CDC Says Quick Tests Miss Many Swine Flu Cases

You might have swine flu, even if a rapid test says you don't.

Health Reform: Drug Makers’ Deal, More Protests

The White House agreement with drug makers may mean Medicare won't be able to negotiate for drug prices.

The Other Propofol Issue: When Insurance Should Pay for It

There's a long-running fight over whether insurers should pay for the drug to be used in colonoscopies.

Note to Parents of Hospitalized Kids: Be Vigilant

There's a new push to get parents to help protect their children from medical errors.

In Patent Slip-Up, Merck Names Previously Undisclosed Compound

A Merck patent application inadvertently included stray notes from an anonymous commenter.

More Research Links Cardiovascular Health to Alzheimer’s

High cholesterol during midlife was associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's in old age, a study found.

Whole Foods CEO: ‘We Sell a Bunch of Junk’

The store plans to start pushing healthier foods, he said.

More On Ghostwriting, Wyeth and Hormone Replacement Therapy

The company reportedly hired ghostwriters for more than two dozen HRT articles.

Another Cholesterol Drug to Join the U.S. Market

The statin was abandoned by Novartis in 2005.

FDA: Rheumatoid Arthritis Drugs Raise Cancer Risks for Kids

It's the latest warning for a popular class of medicines.

More Patients Took Antidepressants & Antipsychotics Together

As the number of people taking antidepressants rose, so did the percentage of anti

In Miami, Cuban Docs Fill Primary Care Void

Some 6,000 Cuban medical professionals have left their country in the last 6 years.

Lawmakers Ask: What If Patients Shared in Medical Decisions?

Bills in Washington and several states would aim to give patients more information about their options.

Obit: Sidney Zion, Fought for Work Limits for Medical Residents

Twenty-five years after the death of Libby Zion, the debate over work limits for medical residents continues.

Merck Tentatively Agrees to $80 Million Vioxx Settlement

The deal, with unions and insurers, would settle 190 claims alleging overpayment for the painkiller.

Study: Kids Aren’t Getting Enough Vitamin D

Researchers are paying more attention to vitamin D, which the body makes from sunlight.

Which Health Players Are Spending the Most On Lobbying?

Hospitals, drug makers, insurers and doctors are all pouring money into Washington.

Health Reform: Generic Biotech, Medicare Drug Prices

The big health bill passed by a House committee late Friday has one provision that should please many big drug makers, and another that industry won't like.

Saxagliptin Approval: Finally, Competition for Merck’s Januvia

The FDA approved a new diabetes drug in a class Merck has had to itself since 2006.

Eli Lilly’s Payments to Doctors Revealed

The has posted all of its payments to doctors for the first quarter of 2009. The total came to more than $20 million.

FBI: Personal Injury Lawyer Paid for Hospital Patients’ Records

The latest health-care crime news from South Florida.

An ER Doc Grapples With ‘Unnecessary’ Hospital Admissions

The definition of "unnecessary" gets a lot more complicated when you're the one doing the admitting.

Americans Spend $34 Billion a Year on ‘Alternative’ Medicine

The spending included purchases of "natural products" as well as visits to acupuncturists, chiropractors and other practitioners.

For Up to $75 Million, Pfizer Puts Nigeria Lawsuit Behind It

The case dates back to a 1996 study of the drug Trovan.

Creating Fat Cells That Could (Someday) Drive Weight Loss

Scientists have figured out how to turn on the genes that make brown fat cells, which burn calories at a high rate.

Health Reform: A Deal in the House, a Hint from the Senate

For the moment, anyway, the health-overhaul narrative out of Washington is that the congressional logjam may be breaking up, with things starting to flow again.

Poll: Raise Taxes On Wealthy to Pay for Health-Care Overhaul

Most people opposed the idea of requiring everyone to have insurance.

‘Mystery Donor’ Derails First Suit Against Pfizer’s Neurontin

The first of what’s widely expected to be a long-running string of cases involving the alleged effects of an anti-epilepsy drug,

Rice Krispies Complete With Snap, Crackle and Immunity

The new cereal product line touts that it helps support the bodies' immune system.

More Than Year Later, New AMA Conflicts Policy Still in Works

The doctors' group has rejected two revised conflict-of-interest proposals so far and its ethics committee will take up the issue again in late August

What a Doctor Did That Was Worth $1 Million to Medtronic

Spine surgeon David Polly charged the company for many services, including $2,000 for when CEO William Hawkins visited an operating room.

Schwarzenegger Takes Knife to Health, Child-Welfare Services

The governor said he was using his veto power to make last-minute cuts in California's budget.

Health-Reform Update: Medicare Worries & Doctors Balk

Seniors worry about cuts to Medicare benefits while doctors' groups speak out against a commission that would set reimbursement rates.

Dueling Estimates Over Popularity of a Public Health Plan

There is no question about how tricky it is to predict what people will do if the sweeping changes proposed for the health-care system are adopted.

The Philippines, Pfizer and Pharma’s Global Growing Pains

Governments don't always go along with drug companies' plans to grow revenues in the developing world.

Study Using Viagra Ingredient to Treat Sickle Cell Cut Short

Safety problems arise after looking at data from 33 patients using potential treatment for genetic blood disorder.

