week of July 31 to August 4.
In the new study, mature male rats immunized with specific types of the active vaccine ate normally yet gained less weight and had less body fat, indicating that the vaccine directly affects the body's metabolism and energy use. This finding may be especially important to stop what is commonly known as "yo-yo dieting," the cycle of repeated loss and regain of weight experienced by many dieters. The new vaccine, which is directed against the hormone ghrelin (pronounced "grell-in"), a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate energy balance in the body, has shown the potential, in animal models at least, to put an end to that risky and often futile struggle.
These findings may mark a turning point in the treatment of obesity by confirming the effectiveness of immunopharmacotherapy to combat this serious and growing global problem. Immunopharmacotherapy engages the immune system, specifically antibodies, to bind to selected targets, directing the body's own immune response against them. This approach is being tested in a number of other areas including drug addiction, especially addiction to cocaine and nicotine.
"The study shows our vaccine slows weight gain and decreases stored fat in rats," said a senior author of the paper Kim Janda, Ph.D., who is Ely R. Callaway, Jr. Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, a member of The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and director of the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine. "While food intake was unchanged in all testing groups, those who were given the most effective vaccines gained the least amount of weight. To have an impact on appetite and weight gain, ghrelin first has to move from the bloodstream into the brain-where, over long periods, it stimulates the retention of a level of stored energy as fat. Our study is the first published evidence proving that preventing ghrelin from reaching the central nervous system can produce a desired reduction in weight gain."
Ghrelin, a gastric endocrine hormone produced primarily in the stomach, plays a physiological role in energy homeostasis, although the full extent of that role remains unknown. It was first identified in 1999 as a naturally occurring ligand-a molecule that binds to another to form a larger molecular complex-for a growth hormone secretagogue receptor. What is known is that ghrelin promotes weight gain and fat storage through its metabolic actions, decreasing the breakdown of stored fat for energy as well as curbing energy expenditure itself. During periods of weight loss, such as dieting, the body produces high levels of ghrelin to slow down fat metabolism, encourage eating, and promote fat retention, changes which normally make it difficult to lose weight and keep it off.
"We're not claiming that our study answers the question of obesity treatment once and for all," Janda said. "What we are saying-and what our study confirms-is that this looks like a serious workable solution to the problem. And while much more research is needed to understand the full therapeutic potential of immunopharmacotherapy in combating obesity, these initial results are extremely positive. Right now it appears that active vaccination against ghrelin is one avenue that can slow weight gain and fat build-up in the body."
Producing an Active Vaccine
"Through our work in the development of immunopharmacotherapy-based vaccines against drug addiction, we became interested in the problem of obesity," Janda said. "While there were numerous possible hormones involved in obesity that could be targeted, we decided that ghrelin would be a good starting point to examine such a hypothesis."
The researchers developed three active vaccines (labeled Ghr1-2-3) to immunize adult male rats. Those animals immunized with Ghr1 or Ghr3 showed greater and more selective plasma-binding capacity for the active form of ghrelin-keeping the hormone in the blood and away from the brain and the central nervous system-as compared to Ghr2 or control models.
During the study, the rats immunized with Ghr1 and Ghr3 ate normally but, once antibody levels increased, accrued less body weight and fat, indicating an increase in the body's use of energy, a finding supported by studies of genetically altered mice. For example, the authors of the study write, "mice deficient for ghrelin or its receptor store less of their consumed food and resist accumulating body weight and fat on energy dense diets. [Ghrelin-deficient mice] also expend more energy and [are more active], [while] ghrelin receptor deficient mice show increased [utilization of fat as a key energy source]."
The study did note, however, that the immunized rats were fed low-energy, low-fat, and relatively less palatable chow diets and were comparatively lean. "Whether active immunization against ghrelin would help prevent the development of obesity caused by… high-fat 'Western' diets or would facilitate weight loss once obesity is established" remains uncertain, the study added.
Eric Zorrilla, Ph.D., a Scripps Research assistant professor, member of the Harold L. Dorris Neurological Research Institute, and a lead author of the study, said, "The rats who received the most effective vaccines didn't eat differently than the others, including the control models. That makes our findings exciting therapeutically-the vaccine slows the rate of weight gain, while still allowing for normal eating habits. A vaccine against ghrelin also is particularly compelling in terms of the well-documented problems of human dieting. When you diet, the body responds as if it was starving and produces ghrelin to slow down fat metabolism and stimulate eating, changes meant to help retain and regain body fat. As a result, many people end up regaining the weight they lost and more once they go off their diets. This vaccine may have the real potential to prevent or seriously reduce yo-yo dieting, the repetitive cycle of weight loss and gain, because it interferes with ghrelin's ability to promote weight gain and fat accumulation."
There is broad speculation that ghrelin evolved as a response to the feast or famine conditions of early humans. Those who were genetically predisposed to eat heartily and store fat efficiently during periods of plenty were more likely to survive the next round of scarcity and passed this trait onto the next generation. In recent years, however, that powerful genetic legacy has come in direct conflict with the dangerous phenomenon of overeating in the developed world.
The Worldwide Threat of Obesity
Obesity remains a serious and growing problem for millions of people worldwide and is a contributing risk factor for a number of other diseases including heart disease, various cancers, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and depression. Although a number of pharmaceutical approaches have been taken to try to help people better control their body weight, few if any have been successful and several, including the drugs fenfluamine (a component of "Fen-Phen") and ephedrine, have been pulled from the market by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to recent reports from the World Health Organization, about 1 billion people worldwide are overweight or obese, most of them in the developed world. In the United States, for example, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that, in 2003 to 2004, approximately 66 percent of all American adults 20 years of age or older were overweight or obese. Almost four out of every five American men aged 40 to 59 were classified as overweight, according to a 2006 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Even Japan, long a dietary exception, has experienced a rise in obesity and diabetes as Western-style eating habits continue to take hold in that country.
"The reason we looked at immunopharmacotherapy vaccines to treat obesity," Janda said, "was because drugs seeking to modulate obesity-driven receptors via agonist or antagonist effects have been remarkably unsuccessful. They are effective only while treatment is maintained and when treatment stops, weight returns. For obesity treatments to work, they must affect energy intake, absorption, expenditure, or storage. Our new vaccine works by changing expenditure or storage."
The ghrelin vaccine produced by Scripps Research scientists is not the only one being tested. Cytos, a Swiss-based biotechnology company, is currently testing a ghrelin-based vaccine in a combined phase I/II study with 112 obese patients. Like the Scripps Research vaccine, the Cytos vaccine produces antibodies that inhibit the uptake of ghrelin by the brain. However, Janda and Zorrilla noted, there are significant differences between the two vaccines.
"Compared to other ghrelin-based vaccines being studied," Zorrilla said, "our vaccine was designed to raise antibodies against the active form of ghrelin, which, we believe, makes it distinctive. "In addition," Janda stated, "the most effective forms of the vaccine contained an unnatural ester functionality-this not only increases water solubility, but minimizes aggregation and micelle formation, which provides an additional, little-known therapeutic window for the success of a productive immune response. Simply stated, this translates into a better obesity vaccine."
In addition, Janda said, the Scripps Research vaccine did not produce a systemic inflammatory response. General inflammatory responses can occur with fevers or even cancers, causing lack of food intake and weight loss. That was not the case with the new vaccine.
Other authors of the study, titled "Vaccination against weight gain," include Shinichi Iwasaki, Jason A. Moss, Jason Chang, Jonathan Otsuji, and Michael M. Meijler of The Scripps Research Institute and its Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, as well as Koki Inoue of Osaka City University.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disorders and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology.
About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations, at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. Established in its current configuration in 1961, it employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel. Scripps Research is headquartered in La Jolla, California. It also includes Scripps Florida, whose researchers focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. Currently operating from temporary facilities in Jupiter, Scripps Florida will move to its permanent campus in 2009.
IMAGE OF THE FIRST 10 N-TERMINAL AMINO ACIDS OF GHRELIN AT: scripps.edu/news/press/image/ghrelin/
For information contact:
Keith McKeown
kmckeownscripps.edu
Scripps Research Institute
Buy Adefovir Without Prescription
In the new study, mature male rats immunized with specific types of the active vaccine ate normally yet gained less weight and had less body fat, indicating that the vaccine directly affects the body's metabolism and energy use. This finding may be especially important to stop what is commonly known as "yo-yo dieting," the cycle of repeated loss and regain of weight experienced by many dieters. The new vaccine, which is directed against the hormone ghrelin (pronounced "grell-in"), a naturally occurring hormone that helps regulate energy balance in the body, has shown the potential, in animal models at least, to put an end to that risky and often futile struggle.
These findings may mark a turning point in the treatment of obesity by confirming the effectiveness of immunopharmacotherapy to combat this serious and growing global problem. Immunopharmacotherapy engages the immune system, specifically antibodies, to bind to selected targets, directing the body's own immune response against them. This approach is being tested in a number of other areas including drug addiction, especially addiction to cocaine and nicotine.
"The study shows our vaccine slows weight gain and decreases stored fat in rats," said a senior author of the paper Kim Janda, Ph.D., who is Ely R. Callaway, Jr. Professor of Chemistry at Scripps Research, a member of The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and director of the Worm Institute of Research and Medicine. "While food intake was unchanged in all testing groups, those who were given the most effective vaccines gained the least amount of weight. To have an impact on appetite and weight gain, ghrelin first has to move from the bloodstream into the brain-where, over long periods, it stimulates the retention of a level of stored energy as fat. Our study is the first published evidence proving that preventing ghrelin from reaching the central nervous system can produce a desired reduction in weight gain."
Ghrelin, a gastric endocrine hormone produced primarily in the stomach, plays a physiological role in energy homeostasis, although the full extent of that role remains unknown. It was first identified in 1999 as a naturally occurring ligand-a molecule that binds to another to form a larger molecular complex-for a growth hormone secretagogue receptor. What is known is that ghrelin promotes weight gain and fat storage through its metabolic actions, decreasing the breakdown of stored fat for energy as well as curbing energy expenditure itself. During periods of weight loss, such as dieting, the body produces high levels of ghrelin to slow down fat metabolism, encourage eating, and promote fat retention, changes which normally make it difficult to lose weight and keep it off.
"We're not claiming that our study answers the question of obesity treatment once and for all," Janda said. "What we are saying-and what our study confirms-is that this looks like a serious workable solution to the problem. And while much more research is needed to understand the full therapeutic potential of immunopharmacotherapy in combating obesity, these initial results are extremely positive. Right now it appears that active vaccination against ghrelin is one avenue that can slow weight gain and fat build-up in the body."
Producing an Active Vaccine
"Through our work in the development of immunopharmacotherapy-based vaccines against drug addiction, we became interested in the problem of obesity," Janda said. "While there were numerous possible hormones involved in obesity that could be targeted, we decided that ghrelin would be a good starting point to examine such a hypothesis."
The researchers developed three active vaccines (labeled Ghr1-2-3) to immunize adult male rats. Those animals immunized with Ghr1 or Ghr3 showed greater and more selective plasma-binding capacity for the active form of ghrelin-keeping the hormone in the blood and away from the brain and the central nervous system-as compared to Ghr2 or control models.
During the study, the rats immunized with Ghr1 and Ghr3 ate normally but, once antibody levels increased, accrued less body weight and fat, indicating an increase in the body's use of energy, a finding supported by studies of genetically altered mice. For example, the authors of the study write, "mice deficient for ghrelin or its receptor store less of their consumed food and resist accumulating body weight and fat on energy dense diets. [Ghrelin-deficient mice] also expend more energy and [are more active], [while] ghrelin receptor deficient mice show increased [utilization of fat as a key energy source]."
The study did note, however, that the immunized rats were fed low-energy, low-fat, and relatively less palatable chow diets and were comparatively lean. "Whether active immunization against ghrelin would help prevent the development of obesity caused by… high-fat 'Western' diets or would facilitate weight loss once obesity is established" remains uncertain, the study added.
