Archives: Morning Breakouts

At an event on Friday in Seattle, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah discussed foreign aid efficacy and ways "to streamline the federal agency and to help make the whole U.S. aid budget easier to understand and track," the Associated Press/Seattle Times reports. Shah said that the Obama administration is concerned about foreign aid transparency and its effectiveness, adding: "The president continues to live up to the overall commitment to develop foreign assistance."

Global vaccine sales "grew by a healthy 16 percent last year, when sales shot up to $22.1 billion, healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information reported Friday," according to Associated Press. Kalorama is also forecasting sales "will rise at a compound annual rate of 9.7 percent during the next five years," (Johnson, 8/14).

"The growing burden of cancer in developing countries could be reduced without expensive drugs and equipment, scientists said on Monday, but it requires a global effort similar to the fight against HIV/AIDS," Reuters reports in an article that examines a study published in the Lancet by a group of American scientists who have created the Global Task Force on Expanded Access to Cancer Care and Control in Developing Countries (GTF.CCC).

Some physician offices offer innovative options to counter primary care shortages. In addition, nursing shortages loom.

President will invite insurance commissioners to the White House next month. His speech to the group Tuesday was canceled because of a scheduling conflict.

"In much of the rest of the world, doctors are government employees. And even consulting arrangements that would be considered routine in the United States might violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, particularly if the payments are outsize or the arrangements are not disclosed to the governments," The New York Times reports.

Chinese and African officials concluded the China-Africa Agricultural Forum in Beijing on Thursday, which explored possibilities for agricultural cooperation and addressed food security issues, Xinhua reports.