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Drop Mouth-to-mouth When Doing CPR, Say Experts Bystanders should focus on "hands only" chest compressions during CPR (a life saving procedure) and not bother with the mouth-to-mouth bit, says a leading expert who quoted two new studies from the USA and Europe. (CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation) You can read an editorial accompanying the study in the peer-reviewed academic journal, New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)... Thirty Million Women Will Gain From Health Reform Law, Including About 15 Million Uninsured Approximately thirty million American women will gain from the new health reform law over the next ten years, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation based in New York. The authors state that the law will stabilize women's growing exposure to ever-increasing health costs, and even reverse it, by subsidizing health insurance for approximately 15 million women who currently have to no health insurance cover, while at the same time strengthening existing coverage for another 14.5 million women deemed underinsured... Seven Influenza Vaccines For Coming Season Approved By FDA The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 USA influenza season, protecting against three strains of influenza, including the H1N1 virus which caused the 2009 pandemic. In 2009, because the H1N1 virus appeared after seasonal vaccine production commenced, two separate vaccines were required to protect against the seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu virus. The FDA says that only one vaccine is needed for this year... Why Are UK Stroke Patients Still Not Getting Prompt Treatment? The Lancet this week featured an Editorial discussing a recent report from the UK Vascular Society and Royal College of Physicians showing that the waiting time for vascular surgery after symptoms of stroke or transient ischemic attack is far too long. Guidelines set by the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) suggest no more than a 14 day wait between symptoms and operation. The 2007 National Stroke Strategy is targeting for there to be a 48 hour wait by 2017... FDA Approves Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Therapy For Patients With Acute Spinal Cord Injury The US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has lifted a clinical hold on Geron's Investigational New Drug (IND) application - the Phase I clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in patients with acute spinal cord injury may now go ahead. GRNOPC1 is the first ever clinical trial of a human embryonic stem cell based therapy in humans. The Phase I trials aims to establish the safety of GRNOPC1 in patients with "complete" American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) Impairment Scale grade A subacute thoracic spinal cord injuries. Thomas B. Okarma, Ph.D., M.D... Risk Of Febrile Convulsions For Under Fives Who Receive A Type Of Flu Vaccine The Director of Immunization, Department of Health, UK has written a letter to UK doctors warning about the risk of febrile convulsions in children aged under five years and seasonal influenza vaccines marketed by Pfizer Vaccines (Enzira® and CSL Biotherapies generic influenza vaccine). Professor D M Salisbury CB wrote that epidemiological data from Australia revealed a higher-than-expected increase in febrile convulsions in children related to the use of Fluvax (manufactured by CSL Biotherapies)... Oral Contraceptives And Hormone Replacement Therapy May Protect Women Against Brain Aneurysms Results from a new study suggest that oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may yield additional benefit of protecting against the formation and rupture of brain aneurysms in women. The findings from this first-of-its-kind study by a neurointerventional expert from Rush University Medical Center were presented at the Society of Neurointerventional Surgery (SNIS) 7th annual meeting. According to the lead author of the study, Dr... Health Care's Reliance On Women Calls For Flexible Work Arrangements "In the coming decade, the health care and social assistance sector will be one of the leading sources of employment. It is going to be one of the most vital sectors in the economy and it is going to be a place of job growth," said Ithaca College sociologist Stephen Sweet. Since women make up a whopping 80 percent of the workforce in the health care industry, allowances will have to be made for their lifestyle needs... Prepared Patient Goodbye, Acute Care, Hello, Rehab After a person receives acute care in a "regular" hospital for catastrophic illness, traumatic injury or a debilitating chronic condition, the next step in the process of recovery often involves a stay at an inpatient rehabilitation, or rehab, facility. Patients often have little warning when they're quickly moved to a rehab facility from acute care. Those who envision a long, leisurely recovery in a hospital or at home may find that the abrupt transition-and