Mylan Says It’s in the Clear With FDA. FDA Disagrees.

After a newspaper story questioned manufacturing practices at Mylan, the agency disputes a claim from the company.

Jury Rules for Hospital That Deported Brain-Injured Patient

The hospital didn't act in an unreasonable or unwarranted manner, the jury found.

Who’s In and Who’s Out in the Health-Care Debate

The key health reform players, both absent and present.

Heart Failure, Hot Dogs and Hospital Readmissions

Why heart failure is a key condition to watch in the effort to drive down hospital readmission rates.

Amgen, GSK to Launch Joint Sales Attack for Bone Drug

Glaxo will pay the biotech $120 million and royalties in commercialization efforts for denosumab.

To Fight Obesity Epidemic, It Takes a Village, CDC Says

The estimated annual medical costs due to obesity nearly doubled to $147 billion in 2008 from $78.5 billion in 1998, the government says.

How Nanotechnology Can Make Food Work (and Smell) Better

Researchers are using the technology to improve the benefits of food.

Aetna Shops PBM Services, Cuts Earnings Outlook

The nation's third largest insurer cites medical costs and lower-than-expected Medicare payments as the reasons for cutting its earnings forecast.

Health Reform: Timeline, Blue Dogs and Taxing Rich Plans

Rep. Nancy Pelosi will try again today to end squabbles between Democrats and try to move along the House's health-reform bill.

M.D.: Where Is the Art of Medicine in Health-Care Debate?

No one is speaking up for the profession's highest virtues, a Stanford doc argues.

Europe Gives Thumbs-Down to Erbitux for Treating Lung Cancer

The unexpected refusal for approval send shares of Germany's Merck plummeting.

Europe Gives Surprise Thumbs-Down to Erbitux for Treating Lung Cancer

The unexpected refusal for approval send shares of Germany's Merck plummeting.

Amid Reform Talk, Alternative Medicine Gets Some Love

A measure introduced in the Senate could provide insurance coverage for acupuncture or massage.

What Breakfast Cereal Has To Do With Heart Failure

Hint: It may be more than you think.

New Health-Reform Timetable: ‘Done By the Fall’

Harry Reid just reset the shot clock on health reform.

Swine-Flu Update: U.K. Surge, Tamiflu Sales & Vaccine Trials

Clinical trials for swine-flu vaccines are about to start in the U.S. with about 2,400 volunteers.

The Way Pharma Lives Now: Bristol’s $2.1 Billion Medarex Deal

There's plenty of drug industry zeitgeist crammed into the deal.

Obama: Status Quo Will ‘Double Your Health Care Costs’

In the mounting debate over possible costs and benefits of dueling health-reform proposals, the estimated cost of the status quo has sometimes been overlooked.

Mayo Clinic CEO: Medicare Payment Model Is a ‘Catastrophe’

The House health bill misses a key opportunity to change the way Medicare pays for health care, he argues.

FDA Questions Safety, Quality of Electronic Cigarettes

The agency's preliminary report testing 19 products found that the majority contained impurities linked to health concerns.

Lilly Moves Closer to Another Deal Over Zyprexa Marketing

Lilly has faced numerous federal and state investigations into its marketing of Zyprexa for off-label uses.

Shortage of Medical Isotopes Ramps Up After Reactor Closing

Ax expert says there will be a “prolonged period with small quantities of isotope" starting some time in August.

New Online Doctor Rating Site Treads Carefully

Doctors can review the ratings before they're made public.

Health Reform: Individual Insurance Mandate, High Stakes for Obama

The president will address the public about health care during prime-time tonight.

Jindal: Obama’s Dishonesty about Health-Care Reform

Louisiana's Republican governor lays out myths about Obama's strategy for health-care overall and suggestions for bipartisan support.

Long Arm of J&J Reaches Tysabri

How J&J's 18% stake in Elan could give the company half the rights to the multiple sclerosis drug.

Connecticut Moves Toward Public Health-Insurance Plan

A local version of the national fight over whether to create a new, government-backed health insurance plan took a dramatic turn as the Legislature overrode the governor's veto.

Will Merck Partner On Consumer Health? Will Singulair Go OTC?

The company raised some interesting questions in its earnings call today.

Health Reform: Obama on Deadline, Dems On Taxes

Taxing high-end health benefits may be making a comeback in the Senate Finance Committee. Support fades for a surtax on the rich.

Stent Sales: Up for Boston Scientific, Down for J&J

And what Abbott's Xience stent has to do with it.

The New Rules for Outpatient Surgery

In the burgeoning market for outpatient surgery, doctor’s offices have often flown under the radar when it comes to safety oversight -- a subject I discuss in my WSJ column. But last week, a new office-based surgery law went into effect in New York, requiring that physician’s offices that perform surgery with moderate or deep sedation be accredited by one of three independent agencies to make sure they are meeting standards of safety and care. Any office that isn’t accredited is no longer authorized to perform surgery – and any doctor or other medical professional who continues to perform procedures in a non-accredited facility may face professional misconduct charges. Practices also have to report all adverse events to the New York Department of Health. The New York law may serve as a model for other states considering similar measures. Here’s a look at ...

Think You Have Swine Flu? English Can Dial ‘T’ for Tamiflu

The U.K.'s national health-care system is setting up a program that will allow residents who think they have swine flu to call up for a swine-flu diagnosis.

