Sunday 28 June 2009

Healthcare News Update

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Feature Blog Post

Depth and Breadth of the New Pandemic H1N1 Swine Flu

Jimmy CrouchPandemics are rare but they do occur. In the last 100 years we have had three. They circle the globe in two or three waves at different times and with varying degree of severity.
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Latest News

Healthcare outcome boost needs better studies
Evidence suggests that outcomes in many clinical settings leave a lot to be desired, which means that research into quality improvement (QI) in clinical care has the potential to greatly improve the lot of patients. Now a study in the journal Medical Care Research and Review published by SAGE suggests that both theoretical and practical improvements in QI effectiveness studies could make these into much more powerful tools for positive change.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Healthcare-outcome-boost-needs-better-studies.aspx
Requirements for using e-health begin to emerge; public input needed, experts say
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (a.k.a. The Stimulus) set aside billions of dollars for hospitals to acquire electronic medical record systems, but one requirement for hospitals hoping to receive the money will be to share patient records with other facilities, the Dallas Morning News reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Requirements-for-using-e-health-begin-to-emerge3b-public-input-needed-experts-say.aspx
Sources: Hospitals may strike deal to save $200 billion
Hospitals could sign on to an agreement with Senate health reform leader Max Baucus, D-Mont., and the White House to help save up to $200 billion as part of the overhaul plan, lobbyist and health industry sources tell Roll Call.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Sources-Hospitals-may-strike-deal-to-save-24200-billion.aspx
Poll: Most want health reform but fear its side effects
"A majority of Americans see government action as critical to controlling runaway health-care costs, but there is broad public anxiety about the potential impact of reform legislation and conflicting views about the types of fixes being proposed on Capitol Hill, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll," The Washington Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Poll-Most-want-health-reform-but-fear-its-side-effects.aspx
House approves bill to end delay in veteran care
The House approved a bill Tuesday that seeks to end waits for federal financing of veterans' health care programs, The New York Times reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/House-approves-bill-to-end-delay-in-veteran-care.aspx
Colorado rural co-ops provide example for health care system proposal
Rural utility co-ops in Colorado could provide an example of how a co-op would work nationally for health care, The Denver Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Colorado-rural-co-ops-provide-example-for-health-care-system-proposal.aspx
Counting of uninsured Americans a difficult task
Estimates of the total number of uninsured Americans may be based on "faulty assumptions" that are "inflating the projections," The Wall Street Journal says in its "Numbers Guy" blog.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Counting-of-uninsured-Americans-a-difficult-task.aspx
Obama, health insurers clash on public plan
"President Obama made a detailed case on Tuesday for a new government-administered health insurance plan, but he did not rule out signing a bill that lacks such an option if he cannot win enough support from Democrats in Congress," The New York Times reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Obama-health-insurers-clash-on-public-plan.aspx
Massive Medicare fraud case highlights Miami's increased enforcement
Eight defendants were indicted in a massive Florida Medicare fraud case. The Associated Press reports: "It may be the center for Medicare fraud, but even Miami officials said Tuesday they were surprised by the breadth of a ring they say spanned five states, used 29 fake storefronts and attempted to steal $100 million from Medicare and Medicare Advantage.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Massive-Medicare-fraud-case-highlights-Miamis-increased-enforcement.aspx
California Medicaid providers win legal challenge
Medicaid providers in California won a legal challenge over program cuts in the case "Maxwell-Jolly v. Independent Living Center of Southern California."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/California-Medicaid-providers-win-legal-challenge.aspx
Lawmakers, spouses ties to health industry shape views
Nearly 50 lawmakers in Congress have spouses who work in the health care industry and that may be influencing their thinking on health reform, CQ Politics reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Lawmakers-spouses-ties-to-health-industry-shape-views.aspx
Baucus takes center stage as health reform deal maker
"As President Obama's effort to overhaul the health care system seems to hit one roadblock after another in Congress, he is counting on Senator Max Baucus [D-Mont.], a political shape-shifter and crafty deal maker who is not fully trusted by either party, to help him clinch his top domestic priority," the New York Times reports in a profile of the Senate Finance Committee leader.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Baucus-takes-center-stage-as-health-reform-deal-maker.aspx
Business groups note faults in House Democrats' overhaul plan
House Democrats readying a health reform bill without a price tag or a budget analysis will hear from business interests today that their plan is irrevocably broken and that they need to start from scratch, CongressDaily reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Business-groups-note-faults-in-House-Democrats-overhaul-plan.aspx
HHS Secretary presses lawmakers on health care
"Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told a U.S. House panel Wednesday that the Obama administration is willing to negotiate how health overhaul legislation is paid for, but not whether it is paid for," according to the Dow Jones Newswires.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/HHS-Secretary-presses-lawmakers-on-health-care.aspx
Finance Committee continues work on health overhaul, benefits tax advances in negotiations
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee continued its mark up of health care reform legislation while the Senate Finance Committee "was hunkered down in negotiations on its version, with Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) shuttling between closed-door meetings to try to reach a consensus," Roll Call reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/Finance-Committee-continues-work-on-health-overhaul-benefits-tax-advances-in-negotiations.aspx
e-health enables more personalized medicine; group fights for digital patient rights
Tonia Odom, a 35-year-old patient with rheumatoid arthritis, a sick father and a young son, each of whom has multiple health problems, has found some relief to the problems of managing her families' array of illnesses in at a Duke University clinic that's a model of the "medical home" approach to medicine, the New York Times reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/e-health-enables-more-personalized-medicine3b-group-fights-for-digital-patient-rights.aspx
Dental health advocates want to sink teeth into health care reform
The Washington Post reports many oral health professionals worry that dental issues have "a tenuous place at best in the national debate" regarding an overhaul of the health care system. Still, they emphasize that dental health is an integral part of health care and note the special burden untreated dental issues have on poor children.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Dental-health-advocates-want-to-sink-teeth-into-health-care-reform.aspx
Good bet in market pullback: health-care shares
"As sentiment and the stock market increasingly look bearish, look for the recent outperformance in health care to continue," The Wall Street Journal reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Good-bet-in-market-pullback-health-care-shares.aspx