new responsibilities in rehab-leaves their heads spinning... Back To School Means Football And Cheerleading, Injury Prevention Tips From The AANS With kids going back to school soon and football practice already underway in many communities, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is issuing an injury prevention message about football and cheerleading. "We decided to focus on this topic for Neurosurgery Outreach Month because there needs to be greater awareness about the potentially devastating consequences of head and spinal cord injuries associated with these sports," said Gail L. Rosseau, a Chicago-area neurosurgeon and AANS spokesperson... Broadening Partnerships To Spur Medical Advances For War Injuries Ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have stretched the resources available for preventing and treating many of the visible and invisible wounds facing today's service members. Expanded research and options in the fields of regenerative medicine and behavioral health care services have shown some success, but without the ability to share information between military and civilian researchers and clinicians, true breakthroughs will take longer to achieve... New Approach To Alzheimer's Therapy Researchers from the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the Ludwig-Maximilians-UniversitÃ¤t (LMU) in Munich have shown that the ADAM10 protein can inhibit the formation of beta-amyloid, which is responsible for Alzheimer's disease. ADAM10 acts like a pair of molecular scissors to cut the protein from which beta-amyloid is formed, effectively preventing the formation of beta-amyloid. This makes ADAM10 a key molecule in Alzheimer's therapy. The research team has just published detailed information on their findings in the online edition of the EMBO Journal... Lancaster University Launches First Ever Palliative Care Doctorate In The World Students on Lancaster University's Doctorate in Palliative Care have started the first course of its kind in the world. The doctorate has attracted 16 people from a range of backgrounds and countries, who are working in the field of palliative, hospice and end of life care... New Biodegradable Compound Facilitates Bone Regeneration In Cases Of Substantial Loss Bones have a capacity to regenerate themselves after suffering partial damage. However, it is really quite another thing when a serious break or tumour lesion occurs and the loss of tissue is substantial. Today these cases are treated with various kinds of grafts, but they have a number of disadvantages, such as rejection, contamination or limitations on donors... No Safe Level First Study To Show Teenage Binge Drinkers Harm Abilities In Later Life Academics at Northumbria University have demonstrated a link between teenage binge drinking and damage to prospective memory. Prospective memory is an important aspect of day-to-day memory function and is defined as the cognitive ability to remember to carry out an activity at some future point in time. Examples include remembering to attend an appointment at the dentist or to carry out a task such as remembering to pay a bill on time... The Mystery Of Healthy Fat People Why some obese people go on to become diabetic while others do not. It is common to find obese people even morbidly obese people who are healthier than their condition would normally allow. Working with subjects with a body mass index of about 56, a team of researchers in Spain and Cambridge investigated the inflammatory and insulin signalling pathways in the patients' visceral adipose tissue and have published their findings in the Disease Knowledge Environment of the Biochemical Journal. Barbarroja et al... Playing With Pills Drugs calculations is a very hard course for many nursing students. A specially made computer game, developed at the University of Stavanger (UiS) in Norway, is set to help them pass a vitally important exam. If you mention the words "drug calculations" to a nursing student, it is likely that you receive a sigh in return. Not only is it a difficult subject, the students also have to master it to perfection. A single mistake in the examination leads to fail, which again bars you from working as a nurse because wrong dosage of medication can be fatal... Protein Complex Reveals Molecular Mechanism Of Innate Immune Response A team of researchers at the RIKEN Plant Science Center and the Institute of Cancer Research has uncovered details of a protein complex governing innate immune response in plants and animals, with applications in the development of disease-resistant crops and treatment of human diseases. To defend against foreign pathogens, plants and animals employ proteins known as immune sensors which recognize extracellular molecules and initiate immune response. Despite playing a critical in innate immunity, the underlying mechanisms governing this recognition process have remained elusive... FDA Approves Vaccines For The 2010-2011 Influenza Season The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved vaccines for