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WHO and UNICEF have announced a global reduction of 30% in deaths from measles between 1999 and 2002

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF) today announced a global reduction of 30% in deaths from measles between 1999 and 2002. At 35%, the reduction in measles deaths was even greater in Africa, the region with the highest number of people affected by the disease.

27 Apr 2004

NYU School of Medicine and Bellevue to examine health issues in hispanic population

Renowned Latino leaders in the health and political community will gather at a free two-day conference to discuss issues affecting the community at “Latino Health: Progress through Action”.

27 Apr 2004

Illinois, hospital beds and other health care services to be monitored

Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich today announced the launch of a $450,000 Web-based system that provides the state with up-to-the-minute information from more than 200 hospitals in Illinois on the availability of beds and other critical health care services necessary to guide the response to an act of terrorism or other public health emergency.

27 Apr 2004

New steps to prevent drug card fraud

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D. today announced efforts that CMS is undertaking to strengthen oversight of the Medicare-approved Discount Drug Card Program.

23 Apr 2004

Organ donation bill signed into law

On April 5, 2004 the President signed into law H.R. 3926, the Organ Donation and Recovery Improvement Act. ALF has supported the passage of this bill for several years and we should consider its passage as one of our “victories.” The bill does the following things:

22 Apr 2004

HHS approves first-ever multi-state purchasing pools for Medicaid drug programs

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today approved plans by five states to pool their collective purchasing power to gain deeper discounts on prescription medicines for their state programs.

22 Apr 2004

HHS Launches Organ Donation Education Program for High School Students

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today released a new organ and tissue donation education program to raise awareness among high school students and to help them make informed decisions about donation.

20 Apr 2004

Hospitals Reclassified Under Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that 121 hospitals in 25 states will begin receiving higher payments for patients who are discharged on or after April 1, 2004. The increases are due to the geographic reclassification of these hospitals under a special one-time-only provision in the recent Medicare modernization law. The new payments will be retroactive to April 1.

20 Apr 2004

Study reveals brain function of poor readers can improve

A brain imaging study has shown that, after they overcome their reading disability, the brains of formerly poor readers begin to function like the brains of good readers, showing increased activity in a part of the brain that recognizes words.

19 Apr 2004

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association announce anti-fraud efforts

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) today announced a new Anti-Fraud Strike Force comprised of top Blue Plan investigators that will work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other national, state and local law enforcement agencies to fight major insurance fraud schemes that rob consumers of millions of dollars annually.

19 Apr 2004

Medicare makes drug card enrollment easier

Mark B. McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, today announced two new steps to help Medicare beneficiaries enroll in the Medicare drug card program.

19 Apr 2004

AIDS advocates and patients protest Abbott Laboratories' Norvir price hikes

A broad coalition of AIDS advocates and patients will come together in protest over Abbott Laboratories' recent unprecedented 400% price hike on Norvir (ritonavir), their key AIDS drug.

16 Apr 2004

$360,000 boost for HIV/AIDS patients in Pima County

The University of Arizona has been awarded $360,000 from the federal Ryan White CARE Act to expand its patient care services for HIV/AIDS patients in Pima County. Ryan White Early Intervention Services Clinics now are held at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center and at Kino Hospital.

16 Apr 2004

Novartis to provide free medicines to low-income medicare recipients

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation announced today that the company will work with Medicare-approved drug discount card sponsors to provide its products free of Novartis charges to low-income Medicare enrollees, after they have exhausted their $600 transitional assistance available from the government.

13 Apr 2004

New government drug testing rules include hair

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, today issued proposed new rules for mandatory federal drug testing that include specimens of hair, saliva and sweat, along with urine.

13 Apr 2004

FDA makes final ruling on dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that the final rule on dietary supplements containing ephedrine alkaloids is effective immediately.

12 Apr 2004

Texan health care deficit of $582 million

Texan state health care officials announce programmes for low income families will make for a budget deficit of $582 million by the end of the financal year. Primarily due to an increased amount of services being provided. The current deficit almost equals the amount taken out of the Medicaid budget last year.

10 Apr 2004

African summit on treatment of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria

In Gaborone, Botswana, government officials and representatives of drug regulatory agencies from 23 nations, the research-based and generic pharmaceutical industries, public health leaders, health care providers, advocacy groups (including persons living with HIV/AIDS), academia and members of non-governmental organizations held discussions from March 29-31 on the scientific and technical principles for fixed-dose combination drug products (FDCs) for use in the treatment of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, the most serious infectious disease threats facing the world today.

8 Apr 2004

Results of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease research in people who received human growth hormone from cadavers

The largest study of its kind, designed to track the development of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in people who received human growth hormone from cadavers, has found that the vast majority of those who received the hormone did not contract the fatal condition. However, some recipients (26 out of approximately 7,700) did develop the disease.

7 Apr 2004

Upcoming symposium to examine mercury exposure

The AMA is co-sponsoring a symposium for CME credit this month in Tampa, Fla., on the medical and public health aspects of mercury exposure. "Mercury: Medical and Public Health Issues" will be held from April 28-30 at the Tampa Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina.

5 Apr 2004