Latest KFF Health News Stories
VPH: nueva versión de la vacuna previene el contagio con solo dos dosis
Defensores de la salud pública esperan que con la nueva recomendación de administrar solo dos dosis de la vacuna contra el VPH a niñas y niños de entre 9 y 14 años las tasas de vacunación mejoren.
New Vaccine Recommendation Cuts Number Of HPV Shots Children Need
The vaccine protects kids against infection and several types of cancer but many parents have been reluctant to use it for their children.
Trump’s Promise To Rein In Drug Prices Could Open Floodgate To Importation Laws
Sen. Bernie Sanders’ bill to allow Americans to buy cheaper medicines from Canada would bypass a requirement that blocked past legislative efforts over two decades.
GAO To Launch Investigation Of FDA’s Orphan Drug Program
The Government Accountability Office said it will investigate potential abuses of the orphan drug program, which offers incentives to drugmakers to develop medicines for rare diseases.
Prescription Drug Costs Are On The Rise; So Are The TV Ads Promoting Them
Spending on consumer advertising by drugmakers has increased 62 percent since 2012.
Nueva droga baja el colesterol en forma drámatica y previene ataques, pero es costosísima
Por primera vez, una investigación muestra que un nuevo, y costoso, medicamento llamado Repatha no sólo baja dramáticamente los niveles de colesterol malo (LDL) sino que también reduce el riesgo de ser hospitalizado y de morir.
Cholesterol Drug Prevents Heart Attacks — But It Doesn’t Come Cheap
A cholesterol-lowering drug called Repatha cuts the risk of heart attacks, strokes and heart-related death by 20 percent, according to a new study.
$89,000 Orphan Drug Gets A New Owner — And Likely A New Price
Marathon, maker of an expensive treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, sells the drug for $140 million in cash and stock to PTC Therapeutics.
Sticker Shock Forces Thousands Of Cancer Patients To Skip Drugs, Skimp On Treatment
A growing number of patients fail to fill prescriptions because the cost of cancer drugs is too high.
By The Numbers: Trump’s Choice For FDA Chief Is Versatile, Entrenched In Pharma
The numbers show that President Trump’s choice for FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb, has long-standing ties to pharmaceutical companies as a board member or consultant and that he had to recuse himself multiple times while working at the FDA.
HMO Doctors Take Pains To Slash Opioid Prescriptions
A Kaiser Permanente pain management program in Southern California aims to help patients taper off addictive painkillers. Some doctors and patients see it as a godsend; others complain that patients have been cut off medications they need.
Trump, Dems Look For Common Ground On Drug Prices
Two Democratic congressmen met with President Trump to seek his support for a bill to expand the government’s ability to negotiate drug prices, but it’s not clear it would have much impact or will gain support.
Dentists Work To Ease Patients’ Pain With Fewer Opioids
Dentistry is at a crossroads and many in the field are reassessing their narcotics prescribing habits.
Three Key Senators Ask GAO To Investigate Possible Abuses Of The Orphan Drug Act
Amid an uproar over high drug prices, three GOP senators are asking the Government Accountability Office to investigate whether the Orphan Drug Act is being abused.
‘Right-To-Try’ Laws Expose Dying Patients To Exploitation, Ethicists Warn
More than 30 states have laws on the books to allow dying patients the right to try experimental treatments. But these treatments may not be covered by insurance, and ethicists worry vulnerable people could be exploited near the end of their lives. The laws may also duplicate a process the FDA already has in place.
Making Multiple Drugs In One Factory Risks Scary Side Effect Of Shortages
Hundreds of drug brands are being made in giant contract facilities. When a plant shuts down, a widespread drain on supply can result.
Patient Advocacy Groups Rake In Donations From Pharma
A new study shows that 83 percent of the largest patient advocacy groups take contributions from drug, medical device or biotech firms.
Instead Of Trashing A $600 EpiPen, Some Patients Get A Refill
Epinephrine, the active ingredient in EpiPens, expires after 18 months, and the auto-injector device can’t be refilled or reused. Health professionals are looking for work-arounds they say could save the health system millions.
President Trump And I Take The Same Drugs — Except One
An aging writer discovers there are worse things than going bald after examining the side effects of a popular hair loss drug purportedly used by President Donald Trump.
Docs In Northwest Tweak Aid-In-Dying Drugs To Prevent Prolonged Deaths
Some terminal patients, typically high-dose opioid users, who choose to end their lives have taken many hours, even days, to die.