Details remain unclear on Medicare drug deal
The White House formally announced the drug manufacturers' plan to lower Medicare drug prices Monday. While details still remain unclear, it appears drug companies may benefit from the deal.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Details-remain-unclear-on-Medicare-drug-deal.aspx
Firms tweak benefit plans in District of Columbia and Baltimore area
The Washington Post reports that "More Washington- and Baltimore-area employers are shifting health-insurance costs to workers, offering high-deductible health plans and imposing restrictions on prescription-drug coverage to save money in the recession, according to a new survey by area human resources managers to be released today. But to keep good workers from jumping ship, according to the survey, more employers are offsetting the restrictions by beefing up other perks -- giving staff more flexibility in taking time off and working from home, and extending benefits to domestic partners."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Firms-tweak-benefit-plans-in-District-of-Columbia-and-Baltimore-area.aspx
Some Governors oppose Medicaid expansion proposals
"Some governors are pushing to scale back or kill proposals to expand Medicaid to provide health-care coverage to the uninsured, raising a new challenge to President Barack Obama's effort to overhaul the system," The Wall Street Journal reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Some-Governors-oppose-Medicaid-expansion-proposals.aspx
House Democrats to open hearings amid controversy over finances, public plan
"House Democrats are pushing forward with a partisan health care bill even as a key Senate Democrat labors to achieve an elusive bipartisan compromise on President Barack Obama's top legislative priority," The Associated Press reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/House-Democrats-to-open-hearings-amid-controversy-over-finances-public-plan.aspx
Lawmakers look for new taxes, cuts to pay reform bill
Lawmakers are considering deductions on medical expenses, value-added taxes, spending cuts and other options to foot the reform bill.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Lawmakers-look-for-new-taxes-cuts-to-pay-reform-bill.aspx
Dodd stretched thin on finance and health roles
Critics are saying that Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., cannot handle his role in financial regulatory reform while he sits in for ailing Sen. Edward Kennedy on the House's health committee, Politico reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Dodd-stretched-thin-on-finance-and-health-roles.aspx
Senators debate public plan, co-ops for health overhaul
Senators crafting health reform legislation are debating a number of issues ahead of the revelation of proposal including the inclusion of a cooperative as an alternative to a government-run public plan, Politico reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Senators-debate-public-plan-co-ops-for-health-overhaul.aspx
Obama team ready to start health reform rally
The White House launches a media blitz this week to coincide with the shrinking timeline for getting a health reform package passed in the Senate, Roll Call reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Obama-team-ready-to-start-health-reform-rally.aspx
Insurance industry groups lay down reform marker
America's Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, the two largest insurance industry groups, released a letter today that "laid down a marker on health care, warning in stark terms that a proposed government insurance plan would dismantle the employer coverage Americans have relied on for a half century and overtake the system," the Associated Press reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Insurance-industry-groups-lay-down-reform-marker.aspx
Obama 'very optimistic' about health care overhaul, public plan 'makes sense'
President Barack Obama today at a news conference said a public plan is "an important tool to discipline insurance companies," but he didn't answer a question on whether he would veto a bill that did not include a public plan option, saying it was too early in the process to "draw lines in the sand," Reuters reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Obama-very-optimistic-about-health-care-overhaul-public-plan-makes-sense.aspx
The emotional cost of nursing
What are the costs of caring? A new project in the School of Psychology explores nurses' experience of distress and aims to determine if empathy with patients is associated with traumatic experience in nurses.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/The-emotional-cost-of-nursing.aspx
Lawmakers address nurse and primary care physician shortages
A pending House bill would aim to address the nursing shortage by allowing "20,000 additional nurses to enter the U.S. each year for the next three years as a temporary measure to fill the gap," Business Week reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Lawmakers-address-nurse-and-primary-care-physician-shortages.aspx
Parents struggle with costs of their children's autism care
The total cost for treating a child with autism can reach $5 million, but insurance companies rarely cover autism therapy and few states mandate it. CBS News reports that "an estimated one in every 150 children in America has autism and the number of reported cases is growing" while "parents are increasingly demanding that insurance companies cover the newest treatment."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Parents-struggle-with-costs-of-their-childrens-autism-care.aspx
Adverts highlight different aspects of health reform debate
A coalition of union and liberal groups began running television ads designed to get "the attention of one particular television viewer: Sen. Kay Hagan," The Greensboro (N.C.) News & Record reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Adverts-highlight-different-aspects-of-health-reform-debate.aspx
As Obama wades into health debate, tough choices await
"As the legislative debate over health care intensifies on Capitol Hill, there is growing clamor for President Obama to step in," the Washington Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/As-Obama-wades-into-health-debate-tough-choices-await.aspx
House Democrats push their health reform plan
House Democrats' health care bill draft released Friday is likely to survive relatively intact, "including a robust new Medicare-like public health plan that would compete with private companies in a national health insurance exchange," Roll Call reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/House-Democrats-push-their-health-reform-plan.aspx
Insurers revoke plans to avoid paying for patients with high costs
A Congressional committee recently turned its attention to rescission, a practice where insurers retroactively revoke plans to avoid paying high costs. NPR reports: "According to a new report by congressional investigators, an insurance company practice of retroactively canceling health insurance is fairly common, and it saves insurers a lot of money.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Insurers-revoke-plans-to-avoid-paying-for-patients-with-high-costs.aspx
At VA hospital, a rogue cancer unit
The New York Times reports that a "rogue cancer unit" at a veteran's hospital in Philadelphia "operated with virtually no outside scrutiny and botched 92 of 116 [prostate] cancer treatments over a span of more than six years - and then kept quiet about it, according to interviews with investigators, government officials and public records."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/At-VA-hospital-a-rogue-cancer-unit.aspx
Sticker shock threatens to stall health care overhaul
"No one can figure out a politically acceptable way to pay for an overhaul of America's health care system, and until someone does, the effort is stalled. Maybe indefinitely," McClatchy reports. Michael Tanner, a "health care analyst" at the Cato Institute, says "it's quite feasible that the whole thing could crash and burn because of sticker shock."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Sticker-shock-threatens-to-stall-health-care-overhaul.aspx
Can health co-ops do the job of a public plan?