the 2010-2011 influenza season in the United States. Seasonal influenza vaccine protects against three strains of influenza, including the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, which caused the 2009 pandemic. Last year because the 2009 H1N1 virus emerged after production began on the seasonal vaccine, two separate vaccines were needed to protect against seasonal flu and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu virus, but this year, only one vaccine is necessary... Hotspur Technologies Receives FDA 510(k) Clearance For First Three Product Lines Based On The Company's Unique Technology Hotspur Technologies, Inc. announced that it has received FDA clearance for the first three commercial products in its portfolio. These products are based on Hotspur's unique and groundbreaking technology that makes dialysis access interventional and peripheral vascular procedures that open blood vessels less expensive, more efficient, and less invasive for patients... Interactive Health Solutions Launches New Program With Physicians To Reduce Medical Costs According to Interactive Health Solutions, Inc. (IHS, interactivehs.com), 63% of adults have not seen a doctor within five years. In order to help battle ever-rising healthcare costs, IHS announced the introduction of Physician Link? this week a revolutionary program connecting members to their physician, and wellness team, through an integrated communication process... Biogen Idec And Swedish Orphan Biovitrum Present Data On Long-Lasting Hemophilia B Therapy At The World Federation Of Hemophilia Congress Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB) and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (STO: SOBI) announced results from a Phase 1/2a open-label, dose-escalation, safety and pharmacokinetic study of the companies' long-lasting, fully-recombinant factor IX Fc fusion protein (rFIXFc) in hemophilia B patients. The data, which were presented at the World Federation of Hemophilia Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on July 11, 2010, showed that rFIXFc was well tolerated and demonstrated an approximately three-fold increase in half-life compared to historical data for existing therapies... Eisai Announces U.S. Fda Approval For New Higher Dose Aricept® 23 Mg Tablet For The Treatment Of Moderate-To-Severe Alzheimer's Disease Eisai Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tokyo, President & CEO: Haruo Naito) announced that its U.S. subsidiary Eisai Inc. has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Aricept® (generic name: donepezil hydrochloride) 23 mg once daily tablet for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aricept® 23 mg tablet offers another dosing option for patients with moderate-to-severe AD for whom few treatments are available. Approximately 3.6 million Americans age 65 and older suffer with moderate-to-severe AD... Bristol-Myers Squibb National Survey Finds A Disparity Between Health Care Providers And HIV Positive Patients Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) presented results from a national survey which found that emotional barriers, such as stigma, fear, denial and shame, and structural barriers, such as lack of knowledge, transportation, and insurance coverage, can prevent people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) from seeking care and treatment. These data further the understanding of obstacles to care for many PLWHA and may help address the gap between a person testing HIV positive and seeking medical care and treatment in the United States... GSK Receives CHMP Positive Opinion For A New Indication For Arixtra GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion for Arixtra (fondaparinux),an anti-clotting drug (antithrombotic) for the treatment of adults with acute symptomatic spontaneous superficial-vein thrombosis (SVT) of the lower limbs without concomitant deep-vein thrombosis. "We are very glad that healthcare providers now have fondaparinux as a licensed treatment option for patients with superficial vein thrombosis... Genetic Link Between Two Rare Diseases Established By Next Generation Sequencing Scientists have successfully used "next generation sequencing" to identify mutations that may cause a rare and mysterious genetic disorder. The research, published by Cell Press on July 29th in the American Journal of Human Genetics, demonstrates that sequencing an affected individual's entire "exome"; that is, all of the genes that carry instructions for producing proteins, can reveal critical genes that when mutant, cause inherited disorders. Perrault syndrome is a recessive disorder that is associated with hearing loss in both boys and girls, and failure of ovarian function in girls... Quality Coronary Bypass Care Can Improve Lives And Cut Costs A new analysis led by researchers at UCSF shows that avoiding lowest-volume hospitals and maximizing adherence to quality care processes are both effective approaches to reducing costs associated with coronary bypass surgery. The relationship between