The Changing Landscape of Pharmaceutical Marketing

The shift of the pharmaceutical industry from one based on blockbuster drugs to one based on smaller, niche medicines is affecting not just companies’ R&D strategies, but also how companies are marketing their drugs. We spoke to Rebecca Robins, the global marketing director at InterbrandHealth, an international branding agency, about [...]

What Does J&J’s Stake in Elan Say About Interest in Biogen?

J&J and Elan have “arrangements in place” relating to Tysabri, the multiple sclerosis drug Elan markets with Biogen.

The Unintended Consequences of Taxing Health Benefits

James Klein, of the American Benefits Council, and John Sweeney, president of the AFL-CIO, say that it could disrupt employer-sponsored health insurance.

Erbitux, Vectibix Label Change Approved for KRAS Gene

Patients with mutations to the KRAS gene won't benefit from these medicines.

Tax on Wealthy, Medicare Payments to Docs Fuel Health-Bill Debate

President Obama moves full-force this week to rally for health reform but many sticking points remain.

Drug Makers Circumvent Co-Pays Using Rebates

The practice is leading insurers to pay for more expensive branded medicines, ultimately raising premiums for everyone.

Is Closing Military Bases a Model for Controlling Medicare Costs?

Everybody knows it has to be done, but it's politically treacherous for elected officials to do.

Baucus, Grassley Slam Physician-Owned Hospitals

The two point to the death of a Colorado woman as a cautionary tale about safety at such facilities.

Swine Flu Speading with ‘Unprecedented Speed,’ Says WHO

The virus is spreading with "unprecedented speed", while vaccine manufacturing moves slowly.

Mass. Panel: End Fee-for-Service Payments for Doctors

A state commission recommended paying groups of physicians a monthly or yearly fee instead of the current fee-for-service system.

Harry and Louise Are Back. Again.

The famous health-reform couple keep coming back.

Primary Care Update: House Health Bill On Medical Homes

Both big health bills in the news this week include provisions supporters hope will reduce fragmentation in the health care system.

Employer Health Insurance Mandates: House vs. Senate

Health bills from both houses of Congress would require employers to offer health insurance or pay a penalty. But there are some key differences between the bills.

Employer Health Mandates: House vs. Senate

Health bills from both houses of Congress would require employers to offer health insurance or pay a penalty. But there are some key differences between the bills.

Comparing Employer Health Mandates From the House and Senate

Health bills from both houses of Congress would require employers to offer health insurance or pay a penalty. But there are some key differences between the bills.

Side Job for Regina Benjamin: Inspirational Speaker

Obama's pick for Surgeon General was one of about 50 well-known figures on the roster of a group that represents health-care speakers.

Health Care Companies: Cisco, Intel, Google, IBM, Microsoft

As Cisco and UnitedHealth announced a major foray into telemedecine, we look at some of the other tech giants getting into health care.

Abbott’s Humira Strong, Even As J&J Adds New Competitor

Sales of Humira grew 20% globally in the second quarter compared to a year ago.

Healthy Behaviors Could Cut Insurance Premiums in Senate Bill

A measure added this week could increase discounts on health insurance for workers who quit smoking and lose weight.

Four Tips for Lowering Heat Stroke Risk for High School Athletes

Four or five high-school football players die every year from heat-related issues.

If Subsidies Slip, Middle Class Could Feel Health-Reform Pinch

The House health bill includes subsidies to help some middle-class people buy health insurance -- but the subsidies may shrink as Congress tries to pay for the health overhaul.

CBO: Public Health Plan Would Enroll Less Than 5% of Americans

The health bill out today from House Democrats includes a government-backed health plan that's been hotly debated.

Doctor Accused of Falsifying Studies Gave Ethics Talk

A surgeon accused by the U.S. Army of falsifying a study favorable to Medtronic gave a lecture last December on "ethical business practices."

Q&A: What PowerPoint Has to Do With Scientific Fraud

A federal investigator on who commits scientific fraud, why they do it and what PowerPoint has to do with falsifying data.

Is It Safe to Fix a Hole in the Heart?

Sometimes in medicine, what seems like common sense isn't backed up by data. For a long time, a common heart defect called patent foramen ovale -- or PFO -- has been linked to a higher risk of stroke. About a quarter of the adult population has the condition but most don't experience any symptoms. It's basically a hole in the heart, which occurs when a flap-like opening between the upper chambers of the heart doesn't close during normal fetal development and which may allow a blood clot to get through to the brain more easily. Data showing that PFO causes stroke are shaky, so ...

In Earnings Call, J&J Defends Tylenol, Talks Up Elan Deal

Johnson & Johnson said this morning that its second quarter earnings fell 3.6% compared to the year-earlier period. The stock was up a bit in the first few hours of trading. For more on the numbers, see the earnings story from Dow Jones Newswires. The Health Blog listened in on the company's conference call, and we were struck by a few comments from CFO Dominic Caruso ...

Searching for Meaning in Terminal Cancer

A support program is helping patients with advanced cancer find meaning, peace and purpose in what's left of their lives.

Health Care Job Growth: Not Just Doctors and Nurses

Fields such as home health care and physical therapy are expected to see strong job growth in the coming years, according to a new report.

