En esta página encontrará noticias del mundo de la salud mental publecadas en los principales medios de información de los Estados Unidos y recopiladas por la Asociación Psiquiátrica Americana.
JULIO 2010:
Newly Pinpointed Genetic Markers Could Be Used To Predict "Exceptional Longevity" With 77% Accuracy.
ABC World News (7/1, story 10, 2:00, Sawyer) reported, "We all know about those people who live well past 100, vibrant, thriving. Is it some special food or some rule they live by?" Yet, according to NBC Nightly News (7/1, story 6, 2:00, Curry), there may be a question that's far more interesting: "If a test could tell you could live to be 100, would you take that test?" It's a conversation that seems to have deep roots in "science fiction." That may soon change, however, because "a scientist who spent decades trying to figure out why some people live to be 100 has now concluded the answer may have a lot more to do with genetics than you might think."
Boston University researchers identified "a genetic signature which may help predict who among us will reach the century mark," the CBS Evening News (7/1, story 10, 0:20, Pelley) reported. According to USA Today (7/2, Weise), the "gene clusters seem to trump disease-causing genes that would otherwise cause common problems of aging."
The breakthroughs came courtesy of "a statistical technique called a genome-wide association study," the New York Times (7/2, A14, Wade) reports. "This is the technique that researchers had hoped would lay bare the genetic roots of common diseases like Alzheimer's or cancer, but it has largely failed to do so, raising the question of how the Boston...team was more successful while using a smaller sample size than usual."
Specifically, they analyzed "the genomes of 801 centenarians -- the world's largest collection of extremely old people," WebMD (7/1, DeNoon) reported. They eventually "identified 150 tiny genetic changes linked to extreme old age." Those changes, however, "did not point to any single longevity gene. Instead, the changes were scattered across the 23 chromosomes that carry the human genome."
Still, the team was able to create "a genetic model that included" the "150 single nucleotide polymorphisms, or genetic variants," and it was "able to predict with 77 percent accuracy how long a person was going to live," HealthDay (7/1, Gardner) reported. The remaining "23 percent could be accounted for by environmental and lifestyle factors or genetic factors that simply are unknown at this point." Investigators also pinpointed "19 different genetic 'signatures' in 90 percent of centenarians which correlated with 'different patterns of exceptional longevity.'"
What really "surprised" the group was the fact that they "found little difference between the centenarians and the control group in genetic variations that predispose people to certain illnesses," the AP (7/2, Schmid) reports. "We found that what predisposes to a long life is not lack of disease associated variants, but the presence of protective variants," one of the study's authors said.
The Los Angeles Times (7/2, Bernstein) reports, "Down the line," genetic "information could be used to develop" medicines "for age-related diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer's, which occur at much lower rates in centenarians."
The Washington Post (7/2, A04, Stein), the Wall Street Journal (7/1, A1, Hotz), CNN (7/1, Landau), Reuters (7/2, Fox), Bloomberg News (7/2, Fridson), Time (7/1, Park), NPR (7/2, Palca), the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (7/1, Johnson), The Economist (7/1), BBC News (7/1, Gill),and AFP (7/1) also covered the story, as did the UK's Globe and Mail (7/1, Abraham), Independent (7/2, Connor), Guardian (7/1, Smith), Daily Mail (7/2, Macrae) and Press Association (7/1).
Psychiatric Treatment/Disorders
Psychiatrist Discusses Value Of Effective Talk Therapy.
In the New York Times (7/1) "Well" blog, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Jeff Deitz, MD, of the Beth Israel Medical Center, discussed the value of talk therapy. "Unlike medications for depression, which take weeks to become effective while symptoms abate gradually," the "immediate reaction to psychotherapy speaks to a different mechanism of action and confirms what neuroscientists are demonstrating: social interactions, including psychotherapy, turn on brain circuits instantaneously. Why? Because humans are social animals; we're wired to connect." Dr. Deitz added, "The effective therapist offers more than sympathy; by empathizing with his patient's suffering, he confronts distortions and maladaptive behavior and mirrors healthy coping."