higher case volume and better outcomes of cardiac surgery is well established, while other efforts have focused on improving patient outcomes through adherence to quality care measures, according to the research team... Study Examines Gender Stereotypes In Job Applications Macho, macho man. I've got to be, a macho man. Macho, macho man. I've got to be a macho! - The Village People It's more than 30 years since that Disco Era anthem first blared though dance club speakers and into America's consciousness, but does the message still sing true for the 2lst century male? Has he still got to be a macho man? Are there penalties for not being macho enough? Corinne A. Moss-Racusin, a doctoral candidate in Rutgers' Department of Psychology, explored the consequences for men (and women) when they acted modestly in job interviews... The Evolution Of Melanoma Diagnosis: 25 Years Beyond The ABCDs Twenty-five years after publishing the mnemonic "ABCD" to facilitate the early diagnosis of melanoma, the group who came up with that moniker says early detection remains a key factor in lowering mortality from malignant melanoma. Darrell S. Rigel, M.D. and colleagues from the Ronald O. Perelman Department of Dermatology at New York University School of Medicine say that, despite all of the advances in melanoma diagnosis, timely recognition, detection, and rapid treatment of melanoma remain critical... Keep Busy To Stay Happy In Greek mythology, the gods punished Sisyphus by condemning him to roll a rock up a steep hill for eternity. But he was probably better off than if they'd condemned him to sit and stare into space until the end of time, conclude the authors of a new study on keeping busy. They found that people who have something to do, even something pointless, are happier than people who sit idly. "The general phenomenon I'm interested in is why people are so busy doing what they are doing in modern society," says Christopher K. Hsee, of the University of Chicago. He co-wrote the study with Adelle X... Vaccine Scares May Do More Harm Than Previously Believed To A Population's 'Herd Immunity' Public immunization efforts may be much more sensitive than previously realized to small changes in the perceived costs or risks of vaccination, scientists at Harvard University report this week. In some cases, the spread of vaccine avoidance via social networks can make the difference between a minor, localized outbreak and an epidemic four times as large. The finding, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, comes amidst one of the worst pertussis outbreaks in 50 years, in which 1,500 Californians have contracted whooping cough... Critical Role Described For LincRNA In Mediating Cellular Response To DNA Damage The recent discovery of more than a thousand genes known as large intergenic non-coding RNAs (or "lincRNAs") opened up a new approach to understanding the function and organization of the genome. That surprising breakthrough is now made even more compelling with the finding that dozens of these lincRNAs are induced by p53 (the most commonly mutated gene in cancer), suggesting that this class of genes plays a critical role in cell development and regulation... Brain Potentials Reveal Spectator Effect The neurological responses caused by observing somebody else playing a game have been uncovered. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Neuroscience found differing responses for neutral observers, compared to those who wished the player to fail and those who wanted to see the player succeed. Thomas MÃ¼nte worked with a team of researchers from Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany, and the University of Barcelona, Spain; to carry out the tests on people observing a gambling game... 2 Programmes Focus On Addiction Awareness And Control Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) the study designed the two programmes and examined their effectiveness in helping excessive drinkers reduce their drinking. The AACTP and LEAP programmes address the challenges faced by excessive drinkers, including a preoccupation with drinking made worse by alcohol-related stimuli around them. The study also addressed excessive drinkers' difficulties with motivation which prevent them focusing on and achieving goals which provide alternative healthy activities to drinking alcohol... Fluorescent Biosensor Created To Aid In Drug Development Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a new fluorescent biosensor that could aid in the development of an important class of drugs that target a crucial class of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). "Drugs that target GPCRs make up approximately 30 percent of all pharmaceuticals currently on the market, including some of the most prescribed drugs," said Jonathan Jarvik, the Carnegie Mellon biological sciences professor who led the effort to develop the GPCR biosensor. "This prevalence makes assays for the receptors a billion dollar industry... Male Breast Cancer In Family Leads To High Perception Of Risk, Low