Study Assesses Cancer Risk From Coronary Artery Screening

Making a heart screen routine could increase the number of cancer cases by an additional 42 cases for every 100,000 men and 62 cases per 100,000 women.

Regina Benjamin and American Health Care

How the new surgeon general's resume speaks to broader issues in health care.

With State Board Slow to Act, Problem Nurses Keep Working

California's Board of Registered Nursing often takes years to discipline problem nurses, sometimes putting patients at risk.

When Should Biotech Drugs Face Generic Competition?

The White House has suggested seven years, while industry groups want at least 12 years of protection.

Should Employers Be Required to Help Fund Health Insurance?

Wal-Mart supports an employer health mandate. A large retail trade group opposes it. What do you think?

Approval of Effient, a Plavix Rival, Boosts Japanese Drug Maker

The blood thinner marks the first time in a while that a Japanese-originated drug has a shot at becoming a blockbuster.

Kids Fool Obesity Researchers, Put Pedometers on Dogs

Researchers discovered that children in its study were clipping pedometers to their dogs' collars.

TV Networks Go to Bat for Drug Makers (and Themselves)

TV networks are lobbying against a plan that would eliminate the advertising tax deduction for drug advertising.

JAMA Conflicts Policy: Now You See It, Now You Don’t

A controversial online editorial on conflicts of interest has been removed from the medical journal's Web site.

How Much Would You Pay for $250 Million Worth of Biodollars?

Today brings an unusual twist on a familiar drug industry deal-making practice, courtesy of Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Johnson & Johnson.

Grassley Takes Closer Aim at Nonprofit Hospitals

The Iowa Republican and Senate Finance head Baucus are on working on legislation targeting the tax exemptions that nonprofit hospitals currently enjoy.

Swine Flu Update: Vaccine for Kids, Tamiflu Resistance

Here are a few notable developments on the swine flu (aka H1N1 flu) pandemic.

Does Court-Ordered Treatment for Mental Health Work?

Duke researchers looked at those required to receive treatment under a controversial New York law.

Rapamycin: It’s Not Just for Longevity in Mice

The drug, also known as sirolimus, has a strange history and a strikingly wide array of uses.

Universal Health Vetoed in Connecticut; Governor Cites Cost

The plan would have cost $1 billion a year.

Rapamycin: It’s Not Just for Longevity in Mice

The drug, also known as sirolimus, has a strange history and a strikingly wide array of uses.

Universal Health Vetoed in Connecticut; Governor Cites Cost

The plan would have cost $1 billion a year.

How J&J Marketed Tylenol After Acetaminophen Hearings

Full-page ads called Tylenol the "safest" painkiller, but pointed to risks of overdose.

Health-Reform Update: Dissension in the Ranks

It's not easy trying to find $1 trillion and restructure health insurance.

Genetist Francis Collins Nominated to Head NIH

The 59-year-old led an international effort to sequence the human genome.

Delaying Generic Drugs Costs Patients & Taxpayers, EU Says

Antitrust investigations are underway involving generic markers Teva and Servier.

Eight-Way Kidney Transplant Sets Mark for Longest Chain

The transplants involved 16 surgeries in four states over the course of three weeks.

Food Safety Gets a Turn in the Overhaul Spotlight

Changes would include a federal coordinating and command center to track food-borne illness outbreaks.

Push to Tax Health Benefits Starts to Fade in Senate

Senators are turning their attention to other options, such as limiting tax deductions for the wealthy.

JAMA Eases Stand on Public Complaints About Conflicts

Gone is material attacking Jonathan Leo, a Tennessee researcher that JAMA Editor in Chief Catherine DeAngelis had called a "nobody and a nothing."

Savings From Hospitals, Insurers & Pharma Could Top $300 Billion

The health-reform narrative of industry playing ball with Washington rolls on.

Scrutiny on Two Continents for ‘Pay for Delay’

In Europe and the U.S., regulators are questioning the practice of paying generic manufacturers to delay competition for branded drugs.

An M.D. On How Money Drives Medical Testing

"It is not easy to ignore reimbursement," a cardiologist writes.

FDA Tries to Smoke Out New Tobacco Czar

The real test for the applicant will be knowing how play well on Capitol Hill and at the White House.

Wake-Up Call for Insomniacs? Web-Based Therapy May Help

A small study in the Archives of General Psychiatry shows that participants taking part in a Web-based therapy program were helped with sleep woes.

New Rules Could Further Expand Stem-Cell Research

Stem-cell lines derived in the spirit of new ethical requirements will be eligible for federal funding.

Compromise is Buzz Word with Health-Care Overhaul

In coming weeks, Congress will have to agree on who will be eligible for insurance subsidies.

How Long Does it Take to Set Up a Health Co-Op?

The formation of smoothly running new co-ops could take a decade or longer.

Former Congressional Insiders Lobby for Health-Care Industry

More than 350 former government insiders and members of Congress are now working on behalf of health-care stakeholders.

Big Bang Theory for July 4: Leave It to the Professionals

Seventy percent of firework-related injuries occurred between June 20 and July 20 last year.

The Need for New Research to Include Old Patients

Medical studies often exclude the elderly.

