12/19/2008
Two reports from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimate that plans offered by President-elect Barack Obama and other Democrats to reduce health care costs would yield moderate savings. CBO evaluated more than 100 plans for the reports. Bloomberg/Philadelphia Inquirer et al.
12/16/2008
FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach informed his staff yesterday that he would resign effective Jan. 20, 2009. Von Eschenbach said he would work closely with President-elect Barack Obama's transition team to avoid any snags in the changeover. Wall Street Journal.
12/16/2008
Some Medicare drug plans are being criticized for using reference-based pricing in which beneficiaries who choose a brand-name drug when there is a generic version available are charged a much higher price. The industry argues that the tactic helps curb rising health care costs, but critics complain that the practice can result in hidden charges. Wall Street Journal.
12/15/2008
In a study published in the online medical journal PLoS Medicine, UCSF medical researchers accuse major drug companies of skewing the results of prescription drug trials. The researchers argue that doctors are prescribing drugs based on inadequate information. San Francisco Chronicle.
12/09/2008
Some medical professionals believe that too much drug safety information could overwhelm patients and raise undue concern. A Pfizer survey of 300 medical professionals found that 89% of respondents were at least somewhat concerned that patients might stop taking medications if potentially negative drug safety information was released too early to the public. Wall Street Journal.
12/09/2008
On Monday, House Energy and Commerce Chair Henry Waxman renewed his call to give FDA the ability to ban advertisements for certain drugs when they first reach the market and risks are not fully known. A similar effort in 2007 failed after some lawmakers argued that it would violate constitutional protections of free speech. Reuters.
12/03/2008
When Medicare beneficiaries opt for a brand-name treatment over a generic version, a Medicare rule permits health plans to charge beneficiaries a standard copayment, as well as the difference between the price of the generic and the brand-name drug. Health care advocates maintain that the rule has not been explained clearly to beneficiaries. USA Today.
12/01/2008
The Bush administration says that the rule will help states avoid cuts to eligibility or services in their Medicaid programs at a time when state budgets are tightening substantially. Health care advocates warn that the rule could raise new barriers to care for vulnerable populations. New York Times.
11/26/2008
Several California health care groups and Medi-Cal beneficiaries are gearing up to sue the state over cuts to Medi-Cal provider rates that are slated to take effect in March 2009. The groups maintain that federal law requires the state to study how the cuts would affect beneficiaries' access to care, a charge state attorneys dispute. Los Angeles Daily Journal.
11/25/2008
The new style of clinical trials is aimed at assessing how medical treatments will work in typical patients. Medical researchers, medical societies, insurers and other advocates are urging Congress to fund a new center focused on such research. New York Times.
11/25/2008
A new study in the journal Pharmacotherapy calls for more research into the off-label use of 14 drugs, including three antipsychotics and six antidepressants. In creating the list, the researchers considered the volume of off-label use with inadequate evidence, drug safety, and cost and market conditions. USA Today.
11/19/2008
On Tuesday, a federal court upheld a New Hampshire law that prohibits the sale of physician-specific prescription drug data. Two data mining companies -- IMS Health and Verispan -- filed a lawsuit to block implementation of the New Hampshire law. New York Times.
11/19/2008
On Tuesday, a panel of federal drug experts expressed concern about the increasing use of antipsychotic medicines in children. The panel said that drug label warnings were not enough and urged federal drug regulators to do more to warn physicians about the drugs' risks. New York Times.
11/19/2008
A new study found that Avastin, a drug designed to treat cancer, increases patients' risk of developing serious blood clots. The study's authors say Avastin should receive a "black box" warning, FDA's strongest warning. However, a spokesperson for drugmaker Genentech argues that Avastin's label already includes a warning about blood clot risk. USA Today.
11/14/2008
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America is preparing to launch an advertising campaign intended to chip away at support for an element of President-elect Obama's proposal to let Medicare negotiate drug prices directly with drugmakers. Washington Times.