Health and Human Services News and Research

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There are 9.8 million cancer survivors in the United States

A cancer survivor is defined as anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer, from the time of diagnosis through the balance of his or her life. The findings are published in the June 25 issue of CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, "Cancer Survivorship - United States, 1971 - 2001."

24 Jun 2004

Fewer Americans with Alzheimer’s and $149 billion in annual Medicare and Medicaid savings by 2025

A new Alzheimer’s Association report released today shows that medical research breakthroughs could result in nearly three million fewer Americans with the disease and $149 billion in annual Medicare and Medicaid savings by 2025.

24 Jun 2004

Troubling signs of a future doctor shortages in California

Although the current supply of physicians in California is adequate, there are persistent shortages of doctors in low-income and rural counties, particularly those with high Hispanic populations

23 Jun 2004

Tommy G. Thompson today approved a plan by New York State to streamline the State Children's Health Insurance Program

"I am pleased to approve this simplification of New York's SCHIP application," Secretary Thompson said. "We have always encouraged states to make enrollment in SCHIP as well as Medicaid as simple as possible.

23 Jun 2004

Nevada Attorney General warns against drug card scams

Nevada Attorney General Brian Sandoval has reminded consumers to be alert with regard to scams related to the new Medicare prescription discount drug cards made available to consumers under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act.

22 Jun 2004

Additional $849 million to respond to bioterror attacks in U.S.

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced an additional $849 million in awards to states, territories, and four major metropolitan areas to strengthen the ability of government and public health agencies to respond to bioterror attacks, infectious diseases and natural disasters.

17 Jun 2004

Calcium supplements can decrease the risk of all types of colorectal polyps

While taking calcium supplements can decrease the risk of all types of colorectal polyps, research led by Dartmouth Medical School shows calcium had the greatest effect on advanced colorectal adenomas, considered to be most strongly associated with invasive colorectal cancer.

15 Jun 2004

Expansion of Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced today that it intends to expand Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography (PET) to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease.

15 Jun 2004

New program aimed at increasing blood donations among federal government employees

In commemoration of World Blood Donor Day, HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson launched “Donation Nation,” a new program aimed at increasing blood donations among federal government employees to reduce chronic blood shortages in communities across the country.

14 Jun 2004

Development of a new kind of hearing aid that was inspired by basic biological studies of a tiny fly's ear

Oh, to be a fly on the wall at this meeting: Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, in his tour yesterday (June 8, 2004) of National Institutes of Health (NIH) headquarters, heard about the NIH's prime example of taxpayer-funded translational research -- development of a new kind of hearing aid that was inspired by basic biological studies of a tiny fly's ear.

11 Jun 2004

Plan to get more kids enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved a plan by California to raise the income level for eligibility for the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to include more children.

11 Jun 2004

Exercise is more influential than calcium intake in determining bone strength in young women

Studies have shown that most of a female's bone mass is built between the ages of 13 and 15 and then slowly lost in the last four decades of her life. Therefore, attaining optimal bone mass and bone strength in adolescence may offer the best protection possible against osteoporosis - bone loss in post-menopausal women and the elderly.

10 Jun 2004

New Hampshire begins statewide West Nile virus detection activities

The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services' Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) has begun statewide West Nile virus detection activities in partnership with other state agencies

9 Jun 2004

HHS identifies States for Medicare demonstration of new, less restrictive homebound definition

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson has announced the three states where Medicare will conduct a demonstration project involving a new definition for homebound that would allow Medicare beneficiaries receiving home health benefits to leave their home more frequently and for longer periods without risking the loss of those benefits.

7 Jun 2004

FDA has announced the results of a comprehensive review of all outside activities performed by FDA employees

Dr. Lester M. Crawford, Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), has announced the results of a comprehensive review of all "outside activities" performed by FDA employees.

5 Jun 2004

Drinking only bottled water associated with a two-fold risk of infection

Doing laundry using hot water and bleach may prevent infections in the home, while drinking only bottled water may promote infections, according to research.

2 Jun 2004

HHS urges people to sign up for Medicare-approved drug discount cards

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today urged people with Medicare to take advantage of real savings on their prescription medicines by signing up for Medicare-approved drug discount cards.

2 Jun 2004

36 percent of Americans are using complementary and alternative medicines

A new, comprehensive government survey, released by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), reveals that 36 percent of Americans are incorporating complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) into their health care regimen.

1 Jun 2004

Call for Bush Administration to remedy failures on mad cow disease

Carol Tucker Foreman, director of Consumer Federation of America's Food Policy Institute, joined Consumers Union, Public Citizen and R-CALF in calling on the Bush Administration to remedy failures and improve protection against BSE.

1 Jun 2004

Smoking a lot more harmful than previously thought

The U.S. Surgeon General has released a new comprehensive report on smoking and health, revealing for the first time that smoking causes diseases in nearly every organ of the body. Published 40 years after the surgeon general's first report on smoking -- which concluded that smoking was a definite cause of three serious diseases -- this newest report finds that cigarette smoking is conclusively linked to diseases such as leukemia, cataracts, pneumonia and cancers of the cervix, kidney, pancreas and stomach.

30 May 2004

Health and Human Services News and Research

There are 9.8 million cancer survivors in the United States

Fewer Americans with Alzheimer’s and $149 billion in annual Medicare and Medicaid savings by 2025

Troubling signs of a future doctor shortages in California

Tommy G. Thompson today approved a plan by New York State to streamline the State Children's Health Insurance Program

Nevada Attorney General warns against drug card scams

Additional $849 million to respond to bioterror attacks in U.S.

Calcium supplements can decrease the risk of all types of colorectal polyps

Expansion of Medicare coverage of positron emission tomography to include some Medicare beneficiaries with suspected Alzheimer’s disease

New program aimed at increasing blood donations among federal government employees

Development of a new kind of hearing aid that was inspired by basic biological studies of a tiny fly's ear

Plan to get more kids enrolled in the State Children's Health Insurance Program

Exercise is more influential than calcium intake in determining bone strength in young women

New Hampshire begins statewide West Nile virus detection activities

HHS identifies States for Medicare demonstration of new, less restrictive homebound definition

FDA has announced the results of a comprehensive review of all outside activities performed by FDA employees

Drinking only bottled water associated with a two-fold risk of infection

HHS urges people to sign up for Medicare-approved drug discount cards

36 percent of Americans are using complementary and alternative medicines

Call for Bush Administration to remedy failures on mad cow disease

Smoking a lot more harmful than previously thought

Discover how SciY empowers scientists

Why use light scattering to analyze proteins and viral vectors?

Changing the landscape of R&D to build clinical success from the ground up

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