Small Study Suggests Patients With Psychosis May Be More Susceptible To Effects Of Cannabis.
MedWire (7/2, Czyzewski) reports that, according to a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, "patients with psychosis are more susceptible to the effects of cannabis than mentally healthy controls." In a study of "42 patients with a psychotic disorder who were current cannabis users and 38 mentally healthy controls who were also users," researchers found that "cannabis use was associated with subsequent increases in positive affect in both patients and controls, although patients were more sensitive to these mood-enhancing effects than controls." Likewise, "cannabis use was associated with increases in hallucinatory experiences in patients and controls, with patients again showing a more pronounced effect."
Patients With Bipolar Disorder And Metabolic, Endocrine Comorbidity May Have Poorer Recovery From Depression.
MedWire (7/2, Czyzewski) reports that, according to a study published online June 21 in the journal Bipolar Disorders, patients with bipolar disorder and "with comorbid illness of the endocrine or metabolic system have poorer recovery from depression than other patients." In a study of 225 patients with bipolar disorder, researchers found that "a total of 47% of patients had a moderate burden of medical comorbidity (CIRS total score 4-8), whereas 8% of patients had a severe burden (CIRS score =9)." Interestingly, "increasing medical burden significantly correlated with higher depression scores on the Montgomery-Åsberg Rating Scale (MADRS). Of all organ systems, only illness in the endocrine and metabolic system significantly correlated with decreased likelihood of remission."
Government and Psychiatry
Lawmakers Slam Insurers For Opposing Mental Health Parity.
The Hill (7/1, Pecquet) "Healthwatch" blog reported that "health plans that say mental illnesses can't be treated like physical ailments are relying on an 'outdated argument' without merit that does not reflect 'three decades of scientific research,'" according to a recent letter to regulators by 52 House members. The letter, spearheaded by Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), was addressed to Kathleen Sebelius, health and human services secretary, in addition to other government officials. The letter says the "agencies involved with the implementation of" the parity and reform laws should "fully evaluate and reject clams by insurance companies seeking to weaken the consumer protections intended by Congress."
Fort Bliss Medical Commanders Order Review Into Care Of Soldiers With TBI.
The NPR (7/1, Miller, Zwerdling) "The Two-Way" blog reported that medical commanders at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX, "have ordered a review into the care provided to soldiers suffering from traumatic brain injury (TBI), in response to an investigation by NPR and ProPublica." In a letter written June 21 to Rep. Henry Teague (D-NM), "Col. James Baunchalk, the commander of William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss...told members of Congress that he was concerned by" NPR's report, "which found that soldiers there struggled to receive adequate care for mild" TBIs.
Thousands In Illinois May Lose Mental Health Treatment Due To Budget Cuts.
The Chicago Tribune (7/2, Rubin, Long) reports that "as many as 60,000 people [in Illinois] will lose mental health treatment and an additional 20,000 developmentally disabled people will stay on waiting lists indefinitely because of major budget cuts." Under the cuts, "the Illinois Department of Human Services lost $312.6 million, much of it for programs not covered by Medicaid, which brings federal reimbursement."
Oregon State Attorney Contests Records Request In Hospital Probe.
The Oregon Statesman Journal (7/1, Gustafason) reported, "The state has complied with a sweeping records request made by the federal agency investigating the Oregon State Hospital, sending numerous e-mailed documents and data to the Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice." A state attorney, however, "asserts that the information sought by the federal agency is 'outside the scope' of its four-year civil rights investigation of the Salem psychiatric facility." Senior Assistant Attorney General Micky Logan wrote in a letter to the Justice Department that "this records request focuses on community placement information rather than Oregon State Hospital information," which are "outside the scope of a Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act...investigation."
CMS Approves TennCare Fee On Acute Care, Psychiatric Hospitals.
The Memphis Business Journal (7/2) reports that CMS "has approved TennCare's plan to institute a 3.52 percent fee on acute care and psychiatric hospitals." Notably, "Tennessee now becomes one of 25 states that have implemented such fees to avoid benefit changes for enrollees and reductions in provider reimbursement rates that would have become effective this year."