"Perhaps the clearest sign yet of the unpredictable nature of… an ambitious [health care] policy overhaul is the approach that is suddenly starting to emerge on Capitol Hill as an alternative to a public plan - non-profit, consumer run health insurance cooperatives," Time reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Can-health-co-ops-do-the-job-of-a-public-plan.aspx
Polls show Americans struggling to pay for health care
A new study reports that about one-fourth of Americans say they've struggled in the last 12 months to pay for health care, Reuters reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Polls-show-Americans-struggling-to-pay-for-health-care.aspx
Obama, AARP announce agreement to cut prescription drug costs
On Monday, President Barack Obama joined with AARP chief Barry Rand to announce "an agreement among pharmaceutical companies to cut prescription drug costs for seniors - and inject some energy into his efforts at comprehensive health care reform," Politico reports. Obama said the companies' goal is to "to reduce the punishing inflation in health care while improving patient care."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Obama-AARP-announce-agreement-to-cut-prescription-drug-costs.aspx
House Democrats release sweeping reform plan
Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled their bill to overhaul the U.S. health care system today. Senior Correspondent Mary Agnes Carey was there and spoke with Peggy Girshman, KHN's Executive Editor for Online, about the plan.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/House-Democrats-release-sweeping-reform-plan.aspx
House reform outline includes public insurance option
"House Democrats released the outline of their health care reform bill Friday - a proposal that would create a public insurance option, expand Medicaid, and require employers to provide coverage or pay a tax," Politico reports. "The outline did not include details on how Democrats would pay for the plan."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/House-reform-outline-includes-public-insurance-option.aspx
As reform stalls, Senators scramble to scale back or cut costs
"The high cost of securing health insurance for all Americans, the top domestic priority of President Obama, has Congressional Democrats scrambling to scale back their proposals or find ways to trim tens of billions of dollars a year from existing health programs," the New York Times reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/As-reform-stalls-Senators-scramble-to-scale-back-or-cut-costs.aspx
Finance Committee seeks to trim cost of bill
"A draft proposal in the Senate to overhaul the nation's health-care system would require most people to buy health insurance, authorize an expansion of Medicaid coverage and create consumer-owned cooperative plans instead of the government coverage that President Obama is seeking," the Washington Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Finance-Committee-seeks-to-trim-cost-of-bill.aspx
Frank, Dodd, Grassley speak their minds
Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, remains on the fence about several provisions in a Democratic plan, The Washington Post reports: "Winning over the Senate Finance Committee's ranking Republican would represent a major coup for Democrats and a rare defection from the GOP party line for Grassley, a populist at heart but a loyal Republican according to his voting record.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Frank-Dodd-Grassley-speak-their-minds.aspx
Facing Congressional squabbling, President pushes for reform
The press for health care reform hit a snag this week as Congress sputtered to resolve its differences, but President Barack Obama continues his call, almost daily, to continue to try to change the system, The New York Times reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Facing-Congressional-squabbling-President-pushes-for-reform.aspx
Bartering for health care is on the rise as the recession drags on
CNN reports that bartering is booming and that "business owners with an eye toward cutting costs are increasingly viewing bartering as a viable option for obtaining medical services for themselves and their employees."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Bartering-for-health-care-is-on-the-rise-as-the-recession-drags-on.aspx
Beth Israel patients to get a look at online doctors' notes
A Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center project called "open notes" will make doctor's notes available to as many as 35,000 patients online along with the rest of their medical records for a year, the Boston Globe reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Beth-Israel-patients-to-get-a-look-at-online-doctors-notes.aspx
NY Times interview with Sebelius: "I'm very encouraged"
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, spoke to The New York Times about the state of health care reform on Capitol Hill during a 15-minute interview.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/NY-Times-interview-with-Sebelius-Im-very-encouraged.aspx
Texas "medical home" provides personal and coordinated health care
The Houston Chronicle reports on a medical philosophy that focuses on providing coordinated care and personal care to older patients, mostly indigent seniors. The paper examines Select Senior Clinic, a Texas facility that ascribes to the medical home concept.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Texas-medical-home-provides-personal-and-coordinated-health-care.aspx
Race disparities plague treatment and outcomes in health care
CNN examines race disparities in health care during a 4-minute segment that is part of the station's week-long focus on health care issues.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Race-disparities-plague-treatment-and-outcomes-in-health-care.aspx
Doctors cautiously signal they'll work with Obama
The American Medical Association voted yesterday to support "health reform alternatives that are consistent with AMA principles," although the group fell short of specifically supporting a public plan, the Associated Press reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Doctors-cautiously-signal-theyll-work-with-Obama.aspx
Prosposed budget cuts worry hospitals
The Wall Street Journal/Dow Jones Newswires reports on reaction to the Obama administration's proposed cuts that may acutely affect hospitals. It notes: "President Obama last weekend called for $313 billion in savings over 10 years through adjustments in Medicare and Medicaid payments - a plan that a 'deeply disappointed' American Hospital Association said would mean $220 billion in payment cuts to hospitals, on top of billions in other proposed Medicare cuts."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Prosposed-budget-cuts-worry-hospitals.aspx
Bingaman, Wyden among key health reform lawmakers in the news
Newspapers highlight a few of the key congressional players in the health care debate. Politico: "There's a little bit of Gary Cooper in Jeff Bingaman, and that's not bad for President Barack Obama if health care becomes the political High Noon this year that so many expect."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Bingaman-Wyden-among-key-health-reform-lawmakers-in-the-news.aspx
Former Senate majority leaders outline health care compromise
Three former Senate majority leaders unveiled a health care reform plan Wednesday that would tax health benefits with value over what members of Congress are given and would mandate that both employers and individuals carry insurance, Kaiser Health News reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Former-Senate-majority-leaders-outline-health-care-compromise.aspx
