News in category: Major Medical

Georgetown University discussed the potential for a conflict-of-interest between doctors and pharmaceutical companies that partially fund continuing-education for doctors.

A survey of 1,231 doctors finds that 91 percent believe that doctors order more tests in order to protect themselves from medical malpractice lawsuits. A CBO survey had found that medical malpractice lawsuits amount to less than 2 percent of overall healthcare spending.

This latest Commonwealth Fund reports ranks the U.S. last in the delivery of low cost healthcare at the highest price among seven countries. The Netherlands ranks best.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 29 people in 14 states have been diagnosed with Salmonella serotype Chester after eating some brands of Marie Callender’s brand frozen chicken products.

After the Vioxx scandal, Congress approved a new law that forces the FDA to reveal post-approval safety information on new drugs and vaccines. Information on the first 26 drugs were posted this week.

The American Medical Association is releasing its third annual report card on insurers and finds one in five claims is not processed correctly.

All drugs have side effects and the latest published study finds that a class of blood pressure drugs known as angiotensin-receptor blockers or ARBs had a slight increased risk of cancer.

Rick Scott whose Columbia/HCA was charged with Medicare and Medicaid fraud and fined $1.7 billion, is leading the race to become governor of Florida, according to the latest poll.

A published study points to July as the worst month for surgeries and fatal medication errors. The problems were found at teaching hospitals, not nonteaching hospitals suggesting that new doctors may be to blame.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that American produced cigarettes contain higher levels of cancer causing agents than those made in Australia, the UK and Canada.

Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury were some of the heavy metals found in the 15 protein supplements tested by Consumer Reports.

The military is contacting Veterans Affairs offices acknowledging that burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan "potentially present health risks" to returning veterans and outlines how to handle claims. The letter represents an about face by the Pentagon that open burn pits represent a health hazard.

Transparency is defined as a lack of hidden agenda and conditions and the public has an opportunity to tell the FDA just how transparent it wants the agency to be in publishing data and disclosing information about drug and device makers. So far 1,500 have commented.

Allergan has lost a $15 million lawsuit filed by a medical doctor who claimed Botox Cosmetic ruined her life and did not adequately warn the public about the potential side effects. The company plans an appeal.

With promises of developing a blockbuster drug to treat 26 million Alzheimer's patients worldwide, research continues on bapineuzumab despite evidence it is not effective and may be targeting the wrong underlying cause of Alzheimer's.