Arguments In Virginia's Suit Against Healthcare Law Begin.
The Washington Post (7/2, B01, Helderman) reports on the front page of its Metro section, "The legal challenge to the nation's new health-care law was launched Thursday in a courtroom in Richmond, where the office of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II argued that the measure is an unprecedented overreach by Washington that violates the founders' intention of a limited federal government." During the proceedings, Virginia Solicitor General E. Duncan Getchell, Jr. "told a judge that it would be 'unprecedented,' 'ahistorical' and 'radical' for the federal government to require an individual to buy a private product -- in this case, health insurance." In response, "attorneys for the Obama administration" stated that "the Virginia suit has no merit and should be tossed out of court," and that "the law's mandate...was well within Congress's constitutional power."
The New York Times (7/2, A13, Sack) reports, "Judge Henry E. Hudson, who was appointed by the first President George Bush, questioned both sides aggressively and said he would rule within 30 days."
Bloomberg News (7/2, McQuillen), the Richmond (VA) Times-Dispatch (7/2, Nolan), the AP (7/2, O'Dell), Reuters (7/2, Lambert), the Hampton Roads Virginian-Pilot (7/2, Walker) and the NPR (7/1, Gura) "Two-Way" blog also covered the story.
Washington State Supreme Court Rejects 90-Day Advance Notice For Malpractice Suits.
The AP (7/2, Woodward) reports that the Washington state "Supreme Court said Thursday it's unconstitutional to require 90 days notice before suing a doctor, marking the second time in less than a year the court has rejected a legislative attempt to reform medical malpractice lawsuits." In a 6-3 decision, the court "said the waiting period violates the separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches of government." The additional 90-day notice requirement "'conflicts with the judiciary's power to set court procedures,' Justice Charles Johnson wrote for the majority." The waiting period was intended "to encourage settlements in cases that might otherwise head straight to court."
Wisconsin Mental Health Unit Surrenders Medicare Certification.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (7/2, Schultze) reports that the "Mendota Mental Health Institute in Madison, [WI] surrendered its federal certification for one of its units in June after inspectors cited the state hospital for failure to provide therapy to patients and for stripping a female patient and placing her naked in a seclusion room." The loss of certification means counties will have to shell out "100% of the nearly $900 daily cost of each Medicare patient at Mendota instead of about 40%." Elizabeth Surgener, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said the woman's treatment was "a violation of federal care standards on privacy and dignity."
Psychiatry and Public Health
Experts Say It May Be Harder For Adolescents Than Adults To Recover From Eating Disorders, Addictions.
HealthDay (7/1, Gardner) reported, "When it comes to treating eating disorders and addictions, the path to recovery may be even harder -- and less straightforward -- for children and teens than it is for adults, experts say." Psychiatrist David Schlager, MD, of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, explained, "Disorders that start...in adolescence, no matter what the disorder, are always harder to treat and harder to recover from," whether they are eating disorders, addictions, or mental illness. Andrea Vazzana, PhD, of the New York University Child Study Center, pointed out that "there aren't a lot of treatments [for eating disorders], especially in adolescence, that have been proven to work."
LATimes Says Insurers Can Press Providers To Lower Healthcare Costs.
The Los Angeles Times (7/2) editorializes, "Having failed in its bid to hike premiums for individual health insurance policies up to 39%, Anthem Blue Cross announced this week a revised plan to raise them up to 20%. That's still a staggering percentage, and it's a good thing that state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has retained independent actuaries to scrutinize proposed rate increases by all the major health insurers." Still, the Times argues that "health insurers are seeking ever-higher premiums largely because they're facing ever-higher costs," and "the key to holding down premiums will be to bring the spiraling costs of medical care under control."
Psychiatric Medication Update
Pharmaceutical Company Begins Selling Generic Version Of Exelon For Alzheimer's.