Free clinics affected by primary care physician shortage
In the face of growing numbers of uninsured and low-income patients due to the economy, some free clinics are having difficulty meeting the increased demand, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Free-clinics-affected-by-primary-care-physician-shortage.aspx
Next year's rising health costs may not be slowed by reform
"Employers who offer health insurance coverage could see a 9 percent cost increase next year, and their workers may face an even bigger hit, according to a report Thursday from consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers," the Associated Press reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Next-years-rising-health-costs-may-not-be-slowed-by-reform.aspx
New polls find support for health reform, fear of costs
A series of new polls this week show support for major health care reform, but trepidation about certain policy proposals, and anxiety about quickly growing health care costs, the possibility of losing coverage, and the federal budget deficit in general.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/New-polls-find-support-for-health-reform-fear-of-costs.aspx
Republicans scold HELP Democrats over reform bill's price tag, government control
"It was particularly devastating on Wednesday when [Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah]" – a longtime friend of Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., – "warned Democrats on the panel that they have already made some grave errors in their effort to write legislation overhauling the health care system," reports the New York Times in The Caucus Blog.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Republicans-scold-HELP-Democrats-over-reform-bills-price-tag-government-control.aspx
Timeline for health legislation slips as HELP, Finance Committees hit snags
Senators delayed work Wednesday on one health care reform bill and hit partisan roadblocks on another as key lawmakers insisted they are still on track to have a bill on the floor by the middle of summer, The Washington Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Timeline-for-health-legislation-slips-as-HELP-Finance-Committees-hit-snags.aspx
Senate Health Committee begins amending reform bill
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee began amending their version of sweeping health overhaul legislation Thursday, days after a Congressional Budget Office report found the bill would cost $1 trillion over ten years, leaving 37 million people uninsured and Senate Republicans skeptical, the Associated Press reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Senate-Health-Committee-begins-amending-reform-bill.aspx
Costs are soaring even as California considers further cuts to care programs
In Los Angeles County, being disabled can cost a year's income. That's because the annual cost of in-home care services for seniors living alone is now $319 more than this group's median income of $17,029.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Costs-are-soaring-even-as-California-considers-further-cuts-to-care-programs.aspx
Can the private sector deliver public services?
The private sector has an important role to play in the delivery of public services, according to a new report by Professor Paul Grout of the Centre for Market and Public Organisation (CMPO). However, he argues that the desire to be profitable can be damaging in some cases, generally in public services where staff are motivated, not just by financial reward, but also by a desire to serve the greater public good.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Can-the-private-sector-deliver-public-services.aspx
Penn researchers: Nursing needs a bailout, federal scholarships needed to fix nursing shortage
Researchers from the Center for Health Outcomes and Policy Research at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing say having enough nurses to meet a national shortage is a "mathematical improbability" unless nursing schools admit more students through federal financial support in a potential bailout, according to an article in today's issue of Health Affairs.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Penn-researchers-Nursing-needs-a-bailout-federal-scholarships-needed-to-fix-nursing-shortage.aspx
Call to protect hospitals, schools from impact of disasters
WHO and UNICEF today called on governments to strengthen risk reduction measures in four key areas so that health and education systems are able to cope with disasters, including the risks from climate change. These areas are:
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Call-to-protect-hospitals-schools-from-impact-of-disasters.aspx
Health reform: The reality show
The health care reform discussion is beginning-at last!-to get real. On June 9, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee released a draft bill, and the Congressional Budget Office published an estimate that the bill would cost $1 trillion over 10 years and leave 35 million uninsured.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Health-reform-The-reality-show.aspx
Former Senators unveil bipartisan health proposal, would tax benefits, mandate coverage
Three former Senate majority leaders today unveiled a bipartisan health care reform package that would tax health benefits and includes individual and employer mandates.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Former-Senators-unveil-bipartisan-health-proposal-would-tax-benefits-mandate-coverage.aspx
House GOP leadership outlines bill, responds to Senate Democrats struggle to keep costs down
Politico reports that "while Senate Democrats marked up a $1 trillion health care package Wednesday morning, House Republicans unveiled an outline of their own plan."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/House-GOP-leadership-outlines-bill-responds-to-Senate-Democrats-struggle-to-keep-costs-down.aspx
Finance Committee 'slows down' its health legislation schedule
According to The Hill, "Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., said Wednesday the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis of his healthcare bill has prompted him to rein in costs and admitted that could delay action on the legislation. His goal is to bring the cost of his panel's sprawling healthcare reform bill down from $1.6 trillion to $1 trillion, and to pay for it entirely with tax increases, spending cuts and other offsets."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Finance-Committee-slows-down-its-health-legislation-schedule.aspx
A rocky start for Senate panel's health reform debate
The Wall Street Journal reports that "the first meeting of a Senate panel to formally consider health-care legislation got off to a rocky start Wednesday as Republicans launched an attack on the bill's hefty costs and lack of detail on contentious provisions."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/A-rocky-start-for-Senate-panels-health-reform-debate.aspx
Senate Health Committee to begin reform mark up today, finance to follow next week
Senate Democrats are scrambling to reduce the price tag of reform proposals, which initial estimates place at $1.6 trillion, The Wall Street Journal reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Senate-Health-Committee-to-begin-reform-mark-up-today-finance-to-follow-next-week.aspx

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Talk Medical (http://talk.news-medical.net). Post news from your organization or company, post events you are involved in or feel would be of interest to the wider community, blog to your heart's content on current health issues or simply just share any interesting health stories you may have.