J&J Antes Up $1 Billion for Alzheimer’s Push With Elan

When the deal is complete, J&J will also become Elan's largest shareholder.

Would Developing World’s Low-Cost Strategies Work in U.S.?

Many Americans believe that expensive treatment is better than cheaper treatment.

Medicare May Shuffle the Deck on Doctor Payments

How an obscure accounting change could affect on the way Medicare pays doctors.

The Road to Stiffer Suicide Warnings for Chantix and Zyban

The smoking-cessation drugs appear linked to increased suicide attempts and deaths.

What Do You Think of Banning Drug Industry Gifts to Doctors?

New laws go into effect today in two states to restrict gifts to doctors from the drug and device industries.

Flu Update: Buenos Aires, Wimbledon and Tamiflu

The H1N1 flu (or, if you prefer, swine flu) continues to rattle around the globe. Here's an update ...

What An Employer Mandate for Health Insurance Might Look Like

Wal-Mart came out in support of requiring employers to contribute to employee health insurance. Here are some of the options for employer mandates being kicked around in Congress.

FDA Panel: Down With Percocet & Vicodin. Long Live NyQuil!

If the FDA follows the panel's advice, doctors would still be able to prescribe the ingredients in Vicodin or Percocet, but they would no longer be combined in a single pill.

Panel: Down With Vicodin & Percocet. Long Live NyQuil!

If the FDA follows the panel's advice, doctors would still be able to prescribe the ingredients in Vicodin or Percocet, but they would no longer be combined in a single pill.

Study: C-Reactive Protein Doesn’t Cause Heart Disease

Developing therapies that target C-reactive protein likely won't be effective, researchers say.

Candidates Aplenty for Spending on Comparative Effectiveness

The Institute of Medicine has come up with the 100 health topics it thinks should receive funding priority.

After Genetech Deal, Roche Says ‘So Long, PhRMA; Hello, BIO’

PhRMA will feel the loss of Roche through a dip in its revenues. Membership fees are based on a company’s annual sales, and Roche is a big contributor.

Geron, GE Healthcare Strike Stem-Cell Deal

The collaboration aims to use human embryonic stem cells to discover and develop new drugs.

Contaminated Sample of Nestle Cookie Dough Found

The contaminated sample was found at a plant in Virginia.

New Cancer Drugs: Most Not Worth the Cost?

Cancer drugs with limited benefits shouldn't be developed if they cost more than $20,000, say authors of a new study.

Abbott Ordered to Pay Hefty Damages to J&J

The damages are among the largest ever issued in a U.S. patent case.

Acetaminophen Worries: The End of NyQuil as We Know It?

The FDA is looking at ways to reduce the number of patients who accidentally overdose on the popular painkiller.

Grassley Pushes Tax on Health Benefits; Axelrod Won’t Rule It Out

The health-reform dance continues in Washington.

Why Industry May Back Limits on Junk Food in Schools

Many food companies now offer healthier products. Plus, a single set of federal rules would be easier to deal with than a patchwork of state laws.

A U.S. Generics Shop Looks to India for Biotech

Generic biotech drugs are coming to the U.S. But even in generic form, biologicals are far more complicated to manufacture than traditional drugs.

Study: Sanofi’s Lantus Insulin Has Possible Cancer Link

The French drug giant, whose stock fell more than 7%, said "no definitive conclusions can be drawn" from the data.

States Should Plan for H1N1 Vaccinations as Numbers Continue to Rise

More than 27,000 cases of the H1N1 virus have been identified in the U.S.

After Jackson’s Death, Tracking Causes of Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Most sudden cardiac deaths aren't caused by clogged arteries but by a disruption in the heart's electrical rhythm.

Schwarzenegger Pulls Back on Prison Health Improvements

The governor says the $1.9 billion price tag is too high at a time where the state is cutting other services.

Nestlé Said No to FDA Inspectors in Past

Food companies aren't required by law to give the FDA access to its records in many cases, but that could change.

NY State Sets Payments to Egg Donors for Stem-Cell Research

While in-vitro fertilization clinics usually pay donors, researchers who work with stem cells for therapeutic cloning face unclear payment rules.

China, Fighting ‘Porn,’ to Restrict Medical Information on Internet

Those who violate the policy restricting sexual-related Web content could be fined as much as $4,400.

Farrah Fawcett’s Death Spotlights Rare Cancer Type

Anal cancer strikes 1 in 624 Americans while colorectal cancer strikes 1 in 19.

Incoming Boston Scientific CEO Plans to Diversify Lineup

Jim Tobin is retiring after 10 years in the CEO post and will be succeeded by Ray Elliott, a company board member.

Sanofi to Dive Further into Generic Drug-Making Pool

The French giant faces the loss of patent protection on key products, including its lucrative anti-clotting drug Plavix.

Once Again, Washington Pledges to Fight Medicare Fraud

The U.S. spends $800 billion a year on Medicare and Medicaid, $60 billion of which is estimated to be lost to fraud.

Separating Fact from Fiction on Health-Care Reform

President Obama fielded questions from the public in a town hall meeting last night.

Former Exec: Insurers ‘Confuse Their Customers,’ ‘Dump the Sick’

A former Cigna executive unloaded on the industry in Senate testimony.