The AP (7/1) reported that Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced on July 1 that "it began selling a generic version of Novartis AG's Alzheimer's disease" medication "Exelon [rivastigmine]." According to the company, "it started shipping...rivastigmine in doses of 1.5, 3, 4.5, and 6 milligrams." The medication "is used to treat dementia in Alzheimer's patients." Reuters (7/1, Krishnan) also covered the story.
Other News
Single Gene May Guide Human Brain, Central Nervous System Cell Development.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (7/1, Johnson) reported, "Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that a single gene guides the development of all cells in the human brain and central nervous system, a discovery that sheds light on what distinguishes our brain from those of other species and opens a promising avenue toward possible treatment of diseases, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's." The paper detailed in Cell Stem Cell also "raises the possibility that researchers may be able to rejuvenate brain stem cells inside the body rather than in a lab dish in order to repair damage from disease." The work centers on the gene Pax6.
In fact, the researchers "found Pax6 in virtually all of the cells of the neuroectoderm," HealthDay (7/1, Preidt) reported. "This structure appears early in embryonic development and produces the two primary forms of brain cells -- neurons and glial cells -- as well as the hundreds of cell subtypes that make up the human brain." Investigators are hopeful that their study may help "explain why the human brain is larger and, in many ways, more advanced than brains in other species."
Minneapolis-Area Hospitals, Nurses Reach Tentative Agreement.
The AP (7/2) reports that "the union representing more than 12,000 nurses has reached an agreement with 14 Minneapolis-area hospitals days ahead of a planned strike."
The Minneapolis Star Tribune (7/2, Lerner) reports that "the 3 pm announcement stunned many members of the Minnesota Nurses Association [MNA], who had been bracing for a strike Tuesday." The MNA, "as part of the agreement...gave up what it had called its central demand -- mandatory nurse-to-patient staffing ratios." Meanwhile, "the hospitals dropped their proposed cuts to nurse pensions and changes in health insurance and other benefits."
Modern Healthcare (7/2, Carlson) reports that "the proposed agreement has been approved by negotiating committees for all 14 hospitals, but union members must still vote to ratify the contracts."
Combination Of Memory Test, PET Scan May Predict Alzheimer's Risk In Patients With MCI, Small Study Suggests.
HealthDay (6/30) reported that, according to a study published June 30 in Neurology, "the combination of a memory test and a brain scan may best predict the likelihood that an individual with mild cognitive" impairment (MCI) "will go on to develop Alzheimer's disease."
"Researchers from the University of California-Berkeley found that word-recollection memory testing combined with PET scans of the brain was best able to predict who would develop Alzheimer's disease," WebMD (6/30, Boyles) reported. "Study participants whose PET scans and memory tests were abnormal were nearly 12 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than people whose scores on both tests were normal." The study population consisted of "85 mostly elderly people with mild cognitive impairment, a medical term used to describe a state of memory loss or other cognitive decline that is greater than would be expected with normal aging but has not yet progressed to dementia."
Alzheimer's Research Has Reached Point Of Significant Potential, Experts Say. HealthDay (6/30, Thompson) reported, "Research into Alzheimer's disease has reached a point of significant potential." Scientists "are identifying substances that bind with amyloid deposits and make them visible to imaging scans," as well as "identifying genetic and biological markers that could indicate...increased risk for developing Alzheimer's." But, some experts "question the direction of research -- worrying that efforts have been too tightly focused on eliminating amyloid from the brain." Some also question the lack of funding for Alzheimer's studies. For example, "The US National Institutes of Health expects to spend $527 million on Alzheimer's disease research in the current fiscal year, compared with $6.1 billion on cancer research, $3 billion on HIV/AIDS, and $1.9 billion on heart disease research, according to spending data released Feb. 1."
From the American Psychiatric Association
Alert for APA Members Billing Medicare
On June 25, the "Preservation of Access to Care for Medicare Beneficiaries and Pension Relief Act of 2010" was signed into law establishing a 2.2% update to Medicare physician fees retroactive from June 1 through November 30, 2010.