Eric Zorrilla, Ph.D., a Scripps Research assistant professor, member of the Harold L. Dorris Neurological Research Institute, and a lead author of the study, said, "The rats who received the most effective vaccines didn't eat differently than the others, including the control models. That makes our findings exciting therapeutically-the vaccine slows the rate of weight gain, while still allowing for normal eating habits. A vaccine against ghrelin also is particularly compelling in terms of the well-documented problems of human dieting. When you diet, the body responds as if it was starving and produces ghrelin to slow down fat metabolism and stimulate eating, changes meant to help retain and regain body fat. As a result, many people end up regaining the weight they lost and more once they go off their diets. This vaccine may have the real potential to prevent or seriously reduce yo-yo dieting, the repetitive cycle of weight loss and gain, because it interferes with ghrelin's ability to promote weight gain and fat accumulation."
There is broad speculation that ghrelin evolved as a response to the feast or famine conditions of early humans. Those who were genetically predisposed to eat heartily and store fat efficiently during periods of plenty were more likely to survive the next round of scarcity and passed this trait onto the next generation. In recent years, however, that powerful genetic legacy has come in direct conflict with the dangerous phenomenon of overeating in the developed world.
The Worldwide Threat of Obesity
Obesity remains a serious and growing problem for millions of people worldwide and is a contributing risk factor for a number of other diseases including heart disease, various cancers, Type 2 diabetes, stroke, arthritis, and depression. Although a number of pharmaceutical approaches have been taken to try to help people better control their body weight, few if any have been successful and several, including the drugs fenfluamine (a component of "Fen-Phen") and ephedrine, have been pulled from the market by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
According to recent reports from the World Health Organization, about 1 billion people worldwide are overweight or obese, most of them in the developed world. In the United States, for example, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that, in 2003 to 2004, approximately 66 percent of all American adults 20 years of age or older were overweight or obese. Almost four out of every five American men aged 40 to 59 were classified as overweight, according to a 2006 study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. Even Japan, long a dietary exception, has experienced a rise in obesity and diabetes as Western-style eating habits continue to take hold in that country.
"The reason we looked at immunopharmacotherapy vaccines to treat obesity," Janda said, "was because drugs seeking to modulate obesity-driven receptors via agonist or antagonist effects have been remarkably unsuccessful. They are effective only while treatment is maintained and when treatment stops, weight returns. For obesity treatments to work, they must affect energy intake, absorption, expenditure, or storage. Our new vaccine works by changing expenditure or storage."
The ghrelin vaccine produced by Scripps Research scientists is not the only one being tested. Cytos, a Swiss-based biotechnology company, is currently testing a ghrelin-based vaccine in a combined phase I/II study with 112 obese patients. Like the Scripps Research vaccine, the Cytos vaccine produces antibodies that inhibit the uptake of ghrelin by the brain. However, Janda and Zorrilla noted, there are significant differences between the two vaccines.
"Compared to other ghrelin-based vaccines being studied," Zorrilla said, "our vaccine was designed to raise antibodies against the active form of ghrelin, which, we believe, makes it distinctive. "In addition," Janda stated, "the most effective forms of the vaccine contained an unnatural ester functionality-this not only increases water solubility, but minimizes aggregation and micelle formation, which provides an additional, little-known therapeutic window for the success of a productive immune response. Simply stated, this translates into a better obesity vaccine."
In addition, Janda said, the Scripps Research vaccine did not produce a systemic inflammatory response. General inflammatory responses can occur with fevers or even cancers, causing lack of food intake and weight loss. That was not the case with the new vaccine.
Other authors of the study, titled "Vaccination against weight gain," include Shinichi Iwasaki, Jason A. Moss, Jason Chang, Jonathan Otsuji, and Michael M. Meijler of The Scripps Research Institute and its Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, as well as Koki Inoue of Osaka City University.
The study was supported by the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Disorders and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology.
About The Scripps Research Institute
The Scripps Research Institute is one of the world's largest independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations, at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its discoveries in immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. Established in its current configuration in 1961, it employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel. Scripps Research is headquartered in La Jolla, California. It also includes Scripps Florida, whose researchers focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development. Currently operating from temporary facilities in Jupiter, Scripps Florida will move to its permanent campus in 2009.
IMAGE OF THE FIRST 10 N-TERMINAL AMINO ACIDS OF GHRELIN AT: scripps.edu/news/press/image/ghrelin/
For information contact:
Keith McKeown
kmckeownscripps.edu
Scripps Research Institute
Buy Adefovir Without Prescription
Advanced Biomaterials To Make More Reliable And Hardwearing Medical Implants Investigated By TECNALIA
The TECNALIA Technological Corporation is taking part in the CГ©nit Intelimplant project, the goal of which is to develop advanced biomaterials based on innovative technologies (microtechnologies, nanotechnologies, tissue and surface engineering) for the manufacture of a new generation of implants which have greater durability and reliability, need less recuperation time and that provide data on their state and progress.
The Cénit Intelimplant project (Development of Advanced Biomaterials for a New Generation of Implants), led by the Biotechnology Institute (BTI), was one of the 16 projects approved by the Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) for the third CÉNIT programme announcement or call, within the Spanish Government INGENIO 2010 initiative.
The end goal of the project is the development of novel biomaterials which enable an extension of the functions of the implant throughout the whole life of the patient, in such a way that repeat surgical operations are avoided; the reliability and the integration of the implants are enhanced and tissue rejection avoided; the recuperation times for patients are significantly cut and the implants are operational in a minimum time; the state and progress of the implant monitored, both in the short term and in the long term after the surgical operation; the new materials will indicate any anomaly and enable the application of preventative therapies; and finally, they will simplify surgical practice, progressing to minimally invasive surgery and the automation of stages during an operation.
The project will be undertaken by a consortium made up of 15 companies, including state-of-the-art Spanish enterprises in the field of implants, BTI Biotechnology Institute, SURGIVAL, LAFITT, SOCINSER and IHT, as well as the most important ones in the value chain of their manufacture: KERAMAT, Laboratories INIBSA, BIOKER Research, METAL-ESTALKI, BIOVAC, DMP, i2m-DESIGN, ANГЃLISIS & SIMULACION (AyS), IHS WEIGLING and GEM-IMAGING.
The Intelimplant project involves groups belonging to 16 public and private research bodies: TECNALIA, the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia-IBV, the Institute of Polymers Science and Technology (ICTP-CSIC), the University of LeГіn, the University of Vigo, the University of MГЎlaga, the National Microelectronics Centre (CNM-CSIC), the Institute for Corpuscular Physics (IFIC-CSIC), the Institute of Ceramica Galicia, the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC), PRODINTEC, INCAR, ICMM-CSIC, the University of Barcelona, the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation and the Chemical Institute of SarriГЎ (IQS).
Carrying out this project will also enable fomenting synergies and reducing project development times through drawing up a joint-working framework between the various multidisciplinary players within the Science-Technology-Enterprise network. These players have knowledge and experience that complement each other and which are present throughout the whole value chain of the sector and, as a consequence, will give rise to enhanced competitiveness amongst the participating companies, thus reducing excessive external dependence, readdressing the unfavourable situation of our country as regards the transfer of research results by OPIs and CITs to companies in this field of advanced biomaterials, and improving the scientific-technical level of the enterprises taking part in the project. All this with the target of being in a more advantageous position to participate in international programmes of cooperation in scientific research and technological development, such as the FP VII.
Source: Irati Kortabitarte
Elhuyar Fundazioa
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The Cénit Intelimplant project (Development of Advanced Biomaterials for a New Generation of Implants), led by the Biotechnology Institute (BTI), was one of the 16 projects approved by the Centre for Industrial Technological Development (CDTI) for the third CÉNIT programme announcement or call, within the Spanish Government INGENIO 2010 initiative.
The end goal of the project is the development of novel biomaterials which enable an extension of the functions of the implant throughout the whole life of the patient, in such a way that repeat surgical operations are avoided; the reliability and the integration of the implants are enhanced and tissue rejection avoided; the recuperation times for patients are significantly cut and the implants are operational in a minimum time; the state and progress of the implant monitored, both in the short term and in the long term after the surgical operation; the new materials will indicate any anomaly and enable the application of preventative therapies; and finally, they will simplify surgical practice, progressing to minimally invasive surgery and the automation of stages during an operation.
The project will be undertaken by a consortium made up of 15 companies, including state-of-the-art Spanish enterprises in the field of implants, BTI Biotechnology Institute, SURGIVAL, LAFITT, SOCINSER and IHT, as well as the most important ones in the value chain of their manufacture: KERAMAT, Laboratories INIBSA, BIOKER Research, METAL-ESTALKI, BIOVAC, DMP, i2m-DESIGN, ANГЃLISIS & SIMULACION (AyS), IHS WEIGLING and GEM-IMAGING.
The Intelimplant project involves groups belonging to 16 public and private research bodies: TECNALIA, the Institute of Biomechanics of Valencia-IBV, the Institute of Polymers Science and Technology (ICTP-CSIC), the University of LeГіn, the University of Vigo, the University of MГЎlaga, the National Microelectronics Centre (CNM-CSIC), the Institute for Corpuscular Physics (IFIC-CSIC), the Institute of Ceramica Galicia, the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC), PRODINTEC, INCAR, ICMM-CSIC, the University of Barcelona, the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation and the Chemical Institute of SarriГЎ (IQS).
Carrying out this project will also enable fomenting synergies and reducing project development times through drawing up a joint-working framework between the various multidisciplinary players within the Science-Technology-Enterprise network. These players have knowledge and experience that complement each other and which are present throughout the whole value chain of the sector and, as a consequence, will give rise to enhanced competitiveness amongst the participating companies, thus reducing excessive external dependence, readdressing the unfavourable situation of our country as regards the transfer of research results by OPIs and CITs to companies in this field of advanced biomaterials, and improving the scientific-technical level of the enterprises taking part in the project. All this with the target of being in a more advantageous position to participate in international programmes of cooperation in scientific research and technological development, such as the FP VII.
Source: Irati Kortabitarte
Elhuyar Fundazioa
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New Employment Website Launches Focusing On The Healthcare Information Technology Segment
Med IT Jobs, meditjobs,
announces the formal launch of its job website focusing on employment in
the healthcare information technology market. This follows a trend of other
niche-oriented websites that have been developed to streamline the
recruiting process by allowing job-seekers to connect with employers who
look for specific experience in a market, in this case Healthcare
Informatics.
Registration at the website is currently free of charge for both
employers/recruiters posting jobs and candidates seeking employment. The
company invites all healthcare employers to register on the site and post
any employment opportunities related to information technology. Employers
may post jobs which include a link to their company employment website in
order to expedite resume processing. Future services will include a
searchable resume database and a resume posting notification service.
Candidates with experience in information technology are encouraged to
register, search jobs, and post resumes. A candidate may elect to post a
confidential profile if they wish to remain anonymous to potential
employers. The site also allows anonymous e-mail exchange with potential
employers and a job posting notification service for candidates.
Med IT Jobs' goal is to provide a long-term, dedicated recruiting
solution by delivering a comprehensive and cost-effective tool for the
community. The company is promoting the website through an extensive e-mail
campaign and is open to any industry alliances that may help build
awareness within the community. Additional marketing initiatives will
include internet search engine ad placement and industry tradeshow
attendance.
About Med IT Jobs
Med IT Jobs is a dedicated Healthcare Information Technology recruiting
website. It has been designed to be a supplemental, focused recruiting tool
for the healthcare market. For more information, please visit
meditjobs.
This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by
Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). Send2Press
Med IT Jobs
meditjobs
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announces the formal launch of its job website focusing on employment in
the healthcare information technology market. This follows a trend of other
niche-oriented websites that have been developed to streamline the
recruiting process by allowing job-seekers to connect with employers who
look for specific experience in a market, in this case Healthcare
Informatics.
Registration at the website is currently free of charge for both
employers/recruiters posting jobs and candidates seeking employment. The
company invites all healthcare employers to register on the site and post
any employment opportunities related to information technology. Employers
may post jobs which include a link to their company employment website in
order to expedite resume processing. Future services will include a
searchable resume database and a resume posting notification service.
