What’s new in healthcare, November 6

Some important healthcare updates for this weekend…

AMA, AARP back House bill on health care reform
The healthcare reform efforts of President Barack Obama gets a much needed boost from the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, and the power senior citizen’s group American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). AARP is especially a powerful ally as it represents more than 40 million Americans older than 50, a force to be reckon with in today’s aging population. According to an AARP spokesperson:

“We can say with confidence that it meets our priorities for protecting Medicare, providing more affordable insurance for 50- to 64-year-olds and reforming our health care system.”

The US Congress is expected to make a decision about the health bill this weekend. The new health care bill will provide health care coverage for everybody.

Immunity Claims Coming Off Cereal Boxes: Kellogg
Kellogg’s new slogan on their cereal boxes “Helping to support your family’s immunity” has been strongly criticized and viewed by many as a marketing ploy that takes advantage of the H1N1 flu scare.
The city of San Francisco wrote a letter to the cereal company and the US FDA requesting evidence of the immunity claims, suggesting Kellogg “may mislead parents at a time when they are increasingly worried about the spread of the H1N1 virus.”
Kellogg has now announced they will remove the offending slogan but will continue to add extra oxidants to their cereals, on which they based their original claims.

FDA Unveils Safe Use Initiative that Targets Preventable Harm from Medication Use
The US FDA launched the Safe Use Initiative earlier this week, “a program aimed at reducing the likelihood of preventable harm from medication use.” Millions of people suffer from adverse drug reactions every year due to inappropriate use that may be accidental or intentional.  Accidental adverse drug reactions are common in children where medication abuse among teenagers is on the rise. According to FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg

“Too many people suffer unnecessary injuries from avoidable medication misuse, errors and other problems. The FDA is launching the Safe Use Initiative to develop targeted solutions for reducing these injuries.”

Doctor sentenced for writing prescriptions over the internet for people whom he had never met or examined
A Virginia doctor wrote prescriptions online for people he never met, much less examined. He wrote up to 100,000 prescriptions over the Internet and got paid by online pharmacies, income which he failed to declare. He was convicted and sentenced to one year and a day in prison and would most probably lose his medical license.

Photo credit: stock, xchng