Based on discussions with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services staff, the APA is advising its members who submit claims for services that occurred June 1 and later to calculate the amount due them as 3% more than the amount currently listed on their Medicare contractor's website. For more information, contact Ellen Jaffe, Office of Healthcare Systems & Financing at ejaffe@psych.org, 703.907.8591.
Psychiatric Treatment/Disorders
Exercise May Help Protect Girls Against Dementia In Their Later Years.
HealthDay (6/30, Dotinga) reported that, according to a study published in the June 30 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, "Canadian researchers believe they've found a link between exercise in adolescence and fewer cases of senility in a woman's senior years." After asking "more than 9,300" elderly US women "about their exercise habits before the age of 18, at 30, at 50 and in late life," researchers found that "exercise occurring before the age of 18 seemed to be most influential: Close to 17 percent of those who didn't report being active then had symptoms of dementia, while just 8.5 percent of the others did."
Study Explores Prevalence Of Migraine In Patients With Bipolar Disorder.
MedWire (7/1, Czyzewski) reports that, according to a study published online June 21 in the journal Bipolar Disorders, "a quarter of patients with bipolar disorder experience migraines, and those who do have an increased rate of suicidal behavior, anxiety disorders, and obsessive compulsive disorder." Researchers arrived at that fact after examining "204 participants with bipolar I disorder, 92 with bipolar II disorder, and 27 with bipolar disorder not otherwise specified or schizoaffective disorder." What's more, "analysis of a separate cohort of" 102 "migraine patients showed a prevalence of bipolar disorder of 6.35%, which compares with around 1.00% in the general population."
Government and Psychiatry
Administration, Several States Begin Accepting Applications For High-Risk Pools Today.
The Los Angeles Times (7/1, Levey) reports, "The Obama administration and some state governments will begin accepting applications Thursday for new insurance programs designed to cover people who have been denied insurance because they have preexisting medical conditions." Notably, "these so-called high-risk pools were included in the new healthcare law to provide relief for some of the most desperate uninsured Americans until 2014, when insurance companies will be required to cover everyone regardless of medical history." US "citizens and legal residents who have been without insurance for at least six months and have been denied coverage because they have a preexisting medical condition" are eligible to apply.
According to the AP (7/1, Alonso-Zaldivar), "Prices will vary by state and type of coverage from a low of $140 a month to as much as $900, said Richard Popper, deputy director of a new insurance office at" HHS, called the Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight. Officials explained that the "price range is so wide because premiums will be keyed to standard individual health insurance rates in each state, which can differ dramatically because of medical costs and the scope of coverage. Independent experts estimate premiums will average around $400 to $600 a month," with younger people paying less.
The Wall Street Journal (7/1, Adamy) reports several analysts have said that the $5 billion allocated for the high-risk pools in the healthcare law will be insufficient to cover the total number of Americans who lack coverage because of pre-existing conditions. Popper also said that the pools should cover about 350,000 people, and suggested that HHS may reallocate funds from states which do not use everything, to ones which have a greater need. Jay Angoff, director of the HHS Office of Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, said, "We're going to do our best that it insures as many people as possible."
The San Francisco Chronicle (7/1, Colliver) notes, "The Obama administration hoped the new federal high-risk pools would be up and running by today, about 90 days after the President signed the health reform measure into law, but California and many other states have encountered complications that made the timetable unrealistic."
The Washington Post (7/1, Fears), CNN (7/1, Young), Florida Today (7/1, Jenks), the Winston-Salem Journal (7/1, Craver), and the Austin American Statesman (7/1, Eaton) also cover the story.
Anthem Blue Cross Submits New Request To California For Rate Increases.
The Los Angeles Times (7/1, Helfand) reports, "Embattled health insurer Anthem Blue Cross is reviving its plan to raise rates for tens of thousands of California policyholders, some of whom could see their premiums rise as much as 20%." The state's "largest for-profit insurer submitted new rates Wednesday amid pressure to scale back increases of as much as 39% that had provoked fury from consumers, lawmakers and even President Obama." Meanwhile, "California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner has hired an actuary to study rate filings submitted by Anthem, Aetna, Inc. and Blue Shield of California. Poizner announced Wednesday that he was making the filings public on the insurance department's website," and "a fourth insurer, Health Net, Inc., also will undergo additional scrutiny once it files new rates."