Candidates with experience in information technology are encouraged to
register, search jobs, and post resumes. A candidate may elect to post a
confidential profile if they wish to remain anonymous to potential
employers. The site also allows anonymous e-mail exchange with potential
employers and a job posting notification service for candidates.
Med IT Jobs' goal is to provide a long-term, dedicated recruiting
solution by delivering a comprehensive and cost-effective tool for the
community. The company is promoting the website through an extensive e-mail
campaign and is open to any industry alliances that may help build
awareness within the community. Additional marketing initiatives will
include internet search engine ad placement and industry tradeshow
attendance.
About Med IT Jobs
Med IT Jobs is a dedicated Healthcare Information Technology recruiting
website. It has been designed to be a supplemental, focused recruiting tool
for the healthcare market. For more information, please visit
meditjobs.
This release was issued on behalf of the above organization by
Send2Press(R), a unit of Neotrope(R). Send2Press
Med IT Jobs
meditjobs
Buy Cephalexin Without Prescription
High Flu Vaccine Dose Boosts Immune Response In Elderly
Giving people age 65 and older a dose four times larger than the standard flu vaccine boosts the amount of antibodies in their blood to levels considered protective against the flu, more so than the standard flu vaccine does. The findings from a study of nearly 4,000 people were presented Oct. 26 at a national meeting on infectious diseases.
The higher dose of vaccine generally resulted in approximately 30 to 80 percent more antibodies against flu, long considered a good measure of protection.
Ann Falsey, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and an infectious diseases specialist at Rochester General Hospital, presented the results at the 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC)/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 46th annual meeting. The study was funded by sanofi pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, which makes Fluzone® Influenza Virus Vaccine, a licensed flu vaccine used widely in the United States and elsewhere.
The immune system generally weakens as we get older, not only leaving people more vulnerable to infection but also reducing their ability to respond to vaccination. While some studies have questioned the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in older adults, the nation's leading public health experts stress that it's a worthwhile, even life-saving, measure. About 90 percent of the estimated 36,000 people who die from flu-related causes in the United States each year are 65 and older.
"Without doubt, the influenza vaccine as it is today is beneficial for everyone, including older adults, and we strongly encourage every older person, and every person with a chronic illness, to get vaccinated," said Falsey. "However, older people generally don't respond to vaccines as well as young healthy adults and therefore, there is much room for improvement. The goal is to increase immune response in older adults, since this is one of the populations most at risk for becoming seriously ill or dying from influenza."
The conventional flu vaccine is a combination of three circulating strains of flu, with each component consisting of 15 micrograms of material designed to evoke an immune response to protect a person against a particular type of flu. In the study headed by Falsey and conducted at 30 sites around the country in fall 2006, physicians compared the immune response brought about from a traditional flu vaccine compared to that from a vaccine shot containing four times as much material - 60 micrograms of material known as hemagglutinin for each of the three components.
In the study of people age 65 and older, the larger dose was given to 2,575 participants, while 1,262 subjects received the standard dose. Scientists checked the level of antibodies in the blood of the participants one month later. Generally, the large-dose vaccine increased the number of flu antibodies in study participants on average 30 to 80 percent. The level of such antibodies in the blood has long been considered a good gauge of how protected people are against the flu.
A greater percentage of people who received the high-dose vaccine had the typical side effects associated with the flu shot, including redness, swelling, and pain at the site of the injection, but the symptoms generally did not last longer than three days.
One especially interesting bit of data from the study, according to Falsey, was the effect of the larger dose on people who had no measurable antibodies against certain strains of the flu when the study began. Such people are considered especially vulnerable because their body doesn't have the "head start" that most people have in generating at least some protection against flu on their own, before the vaccine offers a needed boost. These people might also represent a group that does not respond well to vaccines in general.
Even in this group, the larger dose greatly increased the number of such individuals who ultimately had antibody levels considered protective. For example, 51 percent of such individuals who received the standard dose had an antibody level thought to be protective against one of the strains, H1N1, included in the vaccine, while 74 percent of participants who received the high dose reached the same levels. The percentages also went up for the other two strains included in the shot, from 82 to 96 percent for the H3N2 strain and from 41 to 56 percent for the type B strain.
"These are the people at the highest risk for becoming very sick from influenza, and we saw significant improvement in the immune response in many of these people," said Falsey. "This is very encouraging."
Among the study participants were 129 in Rochester, N.Y., including 100 people at Rochester General Hospital and 29 people at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Source:
University of Rochester Medical Center
View drug information on Fluzone Preservative-free.
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The higher dose of vaccine generally resulted in approximately 30 to 80 percent more antibodies against flu, long considered a good measure of protection.
Ann Falsey, M.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and an infectious diseases specialist at Rochester General Hospital, presented the results at the 48th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC)/Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) 46th annual meeting. The study was funded by sanofi pasteur, the vaccines division of sanofi-aventis Group, which makes Fluzone® Influenza Virus Vaccine, a licensed flu vaccine used widely in the United States and elsewhere.
The immune system generally weakens as we get older, not only leaving people more vulnerable to infection but also reducing their ability to respond to vaccination. While some studies have questioned the effectiveness of the flu vaccine in older adults, the nation's leading public health experts stress that it's a worthwhile, even life-saving, measure. About 90 percent of the estimated 36,000 people who die from flu-related causes in the United States each year are 65 and older.
"Without doubt, the influenza vaccine as it is today is beneficial for everyone, including older adults, and we strongly encourage every older person, and every person with a chronic illness, to get vaccinated," said Falsey. "However, older people generally don't respond to vaccines as well as young healthy adults and therefore, there is much room for improvement. The goal is to increase immune response in older adults, since this is one of the populations most at risk for becoming seriously ill or dying from influenza."
The conventional flu vaccine is a combination of three circulating strains of flu, with each component consisting of 15 micrograms of material designed to evoke an immune response to protect a person against a particular type of flu. In the study headed by Falsey and conducted at 30 sites around the country in fall 2006, physicians compared the immune response brought about from a traditional flu vaccine compared to that from a vaccine shot containing four times as much material - 60 micrograms of material known as hemagglutinin for each of the three components.
In the study of people age 65 and older, the larger dose was given to 2,575 participants, while 1,262 subjects received the standard dose. Scientists checked the level of antibodies in the blood of the participants one month later. Generally, the large-dose vaccine increased the number of flu antibodies in study participants on average 30 to 80 percent. The level of such antibodies in the blood has long been considered a good gauge of how protected people are against the flu.
A greater percentage of people who received the high-dose vaccine had the typical side effects associated with the flu shot, including redness, swelling, and pain at the site of the injection, but the symptoms generally did not last longer than three days.
One especially interesting bit of data from the study, according to Falsey, was the effect of the larger dose on people who had no measurable antibodies against certain strains of the flu when the study began. Such people are considered especially vulnerable because their body doesn't have the "head start" that most people have in generating at least some protection against flu on their own, before the vaccine offers a needed boost. These people might also represent a group that does not respond well to vaccines in general.
Even in this group, the larger dose greatly increased the number of such individuals who ultimately had antibody levels considered protective. For example, 51 percent of such individuals who received the standard dose had an antibody level thought to be protective against one of the strains, H1N1, included in the vaccine, while 74 percent of participants who received the high dose reached the same levels. The percentages also went up for the other two strains included in the shot, from 82 to 96 percent for the H3N2 strain and from 41 to 56 percent for the type B strain.
"These are the people at the highest risk for becoming very sick from influenza, and we saw significant improvement in the immune response in many of these people," said Falsey. "This is very encouraging."
Among the study participants were 129 in Rochester, N.Y., including 100 people at Rochester General Hospital and 29 people at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Source:
University of Rochester Medical Center
View drug information on Fluzone Preservative-free.
Buy Actonel Without Prescription
MDU Review Of Ombudsman Complaints Highlights Importance Of Apologising, UK
An MDU analysis of members' complaints reaching the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman underlines the importance of apologising, thorough investigation and a detailed response to complaints. The findings echo those in a report into complaints handling that has just been published by the Ombudsman.*
The Medical Defence Union (MDU) analysed 38 complaints which reached the Ombudsman, notified by its GP and hospital doctor members over a 12 month period - April 2009 to April 2010. The majority of complaints were notified by GP members (32).
Amongst the reasons for complaints were delay or failure in diagnosis (16 cases), problems in communication (7), dissatisfaction with the standard of care (5) and removal from a GP's list (4). Only 11 cases resulted in the Ombudsman launching an investigation as the rest were either referred back to the practice/hospital to look at again (8), or closed without action (6), or nothing more was heard from the members (13), so presumably these were resolved.
Of the complaints investigated, emerging themes include problems with the way complaints were managed such as not explaining the complaints procedure at the outset; failing to apologise where appropriate; and failing to act in line with regulations or fairly and proportionately when removing a patient from the GP list.
Dr Jacqui Phillips, MDU medico-legal adviser said:
"The MDU advised members with over 2,300 GP and 580 hospital complaints over the year and of these only a small minority reached the Ombudsman. When the complaints procedure was revised in April 2009, it rightly placed far greater emphasis on GPs and hospitals investigating and resolving complaints themselves. This is successful in the majority of cases, with the practice or hospital providing an explanation of exactly what happened, an apology where appropriate and the reassurance that it has taken steps to prevent a similar incident happening in future.
"However, every complaint has the potential to escalate if not managed to the patient's satisfaction. If a complaint is referred to the Ombudsman, it can be distressing and time consuming for all involved. It is vital that members consider involving the MDU at an early stage for guidance in responding to a complaint."
The MDU's advice on resolving complaints includes:
- Practices and hospitals are expected to publish information for patients about the complaints procedure and explain to patients who wish to complain how they can do so and where they can find assistance.
- Ensure all complaints are investigated thoroughly. Talk to complainants about their concerns and the outcome they expect. Have a clear management plan in place and agree with the complainant how long you will take to investigate and respond.
- Offer to meet complainants, and consider whether a conciliator may help.
- Take account of the seriousness of the concerns, lessons learned and ensure that the response is balanced and appropriate.
- Try to remain objective. If possible, complaint responses should be reviewed by someone who is not the subject of the complaint.
- Consider seeking an independent clinical opinion if appropriate and the complainant agrees.
- Respond to each and every concern raised.
- Be open and honest, acknowledging mistakes and the distress caused by them.
- Where appropriate, offer a clear and unambiguous apology.
- Have a system in place for reviewing and learning from complaints and inform the complainant of any action taken.
- Involve the MDU early so that we can help guide you through the complaints procedures and help prevent the complaint escalating.
- Practices and hospital trusts are obliged to monitor complaints and produce annual reports on them, recording the lessons learnt.
- Only consider removing a patient from a practice list as a last resort, such as where the doctor patient relationship has irrevocably broken down despite reasonable efforts to rectify the situation. In most cases, the patient should have received a warning before removal, and this is a contractual requirement for most GPs.
Further information
* Listening and Learning: the Ombudsman's review of complaint handling by the NHS in England 2009-10, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, 19 October 2010
Source:
The MDU
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The Medical Defence Union (MDU) analysed 38 complaints which reached the Ombudsman, notified by its GP and hospital doctor members over a 12 month period - April 2009 to April 2010. The majority of complaints were notified by GP members (32).
Amongst the reasons for complaints were delay or failure in diagnosis (16 cases), problems in communication (7), dissatisfaction with the standard of care (5) and removal from a GP's list (4). Only 11 cases resulted in the Ombudsman launching an investigation as the rest were either referred back to the practice/hospital to look at again (8), or closed without action (6), or nothing more was heard from the members (13), so presumably these were resolved.
Of the complaints investigated, emerging themes include problems with the way complaints were managed such as not explaining the complaints procedure at the outset; failing to apologise where appropriate; and failing to act in line with regulations or fairly and proportionately when removing a patient from the GP list.
Dr Jacqui Phillips, MDU medico-legal adviser said:
"The MDU advised members with over 2,300 GP and 580 hospital complaints over the year and of these only a small minority reached the Ombudsman. When the complaints procedure was revised in April 2009, it rightly placed far greater emphasis on GPs and hospitals investigating and resolving complaints themselves. This is successful in the majority of cases, with the practice or hospital providing an explanation of exactly what happened, an apology where appropriate and the reassurance that it has taken steps to prevent a similar incident happening in future.