Feature Blog Post

Depth and Breadth of the New Pandemic H1N1 Swine Flu

Jimmy CrouchPandemics are rare but they do occur. In the last 100 years we have had three. They circle the globe in two or three waves at different times and with varying degree of severity.
Read More

Latest News

Australian swine flu vaccine ready in months
A vaccine developed 'in record time' by Australian scientists to protect against the influenza A H1N1 virus (swine flu) may not be available just yet because this swine flu vaccine, developed by University of Queensland (UQ) scientists, is not yet registered for use in Australia.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090628/Australian-swine-flu-vaccine-ready-in-months.aspx
The swine flu death that wasn't
The latest reports say that tests have confirmed that the death of a 26-year-old man from the remote Aboriginal community of Kiwirrkurra was due to other health issues.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090628/The-swine-flu-death-that-wasnt.aspx
New media-led effort responds to AIDS crisis in black America
Today, leading U.S. media companies announced a new coordinated national campaign to mobilize Black Americans in response to AIDS and promote specific calls-to-action to prevent and reduce the further spread of HIV. Greater Than AIDS - a multi-faceted campaign presented under a common brand that includes targeted public service ads (PSAs) as well as integrated messages in news, entertainment and community content - seeks to strengthen a sense of community among Black Americans in response to HIV/AIDS.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090625/New-media-led-effort-responds-to-AIDS-crisis-in-black-America.aspx
Lancet Infectious Diseases examines spread of XDR-TB
The journal Lancet Infectious Diseases examines the worldwide spread of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB). Currently, about 500,000 of the 9 million new cases of TB that are identified each year are strains of XDR-TB. "Drug resistance is largely man-made - it is vitally important to review antibiotic treatment strategies and to ensure the Stop TB Strategy is fully applied to prevent further selection of drug-resistant mutants," Leonard Amaral of Universidade Nova de Lisboa said.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/Lancet-Infectious-Diseases-examines-spread-of-XDR-TB.aspx
IRIN examines PEPFAR funding of IDU programs
IRIN examines a recent comment piece in the journal Lancet that argues PEPFAR can do more to prevent the spread of HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Africa (IRIN, 6/24).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/IRIN-examines-PEPFAR-funding-of-IDU-programs.aspx
Malaria cases reported in Cambodian public facilities drop more than 50%
There was more than a 50 percent drop in the total number of malaria cases reported by public facilities in Cambodia between 2003 and 2008, according to the National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control's annual report, which was released on Tuesday, the Phnom Penh Post reports. Officials are attributing the decrease to village-based treatment and education programs.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/Malaria-cases-reported-in-Cambodian-public-facilities-drop-more-than-5025.aspx
Lancet examines Obama's pledge to fight HIV/AIDS
The journal Lancet Infectious Diseases examines whether President Obama is fulfilling his campaign promises to tackle HIV/AIDS abroad and at home. Although Obama has surrounded himself "[w]ith lauded experts … concerns have been raised by activists that investment plans are not matching up to the rhetoric," Lancet writes.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/Lancet-examines-Obamas-pledge-to-fight-HIVAIDS.aspx
NewsHour features two health experts on President Obama's global health initiative
On the NewsHour Insider Forum, Ray Suarez interviews global health experts Michele Moloney-Kitts, assistant U.S. global AIDS coordinator, and Christine Lubinski, head of the Center for Global Health Policy and Advocacy about President Obama's $63 billion global health initiative.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/NewsHour-features-two-health-experts-on-President-Obamas-global-health-initiative.aspx
HHS awards $35 million contract to company in hopes of faster flu vaccine production
The HHS on Tuesday announced its decision to award a $35 million contract to a U.S. company using "insect cell technology" to develop flu vaccines, AFP/Google.com reports (AFP/Google.com, 6/23).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/HHS-awards-2435-million-contract-to-company-in-hopes-of-faster-flu-vaccine-production.aspx
Namibia close to reaching some MDGs
Namibia's recently released second MDG Report 2008 finds that the country is making progress toward achieving some of the U.N. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets. However, the Prime Minister says the global economic situation could reverse progress and notes that the country is behind on some health-related targets, New Era reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/Namibia-close-to-reaching-some-MDGs.aspx
Americans come up with first swine flu vaccine
The company based in Connecticut, Protein Sciences Corporation, won a $35-million government contract to develop an influenza vaccine using insect cell technology and Protein Sciences's director Dan Adams says the first batch of about 100,000 doses were produced last week and the manufacture of the vaccine continues.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/Americans-come-up-with-first-swine-flu-vaccine.aspx
Intervention strategies to curb spread of pandemic flu