The Key to the Mediterranean Diet: Wine, Of Course

Researchers are untangling which elements of the diet may extend lives.

Unions Fight Over Health-Care Workers

As is often the case with this sort of schism, the new would-be rivals are former insiders.

Massachusetts Makes Cuts to Universal Health Plan

The plan has been discussed as a model for national health reform.

Research Piles Up on Links Between Cancer and Obesity

One study shows obesity later in life is associated with a lower survival rate in pancreatic cancer patients, but obesity earlier is tied to a higher risk for the cancer.

‘Pay-for-Delay’ Deals Cost Consumers $3.5 Billion a Year

The win-win situations for branded and generic companies are anticompetitive, says FTC chief.

Boston Scientific Gets Good Data on Heart-Tuning Device

Rates of death and need for further interventions were reduced 29% in patients receiving cardiac resynchronizers compared with traditional cardiac defibrillators.

The ABCs of Vitamin D: What Are its Real Benefits?

A $20 million government-funded trial is going to study whether the vitamin and fish oil lower the risk of cancer, heart disease or stroke in healthy individuals.

Pharma’s Doughnut Deal Could Slow Seniors’ Shift to Generics

Many Medicare recipients are likely to stick with branded medicines rather than switch to cheaper copycat drugs.

AARP Wins One With Pharma Pledge on Medicare Doughnut Hole

The drug industry had focused on low-income seniors but AARP wanted relief for all beneficiaries,

Walgreens, Express Scripts Fight Over ‘Blitzkrieg’ Audits

Dueling lawsuits show how tensions can flare between drug-store chains and pharmacy benefit managers.

Keep Getting MRSA? Check the Family Pet

Dogs and cats can be a reservoir for the nasty, drug-resistant bug.

Surgery Residents Exceed Work Limits at Mass General

Work limits for medical residents were created in the name of patient safety, but they remain unpopular with many doctors.

Steve Jobs News Highlights Liver Transplants

The report that Apple's chief had a liver transplant prompted a few interesting stories taking a broader look at the procedure.

Splitting the Medicare Drug Benefit’s Doughnut Hole

An $80 billion deal announced in Washington this weekend points to one of the odder features of Medicare Part D.

Nestle Recalls Cookie Dough After FDA Issues Illness Warning

The agency warned of possible E. coli contamination in Toll House cookie dough.

Nestlé Recalls Cookie Dough After FDA Issues Illness Warning

The agency warned of possible E. coli contamination in Toll House cookie dough.

Recruiter Report: Hiring Bonuses Spread for Doctors

The report also includes average pay offered in searches for several medical specialties.

Google, Consumer Genetics and the Recession

Consumers in a down economy probably aren't forking over hundreds of dollars to assess their genetic risk of certain diseases.

Health Reform: Medicare Cuts Are Tough to Make Stick

With Medicare cuts on the table as part of the health-reform debate, it's worth looking back at a previous effort to control the rise of Medicare spending.

Novartis Scores Big Hit on Small Market With Gene-Based Medicine

The effort shows a shift in thinking from the traditional blockbuster model of developing drugs targeted at millions of patients.

Funding for Global Health Quadruples, to $22 Billion

Funding skyrocketed since 1990, as the landscape of players changed significantly.

Funding for Global Health Quadruples, to More than $20 Billion

Funding skyrocketed since 1990, as the landscape of players changed significantly.

Insurers, Out-of-Network Payments and the New York AG

Andrew Cuomo today announced what he said was the last in a series of agreements aimed at changing the way insurers calculate "reasonable and customary" fees.

Report: Medical Costs to Rise 9% Next Year

The rise is a bit slower than in past years, but will still outpace inflation and workers' pay.

Go to the Mall, Swing By the Mayo Clinic

The famous clinic will open an outpost at the Mall of America.

Health Reform Poll: Tax the Rich, Don’t Tax Benefits

A majority of respondents also supported the idea of requiring everyone to buy health insurance, with government assistance for people with low and moderate incomes.

How Much Do Rookie Doctors Make? The Latest Scorecard

The lowest starting salary in 2008 was for pediatricians -- $132,500.

Rhode Island Joins States Legalizing Sale of Medical Marijuana

The governor had vetoed legislation allowing the state-licensed dispensaries, saying the increased availability would boost usage.

Trying to Keep Cost of Health-Care Reform at $1 Trillion

Higher-cost estimates worrying many in Congress, who don't want to incur more debt to improve the health-care system.

Genzyme Production Delay Shows Problems in Making Biologics

Cells must be grown carefully in sanitary conditions, and production of the medicine may take hundreds of steps from start to finish.

Hamburg Puts Faster Action, Medical Devices on FDA’s List

The medical-device industry worries about additional red tape in the approval process.

Serotonin Gene’s Link With Depression Not Valid, Says Study

A gene long thought to be a risk factor for depression when combined with environmental stress doesn't appear to be associated with increased depression risk after all. That's the finding of research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that analyzes pooled [...]

AMA: the White Coats Are Going, the White Coats Are Going

Now, backers just have to get hospitals to go along with adopting new dress codes aimed at preventing inflections.

More Medical Schools Beef Up Conflicts Policies

But more than half the schools still have inadequate policies or no policies at all.