The San Francisco Chronicle (7/1, Colliver) notes that the proposed rates "would raise health premiums by an average of 14 percent, and as much as 20 percent, for thousands of California consumers."
The Wall Street Journal (7/1, Johnson), the AP (7/1, Murphy), the Indianapolis Star (7/1), and the Orange County Register (7/1, Perkes) also cover the story.
Indiana, VA Attempting To Help Vets With PTSD.
According to the Indianapolis Star (6/30, Rudavsky), the "Indiana State Medical Association has embarked on a campaign to raise awareness" about post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) "and to try to ensure that...soldiers" returning from Iraq and Afghanistan "receive the help they need. As part of that effort, the group recently distributed information about the disorder to 1,300 primary-care physicians across Indiana." After noting that the "Department of Veterans Affairs health-care system...has become more responsive to treatment needs of people with PTSD," the Star added, "Mental-health professionals now work in VA primary-care clinics to connect patients with counseling, said Dr. Steven Herman, director of the psychiatry ambulatory clinic at the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis."
Psychiatry and Public Health
Researchers Examine Post 9/11 Headaches And Related Mental Health Factors.
Medscape (6/30, Gandey) reported that a study that examined 646 "patients enrolled at the Bellevue Hospital World Trade Environmental Health Center finds that" 44% "have begun suffering from new headache since the collapse of the World Trade Center towers in September 2001. Findings suggest these new symptoms are often related to anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder." The study was presented June 26 at the American Headache Society 52nd Annual Scientific Meeting by researchers from the New York University School of Medicine.
Number Of Patients Under 64 Suffering Disabilities Increasing.
The Chicago Tribune /McClatchy (6/30, Gregorian) reported, "Health care providers report an increase in the number of patients under age 64 suffering from disabilities in the past decade or so." Indeed, research appearing in the journal Health Affairs shows that "more than 40 percent of people ages 50 to 64 reported having difficulty doing one of nine physical functions, such as stooping, standing for two hours, walking a quarter mile, or climbing 10 steps without resting." Patients cited several health problems, including "neck and back problems, arthritis, diabetes, anxiety, and emotional problems." While researchers "didn't pinpoint a root cause of the increase in disabilities among middle-aged people," some "health care providers list these as the biggest reasons: obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and lack of preventive medical care."
APA in the News
Demand For Psychiatrists Climbing Faster Than For Any Other Medical Specialty.
USA Today (7/1, Steinberg) reports that Merritt Hawkins, "a national physician recruiting firm, says the demand for psychiatrists is climbing faster than for any other medical specialty." In fact, "from April 2009 to March 2010, the company...received 179 requests for psychiatrists -- a 47% increase from the previous year and 121% increase from the 2006-2007 survey." Steven Schlozman, chair of the American Psychiatric Association Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning, explained that even though "the number of students who have gone into psychiatry in the past five years has actually increased slightly...more students are entering medical fields, such as dermatology and radiology." Kurt Mosley, of Merritt Hawkins, "says it's 'the perfect storm right now' as more than half of all psychiatrists age 55 and older are nearing retirement, and there aren't enough physicians to take their spots."
Psychiatric Medication Update
FDA Says Pharmaceutical Company Overstated Benefits Of Its AD/HD Medication.
Bloomberg News (6/30, Peterson) reported that, according to a June 22 letter (pdf) posted to its website, the Food and Drug Administration says that "Shire Plc overstates" in its promotional materials "the benefits of Intuniv" (guanfacine hydrochloride), its medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) in children. The letter charged that "brochures in a patient starter kit for the drug make 'unsubstantiated effectiveness claims' and 'omit and minimize important risk information.'" The FDA said that "clinical studies don't support the company's claims that the drug improves 'individual behavioral problems,' such as 'bedtime blowups,' 'homework hassles,' and 'mall meltdowns.'"
Practice Management
New Healthcare Law Could Lead To More House Calls By Physicians.
