Why ‘Government Patent Use’ To Lower Drug Costs Won’t Stifle Innovation
In a May article in Health Affairs, we proposed that the federal government consider using an existing law to negotiate or compel lower drug prices in the United States for certain important drugs with excessive prices. We’ve been gratified at the interest the proposal has generated on Health Affairs Blog and elsewhere. We believe it illuminates a significant opportunity to improve access to important medicines, and also to more efficiently allocate our health care dollars.
A recent commentary on this blog by Henry Grabowski, however, expresses concern about the impact of our proposal on future drug innovation. As we wil...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - July 28, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Amy Kapczynski and Aaron Kesselheim Tags: Costs and Spending Drugs and Medical Technology Featured Quality drug innovation hepatitis C Research and Development Source Type: blogs
DM / DNB Cardiology Entrance New Test Series 4
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Source: Cardiophile MD - July 16, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Prof. Dr. Johnson Francis, MD, DM, FACC, FRCP Edin, FRCP London Tags: Cardiology MCQ DM / DNB Cardiology Entrance Featured Source Type: blogs
Providing comfort to another tiny human being is absolutely breathtaking
This story has been on my mind for many years, but each time I have sat down to write it, the words would not fall into place.
The other day, a family mentioned having their “rainbow baby” referring to a child born after a tragedy. To me, rainbows symbolize that even after the roughest storm, things can get better. To see a rainbow, there must be moisture, like falling rain, in the presence of sunshine. Beauty and light will return. I have hoped for two decades a certain family found peace and was granted a rainbow baby themselves.
During my final rotation in the neonatal intensive care unit, I attended a C-s...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - July 14, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Niran S. Al-Agba, MD Tags: Physician Pediatrics Source Type: blogs
Navigating the Tricky and Often Triggering World of Social Media as a Mom
For many moms, social media can be a triggering space. It can be a breeding ground for comparison, which so many moms are already prone to in their offline lives. Comparison only creates more and more doubt about everything from your parenting choices to how you are as a person.
Maybe you compare yourself to the mom on social media who makes creative meals, has a spotless home and entertains her kids with fun activities and adventures. Maybe you compare yourself to the mom who gushes about every part of parenting, while you’re crying and covered in throw-up. Maybe you compare yourself to the mom who’s back to her norma...
Source: World of Psychology - July 13, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S. Tags: General Habits Mental Health and Wellness Parenting Relationships Self-Help Stress Technology Women's Issues anxiety Catherine O’Brien Childbirth comparison making Comparisons Confidence Depression Facebook Family goo Source Type: blogs
Government Appropriation Of Breakthrough Drug Patent Rights Would Deter Biopharmaceutical R&D And Innovation
In the May 2016 issue of Health Affairs, Amy Kapezynski and Aaron Kesselheim propose that the federal government invoke its patent use authority under Section 1498 to lower drug prices and increase access for breakthrough medicines in government-funded health care programs. Section 1498 allows the government eminent domain-type powers to circumvent an inventor’s patent exclusivity rights in exchange for “reasonable and entire compensation” — in effect a royalty on sales which would be determined through negotiation or by the courts.
To date, application of Section 1498 has been limited to selective military and...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - June 20, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: Henry Grabowski Tags: Costs and Spending Drugs and Medical Technology Big Pharma Cooperative Research and Development Agreements eminent domain hepatitis C Section 1498 Sovaldi Source Type: blogs
What we don’t know about vaginal seeding
Move over, placenta eating — there’s a new player on the newborn scene, and its name is vaginal seeding. In case this practice hasn’t crossed your radar yet, it’s a practice involving transferring bacteria from a mother’s vagina to a newborn who was delivered by C-section. Before you stop reading because you think that sounds gross, remember that the majority of babies pass through the vagina on their way into the world. (It’s also how they got there, if you know what I mean.)
We are all teeming with bacteria. There are hundreds of trillions of them living on your skin, in your gut, and–yes–in your vagi...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 16, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Chad Hayes, MD Tags: Conditions OB/GYN Source Type: blogs
Improving Maternal Health in the U.S. and Around the World
Since 1990, the United States is the only World Health Organization (WHO) region that has actually had an increase in maternal deaths. Although many think that maternal health problems are isolated to the developing world, challenges persist in our country. This is despite spending the most in the world on hospitalization for pregnancy and childbirth. In contrast, the countries that have been most successful in reducing maternal deaths have often achieved these results by using a midwifery model of care—an example that the U.S. may benefit from. Midwifery programs provide advanced education and training to support this m...
Source: Disruptive Women in Health Care - May 16, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: dw at disruptivewomen.net Tags: Childbirth Children Policy Women's Health Source Type: blogs
LITFL Review 231
Welcome to the 231st LITFL Review! Your regular and reliable source for the highest highlights, sneakiest sneak peeks and loudest shout-outs from the webbed world of emergency medicine and critical care. Each week the LITFL team casts the spotlight on the blogosphere’s best and brightest and deliver a bite-sized chuck of FOAM.