Mathematicians, biostaticians and public health officials from Canada, Mexico and the United States will gather at Arizona State University this week to focus on understanding, possibly mitigating the spread of the H1N1 flu virus. They are planning to take up the challenge of proposing science-based strategies that can slow the spread of pandemic flu.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090624/Intervention-strategies-to-curb-spread-of-pandemic-flu.aspx
Swine flu tally has U.S. top and Australia 6th
The latest update, # 52, from the World Health Organisation on the influenza A H1N1 pandemic (swine flu), says as of the 22nd of June the grand total of those infected is now 52,160 including 231 deaths.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Swine-flu-tally-has-US-top-and-Australia-6th.aspx
PAHO board to discuss 'revolving fund' vaccine system
PAHO's board this week is set to discuss "a long-standing system that makes vaccines affordable to middle-income Latin American countries" because of growing concerns that the policy "deters manufacturers from offering deeper discounts on such products to the world's least developed countries," the Financial Times reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/PAHO-board-to-discuss-revolving-fund-vaccine-system.aspx
H1N1 spread continues worldwide; first death in Asia confirmed
The H1N1 (swine flu) virus has now infected more than 52,000 people, leaving 231 dead, the WHO said Monday, AFP/Washington Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/H1N1-spread-continues-worldwide3b-first-death-in-Asia-confirmed.aspx
Merck partners with non-profit for neglected diseases initiative
The pharmaceutical company, Merck, announced Monday it was partnering with the non-profit Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) in an effort to improve treatments for neglected tropical diseases (NTD), the AP/CNBC reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Merck-partners-with-non-profit-for-neglected-diseases-initiative.aspx
Number of Polio cases in Nigeria decreases, some states still showing low immunizations rates
The number of polio cases in Nigeria has gone down from 799 in 2008 to 353 this year, according to the country's National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Africa Science News Service reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Number-of-Polio-cases-in-Nigeria-decreases-some-states-still-showing-low-immunizations-rates.aspx
Scientists block Ebola infection in cell-culture experiments - could lead to first therapy
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Scientists-block-Ebola-infection-in-cell-culture-experiments-could-lead-to-first-therapy.aspx
New tuberculosis drug targets
A fundamental question about how sugar units are strung together into long carbohydrate chains has also pinpointed a promising way to target new medicines against tuberculosis.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/New-tuberculosis-drug-targets.aspx
Cryo-electron tomography shows immature HIV in 3D
Scientists at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) and the University Clinic Heidelberg, Germany, have produced a three-dimensional reconstruction of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), which shows the structure of the immature form of the virus at unprecedented detail. Immature HIV is a precursor of the infectious virus, which can cause AIDS.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090623/Cryo-electron-tomography-shows-immature-HIV-in-3D.aspx
Senate confirms Goosby as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator
The Senate on Friday confirmed President Obama's U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator nominee Eric Goosby, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Goosby - who "served previously in the Clinton administration as director of HIV/AIDS policy in the Department of Health and Human Services and as chief adviser to the president on HIV-related issues" - will now "head the U.S. strategy for addressing HIV around the world, and oversee the implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief" (PEPFAR), the newspaper writes.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Senate-confirms-Goosby-as-US-Global-AIDS-Coordinator.aspx
Ghana launches public-private partnership to control malaria
Ghana's Ministry of Health recently launched the Nationwide Mosquito Control Programme (NAMCOP) in conjunction with the waste management company Zoomlion Ghana Limited, the Ghanaian Chronicle/allAfrica.com reports (Akweetey, Ghanaian Chronicle/allAfrica.com, 6/19).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Ghana-launches-public-private-partnership-to-control-malaria.aspx
Ban Ki-Moon calls on governments to eradicate polio
U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Sunday at the Rotary International (RI) Annual Convention in Birmingham, U.K., said that governments worldwide should continue to work towards eradicating polio, BBC reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Ban-Ki-Moon-calls-on-governments-to-eradicate-polio.aspx
To stop spread of HIV, prevention campaigns in China targeting sex workers, MSM
CNN examines China's efforts to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS by educating sex workers about the disease and prevention strategies. "It is estimated that some 700,000 people are living with HIV in China and there are about 50,000 new infections every year, according to the Chinese government and UNAIDS. The U.N. agency believes a significant number of those new infections include sex workers," CNN writes.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/To-stop-spread-of-HIV-prevention-campaigns-in-China-targeting-sex-workers-MSM.aspx
Do viruses make bacteria more deadly?