"However, every complaint has the potential to escalate if not managed to the patient's satisfaction. If a complaint is referred to the Ombudsman, it can be distressing and time consuming for all involved. It is vital that members consider involving the MDU at an early stage for guidance in responding to a complaint."
The MDU's advice on resolving complaints includes:
- Practices and hospitals are expected to publish information for patients about the complaints procedure and explain to patients who wish to complain how they can do so and where they can find assistance.
- Ensure all complaints are investigated thoroughly. Talk to complainants about their concerns and the outcome they expect. Have a clear management plan in place and agree with the complainant how long you will take to investigate and respond.
- Offer to meet complainants, and consider whether a conciliator may help.
- Take account of the seriousness of the concerns, lessons learned and ensure that the response is balanced and appropriate.
- Try to remain objective. If possible, complaint responses should be reviewed by someone who is not the subject of the complaint.
- Consider seeking an independent clinical opinion if appropriate and the complainant agrees.
- Respond to each and every concern raised.
- Be open and honest, acknowledging mistakes and the distress caused by them.
- Where appropriate, offer a clear and unambiguous apology.
- Have a system in place for reviewing and learning from complaints and inform the complainant of any action taken.
- Involve the MDU early so that we can help guide you through the complaints procedures and help prevent the complaint escalating.
- Practices and hospital trusts are obliged to monitor complaints and produce annual reports on them, recording the lessons learnt.
- Only consider removing a patient from a practice list as a last resort, such as where the doctor patient relationship has irrevocably broken down despite reasonable efforts to rectify the situation. In most cases, the patient should have received a warning before removal, and this is a contractual requirement for most GPs.
Further information
* Listening and Learning: the Ombudsman's review of complaint handling by the NHS in England 2009-10, Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, 19 October 2010
Source:
The MDU
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Electronic Personal Health Record For Hypertension
Whether patients with an electronic handle on their health are more successful at beating one of the nation's leading chronic diseases is under study.
The study, funded by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, will give hundreds of patients with hypertension an electronic personal health record that enables them to post their blood pressure, weight, even what they eat in their medical record and e-mail their physicians when needed.
"From a chronic illness standpoint, the literature is pretty clear: The more involved and engaged I am in managing my own illness, the better my outcome," says Patricia Sodomka, director of the Medical College of Georgia Center for Patient and Family Centered Care, senior vice president for patient and family centered care for MCG Health, Inc. and principal investigator on the $1.2 million grant. "It just makes common sense."
MCG researchers will work with hypertensive patients in the family medicine and internal medicine practices at MCGHealth to see if the electronic personal health record enhances patient involvement.
"Our first measure is patient activation; if having ready access to information about yourself and to your physician makes you more activated as a patient and if you are more activated, does it lower your blood pressure," says Dr. Peggy Wagner, research director for the MCG Department of Family Medicine and study co-investigator.
Two small studies will first get patient and physician input on how to make, IQHealth™, the electronic personal health record developed by Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner Corp, more patient friendly.
A year-long study of 720 patients with hypertension will follow in which half the participants will use the newly-refined electronic personal health record and the remainder will receive standard treatment for a condition that affects about one quarter of the population or 65 million Americans.
"Hypertension, which is so pervasive in our society, is a great model because lifestyle has such an impact and the outcomes are relatively easy to measure," Dr. Wagner says. "The hypothesis clearly is, if you have this electronic personal health record that is used by a patient and his primary care doctor, that the patient will be more likely to bring his hypertension under control."
"Patient-care documentation systems today are dominantly in the hands of the providers and written from their perspective," Mrs. Sodomka says. "The shift is toward shared information systems with patients and families, where patients and families can put their own information in there, their observations, their tracking, documenting things that are important to them. This is a shift that is being made in health care, a huge shift and this study is part of that. The idea is that if patients start really documenting things that are important them, if they start documenting what they are eating, for example, they will realize what they are eating and finally get control of their diet."
The MCG Center for Patient and Family Centered Care, received a $30,000 grant from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2005 to test the Cerner system, used under the brand name My HealthLink at MCGHealth, in patients with multiple sclerosis. The 12-month study found that patients liked having a secure electronic link to care givers and that the electronic personal health record is an effective tool in helping battle chronic disease.
"An electronic personal health record is recognition that if we are serious about optimal outcomes in health care, we have to involve the patient," says Dr. Charlotte Weaver, vice president and executive director for nursing research at Cerner. The company, a pioneer in the evolution of the electronic medical record and electronic personal health record, got patient input for the design of its system and looks forward to additional input to further refine the product, she says. Refinements likely will include feeding blood pressure measurements directly from the cuff to the electronic personal health record. Similar direct feeds with weight scales and even urine analysis via the toilet also are under development. "We are actively working on the integration of medical devices," Dr. Weaver says.
"At the end of the day, if you can deliver a personal health record that people will use, that delivers just tremendous value to our health care system as well as to individuals," Dr. Weaver says. Chronic diseases, such as hypertension, among aging baby boomers make the timing and impact significant, she says. "Cerner is pleased and honored to be a partner with the Medical College of Georgia in this important work."
The Institute for Family Centered Care, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., also is a partner in gathering input on the Cerner system from patients and physicians in diverse geographic locations with experience using other personal health records
"This project will help demonstrate that when we partner with patients to really redesign the system of care, we will build the system in a way that works best for the people we serve," says Beverley H. Johnson, the institute's president and CEO. "I think the project creates a way to look over the next couple of years at how you get effective, sustained partnerships with families in place to make the care of higher quality which will lead to better outcomes."
Study participants don't have to have a computer; study coordinators will help those who don't find where they can use one. However one of the many questions being asked is whether or not having a computer affects use of the electronic personal health record.
They will learn how to use the electronic record then have follow up visits at three, six and 12 months. Researchers will measure what they call patient activation or just how involved patients are in their own health, gather pertinent biological data such as blood pressure and waist circumference and use a widely accepted test to assess their relationship with their physician.
Source: Toni Baker
Medical College of Georgia
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The study, funded by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, will give hundreds of patients with hypertension an electronic personal health record that enables them to post their blood pressure, weight, even what they eat in their medical record and e-mail their physicians when needed.
"From a chronic illness standpoint, the literature is pretty clear: The more involved and engaged I am in managing my own illness, the better my outcome," says Patricia Sodomka, director of the Medical College of Georgia Center for Patient and Family Centered Care, senior vice president for patient and family centered care for MCG Health, Inc. and principal investigator on the $1.2 million grant. "It just makes common sense."
MCG researchers will work with hypertensive patients in the family medicine and internal medicine practices at MCGHealth to see if the electronic personal health record enhances patient involvement.
"Our first measure is patient activation; if having ready access to information about yourself and to your physician makes you more activated as a patient and if you are more activated, does it lower your blood pressure," says Dr. Peggy Wagner, research director for the MCG Department of Family Medicine and study co-investigator.
Two small studies will first get patient and physician input on how to make, IQHealth™, the electronic personal health record developed by Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner Corp, more patient friendly.
A year-long study of 720 patients with hypertension will follow in which half the participants will use the newly-refined electronic personal health record and the remainder will receive standard treatment for a condition that affects about one quarter of the population or 65 million Americans.
"Hypertension, which is so pervasive in our society, is a great model because lifestyle has such an impact and the outcomes are relatively easy to measure," Dr. Wagner says. "The hypothesis clearly is, if you have this electronic personal health record that is used by a patient and his primary care doctor, that the patient will be more likely to bring his hypertension under control."
"Patient-care documentation systems today are dominantly in the hands of the providers and written from their perspective," Mrs. Sodomka says. "The shift is toward shared information systems with patients and families, where patients and families can put their own information in there, their observations, their tracking, documenting things that are important to them. This is a shift that is being made in health care, a huge shift and this study is part of that. The idea is that if patients start really documenting things that are important them, if they start documenting what they are eating, for example, they will realize what they are eating and finally get control of their diet."
The MCG Center for Patient and Family Centered Care, received a $30,000 grant from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in 2005 to test the Cerner system, used under the brand name My HealthLink at MCGHealth, in patients with multiple sclerosis. The 12-month study found that patients liked having a secure electronic link to care givers and that the electronic personal health record is an effective tool in helping battle chronic disease.
"An electronic personal health record is recognition that if we are serious about optimal outcomes in health care, we have to involve the patient," says Dr. Charlotte Weaver, vice president and executive director for nursing research at Cerner. The company, a pioneer in the evolution of the electronic medical record and electronic personal health record, got patient input for the design of its system and looks forward to additional input to further refine the product, she says. Refinements likely will include feeding blood pressure measurements directly from the cuff to the electronic personal health record. Similar direct feeds with weight scales and even urine analysis via the toilet also are under development. "We are actively working on the integration of medical devices," Dr. Weaver says.
"At the end of the day, if you can deliver a personal health record that people will use, that delivers just tremendous value to our health care system as well as to individuals," Dr. Weaver says. Chronic diseases, such as hypertension, among aging baby boomers make the timing and impact significant, she says. "Cerner is pleased and honored to be a partner with the Medical College of Georgia in this important work."
The Institute for Family Centered Care, headquartered in Bethesda, Md., also is a partner in gathering input on the Cerner system from patients and physicians in diverse geographic locations with experience using other personal health records
"This project will help demonstrate that when we partner with patients to really redesign the system of care, we will build the system in a way that works best for the people we serve," says Beverley H. Johnson, the institute's president and CEO. "I think the project creates a way to look over the next couple of years at how you get effective, sustained partnerships with families in place to make the care of higher quality which will lead to better outcomes."
Study participants don't have to have a computer; study coordinators will help those who don't find where they can use one. However one of the many questions being asked is whether or not having a computer affects use of the electronic personal health record.
They will learn how to use the electronic record then have follow up visits at three, six and 12 months. Researchers will measure what they call patient activation or just how involved patients are in their own health, gather pertinent biological data such as blood pressure and waist circumference and use a widely accepted test to assess their relationship with their physician.
Source: Toni Baker
Medical College of Georgia
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National Science Foundation Research And Education Grants To Benefit Computational Biology And Sustainable Energy
Two research groups from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have won $3 million grants from the National Science Foundation to create new graduate research and education programs designed to train tomorrow's top scientists.
The grants, called Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships, or IGERTs, will draw the nation's best and brightest graduate students to UT Knoxville for two unique programs that focus on major global issues.
"IGERT programs are the gold standard for how America creates our next generation of leaders in science," said Brad Fenwick, UT Knoxville vice chancellor for research and engagement. "The fact that UT Knoxville is now home to two of these programs speaks volumes about our growing national and international research profile and about the hard work of the teams on our campus that submitted these proposals."
Each IGERT is given a name reflecting its general topic area. One is Sustainable Technology through Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, or STAIR, and the other is Scalable Computing and Leading Edge Innovative Technologies, or SCALE-IT.
An interdisciplinary focus sets the IGERTs apart, according to David Keffer, an associate professor of chemical engineering and the leader of STAIR.
"Science, engineering and research are more and more interdisciplinary," said Keffer. "As researchers, we no longer find ourselves working in silos, but reaching beyond some traditional barriers."
STAIR brings together researchers from UT Knoxville's colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering, and will focus on the creation of sustainable energy with a concentration on addressing the challenges of hydrogen as an energy source, from creation to storage to use.
Each of the two IGERTs will support approximately 15 graduate students with a very significant stipend and tuition waiver, as well as providing support for their research -- making them a top national opportunity, according to Cynthia Peterson, who directs the other new program.
"The resources available in these IGERTs are unmatched," said Peterson, a UT Knoxville professor of biochemistry, cellular and microbiology. "Beyond the financial resources, students will have access to the amazing scientific infrastructure available in this area."
Peterson will direct SCALE-IT. The program brings together top researchers from four different colleges within UT Knoxville and partners from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to examine how to apply high performance computing power to answer biological questions at every level.