Likelihood Of Genetic Counseling People with a family history of male breast cancer perceive themselves to be at higher risk of developing the disease than do patients with a family history of female breast cancer; however those with male breast cancer in their families are less likely to know about or seek genetic testing than those with a family history of female breast cancer, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Louisville's James Graham Brown Cancer Center... A Decade Of Research Yields New Uses For Silk Tougher than a bullet-proof vest yet synonymous with beauty and luxury, silk fibers are a masterpiece of nature whose remarkable properties have yet to be fully replicated in the laboratory. Thanks to their amazing mechanical properties as well as their looks, silk fibers have been important materials in textiles, medical sutures, and even armor for 5,000 years. Silk spun by spiders and silk worms combines high strength and extensibility. This one-two punch is unmatched by synthetics, even though silk is made from a relatively simple protein processed from water... Study Shows Most Youth Hockey Injuries Caused By Accidents, Not Checking Hockey fans likely would assume that body-checking - intentionally slamming an opponent against the boards - causes the most injuries in youth ice hockey. But they would be wrong. Findings from a new study, the largest and most comprehensive analysis to date of young hockey players, show that 66 percent of overall injuries were caused by accidentally hitting the boards or goal posts, colliding with teammates or being hit by a puck. Only 34 percent of the injuries were caused by checking. Moreover, the accidental injuries were more severe than those from body checks... The Molecular Power Behind Memory Neuroscientists have long wondered how individual connections between brain cells remain diverse and "fit" enough for storing new memories. Reported in the prestigious science journal Neuron, a new study led by Dr. Inna Slutsky of the Sackler School of Medicine at Tel Aviv University describes what makes some memories stick. The key is GABA (Î³-Aminobutyric acid), a natural molecule that occurs in the brain, which could be the main factor in regulating how many new memories we can generate, the new study has found... The Risk Of Malignancy In Children May Be Increased By TNF Blockers The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) received reports of malignancies in children using tumor necrosis factor a (TNF) blockers, raising concerns of an associated risk and prompting an investigation. Researchers from the FDA set out to identify all reports of malignancy in children using infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab and their report is published in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal of the American College of Rheumatology... Scientists Post Lower Speed Limit For Cell-Signaling Protein Assembly The apparently random self-assembly of molecular threads into the proteins that make the body work is far less frantic than previously thought, Michigan State University scientists say. That discovery could be a key to help unlock the nature of some diseases. How proteins spontaneously "fold" from wiggling chains of amino acids into a wide variety of functional - or malfunctioning - three-dimensional molecules is one of the biggest mysteries in biochemistry... Interaction Of Multiple Brain Networks Provides Insight Into How Pain Occurs A recent study from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital and University of Michigan provides the first direct evidence of linkage between elevated intrinsic (resting-state) brain connectivity and spontaneous pain intensity in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). This research shows an interaction of multiple brain networks, offering greater understanding of how pain arises. Details of the study appear online and in the August issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American College of Rheumatology... Therapies For Heart Disease And Cancer May Benefit From Snake Venom Studies Researchers seeking to learn more about stroke by studying how the body responds to toxins in snake venom are releasing new findings that they hope will aid in the development of therapies for heart disease and, surprisingly, cancer. The Japanese team is reporting in a Journal of Biological Chemistry "Paper of the Week" that they are optimistic that inhibiting a protein found on the surface of blood cells known as platelets may combat both irregular blood clotting and the spread of certain cancers throughout the body... Mechanism Uncovered Behind Salmonella Virulence And Drug Susceptibility Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism in Salmonella that affects its virulence and its susceptibility to antibiotics by changing its production of proteins in a previously unheard of manner. This allows Salmonella to selectively change its levels of certain proteins to respond to inhospitable conditions. Although the mechanism had not