Latest KFF Health News Stories
First Edition: October 28, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including a report about the reasons behind rising health premiums.
Reuters Examines Development Progress Of Microbicide Gel To Prevent HIV
Reuters reports that the developers of a vaginal microbicide gel containing the antiretroviral tenofovir which has been found to reduce “HIV infections in women by 39 percent,” said that during meetings last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted fast track approval designation to the gel, which expedites the review of drugs by the agency.
The WHO on Tuesday announced a mass polio immunization campaign in 15 African countries targeting a total of 72 million children, Agence France-Presse reports. “Polio has spread again in recent years with cases imported from some of the four endemic nations in Asia and Africa, mainly Nigeria, in a setback to global attempts to eradicate the crippling and sometimes lethal disease,” the news service writes (10/26).
Cholera Outbreak In Haiti Shows ‘Slight Slowing,’ But Experts Say Interventions Should Continue
Nearly 300 people have died from cholera and 3,612 diagnosed in Haiti’s week-old epidemic, Reuters reports, citing numbers from Haitian health authorities. The news service reports that “the U.N., the [Haitian] government, and its foreign aid partners are expecting the disease to spread further in its epidemic phase. They have launched a combined treatment, containment and prevention strategy for the whole country.”
Report Notes Potential For African Agriculture, European Partnerships
A new report (.pdf) highlights concerns about donors, especially from Europe, following through on funding pledges for the G8’s $22 billion global food security fund, Business Daily reports (Odhiambo, 10/27).
Candidates On Health Care Offense, Defense In Final Week Before Election
Candidates are in full campaign mode ahead of midterm elections that will likely spell out how the health law is implemented. Some TV stations have pulled ads because they’re false.
Delegates From Nine African Countries Discuss Health Information Systems
Nine southern African countries and donors have gathered in Namibia for the second regional leadership in Health Information Systems (HIS) meeting to discuss “how recipient countries should take ownership of these systems,” New Era reports (Sasman, 10/26). Participant countries “will work together to develop country specific strategies to strengthen their national HIS and prepare a country-led action plan,” writes the Southern Times. More than 100 delegates representing Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe are expected to attend from ministries of finance, health, science, information and statistics bureaus (Nashuuta, 10/22).
Consumer Groups Still Concerned As Insurance Rules Are Considered By HHS
News outlets report on new rules and pending regulations for the implementation of the new health law.
Sec. of State Clinton Commits $44M Toward New Initiatives To Empower Women
Marking the 10th anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325
A selection of today’s opinions and editorials from across the U.S.
Mass. Hospitals Turn Away Mentally Ill Kids, Anthem Braces For Rate Hearings, Other State News
States consider an array of health policy topics.
Glaxo To Pay $750 Million Settlement For Defective, Unsafe Medicines
Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline has agreed to pay $750 million to settle civil and criminal charges that the company for years knowingly sold 20 defective or dangerous drugs manufactured at a contaminated plant.
PhRMA Pushes Back Against Campaign Calls For Medicare Part D Price Negotiation
“The powerful pharmaceutical lobby is pushing back against campaign-trail calls to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices on behalf of millions of seniors enrolled in Part D,” The Hill reports.
Gov. Candidates In Florida, Minnesota Offer Few Details On Health Care
News outlets report that gubernatorial candidates in Florida and Minnesota are offering little details about their plans for health spending.
Ford Pays Down Debt, Including To Workers’ Health Trust
Ford is paying off debt by the billions – $2 billion in the third quarter and as much as $3.6 billion by Friday – in a move that could end its obligation to its workers health trust.
Health IT Roundup: Digital Divide, A VA Contract, The Open Data Movement
News organizations explore the health IT digital divide, a contract to build a new VA database and a health official’s claim that the open data will revolutionize patient care.
A Look At The AMA Panel Behind Medicare’s Payment Rates
A group of 29 physicians, convened by the American Medical Associations and often appointed by specialty trade groups, have the task of recommending how to divide Medicare money into payments for each service, procedure and treatment the program covers.
First Edition: October 27, 2010
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports that the new health law has Democrats playing defense, while Republicans offer few new alternatives.
Political Picture Still Dreary For Some Dems Who Backed Health Reform
In swing districts, incumbent Democrats who voted for the health law are struggling, as a new poll finds support for a repeal of the law.
