Archive for May, 2009

California Labor sees Job Market Shift?

May 25th, 2009. By admin

Came across this one, had to share…wonder if anyone asked about overtime?

job_market_2009_311

Tags: California IT overtime, California labor law
Posted in Emerging Issues | No Comments »

Add Stress to Raptiva Side Effects

May 23rd, 2009. By janem

When it comes to a drug like Raptiva, the risks most certainly outweigh the benefits. On its extensive list of side effects—including a brain damage disease called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) that is lethal—the drug company should add STRESS. I’ve talked with several people and one nurse in particular, who took this psoriasis drug for a few years before noticing any side effects. None of the psoriasis sufferers I spoke with have been diagnosed with PML, but not a day goes by that they aren’t fearful. And because the disease is rare, not much is known about it. Gloria, the nurse I spoke with, said that much of the medical community hasn’t put 2 and 2 together. In Gloria’s case she was hospitalized for neurological problems. ” The doctors couldn’t say that Raptiva was the direct cause, but they didn’t rule it out either,” she said.

Tags: PML, Psoriasis, Raptiva
Posted in Drugs/Medical | No Comments »

Feds Turn Up the HEAT on Medicare and Medicaid Fraud

May 21st, 2009. By Evelyn Pringle

On May 20, 2009, US Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced the creation of the Heath Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team to take up the battle against Medicare and Medicaid fraud with senior officials from HHS and the US Department of Justice working together.

“With this announcement, we raise the stakes on health care fraud by launching a new effort with increased tools, resources and a sustained focus by senior-level leadership,” Attorney General Holder said in a May 20, 2009 DOJ press release. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Fraud, Medicaid, Medicare
Posted in Drugs/Medical | 1 Comment »

Throwing Billions Down a Psych Drug Rat Hole

May 18th, 2009. By Evelyn Pringle

From 1996 to 2006, prescriptions for psychiatric drugs increased by 73% among adults and 50% with children in the US, according to a new study in the May/June 2009 issue of the journal “Health Affairs.”

Another study in the same issue, found spending for mental health care grew more than 30% over the same 10-year period, with almost all of the increase due to psychiatric drug costs.

On April 22, 2009, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services, reported that in 2006, more money was spent on treating mental disorders in children aged 0 to 17 than for any other medical condition, with a total of $8.9 billion.

By comparison, the cost of treating trauma-related disorders, including fractures, sprains, burns, and other physical injuries from accidents or violence was only $6.1 billion. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Prozac, psychiatric drugs, suicide
Posted in Emerging Issues | No Comments »

Vermont Passes Tougher Pharma Disclosure and Gift Ban

May 15th, 2009. By Evelyn Pringle

Update

The Vermont Senate and House have passed a sweeping new law to close loopholes in the state’s existing gift and payment disclosure law, and to ban many gifts, including food and free meals, by makers of prescription drugs, medical devices and biological products.

The House version of the bill also required disclosure of free samples but the Senate amended it out and directed the Attorney General’s office to complete a study on the issue and report back in December 2009.

A 2002 Vermont law required disclosure of many gifts and payments to prescribers but the new law closes a “trade secret” exemption, which resulted in most data being submitted in aggregate form without identifying the names of prescribers. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: disclosure law, gift ban, Vermont
Posted in Emerging Issues | 1 Comment »