The Most Fair Dinkum Ripper Beauts of the Week
Paul Marik, critical care legend, takes on lactate in this incredible podcast from the Intensive Care Network. My brain is still recovering. [SO]
The Best of #FOAMed Emergency Medicine
Rory Spiegel delves into the intricacies of non-infe...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - May 15, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Marjorie Lazoff, MD Tags: Education LITFL review Source Type: blogs
Addressing Price Variation In Massachusetts
Massachusetts has been a national leader in ensuring access to high quality coverage and health care and, with the passage of Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, the Commonwealth took steps to lead the nation in slowing the growth of health care costs. Those steps included increasing transparency of health care spending; creating a statewide target for health spending growth in line with growth in state domestic product; increased oversight of provider market changes with the potential to increase health care spending; and strengthening incentives for employers, consumers, providers, and patients to make value-driven choices ...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - May 12, 2016 Category: Health Management Authors: David Seltz, David Auerbach, Kate Mills, Marian Wrobel and Aaron Pervin Tags: Costs and Spending Featured Hospitals Insurance and Coverage Payment Policy Quality Massachusetts price variation reference pricing Source Type: blogs
Uterus Transplants are " Supremely Risky "
< div > < span style= " color: #666666; " > It was a first in the United States. A woman, only identified as Lindsey, received a uterus from a deceased woman. Lindsey was born without a uterus, and she was hoping this transplant would enable her to get pregnant. At a press conference at the end of February, Cleveland doctors announced it was the first successful uterus transplant in the United States. Only days later, Lindsey suffered complications and had to undergo another surgery to remove the organ. < /span > < /div > < br / > < div > < span style= " color: #666666; " > The Cleveland team of doctors has been given perm...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - April 18, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: Reproductive Technologies Source Type: blogs
Uterus Transplants are "Supremely Risky"
It was a first in the United States. A woman, only identified as Lindsey, received a uterus from a deceased woman. Lindsey was born without a uterus, and she was hoping this transplant would enable her to get pregnant. At a press conference at the end of February, Cleveland doctors announced it was the first successful uterus transplant in the United States. Only days later, Lindsey suffered complications and had to undergo another surgery to remove the organ.
The Cleveland team of doctors has been given permission to experiment with uterus transplants in nine other women, and a few other clinics will also attempt the proc...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - April 18, 2016 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Tags: Reproductive Technologies Source Type: blogs
The influence of Reality TV on medical breakthroughs
The recent
story of the failed uterine transplant had a decidedly American flavor. Let me
explain.
In Sweden
there have been 9 successful uterine transplants. The first recipient delivered
a healthy baby boy, by cesarean section, in September 2014. Three more babies
have been born since then. Not one of the families have been identified
publicly. In Sweden the surgery and blessed
event are personal, no media splash.
Not so here in the states. A 26 year old woman named Lindsey, last name not
provided, underwent the uterine transplant at Cleveland Clinic on February 24,
2016. On March 7 she was literally, rolled out, fo...
Source: blog.bioethics.net - April 7, 2016 Category: Medical Ethics Authors: Bioethics Today Tags: Health Care Bioethics in the Media syndicated Source Type: blogs
Pregnancy & Exercise
An increasing amount of research is coming to the forefront showing the relationship between exercise and the health of expecting mothers and their baby. The benefits of increasing physical activity before and during pregnancy begin instantly and can play a significant role in your health for the rest of the mother’s life.
Shorter labor and easier delivery: There have been some small studies that have shown that women who exercise regularly are 58% less likely to request pain medication. Regular exercisers are 75% less likely to need a forceps delivery and 4 times less likely to have a C-section. Also, women who tr...
Source: Cord Blood News - March 29, 2016 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: aims Tags: Cord Blood pregnancy Source Type: blogs
Pregnancy & Exercise
An increasing amount of research is coming to the forefront showing the relationship between exercise and the health of expecting mothers and their baby. The benefits of increasing physical activity before and during pregnancy begin instantly and can play a significant role in your health for the rest of the mother’s life.
Shorter labor and easier delivery: There have been some small studies that have shown that women who exercise regularly are 58% less likely to request pain medication. Regular exercisers are 75% less likely to need a forceps delivery and 4 times less likely to have a C-section. Also, women who tr...
Source: Cord Blood News - March 29, 2016 Category: Perinatology & Neonatology Authors: aims Tags: Cord Blood pregnancy Source Type: blogs
Why doctors must learn from a patient’s perspective
On September 14, 2006, I was in the midst of a 218-consecutive-day hospitalization. What began as a scheduled C-section that April, resulted in a massive infection that nearly killed me. By Autumn, I was receiving physical therapy in the large hospital gym when I was raced back up to my room for my trach to be suctioned. This was not an uncommon occurrence. I was used to the process, and while unpleasant, in the past I had always been able to gasp for air. This time was different though, as my airway was suddenly completely blocked. I couldn’t breathe at all! Sheer panic surged through me, as I heard the nurse call for t...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - March 23, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Lisa Goodman-Helfand Tags: Patient Hospital Source Type: blogs