Zicam, the FDA and Homeopathy

The FDA's warning on Zicam products illuminates a little-discussed corner of the health-care world: homeopathy.

Drinking Alcohol and Staying Healthy

Is moderate drinking really good for you?

Hospital Employee Gets Jail Time for Stealing Patient Records

He pleaded guilty to using the records to bill insurance companies for services that were never provided.

FDA Targets Fake Web Claims for H1N1 Products

Two-thirds of the Web sites have since removed the offending claims or products, the agency said.

Live Blog: AMA Responds to Obama Speech

Nancy Nielsen, the AMA's outgoing president, and J. James Rohack, who will become the group's president tomorrow, are holding a press conference to respond to the president's speech on health reform.

Text of Obama’s Speech to the AMA

President Obama tells the American Medical Association that health-care reform must happen this year.

Health Officials Struggle to Estimate Need for Flu Supplies

Health officials find it challenging to determine how many medical supplies to have on hand for unpredictable situations like the H1N1 flu pandemic.

Congress Invests in Health Care

Some 30 members of Congress have health-care holdings ranging somewhere from $11 million to $27 million.

Obama to Press His Health-Reform Case Before a Wary AMA

The doctors' group has said it opposes aspects of a government-run health-plan option.

Mental Illness in China Found Higher Than in Previous Tallies

"A major redistribution of societal and health resources is needed...," a study in the Lancet says.

Recession Helps Nursing Shortage, At Least for the Moment

There is one benefit of the recession: it has reduced the nursing shortage.

AMA Weighs Whether Docs Should Hang Up Their White Coats

The measure would urge hospitals to adopt dress codes of “bare below the elbows,” to avoid carrying bacteria between patients via coat sleeves.

Disease Prevention in Germany Is Mostly Good for Doctors

Widespread screening for breast, prostate and colon cancer does little good except for those giving the tests, says Der Spiegel.

Debate on Public-Health Option Turns to Talk of Co-Op

Some senators on both sides of the aisle, such as Charles Grassley and Chris Dodd, appear to like the notion.

Does Preventing Disease Really Save Money?

The efforts can help the patient but do little for the health-care system.

Glaxo Says No to Russia on Cutting Price of HIV Drug

A dispute between GlaxoSmithKline and the government demonstrates the challenge of drug pricing in emerging markets.

What a Pandemic Means in U.S.: Keep Doing What We’re Doing

The CDC says U.S. efforts to prevent and treat H1N1 flu won't change despite WHO's higher global flu alert.

Live Blog: WHO Declares Flu Pandemic

WHO Director-General Margaret Chan is talking about the decision to raise the pandemic-alert level to Phase 6 from 5.

More Opposition Forms to Government Insurance Option

Patient services should be "provided through private markets, as they are currently," doctors say.

Pew Survey: Health Consumers Find More Help on Web

Some 60% of e-patients say they or someone they know has been helped by medical info on the Web, up from 31% of e-patients in 2006.

Settlements May Give Some Relief on Drug Prices

Total savings in the first year are likely to be about $1 billion, according to a witness in the case.

FDA Panel OKs More Antipsychotics for Children

The advisory committee took various actions on AstraZeneca’s Seroquel, Pfizer’s Geodon and Eli Lilly’s Zyprexa.

AMA Looks to Put Brakes on Debt Load of Med Students

One cost-cutting approach would be to reduce the length of medical schooling, perhaps through combined B.A./M.D. programs.

AstraZeneca Chalks Up Seroquel Dismissal in State Court

The judge said in his opinion that he was unconvinced by one of the plaintiff's expert witnesses.

Another Emory Psychiatrist Draws Fire for Payments From Glaxo

Grassley said Glaxo paid Stowe $154,400 in 2007 and $99,300 during the first 10 months of 2008.

Hazy Data Complicate Drunk-Driver Measures

Drunk-driving opponents disagreement on what blood-alcohol levels to use, one of the topics in dispute.

Will Icahn’s Double Biotech Win Augur M&A Action?

Biogen Idec and Amylin both meet a few basic criteria that tend to make biotech companies appealing takeover targets.

Being a Sports Team Doctor Has Its Pressures

Physicians can't defend their work publicly because of patient confidentialty roles.

Baucus: Don’t Like Comparative Effectiveness? Meet ‘Fred’

A different name might make the subject less ominous, the Senate Finance Committee chairman says.

Clarcon Skin Products Should Be Tossed, FDA Warns

The Web site for Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory Inc. boasts that the company's skin-care products offer "protection like no other." Now the FDA has given the slogan new meaning. The agency is telling consumers they should stop using skin products made by the Roy, Utah, company, [...]

Judge’s Sentence for Former Bristol-Myers Exec: Write a Book

The case is connected to the company's 2006 effort to delay generic competition for the blood-thinner plavix.

Diabetes Drugs: Here Come the GLiPs

A class of drugs that promote weight loss and improve blood-sugar control showed promising results at this weekend's diabetes conference.

Health Reform: Costs, Variations in Care & Public Insurance

If one city spends twice as much as another on health care without any noticeable benefit for patients, health wonks have long argued, there must be a way to find some savings.

One Way to Cut Subsidized Insurance Rolls: Raise Rates

Washington State is raising premiums on its subsidized insurance plan, in order to drive people off the rolls to save money.