Each of the IGERT programs includes a significant number of faculty collaborators, a piece that both Keffer and Peterson say is key to their success.
"Being able to build a network of expertise will be of great benefit to those in the IGERTs, both in linking education and research efforts," said Keffer.
Beyond just research and graduate education, both programs also encompass outreach efforts to the broader community -- especially to high school science students and teachers.
Recruiting for both STAIR and SCALE-IT are now under way. Each IGERT is funded for an initial period of five years, at which time the researchers can submit a request to renew the funding.
Keffer is the director and principal investigator for STAIR, with Claudia Rawn, associate professor of materials science and engineering, as co-director and co-PI. Other co-PIs include: Barry Bruce, professor of biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology; Paul Frymier, associate professor, chemical and biomolecular engineering; and Bamin Khomami, distinguished professor and head, chemical and biomolecular engineering.
Peterson, is the director and principal investigator for SCALE-IT. CO-PIs include. Jack Dongarra, distinguished professor, electrical engineering and computer science; Mike Langston, professor, electrical engineering and computer science; Jeremy Smith, UT-ORNL Governor's Chair and professor of biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology; and Elissa Chesler, senior staff scientist in biosciences, ORNL.
Source: Jay Mayfield
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
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The grants, called Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeships, or IGERTs, will draw the nation's best and brightest graduate students to UT Knoxville for two unique programs that focus on major global issues.
"IGERT programs are the gold standard for how America creates our next generation of leaders in science," said Brad Fenwick, UT Knoxville vice chancellor for research and engagement. "The fact that UT Knoxville is now home to two of these programs speaks volumes about our growing national and international research profile and about the hard work of the teams on our campus that submitted these proposals."
Each IGERT is given a name reflecting its general topic area. One is Sustainable Technology through Advanced Interdisciplinary Research, or STAIR, and the other is Scalable Computing and Leading Edge Innovative Technologies, or SCALE-IT.
An interdisciplinary focus sets the IGERTs apart, according to David Keffer, an associate professor of chemical engineering and the leader of STAIR.
"Science, engineering and research are more and more interdisciplinary," said Keffer. "As researchers, we no longer find ourselves working in silos, but reaching beyond some traditional barriers."
STAIR brings together researchers from UT Knoxville's colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering, and will focus on the creation of sustainable energy with a concentration on addressing the challenges of hydrogen as an energy source, from creation to storage to use.
Each of the two IGERTs will support approximately 15 graduate students with a very significant stipend and tuition waiver, as well as providing support for their research -- making them a top national opportunity, according to Cynthia Peterson, who directs the other new program.
"The resources available in these IGERTs are unmatched," said Peterson, a UT Knoxville professor of biochemistry, cellular and microbiology. "Beyond the financial resources, students will have access to the amazing scientific infrastructure available in this area."
Peterson will direct SCALE-IT. The program brings together top researchers from four different colleges within UT Knoxville and partners from Oak Ridge National Laboratory to examine how to apply high performance computing power to answer biological questions at every level.
Each of the IGERT programs includes a significant number of faculty collaborators, a piece that both Keffer and Peterson say is key to their success.
"Being able to build a network of expertise will be of great benefit to those in the IGERTs, both in linking education and research efforts," said Keffer.
Beyond just research and graduate education, both programs also encompass outreach efforts to the broader community -- especially to high school science students and teachers.
Recruiting for both STAIR and SCALE-IT are now under way. Each IGERT is funded for an initial period of five years, at which time the researchers can submit a request to renew the funding.
Keffer is the director and principal investigator for STAIR, with Claudia Rawn, associate professor of materials science and engineering, as co-director and co-PI. Other co-PIs include: Barry Bruce, professor of biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology; Paul Frymier, associate professor, chemical and biomolecular engineering; and Bamin Khomami, distinguished professor and head, chemical and biomolecular engineering.
Peterson, is the director and principal investigator for SCALE-IT. CO-PIs include. Jack Dongarra, distinguished professor, electrical engineering and computer science; Mike Langston, professor, electrical engineering and computer science; Jeremy Smith, UT-ORNL Governor's Chair and professor of biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology; and Elissa Chesler, senior staff scientist in biosciences, ORNL.
Source: Jay Mayfield
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
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Drug Coated Balloon Technology Shows Promising Results In Three Clinical Studies Presented At TCT Conference
Lutonix, Inc., headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, announced six-month data from three separate drug coated balloon studies presented at the TransCatheter Therapeutics (TCT) meeting this week demonstrated the ability of the Moxy™ Drug Coated Balloon Catheter to inhibit restenosis in both peripheral and coronary arteries. In all three clinical trials, the drug coated balloon therapy demonstrated a clear biologic effect as measured by six month late lumen loss, a common indicator of arterial restenosis post-procedure. No thromboses were observed in any patient treated with Moxy in any of the three trials. The largest of the studies, LEVANT I, enrolled 101 randomized patients with peripheral vascular disease, and demonstrated a 42% reduction in late lumen loss and trend towards decreased reintervention rates at six months for Moxy by direct comparison to conventional angioplasty control. LEVANT I met its primary endpoint of late lumen loss at six months, 0.46 mm versus 1.09 mm (p=0.016).
Data presented from two coronary studies of the Moxy balloon also demonstrated inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia, the tissue growth that causes restenosis. During a special session of the TCT on drug-eluting stents (DES) and drug coated balloons, Prof. Patrick Serruys (Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam) presented data from the Lutonix De Novo pilot study and Dr. Laura Mauri (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston) shared the results of the PERVIDEO I study.
The 26-patient Lutonix De Novo study utilized Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to provide a high resolution measure of biological effect of the Moxy balloon when combined with bare metal stents (BMS) to treat de novo coronary lesions. The data showed clear inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia along with good stent coverage and safety outcomes at six months, thereby establishing the potential feasibility of this combined therapy for coronary artery disease.
"The biologic effect of the drug coated balloon was absolutely clear. By OCT, neointimal hyperplasia was significantly less than that historically observed for BMS and approaching that of DES. There is good strut coverage comparable to second generation DES," said Prof. Patrick Serruys.
In the single-arm 41-patient PERVIDEO I study examining the safety and feasibility of treating bare metal in-stent restenosis, the Moxy balloon showed a change in percent diameter stenosis of 8.5% during the six month follow-up period and a late lumen loss of 0.16 mm. This late lumen loss data is similar to that achieved in drug-eluting stent and previous drug coated balloon trials for in-stent restenosis. Safety data at thirty days and six months was also similar to comparable trials.
"Although this is a small registry study, it affirms the possibility that drug coated balloons may offer a very useful alternative to stents for treating patients with in-stent restenosis," said Dr. Mauri.
During the Late Breaking Clinical Trials session of TCT, Prof. Dierk Scheinert (Park Hospital and Heart Center Leipzig, Germany) presented the six month outcomes of LEVANT I, a 101-patient prospective, randomized, multicenter study comparing the Moxy balloon to standard balloon angioplasty as treatment for femoropopliteal artery disease in the legs. LEVANT I met its primary endpoint, late lumen loss at six months, with high significance (p=0.016). Mean late lumen loss for Moxy was 0.46mm compared to 1.09mm for conventional angioplasty control. In addition to meeting the primary endpoint, the trial showed a trend towards improved patency and decreased revascularizations, thrombosis, and death compared to conventional angioplasty. The anti-platelet regimen was one month for patients without stent placement.
"LEVANT I, like the coronary studies, clearly demonstrates the ability to substantially inhibit restenosis through the use of a drug coated balloon," said Prof. Scheinert. "To date, there have been two other randomized trials examining the use of DCBs for peripheral disease. Taken as a whole, these results therefore are not only clinically compelling, but extremely significant in advancing our understanding of this emerging therapy," he added.
LEVANT I sets the stage for LEVANT II, the upcoming IDE trial designed to support the application for US FDA approval. LEVANT II is a global, multicenter trial that will compare the safety and efficacy of the Moxy balloon to standard balloon angioplasty for the treatment of femoropopliteal disease in an even larger patient population.
Source: Lutonix, Inc
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Data presented from two coronary studies of the Moxy balloon also demonstrated inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia, the tissue growth that causes restenosis. During a special session of the TCT on drug-eluting stents (DES) and drug coated balloons, Prof. Patrick Serruys (Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam) presented data from the Lutonix De Novo pilot study and Dr. Laura Mauri (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston) shared the results of the PERVIDEO I study.
The 26-patient Lutonix De Novo study utilized Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) to provide a high resolution measure of biological effect of the Moxy balloon when combined with bare metal stents (BMS) to treat de novo coronary lesions. The data showed clear inhibition of neointimal hyperplasia along with good stent coverage and safety outcomes at six months, thereby establishing the potential feasibility of this combined therapy for coronary artery disease.
"The biologic effect of the drug coated balloon was absolutely clear. By OCT, neointimal hyperplasia was significantly less than that historically observed for BMS and approaching that of DES. There is good strut coverage comparable to second generation DES," said Prof. Patrick Serruys.
In the single-arm 41-patient PERVIDEO I study examining the safety and feasibility of treating bare metal in-stent restenosis, the Moxy balloon showed a change in percent diameter stenosis of 8.5% during the six month follow-up period and a late lumen loss of 0.16 mm. This late lumen loss data is similar to that achieved in drug-eluting stent and previous drug coated balloon trials for in-stent restenosis. Safety data at thirty days and six months was also similar to comparable trials.
"Although this is a small registry study, it affirms the possibility that drug coated balloons may offer a very useful alternative to stents for treating patients with in-stent restenosis," said Dr. Mauri.
During the Late Breaking Clinical Trials session of TCT, Prof. Dierk Scheinert (Park Hospital and Heart Center Leipzig, Germany) presented the six month outcomes of LEVANT I, a 101-patient prospective, randomized, multicenter study comparing the Moxy balloon to standard balloon angioplasty as treatment for femoropopliteal artery disease in the legs. LEVANT I met its primary endpoint, late lumen loss at six months, with high significance (p=0.016). Mean late lumen loss for Moxy was 0.46mm compared to 1.09mm for conventional angioplasty control. In addition to meeting the primary endpoint, the trial showed a trend towards improved patency and decreased revascularizations, thrombosis, and death compared to conventional angioplasty. The anti-platelet regimen was one month for patients without stent placement.
"LEVANT I, like the coronary studies, clearly demonstrates the ability to substantially inhibit restenosis through the use of a drug coated balloon," said Prof. Scheinert. "To date, there have been two other randomized trials examining the use of DCBs for peripheral disease. Taken as a whole, these results therefore are not only clinically compelling, but extremely significant in advancing our understanding of this emerging therapy," he added.
LEVANT I sets the stage for LEVANT II, the upcoming IDE trial designed to support the application for US FDA approval. LEVANT II is a global, multicenter trial that will compare the safety and efficacy of the Moxy balloon to standard balloon angioplasty for the treatment of femoropopliteal disease in an even larger patient population.
Source: Lutonix, Inc
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Florence Immunology Conference: Deadline: March 30th, 2008
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY RESEARCH
2008 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
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July 22-26, 2008
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The Frontiers in Immunology Research Network (FIRN) invites you to
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The conference welcomes researchers
from academia, corporations, governments and other organizations.
Participants may present their research findings, display their posters,
participate in roundtables or simply observe.
To participate as a
PRESENTER please submit via email and post ABSTRACTS and/or brief
descriptions of POSTERS (of no more than 200 words) along with your
complete details by March 30th, 2008 as follows:
Frontiers in Immunology Research Network (FIRN)
64 Holden Street
Worcester MA 01605-3109
USA
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2008 INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
firnweb
FLORENCE, ITALY
July 22-26, 2008
Hotel Croce di Malta
The Frontiers in Immunology Research Network (FIRN) invites you to
participate in its 2008 Conference to be held in the Florence, Italy, at
the Croce di Malta Hotel, July 22-26.
The conference welcomes researchers
from academia, corporations, governments and other organizations.
Participants may present their research findings, display their posters,
participate in roundtables or simply observe.