been recognized before, the scientists were intrigued to find evidence of a similar mechanism in all five kingdoms of life - animals, plants, fungi, protista, and monera. The findings were published July 29, in Molecular Cell... Society Of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography Announces Recipients Of Fourth Annual Young Investigator Award The Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT), the leading international professional society dedicated to research, education and clinical excellence in cardiovascular computed tomography (CT), has named Dr. Raman Dusaj and Dr. Thomas Smith the recipients of the fourth annual Young Investigator Award. The Young Investigator Award was announced at SCCT's 2010 Annual Scientific Meeting in Las Vegas... HHS Announces Availability Of $51 Million In Resources For States To Build New Competitive Health Insurance Marketplace The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced two key steps in the process of partnering with states and other stakeholders to begin establishing health insurance Exchanges. HHS announced the availability of up to $1 million in grants per state to help states begin work to establish Exchanges and published a request for comment calling for public input as HHS develops standards for the Exchanges... Swimmers Make A Splash For A Good Cause More than 200 swimmers took to the shores of Lake Michigan for the annual Swim Across America (SAA) fundraiser earlier this month. The event raised money for cancer research, prevention and treatment at Loyola University Health System's Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center (CBCC). "Participants challenged themselves in the water and on dry land, as they raised funds for a worthy cause," said Swim Across America Event Director Sue Hopkinson. "This event brought the total funds raised for Loyola through Swim Across America events to approximately 1 million dollars... Snowe Becomes Fourth GOP Sen. To Announce Support For Kagan Sen. Olympia Snowe (Maine) on Wednesday became the fourth Republican senator to announce her support for Elena Kagan's nomination to the Supreme Court, the New York Times' "The Caucus" reports. Snowe said Kagan met the standard she uses for evaluating judicial nominations by displaying "strong intellect, respect for the rule of law and [an] understanding of the important but limited role of the Supreme Court that I believe is required of any justice" (Becker, "The Caucus," New York Times, 7/28)... GOP Sens. Request Assurances From HHS That High-Risk Pools Won't Include Abortion Coverage In a letter sent on Wednesday, 13 Republican senators asked HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for assurances that the new high-risk insurance pools will not provide coverage for abortion services, CQ HealthBeat reports. The insurance pools set up under the federal health reform law (PL 111-148) aim to provide coverage to individuals with pre-existing conditions. The issue of abortion coverage in the program emerged earlier this month after reports that some states' proposals to run the pools could allow abortions to be covered... Group Opposing Alaska Parental Notification Initiative Reports More Money Than Group Supporting It The group Alaskans Against Government Mandates -- which opposes a ballot initiative that would require parental notification for state minors seeking abortions -- has reported collecting five times the money disclosed by Alaskans for Parental Rights, which supports the initiative, the AP/Anchorage Daily News reports. The proposed initiative would provide only limited exceptions to the parental notification rule, such as cases in which a girl has been abused by a parent. It also would make it a felony for physicians to "knowingly violate" the rule, according to ballot language... GP Groups Call For Proposed Practice Nurse Funding Models To Be Adjusted, Australia United General Practice Australia (UGPA) - the coalition of the peak groups representing Australia 's general practitioners - commends the Government on its investment and focus on general practice nurses, but is calling on the Government to ensure that the Budget proposal does not disadvantage practices that already employ nurses, and to consult with GP representatives over implementation. UGPA members welcomed the Federal Government's 2010-11 Budget initiative to improve access for patients to general practice nurses across Australia through the provision of an additional $390... Thirty Million Women To Benefit From Health Reform Law, Including Up To 15 Million Who Will Gain New Subsidized Coverage Thirty million women will benefit from the new health reform law over the next decade, either through new or strengthened insurance coverage, according to a new report from The Commonwealth Fund. In the first analysis of its kind, the authors report that the law will stabilize and reverse the growing exposure to health costs that women now experience by subsidizing health insurance for up to 15 million currently uninsured women, and