In the New York Times (6/30) "New Old Age" blog, Paul Span wrote that house calls by physicians with Medicare patients "could become even more common if the Independence at Home demonstration program, part of the new healthcare law, shows that house calls can save Medicare money." Notably, the number of house calls made by doctors increased after Medicare agreed to raise reimbursement rates for them about a decade ago. The American Academy of Home Care Physicians currently "estimates that about 4,000 doctors -- from solo practitioners and university programs to a company that makes 10,000 visits a year in five states -- now provide care at home."
Report Urges Teaching Hospitals To Set Policies On Conflict Of Interest Disclosure.
CQ HealthBeat (7/1, Norman) reports that "the Association of American Medical Colleges on Wednesday recommended that more teaching" hospitals "set policies on how to disclose and manage financial conflicts of interest in relationships between physicians." This "report follows two others by the association on conflicts of interest, as the medical profession and lawmakers engage in a wide-ranging debate over the best way to ensure that financial ties to medicine are revealed and reported." CQ adds, "Royalties, consulting relationships and ownership interests in related companies ought to be covered, says the report, 'In the Interest of Patients: Recommendations for Physician Financial Relationships and Clinical Decision Making.'"
Modern Healthcare (6/30, Rhea) reported that "the report recommends that academic medical institutions establish [a] mechanism for identifying industry financial relationships that have potential to bias clinical decision-making, set specific thresholds for reporting and evaluating those conflicts, and solicit patient input on when public disclosure of financial conflicts is useful."
Other News
Scientists Find Way To Control Side Effects Of Fetal Cell Transplants In Two Patients With Parkinson's.
The UK's Daily Mail (7/1, Borland) reports that, according to a study published online in Science Translational Medicine, "a treatment for Parkinson's disease that involves injecting patients' brains with cells from aborted foetuses could bring hope to thousands of sufferers." Originally tested two decades ago, the treatment was "hailed as a cure before being abandoned because of devastating side effects," including involuntary loss of control, writhing, and jerking motions. "Now, scientists say they have found a way to control these side effects."
The UK's Independent (7/1, Connor) reports that the "study by scientists funded by the Medical Research Council has found that the side-effects can be overcome with the help of a drug that works on repairing cells in the brain where the transplant took place." The researchers studied "brain scans of two patients who underwent the treatment, but had side-effects." The scans "showed that they had suffered damage to the serotonin cells of the brain where the transplants had taken place."
The UK's Press Association (7/1) reports that "the side effect was the result of an overabundance of serotonin cells in the transplanted tissue. This could be prevented through drugs," the study's lead author "said, adding that the team suggested serotonin cells be removed during the preparation of transplanted tissue in future trials which they hope will now be able to take place."
According to HealthDay (6/30, Goodwin), "the serotonin neurons were releasing dopamine, which, when coming from the wrong source, caused the jerking movements." But, "when patients were given a serotonin receptor agonist, a drug that prevented the serotonin neurons from firing, the involuntary movements ceased." The study authors theorized that "removing serotonin cells during the preparation of transplanted tissue in future trials will prevent side effects from developing."
Reuters (7/1, Kelland) reported that the anxiety medication buspirone, a serotonin receptor agonist, could help ameliorate dyskinesias in patients with Parkinson's disease who are dealing with the side effects sustained from their transplant operations.
Administration Unveils Website With Data On Government, Private Health Plans.
The Washington Post (7/1, Aizenman) reports, "A Web site that the Obama administration unveiled Wednesday aims to give everyone the full range of public and private health insurance plans available to them based on their individual circumstances." Consumers who use HealthCare.gov "will not need to divulge personal information," although "the site asks a series of questions...then uses a person's answers to produce a detailed list of potential coverage options from among 5,500 private plans as well as the full array of federal and state programs such as Medicare and Medicaid." Commenting on the site, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "This is an incredibly impressive consumer tool. ... This information can give folks choices that they just didn't have any idea they had available to them." The Ventura County Star (7/1, Gregory) also covers the story.
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