To participate as a
PRESENTER please submit via email and post ABSTRACTS and/or brief
descriptions of POSTERS (of no more than 200 words) along with your
complete details by March 30th, 2008 as follows:
Frontiers in Immunology Research Network (FIRN)
64 Holden Street
Worcester MA 01605-3109
USA
firnweb
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First Shot Of Pentavalent Vaccine For The Children Of The Solomon Islands
For the first time in its history, the Solomon Islands began vaccinating its children today against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and four other common diseases through the use of a 5-1 vaccine purchased with funding from the GAVI Alliance.
Hib, a bacterium that can cause meningitis and pneumonia, is one of the biggest killers of young children in the developing world. Each year, Hib is estimated to be responsible globally for some three million serious illnesses and an estimated 400,000 deaths, the majority of them among children.
The Hib vaccine will be administered through a one shot vaccine that also includes antigens against four other diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and hepatitis B.
At an official ceremony taking place in the capital Honiara, the honorable Mr. Johnson Koli, Minister of Health and Medical Services of the Solomon Islands oversaw the first administration of the vaccine among a group of children.
The GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) is a public-private partnership of major stakeholders in immunisation including WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, developing country and donor governments, the vaccine industry, research and technical agencies, civil society, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The organization committed US$465,000 for the introduction of the vaccine.
"Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Solomon Islands' Ministry of Health, the WHO, UNICEF and other partners, this life-saving vaccine will provide more protection to children in the country, with fewer injections and with fewer visits to the health clinic" said Jeffrey Rowland of the GAVI Alliance.
Since 2000, GAVI Alliance has provided funding support and supplies for Hib vaccine under the Pentavalent form to the poorest countries in the world.
"The introduction of Hib vaccine has now completely changed the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in countries where introduced. For example, the GAVI-supported vaccine has allowed Uganda to eliminate meningitis due to Hib as a public health problem[1]" added Jeffrey Rowland.
"The introduction of this Pentavalent vaccine marks a milestone in the further development of the national immunisation programme in the Solomon Islands, and provides a significant hope for all families in the country" said Dr. William Adu-Krow, WHO Country Liaison Officer.
The Solomon Islands follows a number of other GAVI eligible countries that are introducing Pentavalent vaccine this year, including Kiribati and Papua New Guinea.
The GAVI Alliance
The GAVI Alliance is a public-private partnership of major stakeholders in vaccines and immunisation. It includes developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialised and developing countries, research and technical agencies, NGOs, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private philanthropists. WHO projections show that GAVI support has prevented more than 2.9 million future deaths by the end of 2007.
GAVI's efforts are critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goal on child health, which calls for reducing childhood mortality by two thirds by 2015. Of the 10 million children who die before reaching their fifth birthday every year, 2.5 million die from diseases that could be prevented with currently available or new vaccines. For more information, please visit: gavialliance.
[1] The positive results are outlined in a study published in the April issue of The Bulletin of the World Health Organization (see here)
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Hib, a bacterium that can cause meningitis and pneumonia, is one of the biggest killers of young children in the developing world. Each year, Hib is estimated to be responsible globally for some three million serious illnesses and an estimated 400,000 deaths, the majority of them among children.
The Hib vaccine will be administered through a one shot vaccine that also includes antigens against four other diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and hepatitis B.
At an official ceremony taking place in the capital Honiara, the honorable Mr. Johnson Koli, Minister of Health and Medical Services of the Solomon Islands oversaw the first administration of the vaccine among a group of children.
The GAVI Alliance (formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) is a public-private partnership of major stakeholders in immunisation including WHO, UNICEF, the World Bank, developing country and donor governments, the vaccine industry, research and technical agencies, civil society, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The organization committed US$465,000 for the introduction of the vaccine.
"Thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Solomon Islands' Ministry of Health, the WHO, UNICEF and other partners, this life-saving vaccine will provide more protection to children in the country, with fewer injections and with fewer visits to the health clinic" said Jeffrey Rowland of the GAVI Alliance.
Since 2000, GAVI Alliance has provided funding support and supplies for Hib vaccine under the Pentavalent form to the poorest countries in the world.
"The introduction of Hib vaccine has now completely changed the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis in countries where introduced. For example, the GAVI-supported vaccine has allowed Uganda to eliminate meningitis due to Hib as a public health problem[1]" added Jeffrey Rowland.
"The introduction of this Pentavalent vaccine marks a milestone in the further development of the national immunisation programme in the Solomon Islands, and provides a significant hope for all families in the country" said Dr. William Adu-Krow, WHO Country Liaison Officer.
The Solomon Islands follows a number of other GAVI eligible countries that are introducing Pentavalent vaccine this year, including Kiribati and Papua New Guinea.
The GAVI Alliance
The GAVI Alliance is a public-private partnership of major stakeholders in vaccines and immunisation. It includes developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry in both industrialised and developing countries, research and technical agencies, NGOs, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private philanthropists. WHO projections show that GAVI support has prevented more than 2.9 million future deaths by the end of 2007.
GAVI's efforts are critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goal on child health, which calls for reducing childhood mortality by two thirds by 2015. Of the 10 million children who die before reaching their fifth birthday every year, 2.5 million die from diseases that could be prevented with currently available or new vaccines. For more information, please visit: gavialliance.
[1] The positive results are outlined in a study published in the April issue of The Bulletin of the World Health Organization (see here)
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MMR Doctor Denies Submitting Kids To Painful Tests Just To Prove His Theories
Dr. Andrew Wakefield told a General Medical Council (GMC) disciplinary panel he did not submit young children to painful tests just to further his theories linking vaccinations to autism. He stressed that the tests were clinically necessary to diagnose and treat the young children - he said the children had autistic-like symptoms as well as debilitating bowel diseases.
A decade ago Dr. Wakefield said the MMR vaccine may cause autism.
Professor John Walker-Smith, the doctor of the young children, had ordered all the tests, according to Wakefield. The investigations - including painful colonoscopies, lumbar punctures (taking spinal fluid), brain scans, blood tests, and urine tests - were stopped when they could not reveal a link to the children's problems. He insisted that the well-being of the children was "our foremost consideration".
Dr. Wakefield is not a practicing clinician, he is an academic. He is accused of ordering tests against the children's best interests in order to further his own research - and by doing so breaking rules. However, he says he played no role whatsoever in deciding whether the tests should or should not take place. According to Wakefield, all the parents were very keen for their children to be included in the tests, and knew about the research program.
He said parents had told him about their 'normal' children who developed autism after receiving the MMR vaccine and started investigating a potential link in 1995. He had previously investigated a possible link between the MMR vaccine and Crohn's disease. "They were telling what turned out to be a remarkably consistent story of a normal child who they had lost, who had lost speech, communication, play, interaction with siblings, had sometimes become incontinent … was bloated, off their food, was losing weight, was failing to thrive."
While answering the Panel's questions (during the hearing) several supporters were gathered outside with banners indicating support for Wakefield. Professor Walker-Smith, Professor Simon Murch and Dr Wakefield all deny serious professional conduct.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Wakefield charged over ВЈ150 ($300) per hour to a law firm that had planned to sue the vaccine's manufacturer. He invoiced Richard Barr, a lawyer, the hourly rate for investigating alleged dangerous side-effects of the MMR vaccine. Two years later Wakefield published his research paper, alleging a causal link between MMR and autism in young children. However, he did not disclose that he was being paid as an expert advisor for Mr. Barr, who was in legal proceedings against the manufacturers of the MMR vaccine - a clear conflict of interest.
Most of the children who were examined were represented by Mr. Barr. When Dr. Wakefield's report came out, it led to a dramatic drop in the number of children receiving the MMR jab, and a subsequent rise in children developing measles.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Wakefield "was also accused of dishonesty in applying for ВЈ55,000 of legal-aid money for his research, even though these costs had already been met by the NHS." According to Wakefield, he needed two funding sources for two separate investigations.
Wakefield told the Panel that the Royal Free Hospital's (London) ethics committee had fully approved the invasive tests on the children. Dr. Michael Pegg, who was the Committee's chairman said this was not true - Wakefield suggested that Dr. Pegg's memory is at fault.
The hearing continues.
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A decade ago Dr. Wakefield said the MMR vaccine may cause autism.
Professor John Walker-Smith, the doctor of the young children, had ordered all the tests, according to Wakefield. The investigations - including painful colonoscopies, lumbar punctures (taking spinal fluid), brain scans, blood tests, and urine tests - were stopped when they could not reveal a link to the children's problems. He insisted that the well-being of the children was "our foremost consideration".
Dr. Wakefield is not a practicing clinician, he is an academic. He is accused of ordering tests against the children's best interests in order to further his own research - and by doing so breaking rules. However, he says he played no role whatsoever in deciding whether the tests should or should not take place. According to Wakefield, all the parents were very keen for their children to be included in the tests, and knew about the research program.
He said parents had told him about their 'normal' children who developed autism after receiving the MMR vaccine and started investigating a potential link in 1995. He had previously investigated a possible link between the MMR vaccine and Crohn's disease. "They were telling what turned out to be a remarkably consistent story of a normal child who they had lost, who had lost speech, communication, play, interaction with siblings, had sometimes become incontinent … was bloated, off their food, was losing weight, was failing to thrive."
While answering the Panel's questions (during the hearing) several supporters were gathered outside with banners indicating support for Wakefield. Professor Walker-Smith, Professor Simon Murch and Dr Wakefield all deny serious professional conduct.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Wakefield charged over ВЈ150 ($300) per hour to a law firm that had planned to sue the vaccine's manufacturer. He invoiced Richard Barr, a lawyer, the hourly rate for investigating alleged dangerous side-effects of the MMR vaccine. Two years later Wakefield published his research paper, alleging a causal link between MMR and autism in young children. However, he did not disclose that he was being paid as an expert advisor for Mr. Barr, who was in legal proceedings against the manufacturers of the MMR vaccine - a clear conflict of interest.
Most of the children who were examined were represented by Mr. Barr. When Dr. Wakefield's report came out, it led to a dramatic drop in the number of children receiving the MMR jab, and a subsequent rise in children developing measles.
According to the Daily Mail, Dr. Wakefield "was also accused of dishonesty in applying for ВЈ55,000 of legal-aid money for his research, even though these costs had already been met by the NHS." According to Wakefield, he needed two funding sources for two separate investigations.
Wakefield told the Panel that the Royal Free Hospital's (London) ethics committee had fully approved the invasive tests on the children. Dr. Michael Pegg, who was the Committee's chairman said this was not true - Wakefield suggested that Dr. Pegg's memory is at fault.
The hearing continues.
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American Nurses Association Urges Registered Nurses To Get The H1N1 Vaccine
Recognizing that the H1N1 virus is a pandemic and a public health emergency, the American Nurses Association (ANA) is urging all registered nurses to get the H1N1 vaccine to protect themselves, their families, and the patients they serve.
Though ANA continues to oppose mandatory seasonal influenza vaccine policies, it also acknowledges that the public health threat posed by the novel H1N1 virus will spur employers to enact mandatory H1N1 vaccination policies for health care workers as a safety measure. ANA does not support such policies unless they adhere to certain guidelines to ensure they are fair, equitable, and not enforced as a condition of employment.
"ANA understands the potential need for a mandatory vaccination policy during a pandemic, but we are committed to ensuring that such policies are not discriminatory or punitive and contain appropriate exemptions," said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. "The bottom line is no registered nurse should be fired for not being vaccinated. That said, we should all be vaccinated, since no one has immunity to this new H1N1 strain. While some groups may be more vulnerable to severe illness and death, we are all susceptible."
ANA believes mandatory H1N1 vaccination policies should only be implemented under these conditions:
- The mandatory policy comes from the highest level of legal authority, ideally state government
- Suitable exemptions, such as for those allergic to components of the vaccine, are included
- Discriminating against or disciplining nurses who choose not to participate is prohibited
- The policy is part of a comprehensive infection control program that includes personal protective equipment, such as N95 respirators, to increase safety
- Vaccinations are free and provided at convenient times and locations to foster compliance
- The employer negotiates with worker union representatives to resolve any differences when the policy is implemented at a health care facility
ANA's protection of nurses' workplace rights should not be confused with the message ANA is delivering to nurses: Get the H1N1 vaccine. To promote vaccination, ANA is sending a letter to its members and to affiliated specialty nursing organizations encouraging immunization for H1N1 and seasonal influenza.