strengthening existing coverage for 14... Insurers Change Kids Coverage Stance After HHS Clarifies New Rules Health insurers have started to back down "on their decision to pull out of the child-only coverage market after the Obama administration addressed their concerns about the potential damage to their bottom lines," The Hill reports. "The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on Tuesday clarified regulations mandating that insurance plans agree to cover sick children. HHS made it clear that plans are free to set up specific enrollment periods for their insurance plans if allowed under state laws. ... CVS-Aetna Deal Boosts The Drug Store Chain Forbes: CVS Caremark, the drug retailer and pharmacy benefit management firm, announced a new agreement with Aetna to help constrain drug costs. "The deal encompasses approximately $9.5 billion in annual drug spending relating to approximately 9.7 million lives. CVS expects significant long-term financial benefits from this strategic relationship" (7/28). The Street: The 12-year deal helped mask a weak performance in second quarter earnings for CVS. "CVS Caremark ... missed second-quarter expectations, lowering its outlook. But a massive deal with health insurer Aetna... Insured Americans Are Using Fewer Medical Services While Employers Consider Wellness Incentives The Wall Street Journal: "Insured Americans are using fewer medical services, raising questions about whether patients are consuming less health care as they pick up a greater share of the costs. The drop in usage is showing up as health-care companies report financial results. Insurers, lab-testing companies, hospitals and doctor-billing concerns say that patient visits, drug prescriptions and procedures were down in the second quarter from year-ago levels. Others say that consumers are beginning to forgo elective procedures like knee replacements. ... Health Insurance Scams On Rise After Health Reform U.S. News & World Report: Regulators are accusing the Tennessee-based American Trade Association of bilking consumers out of $14 million by selling fake health insurance to 26,000 households in all 50 states. The scams happened "over a span of 16 months, according to court documents. More than a few of those dollars appear to have been spent on personal items such as cars, real estate, and loan payments, says Leslie Newman, Tennessee's insurance commissioner. At least 12 other states have taken action to stop the entities from operating... Wash. Regulations Would Restrict Pain Killer Prescriptions; Texas Lt. Gov. Bemoans Costs Associated With Health Law; Fla. Insurance Pilot Project Show The New York Times: "In an unusual move, a state government is developing regulations meant to stop doctors from prescribing higher doses of powerful - and often dangerous - pain killers for patients who are not benefiting from them. The effort, in Washington State, represents the most sweeping attempt yet to stem what some experts see as the excessive use of prescribed narcotics, and it is being closely watched by medical professionals elsewhere... Today's Opinions: Haiti's Lesson For The U.S.; Ending 'Pay For Delay;' Getting The CLASS Act Off The Ground In Haiti, A Lesson For U.S. Health Care The New York Times In February, a month after Haiti's earthquake, I went down to Port-au-Prince as part of a team that was helping to reactivate cardiac care in the city's public hospital. For several months since, I have observed how the earthquake and its aftermath profoundly changed Haiti's health care system. Over that time, I have come to the unorthodox conclusion that Haiti's tragic experience may show us a way to improve health care in the United States (James Wilentz, 7/28)... Polio Cases In India Lowest In A Decade; Vaccination Effort Begins In Afghanistan This year "India has reported the lowest number of polio cases in [the] January-June period ... in a decade," PTI/ZeeTV reports. Twenty-four cases were detected between January and June this year, compared to 151 in the corresponding 2009 period, and 317 in January-June 2008 (7/29). According to LiveMint.com, for the first time in "the history of India's fight against polio," the two states that had 97% of polio cases in 2009 - Bihar and Uttar Pradesh (UP) - have not diagnosed any new cases of Type 1 polio in nearly eight months, according to the article... Horn Of Africa Once Again Polio-Free, UNICEF And Polio Partners Announce The Horn of Africa is again polio-free, with Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda having reported no wild poliovirus cases for more than a year. Today marks a step towards the achievement of a major objective of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative's new strategy - stopping polio in Africa. The outbreak began in 2008, following the reappearance of wild poliovirus type 1 in the border area of southern Sudan and Ethiopia, and spread in early 2009 to the northern Sudanese city of Port Sudan, and to Kenya and Uganda...

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