In England and Wales, the national health statistics in 2007 showed that there were 8,324 death certificates which named Clostridium difficile. This is a bacterium which causes severe diarrhoea in humans and animals as the underlying cause of death, a 28% increase from 2006.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Do-viruses-make-bacteria-more-deadly.aspx
Discovery on HIV replication may lead to new therapies
Researchers from the newly-established VGTI Florida and the University of Montreal have uncovered a possible method for eradicating HIV infection in the human body.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090622/Discovery-on-HIV-replication-may-lead-to-new-therapies.aspx
Questions raised over Australia's first swine flu related death
According to the latest update (51) on the swine flu pandemic (influenza A H1N1), from the World Health Organisation (WHO), as of the 19th of June 2009 there have now been 44,287 laboratory-confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide and 180 deaths.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Questions-raised-over-Australias-first-swine-flu-related-death.aspx
Experts warn swine fever could devastate Australian pig population
Australian experts are warning that an outbreak of the pig disease 'swine fever' could easily and rapidly spread across Australia.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Experts-warn-swine-fever-could-devastate-Australian-pig-population.aspx
HIV antibody tests unreliable for early infections in teens
A previously healthy teenager shows up at the doctor's office with a sore throat, fever, aches and general malaise. Routine blood tests are normal, an HIV test comes back negative, and the pediatrician sends the patient home with a diagnosis of acute viral infection.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/HIV-antibody-tests-unreliable-for-early-infections-in-teens.aspx
HIV-positive Cambodians evicted from Phnom Penh homes
To make way for a Ministry of Tourism garden, 20 families with HIV-positive members have been evicted from their homes and moved outside of the city, reports the Phnom Penh Post.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/HIV-positive-Cambodians-evicted-from-Phnom-Penh-homes.aspx
Economist examines schistosomiasis in China
The Economist examines schistosomiasis in China. The disease, which is also called snail-fever, is the "world's second-most prevalent tropical disease after malaria, affecting 207 million people of whom 726,000 are Chinese, according to the most recent official figures, from 2004," the Economist reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Economist-examines-schistosomiasis-in-China.aspx
Some call for more action at conclusion of Pacific Health Summit
Some Pacific Health Summit attendees said more action should have come from the tuberculosis-focused conference, which ended on Thursday in Seattle, Seattle Times' "Business of Giving" blog reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Some-call-for-more-action-at-conclusion-of-Pacific-Health-Summit.aspx
BBC examines river blindness program in sub-Saharan Africa
BBC examines a campaign in sub-Saharan Africa that is helping to distribute drugs to prevent onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness - a disease "caused by a parasite that is spread from human to human by the black fly, which once flourished along river beds where there is fast-flowing water."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/BBC-examines-river-blindness-program-in-sub-Saharan-Africa.aspx
U.S. flu funds; South Africa confirms first case; EU encouraged to coordinate pandemic vaccine policy
The U.S. Senate on Thursday passed a $105.9 billion war-funding bill that "includes $7.7 billion to prepare for pandemic flu," the Washington Post reports (Bacon, Washington Post, 6/19).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/US-flu-funds3b-South-Africa-confirms-first-case3b-EU-encouraged-to-coordinate-pandemic-vaccine-policy.aspx
PEPFAR and IDUs; economic crisis and health; human-rights and pharmaceutical companies
Although PEPFAR has helped to provide "antiretroviral therapy to 2.1 million people with HIV, almost all of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa, and has spent more than US$18 billion on the continent" it has failed to reach "thousands of injecting drug users in PEPFAR countries in Africa, many of whom have HIV," according to the authors of a recent comment in the journal Lancet.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/PEPFAR-and-IDUs3b-economic-crisis-and-health3b-human-rights-and-pharmaceutical-companies.aspx
Lancet studies examine aspects of global health funding
"Global health funding boosted by private donors has quadrupled since 1990, but the extra money has not always gone to the right countries and diseases, according to a pair of studies released Friday," in the journal Lancet, AFP/Google.com reports (Hood, AFP/Google.com, 6/18).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090621/Lancet-studies-examine-aspects-of-global-health-funding.aspx
Sanofi-Aventis, GlaxoSmithKline will donate influenza vaccines to WHO
The drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis will donate millions of doses of a vaccine that offers protection against the H1N1 (swine flu) virus to the WHO once the vaccine is ready, the company's chief executive officer announced Tuesday, Reuters reports (Elsner, Reuters, 6/17).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Sanofi-Aventis-GlaxoSmithKline-will-donate-influenza-vaccines-to-WHO.aspx
Uganda to distribute insecticide-treated nets to all citizens
The Ugandan ministry of health said that everyone in the country will receive free insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) to prevent malaria beginning in September, James Kakooza, the state minister for primary health care, said, New Vision/allAfrica.com reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Uganda-to-distribute-insecticide-treated-nets-to-all-citizens.aspx
PEPFAR funds used to encourage Swaziland couples to get tested together
CNN examines the success of an HIV testing campaign in Swaziland that urges couples to get tested together. "The nationwide initiative - funded by the United States government and implemented by global charity 'Population Services International' (PSI) - is aimed at couples because tests can be useless if partners are not aware of the others' HIV status," CNN writes.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/PEPFAR-funds-used-to-encourage-Swaziland-couples-to-get-tested-together.aspx
Tibotec, TB Alliance join to expedite development of promising tuberculosis drug
The pharmaceutical company Tibotec said it will join with the non-profit Global Alliance for Tuberculosis Development (TB Alliance) to speed up the development of the experimental TB drug TMC207, Health-e/IOL reports (Thom, Health-e/IOL, 6/18). Tibotec, which is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, announced the news on Wednesday at the Pacific Health Summit in Seattle (Doughton, Seattle Times, 6/18).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Tibotec-TB-Alliance-join-to-expedite-development-of-promising-tuberculosis-drug.aspx
U.S. recommits to improving health, education in Nigeria
The Guardian examines the recent U.S. commitment to continue support for the development of Nigeria's health and education sector by Anne Fleuret, Nigeria's acting mission director of USAID.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/US-recommits-to-improving-health-education-in-Nigeria.aspx