Noting that the seasonal influenza vaccination rate for nurses and all health care workers consistently remains below 50 percent, ANA President Patton said, "As nurses, we have an ethical obligation to protect ourselves, our patients and our families from illness. Vaccination is one simple step we can take to do that, and it's even more crucial during this H1N1 pandemic. We strongly encourage nurses to lead the way to increasing vaccination rates among health care workers."
Source
American Nurses Association
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Though ANA continues to oppose mandatory seasonal influenza vaccine policies, it also acknowledges that the public health threat posed by the novel H1N1 virus will spur employers to enact mandatory H1N1 vaccination policies for health care workers as a safety measure. ANA does not support such policies unless they adhere to certain guidelines to ensure they are fair, equitable, and not enforced as a condition of employment.
"ANA understands the potential need for a mandatory vaccination policy during a pandemic, but we are committed to ensuring that such policies are not discriminatory or punitive and contain appropriate exemptions," said ANA President Rebecca M. Patton, MSN, RN, CNOR. "The bottom line is no registered nurse should be fired for not being vaccinated. That said, we should all be vaccinated, since no one has immunity to this new H1N1 strain. While some groups may be more vulnerable to severe illness and death, we are all susceptible."
ANA believes mandatory H1N1 vaccination policies should only be implemented under these conditions:
- The mandatory policy comes from the highest level of legal authority, ideally state government
- Suitable exemptions, such as for those allergic to components of the vaccine, are included
- Discriminating against or disciplining nurses who choose not to participate is prohibited
- The policy is part of a comprehensive infection control program that includes personal protective equipment, such as N95 respirators, to increase safety
- Vaccinations are free and provided at convenient times and locations to foster compliance
- The employer negotiates with worker union representatives to resolve any differences when the policy is implemented at a health care facility
ANA's protection of nurses' workplace rights should not be confused with the message ANA is delivering to nurses: Get the H1N1 vaccine. To promote vaccination, ANA is sending a letter to its members and to affiliated specialty nursing organizations encouraging immunization for H1N1 and seasonal influenza.
Noting that the seasonal influenza vaccination rate for nurses and all health care workers consistently remains below 50 percent, ANA President Patton said, "As nurses, we have an ethical obligation to protect ourselves, our patients and our families from illness. Vaccination is one simple step we can take to do that, and it's even more crucial during this H1N1 pandemic. We strongly encourage nurses to lead the way to increasing vaccination rates among health care workers."
Source
American Nurses Association
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Kagan Co-Authored Clinton White House Policy Memo Supporting Compromise On 'Partial-Birth' Abortion Bill
As an adviser in the Clinton White House, Solicitor General Elena Kagan -- President Obama's Supreme Court nominee -- co-authored a May 1997 memo recommending that President Clinton support a compromise proposal by then-Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) that would have banned so-called "partial-birth" abortion with an exception for the health of the woman, the Washington Post reports (Shear, Washington Post, 5/11).
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Documents from Clinton's presidential library, reviewed by the Associated Press, show that Kagan and her boss at the time, Bruce Reed, advised Clinton to support the compromise to avoid a situation in which the Republican-led Congress would pass a stricter measure and override a presidential veto (AP/New York Times, 5/10). Ultimately the compromise measure failed, and Republicans passed the stricter bill, which Clinton vetoed (Totenberg, "Morning Edition," NPR, 5/11).
"We recommend that you endorse the Daschle amendment in order to sustain your credibility on HR 1122 and prevent Congress from overriding your veto," the memo said.
Kagan and Reed noted that abortion-rights groups opposed the compromise and that the Department of Justice considered the measure unconstitutional. The memo noted that another White House adviser -- Rahm Emmanuel, who is now Obama's chief of staff -- also recommended that Clinton endorse the amendment.
According to the AP/Times, the memo "is more of a political calculation than a legal brief." On Monday, White House spokesperson Ben LaBolt said that "judges confront issues differently than staff attorneys for an administration." He noted that Chief Justice John Roberts also received scrutiny during his nomination over positions he took as a DOJ attorney during the Reagan administration.
The memo and other documents reviewed by the Associated Press do not include Kagan's papers from her tenure as a domestic policy adviser and associate White House counsel during the Clinton administration. Several thousand pages of Kagan's records are expected to be released this summer. The AP/Times reports that "[b]ecause Kagan spent little time in court and never sat as a judge, she does not have the typical long history of court opinions and legal briefs" of other recent Supreme Court nominees (AP/New York Times, 5/10).
Both Sides Look for Clues on Abortion Stance
The 1997 memo casts a spotlight on abortion-rights issues, which received little attention in the immediate hours after her nomination, the Post reports. According to the Post, Kagan's position on Roe v. Wade "could become a sleeper issue" in the confirmation process, as advocates on both sides look for clues on how she might rule on privacy rights.
For the Obama administration, "the idea that Kagan might support tougher restrictions on abortion presents a complicated set of political opportunities and risks," the Post reports. It also might fuel concerns from some liberal groups that seek affirmation that Kagan would support their issues in court rulings. However, the Post notes, "[w]ith 59 votes in the Senate, the Democrats are virtually assured of getting confirmation unless a political bombshell drops before the hearings" (Washington Post, 5/11).
Kagan Asked About 'Conscience' Rule in 2009
CQ HealthBeat reports that during her 2009 Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearing for the role of solicitor general, Kagan said she had not heard of the controversy surrounding the George W. Bush administration's HHS provider "conscience" rule, which would have strengthened protections for health care workers who decline services based on religious or moral beliefs. The Obama administration has proposed rescinding the rule (Jenks, CQ HealthBeat, 5/11).
Abortion-Rights Groups Respond to Kagan Nomination
Several abortion-rights groups released statements after Monday's announcement of Kagan's nomination to the court. Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said, "We call on the Senate to give Solicitor General Kagan a fair hearing and look forward to learning more about her views on the right to privacy and the landmark Roe v. Wade decision."
Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards said Kagan is "an accomplished and experienced lawyer and legal scholar who has been a trailblazer throughout her career." She added, "We are confident that Kagan will bring the dedication and commitment that have marked her career with her to the highest court in the land" (Washington Post, 5/11).
Center for Reproductive Rights President Nancy Northup said Kagan's "public record reveals very little about her judicial philosophy or her views on the constitutional protections in Roe." Northup also noted, "The last Supreme Court decision on abortion was 5 to 4 and further diluted constitutional protections for abortion." She added, "As such, it is absolutely critical that the Senate Judiciary Committee conduct a rigorous confirmation process and thoroughly explore Ms. Kagan's views on the constitutional protection that should be afforded to women seeking abortions."
EMILY's List President Stephanie Schriock said, "If confirmed by the Senate, Elena Kagan would serve as the fourth woman ever to sit on the court, and the Supreme Court would have a record three women on the bench." She added, "With her nomination the court is one step closer to reflecting the diversity that makes our country so great" (Murray, Roll Call, 5/10).
Leahy To Meet With Kagan
Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) said he intends to meet with Kagan this week and will outline a timetable for completing confirmation hearings this summer. Kagan also will start meeting with lawmakers this week, guided by White House attorney Susan Davies (Arsenault/Viser, Boston Globe, 5/11).
Opinion Piece Examines 'Inscrutable' Kagan Record
In a Slate opinion piece, Dahlia Lithwick discusses the challenges conservatives and liberals face in determining Kagan's positions, noting that, "[w]ith no judicial record to pore over, and some of the wonkiest law-review articles ever penned to her credit, Kagan has mastered the fine art of nearly perfect ideological inscrutability." Lithwick notes, "Even [New Yorker writer] Jeffrey Toobin, her law school study partner, has virtually no idea what she really believes." She includes links to several of Kagan's writings and other analysts' articles on clues to her positions.
Lithwick writes, "What nobody disputes about Kagan is that she is terrifically intelligent, an able manager, ambitious, and well-liked and that she was all that and a wheel of brie when it came to sorting out the problems she inherited as dean of Harvard Law School." According to Lithwick, "Nobody (beyond Glenn Beck) has ever accused Kagan of being a liberal firebrand or a wild-eyed idealist," though some of Kagan's supporters "suggest that she may prove far more liberal than anyone expected" (Lithwick, Slate, 5/10).
New York Magazine's "Daily Intel" also discussed scrutiny of the memo (Amira, "Daily Intel," New York Magazine, 5/11).
Reprinted with kind permission from nationalpartnership. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company.
© 2010 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.
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New Patient-Safety Project At Rush Receives Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute Award
The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute has awarded Rush University Medical Center a $124,633 grant to support a first-of-its-kind patient-safety project. The pilot program will use Rush's mediation program to foster the development of interventions to avoid or modify activities and procedures that may have adverse effects on patients. This innovative program has the potential to serve as a model for similar mediation programs throughout Chicago and the nation.
Mediation is a voluntary process in which a trained mediator serves as a neutral guide to help resolve problems that otherwise may go to court. In Rush's mediation and patient-safety project, the mediation process is used to amicably resolve disputes and then moves to ensure that corrective action is taken to prevent avoidable adverse events in the future.
"Rush envisions a leading-edge approach to reducing future medical malpractice actions. Under The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute grant, patient safety officers will become an integral part of the Rush Mediation Program, offering clinical strategies to reduce the possibility that similar incidents will occur," said Max D. Brown, JD, vice president and general counsel of the Office of Legal Affairs.
The mediation team, led by Brown and Judge Jerome Lerner, mediation consultant in the Office of Legal Affairs, will review a sampling of cases. They will select those with critical safety issues and that best represent preventable harms while holding promise to effect lasting change on patient safety. A team will conduct a root cause analysis of those cases. Robert A. McNutt, MD, chief of the Section of Medical Informatics and Patient Safety, will serve as medical advisor on evidence and study designs for the patient safety projects that emanate from these cases. The team will disseminate its findings to senior executives within Rush and later to Chicago's medical and legal communities. The grant's internal and external educational goals will be advanced by increasing awareness within these communities as to their findings and the value of the approach.
"We hope this pilot project spurs the development of innovations that engage the medical and legal communities in a shared goal of improving quality and patient safety," McNutt said.
The Medical Malpractice Mediation Program at Rush, started in 1995, is nationally recognized for its effective method of resolving medical malpractice disputes by acknowledging adverse events and fairly compensating patients who may have been injured as a result. Rush's mediation program is unique in that two co-mediators, themselves experienced trial attorneys, are selected by the injured patient to preside over the process. In 2001, Rush's mediation program received the Center for Public Resources' Outstanding Achievement Award, and in 2003, it was specifically cited in tort reform legislation adopted in Pennsylvania as a model for resolution of malpractice claims.
The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute was founded in 1911 by a leading Chicago businessman as a nonprofit foundation with a mandate to pursue the investigation of the cause of disease and the prevention and relief of human suffering in Chicago. Today, this philanthropy is managed by a board of volunteers dedicated to carrying out this goal. Support of this mediation and patient-safety project builds on The Institute's work to create the Chicago Patient Safety Forum and to support a variety of innovative approaches that will reduce errors through collaboration and interdisciplinary research. This grant along with a $230,000 grant for a new childhood obesity reduction project at Rush are just two of the ways that The Institute's Board continues to carry out its philanthropic mission.
"As a Chicago-based philanthropy, The Institute has focused on enabling promising local health and wellness initiatives to develop and replicate. Over the years, Rush and its predecessors have consistently used our grants to achieve our shared vision. We are confident these grants will continue this pattern of significant outcomes that promote health, improve care, and reduce costs through innovation" said James N. Alexander, The Institute's Executive Director.
Source: Mary Ann Schultz
Rush University Medical Center
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Mediation is a voluntary process in which a trained mediator serves as a neutral guide to help resolve problems that otherwise may go to court. In Rush's mediation and patient-safety project, the mediation process is used to amicably resolve disputes and then moves to ensure that corrective action is taken to prevent avoidable adverse events in the future.
