Latest KFF Health News Stories
WHO’s Updated Malaria Guidelines Include Rapid Diagnosis, New ACT
The WHO on Tuesday released new guidelines for the treatment of malaria, which recommend “parasitological testing before treatment begins” and add “a new artemisinin based combination treatment [ACT] to the list of prescribed drugs,” BMJ News reports. According to BMJ News, WHO’s guidelines are “expected to enhance earlier and accurate diagnosis, halt the emergence of drug resistance, and reduce the use of unnecessary treatment” (Zarocostas, 3/9).
GSK To Offer Flexible Drug Pricing In Middle-Income Countries
Drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) “plans to bolster earnings by selling to more people in middle-income countries after cutting prices in the world’s poorest nations,” Bloomberg/BusinessWeek reports.
Lincoln, Kucinich Weigh In On Health Bill Votes
Lawmakers weigh in on the health care overhaul debate.
Pharmacy Franchises Sue Cardinal Health
Pharmacists in seven states are suing Cardinal Health over what they say are broken promises after they agreed to a new franchise agreement.
California Rescission Settlement Benefits Few Consumers
Fewer than 200 people out of the 6,000 affected were actually helped by the settlement between California state regulators and health insurers that dropped sick policyholders.
President Announces Plans To Crack Down On Health Care Fraud
The president’s plans come as part of his final health reform push.
Comparative Research Lags Far Behind Approval-Driven Evaluations
A new study has found that few drug evaluations compare treatments in ways that help doctors make better decisions.
Senate Poised To Pass COBRA Subsidy Extension, Medicare ‘Doc Fix’
The U.S. Senate is set to vote Wednesday on a jobs bill that would extend the COBRA subsidy program and Medicaid funding for states and prevent the pending 21% Medicare reimbursement cut for doctors.
FDA Sponsoring Workshops To Increase Rare Disease Treatment Options
FDA is putting on workshops for drug makers in an attempt to increase their pool of applicants for approved “orphan drugs,” drugs that treat rare diseases.
Medical School Costs, Loan Rates Rise Sharply
NPR reports on the high cost of medical school and interest rates students pay for loans.
Today’s early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about health insurance protests, a new million-dollar ad campaign and the president’s health reform end game.
Health Care Fraud Initiative Among Topics Slated For Obama’s Reform Rallying Speech
Later today, the president will speak in Missouri – his second appearance this week to build support for health reform among the public and lawmakers.
Dems Discuss Plans To Advance Health Reform; Opposition Steps Up Its Game
As congressional Democratic leaders continue to wrestle with timelines and issues, private sector groups are launching a series of ads opposing the overhaul.
Activists Picket Health Insurers’ Conference
Protestors vocalized their criticism of health insurers, who were meeting at a conference in Washington, D.C., and amped up their push for health reform.
At their meeting on Wednesday, Haitian President Rene Preval is expected to ask President Barack Obama to stop food aid to Haiti, Reuters reports. “Preval told a news conference on Monday the aid could in the long term hurt the economy of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. ‘I will tell him (Obama) that this first phase of assistance is finished,’ said Preval,” according to the news service.
Obama Attacks Insurers, Rallies Public To Press Congress To Approve Health Reform
President Obama launched a major health reform offensive of words Monday when he rebuked insurers and urged the public to stand up to Congress and fight for passage of a health care overhaul.
Stupak Indicates Abortion Compromise Possible For Health Bill
Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., who is leading a coalition of anti-abortion Democrats, signaled Monday that the impasse could find resolution.
UNAIDS Director Cautions Against Funding Cuts To Global Fund
During an appeal to government and private donors to pledge money to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria on Monday, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibe warned of the repercussions tightening budgets could play in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, the Associated Press reports. “An estimated 94 percent of patients on anti-retroviral treatment in Africa count on external donor funds to provide their medications, Sidibe said,’ according to the news service. “If we stop now, if we reduce the financing, the people who are on treatment today … we will transform their hope for universal access into a universal nightmare, because they will start dying,” Sidibe told the AP.
New York Times Examines Millennium Villages In Africa
The New York Times examines development and health improvements in Sauri, Kenya, which was the first Millennium Village in Africa, a project conceived by economist Jeffrey Sachs, which aims “to show that tightly focused, technology-based and relatively straightforward programs on a number of fronts simultaneously
Supreme Court To Consider Legality Of Lawsuits Against Vaccine Makers
The Supreme Court will hear a case to decide whether drug makers can be sued by families who claim their children have suffered health problems from vaccines.