House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee approves FY10 funding measure
The House State-Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee "unanimously approved its FY10 funding measure without any amendments" on Wednesday, "deferring expected fights for the full committee markup in a week," CongressDaily reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/House-State-Foreign-Operations-Appropriations-Subcommittee-approves-FY10-funding-measure.aspx
Continued international investment, decreased discrimination key to fight against HIV/AIDS, says U.N. Secretary-General
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon during a General Assembly meeting Tuesday urged governments not to cut aid for the international fight against HIV/AIDS, the AP/Washington Post reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Continued-international-investment-decreased-discrimination-key-to-fight-against-HIVAIDS-says-UN-Secretary-General.aspx
$7.7 billion for H1N1 included in "House War-Spending Bill"
The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday narrowly passed a $106 billion war-funding bill, which "included 7.7 billion to help the nation prepare for an outbreak of the H1N1 virus, the so-called swine flu," the Washington Times reports (Rowland, Washington Times, 6/17). The spending bill will now move to the Senate for consideration (Pelofsky, Reuters, 6/16).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/2477-billion-for-H1N1-included-in-e2809cHouse-War-Spending-Bille2809d.aspx
Africa marks "Day of the African Child"
Liberia's Ministry of Gender transported 1,000 children to events in northwest Lofa County. IRIN writes, "In an effort to improve access to health care and slash neonatal deaths, Liberia's government suspended health care fees in 2007. The recent UNICEF-Save the Children report named Liberia as one of the few sub-Saharan African countries on target to meet its child health goal by 2015" (IRIN, 6/16).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Africa-marks-e2809cDay-of-the-African-Childe2809d.aspx
Globe and Mail examines GlaxoSmithKline's RTS,S malaria vaccine trials in Kenya
The Globe and Mail examines GlaxoSmithKline's RTS,S malaria vaccine trials in Kilifi, Kenya – one of the sites where the experimental vaccine is being tested. "The stories of the mothers of Kilifi open a window on the challenges faced by researchers as they build a trial that will include more than 16,000 babies from 11 sites spread across sub-Saharan Africa," the Globe and Mail reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090618/Globe-and-Mail-examines-GlaxoSmithKlines-RTSS-malaria-vaccine-trials-in-Kenya.aspx
Research uncovers clues to the development of cancers in AIDS patients
In a series of recently-published articles, a research team from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center has uncovered clues to the development of cancers in AIDS patients.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/Research-uncovers-clues-to-the-development-of-cancers-in-AIDS-patients.aspx
Targeting children may be an effective use of limited supplies of flu vaccine
Targeting children may be an effective use of limited supplies of flu vaccine, according to research funded by the Wellcome Trust and the EU. The study suggests that, used to support other control measures, this could help control the spread of pandemics such as the current swine flu.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/Targeting-children-may-be-an-effective-use-of-limited-supplies-of-flu-vaccine.aspx
Household structure and infectious disease transmission
Targeting children may be an effective use of limited supplies of flu vaccine, according to research at the University of Warwick funded by the Wellcome Trust and the EU. The study suggests that, used to support other control measures, this could help control the spread of pandemics such as the current swine flu.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/Household-structure-and-infectious-disease-transmission.aspx
Six 'major health agencies' form alliance to address chronic diseases in developing countries
A group of "major health agencies" from Australia, Canada, China, the U.K. and the U.S., which "together control 80 percent of the world's public health-research funding," have joined together to form the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) to combat chronic diseases in developing countries, Time reports (Walsh, Time, 6/16).
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/Six-major-health-agencies-form-alliance-to-address-chronic-diseases-in-developing-countries.aspx
VOA News examines international HIV/AIDS implementers meeting
VOA News examines the 2009 HIV/AIDS Implementers Meeting in Windhoek, Namibia, which recently brought together 1,500 people from 55 countries to compare notes on HIV/AIDS programs around the world. The article features comments by Assistant U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Michele Moloney-Kitts who attended and shared some of her experiences from the meeting.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/VOA-News-examines-international-HIVAIDS-implementers-meeting.aspx
U.N. Secretary-General, WHO Director-General appeal for continued investment in global health
Despite the current global economic crisis, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday called for a continued international commitment to investing in health, Xinhua/People's Daily reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/UN-Secretary-General-WHO-Director-General-appeal-for-continued-investment-in-global-health.aspx
Maternal, child health lag behind other Millennium Development Goals, study finds
Despite signs of progress in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, malaria and childhood diseases, efforts to reduce maternal and newborn health as part of the U.N. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) lag behind, according to the 2009 Report of the Global Campaign for the Health Millennium Development Goals released Monday, Inter Press Service reports.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/Maternal-child-health-lag-behind-other-Millennium-Development-Goals-study-finds.aspx
Opinion: U.S. should double global maternal, child health spending; Ban, Chan want 'global solidarity'; resources for diabetes, HIV/AIDS
Although "child survival is improving - albeit way too slowly - in most regions of the world," sub-Saharan Africa "continues to have the world's highest child-mortality rates," former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who serves as the chairman of Save the Children's Survive to 5 campaign, writes in a Washington Times opinion piece. Frist asserts, "We cannot continue to allow one of every seven African children to die when it is so readily within our reach to prevent those deaths."
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090617/Opinion-US-should-double-global-maternal-child-health-spending3b-Ban-Chan-want-global-solidarity3b-resources-for-diabetes-HIVAIDS.aspx
Preventing spread of infectious diseases is everyone's responsibility – and everyone's job
According to a report published today, we must all share responsibility for preventing the spread of diseases such as swine flu, SARS, avian influenza, diarrhoeal and skin diseases, and even the common cold.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20090616/Preventing-spread-of-infectious-diseases-is-everyonee28099s-responsibility-e28093-and-everyonee28099s-job.aspx

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