"Rush envisions a leading-edge approach to reducing future medical malpractice actions. Under The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute grant, patient safety officers will become an integral part of the Rush Mediation Program, offering clinical strategies to reduce the possibility that similar incidents will occur," said Max D. Brown, JD, vice president and general counsel of the Office of Legal Affairs.
The mediation team, led by Brown and Judge Jerome Lerner, mediation consultant in the Office of Legal Affairs, will review a sampling of cases. They will select those with critical safety issues and that best represent preventable harms while holding promise to effect lasting change on patient safety. A team will conduct a root cause analysis of those cases. Robert A. McNutt, MD, chief of the Section of Medical Informatics and Patient Safety, will serve as medical advisor on evidence and study designs for the patient safety projects that emanate from these cases. The team will disseminate its findings to senior executives within Rush and later to Chicago's medical and legal communities. The grant's internal and external educational goals will be advanced by increasing awareness within these communities as to their findings and the value of the approach.
"We hope this pilot project spurs the development of innovations that engage the medical and legal communities in a shared goal of improving quality and patient safety," McNutt said.
The Medical Malpractice Mediation Program at Rush, started in 1995, is nationally recognized for its effective method of resolving medical malpractice disputes by acknowledging adverse events and fairly compensating patients who may have been injured as a result. Rush's mediation program is unique in that two co-mediators, themselves experienced trial attorneys, are selected by the injured patient to preside over the process. In 2001, Rush's mediation program received the Center for Public Resources' Outstanding Achievement Award, and in 2003, it was specifically cited in tort reform legislation adopted in Pennsylvania as a model for resolution of malpractice claims.
The Otho S.A. Sprague Memorial Institute was founded in 1911 by a leading Chicago businessman as a nonprofit foundation with a mandate to pursue the investigation of the cause of disease and the prevention and relief of human suffering in Chicago. Today, this philanthropy is managed by a board of volunteers dedicated to carrying out this goal. Support of this mediation and patient-safety project builds on The Institute's work to create the Chicago Patient Safety Forum and to support a variety of innovative approaches that will reduce errors through collaboration and interdisciplinary research. This grant along with a $230,000 grant for a new childhood obesity reduction project at Rush are just two of the ways that The Institute's Board continues to carry out its philanthropic mission.
"As a Chicago-based philanthropy, The Institute has focused on enabling promising local health and wellness initiatives to develop and replicate. Over the years, Rush and its predecessors have consistently used our grants to achieve our shared vision. We are confident these grants will continue this pattern of significant outcomes that promote health, improve care, and reduce costs through innovation" said James N. Alexander, The Institute's Executive Director.
Source: Mary Ann Schultz
Rush University Medical Center
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Prospects Uncertain For Actions On Health Care IT Bill, Medicare Physician Payment Rate
The chances of Congress passing bills on health care information technology and Medicare physician reimbursement rates "remain uncertain," CongressDaily reports. According to the CongressDaily, negotiations on the bills "will remain largely behind the scenes at the beginning of the week, with any public action likely to come in the final days before Congress breaks" (CongressDaily, 9/25). Lawmakers plan to recess at the end of this week and return briefly after the Nov. 7 elections to finish some work. Republican congressional leaders "have decided to dedicate the session's few remaining days to their most pressuring, highest-profile issues, such as immigration, military spending and homeland security to the exclusion of almost everything else" -- including such health care issues as the scheduled reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements, the Washington Post reports (Birnbaum, Washington Post, 9/24).
IT Legislation
The health care IT legislation "has the most promising prospects for passage before recess," according to CongressDaily (CongressDaily, 9/25). The health care IT bill (HR 4157), which was approved by the House on July 27, would codify the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology within HHS; establish a committee to make recommendations on national standards for medical data storage; and develop a permanent structure to govern national interoperability standards. The bill also would clarify that current medical privacy laws apply to data stored or transmitted electronically and would require the HHS secretary to recommend to Congress a privacy standard to reconcile differences in federal and state laws. Under the bill, the number of billing codes health care providers use to file insurance claims would increase from 24,000 to more than 200,000 by October 2010. In addition, the legislation includes an exemption of anti-kickback laws that would allow hospitals to provide health care IT hardware and software to individual physicians. The Senate in November 2005 passed a different version of the bill (S 1418) that does not include the provision on billing codes or the exemption of anti-kickback laws (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/12). Both chambers have a goal of passing compromise legislation by the end of the week, and negotiations are "progressing," CongressDaily reports.
Physician Reimbursements
Meanwhile, prospects for legislation that would stop scheduled reductions in Medicare reimbursements to physicians appear "less promising," CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 9/25). A 5.1% reduction in Medicare physician reimbursements is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2007. House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Health Chair Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) last week met with physician groups to discuss a proposal that would include a 1% increase in Medicare reimbursements for all physicians in 2007, with an additional 1.5% increase later in the year for physicians who agree to report health care quality information to the federal government. Senate Finance Committee Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and ranking member Max Baucus (D-Mont.) also are working on legislation that would reverse the scheduled reduction (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 9/22). In addition, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Joe Barton (R-Texas) has drafted a proposal that would reverse the scheduled cut and include a small payment increase, according to CongressDaily. The committee has a hearing on the issue scheduled for Thursday, "which makes it unlikely there will be any agreement before then," CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 9/25). According to the Post, the American Medical Association has been "denied" its goal of convincing lawmakers to pass legislation that would reverse the scheduled reduction. Cecil Wilson, chair of the AMA board of trustees, said, "The frustration is the Congress knows what the problem is." He added that the chance that Congress will reverse the reduction during a lame-duck session after the election "is considerably less" (Washington Post, 9/24).
Broadcast Coverage
NPR's "Morning Edition" on Monday examined possible action on legislation that would reverse the Medicare physician reimbursement reduction. The NPR segment includes comments from Baucus; Paul Ginsberg, president of the Center for Studying Health System Change; Frederick Grover, president of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons; and Steven Nissen, president of the American College of Cardiology (Rovner, "Morning Edition," NPR, 9/25). The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.
"Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . В© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Feature Highlights Recent Blog Entries
While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics. To provide complete coverage of health policy issues, the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report offers readers a window into the world of blogs in a roundup of health policy-related blog posts. "Blog Watch," published on Tuesdays and Fridays, tracks a wide range of blogs, providing a brief description and relevant links for highlighted posts.
The American Prospect's Ezra Klein, discussing President-elect Barack Obama's reported choice of Peter Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget, calls the decision "second only in importance to" Obama's reported appointment of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) to HHS secretary for health reform advocates because Orszag "has clearly stated that he thinks health care reform central to our fiscal future, [and] has said that he considers delay or denial a dangerous impulse."
Igor Volsky on the Center for American Progress Action Fund's Wonk Room says while reports indicate that some in the insurance industry would support rules requiring them to offer coverage to all applicants if there were a requirement that all individuals obtain coverage, insurers have "not adopted the necessary affordability measures that progressives typically advocate for," such as community rating or a competing public plan.
Uwe Reinhardt on the New York Times' Economix blog continues his exploration of factors contributing to disparities in per capita health spending between the U.S. and other developed nations, discussing "an administrative overhead load that is huge by international standards."
John Goodman on the Health Affairs Blog writes that elements of health care proposals by former Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "would make Obama's plan work much better" and suggests four additional adjustments: no mandated benefits package, risk-rating premiums, additional support for safety net institutions and adoption of what he calls "Roth" health savings accounts.
The Health Care Blog's Scott Shreeve rounds up recent developments surrounding electronic health records.
Catherine Hammons and Kate Bicego of Health Care for All's A Healthy Blog report on speakers' statements at a national town hall on health reform sponsored by the New England Alliance for Children's Health, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Bob Laszewski on Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review looks at the Healthy Americans Act proposed by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Bob Bennett (R-Utah) and says that "no other idea really starts to change, rather than build upon, a system we all agree is unacceptable. No other idea has the bipartisan support out of the box that Wyden-Bennett does."
Conn Carroll of the Heritage Foundation's The Foundry expresses opposition to Obama's health care proposal for a national health insurance exchange because it could involve more regulations than the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
Marilyn Werber Serafini of the National Journal's Health Care Expert Blog asks, "What do you see as the pluses and minuses of a Federal Health Board? How would it affect the private health care system? Would it mesh with leading Democratic proposals? And, instead of creating such a board, would it be better to give HHS more power over health care?" Responses follow from Stuart Butler, Karen Davis, Glenn Hackbarth and John Goodman.
Joanne Kenen of the New America Foundation's New Health Dialogue rounds up some news coverage of how problems in the larger economy could affect the health care industry, including growth in the number of uninsured, an increase in uncompensated care and possible changes to Medicare Advantage.
Daniel Callahan on the New York Times' New Old Age Blog discusses political and ethical considerations, as well as readers' responses, to his post proposing age-based rationing of expensive therapies and experimental treatments to help control costs in the Medicare program.
Andy Coates and Kip Sullivan on the Physicians for National Health Reform blog look at a brief by John Holahan and Linda Blumberg addressing the idea of a public plan competing with private insurers and conclude that a single-payer approach is preferable.
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
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The American Prospect's Ezra Klein, discussing President-elect Barack Obama's reported choice of Peter Orszag to head the Office of Management and Budget, calls the decision "second only in importance to" Obama's reported appointment of former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) to HHS secretary for health reform advocates because Orszag "has clearly stated that he thinks health care reform central to our fiscal future, [and] has said that he considers delay or denial a dangerous impulse."
Igor Volsky on the Center for American Progress Action Fund's Wonk Room says while reports indicate that some in the insurance industry would support rules requiring them to offer coverage to all applicants if there were a requirement that all individuals obtain coverage, insurers have "not adopted the necessary affordability measures that progressives typically advocate for," such as community rating or a competing public plan.
Uwe Reinhardt on the New York Times' Economix blog continues his exploration of factors contributing to disparities in per capita health spending between the U.S. and other developed nations, discussing "an administrative overhead load that is huge by international standards."
John Goodman on the Health Affairs Blog writes that elements of health care proposals by former Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) "would make Obama's plan work much better" and suggests four additional adjustments: no mandated benefits package, risk-rating premiums, additional support for safety net institutions and adoption of what he calls "Roth" health savings accounts.
The Health Care Blog's Scott Shreeve rounds up recent developments surrounding electronic health records.
Catherine Hammons and Kate Bicego of Health Care for All's A Healthy Blog report on speakers' statements at a national town hall on health reform sponsored by the New England Alliance for Children's Health, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Bob Laszewski on Health Care Policy and Marketplace Review looks at the Healthy Americans Act proposed by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Bob Bennett (R-Utah) and says that "no other idea really starts to change, rather than build upon, a system we all agree is unacceptable. No other idea has the bipartisan support out of the box that Wyden-Bennett does."
Conn Carroll of the Heritage Foundation's The Foundry expresses opposition to Obama's health care proposal for a national health insurance exchange because it could involve more regulations than the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan.
Marilyn Werber Serafini of the National Journal's Health Care Expert Blog asks, "What do you see as the pluses and minuses of a Federal Health Board? How would it affect the private health care system? Would it mesh with leading Democratic proposals? And, instead of creating such a board, would it be better to give HHS more power over health care?" Responses follow from Stuart Butler, Karen Davis, Glenn Hackbarth and John Goodman.
Joanne Kenen of the New America Foundation's New Health Dialogue rounds up some news coverage of how problems in the larger economy could affect the health care industry, including growth in the number of uninsured, an increase in uncompensated care and possible changes to Medicare Advantage.
Daniel Callahan on the New York Times' New Old Age Blog discusses political and ethical considerations, as well as readers' responses, to his post proposing age-based rationing of expensive therapies and experimental treatments to help control costs in the Medicare program.
Andy Coates and Kip Sullivan on the Physicians for National Health Reform blog look at a brief by John Holahan and Linda Blumberg addressing the idea of a public plan competing with private insurers and conclude that a single-payer approach is preferable.
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation.
© 2008 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Buy Clofazimine Without Prescription
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