Following is a summary of current health news briefs.
One in four Americans without health coverage: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – As the U.S. Supreme Court ponders
the fate of healthcare reform in the current election year, a
study released on Thursday shows that one in four working-age
Americans went without insurance at some point in 2011, often
as a result of unemployment and other job changes. The study by
the Commonwealth Fund polled 2,100 people aged 19 to 64 and
found that 26 percent of non-elderly adults went without
insurance — a percentage that researchers said equals about 48
million people when measured against U.S. Census data.
Birth defects more common in IVF babies: study
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Merck ordered to pay $321 million in criminal Vioxx probe
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Birth defects more common in IVF babies: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Babies conceived through
certain fertility treatment techniques are about one-third more
likely to have a birth defect than babies conceived without any
extra help from technology, according to a new review of
several dozen studies. The report ”confirms what most people
accepted anyway, that, yes, there is an increased risk in
congenital abnormality associated with assisted reproductive
technology,” said Dr. William Buckett, a professor at McGill
University, who was not involved in the study.
Officials issue warning over fentanyl patches
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GSK pounces on Human Genome with $2.6 billion bid
LONDON (Reuters) – Human Genome Sciences
has
rejected an unsolicited bid worth around $2.6 billion from
long-time partner GlaxoSmithKline , marking a new
takeover battle in a drugs sector recently swept by M&A;
activity. The U.S. pioneer of gene-based drug discovery, which
sells a new drug for lupus with GSK, said on Thursday the offer
of $13 per share, made in a letter on April 11, did not reflect
the value inherent in the company.
Measles cases reached 15-year high in 2011: CDC
ATLANTA (Reuters) – Measles cases in the United States hit
a 15-year high in 2011, with 90 percent of the cases traced to
other countries with lower immunization rates, the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday. There were
222 cases of measles in the United States last year, more than
triple the usual number, the CDC said. There had been only
about 60 cases per year between 2001 and 2010.
Hospitals see decline in care-related infections
ATLANTA (Reuters) – The United States is making progress in
reducing the spread of infections to patients while they are in
the hospital, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
said on Thursday. Twenty-one states reported reductions in
so-called ”central line” bloodstream infections from 2009-2010,
according to the federal health agency, which used data from a
state-by-state tracking system.
Illinois governor proposes plan to rein in Medicaid
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Illinois Governor Pat Quinn on Thursday
proposed a plan that he said would save the state’s Medicaid
health program for the poor from collapse by slashing spending
and raising revenue via an increase in the cigarette tax. The
Democratic governor’s $2.7 billion plan calls for saving $1.35
billion a year by reducing eligibility and coverage,
eliminating programs, and other efficiencies. It also calls for
dropping rates paid to providers to save another $675 million,
and increasing the state’s cigarette tax by $1 per pack to
raise $335.7 million annually.
Study finds high rates of off-label prescribing
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – More than 10 percent of
prescriptions in one Canadian province were for drugs not
approved to treat the patient’s condition, a new study finds.
And many times, there was little evidence the drugs would work.
A medication is being used ”off label” if a doctor prescribes
it to treat a condition other than the one(s) Health Canada,
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or similar national
regulatory agencies approved it for based on tests of safety
and efficacy.