Hospital Misques: Sending Pages to Dr. Wrong

Urgent messages are often misdirected, delaying responses from the proper physician.

Health IT in Three-Part Harmony

An M.D. has recorded a YouTube ode to the stimulus bill and health IT.

Sen. Grassley Twitters Health Reform: A Story In Tweets

Grassley's widely reported tweets to Obama on health reform made us wonder: What else has the Senator tweeted on the subject?

Diabetes Roundup: Drugs, Stents and Stocks

What the news out of this weekend's diabetes conference means for diabetics, and for the market.

Should Doctors Say How Often They’ve Performed a Procedure?

In chorionic villus sampling, a procedure performed on pregnant women, the risk of miscarriage declines as the doctor gains experience.

New Avandia Study Brings Good News, Critics for Glaxo

The American Diabetes Association, which last year recommended against using the drug, may reconsider that decision.

FDA Sees Benefits, Risks in Antipsychotics for Children

AstraZeneca's Seroquel, Eli Lilly's Zyprexa and Pfizer's Geodon are all being considered for use in children.

Shooting Sparks Closer Look at Late-Term Abortions

While nearly 90% of abortions are conducted in the first trimester, slightly more than 1% are conducted after 21 weeks.

Merck Hopes for Heart-Failure Drug Suffer Blow

Trial results are a setback for the company that -- like others in the drug industry -- has been struggling to bring new drugs to market.

Again With the Nuclear Medicine Shortage

A shortage of an isotope used in important medical tests is a replay of what happened in late 2007.

Retails Clinics Set to Roll Out New Services

Walgreens and CVS are moving beyond colds and common infections to treat chronic health conditions like asthma.

EPA Reviews Safety of Recycled Tires in Playgrounds

There are no new conclusions yet, but the study is continuing.

J&J Could Try its Hand Selling Branded Generics Abroad

The company says it doesn't have much interest in selling the copycat medicines in the U.S.

Changes Could Be Coming for Pre-Meds and the MCAT

A new report suggests the pre-med curriculum, long built on a rigid set of course requirements, may become more flexible.

Should Medicare Run Auctions on Reimbursement Fees?

Regional variations in payments would be smoothed out and specialists might move to less doctor-populated areas.

Medical Bills Are Found Linked to Most Bankruptcies

Even those with health insurance were found to take a hard financial hit.

Pharmacies Can Fill Big Role in Health Overhaul, Walgreens Says

But to produce cost savings, drug stores need to be paid more than the $2 to $4 a prescription they currently receive, CEO argues.

What Could Insurers Do to Make Plans Easier to Understand?

Most people are in the dark about health care costs and insurance coverage.

NYC Health Dept. Buys Google Ads for Flu Searches

Why a public health agency is a Google customer.

MedPAC Is Primed for Bigger Role in Health-Care Overhaul

The Medicare advisory panel for Congress gets a boost from Obama.

From Pfizer, First U.S. Cancer Drug for Dogs

It's a sign of peoples' willingness to spend money on their pets, and of the drug industry's push to expand multiple revenue streams.

Jobs Front: Hospital Layoffs Update

Here are a few recent reports from around the country of hospitals that are cutting workers as they feel the pinch of the recession.

As Health Costs Bite Aetna, Analysts Downgrade Stock

While some analysts said the lower estimate was already priced into the stock, others quickly downgraded the company.

WHO Could Soon Declare Flu Pandemic

Phase 6 would mean the H1N1 strain of flu is spreading widely through communities in more than one part of the world.

Study: Depression Prevention Can Work For Some Teens

But those with at least one currently depressed parent didn't benefit from the program.

Obama Pushes Theme That Health Reform Is Good Economics

Cutting costs from the system would increase gross domestic product, his economic advisers say in a new report.

FDA Tries to Decide What Should, Shouldn’t Be Kept Secret

The FDA is putting together a task force to consider what the agency can disclose to the public about the decisions it makes.

Microsoft Buys Genetic Data Software from Merck

The deal is part of a push by Microsoft to get more heavily involved in health care.

Piecing Together Data on Suspect in Abortion Doctor’s Killing

Scott Roeder is described as holding anti-government and extremist anti-abortion views.

Drug-Company Pens Are Endangered Species at Cancer Confab

At past conferences like this, doctors with bags "would run from booth to booth, lined up like kids on Halloween."

Study: Drug Doesn’t Reduce Repetitive Behaviors in Autism

A total of 149 children with autism and related disorders were treated with either citalopram or a placebo for 12 weeks.

Cost Control: Docs, Hospitals, Insurers, Labor & Industry

A kitchen sink of health-care players sent a letter to the president today explaining how they plan to slow the rise of health costs.

Health Cost Control: Docs, Hospitals, Insurers, Labor & Industry

A kitchen sink of health-care players sent a letter to the president today explaining how they plan to slow the rise of health costs.

Hospitals Fight to Keep Tax-Exemption Rules

Congress is considering creating stricter requirements for nonprofit hospitals to keep their tax-exempt status.

ASCO: New Research on Breast, Stomach and Lung Cancers

Here's a roundup of some of the findings presented this weekend at ASCO, the big cancer conference.

From Targeted Cancer Drugs to Targeted Cocktails

A partnership between Merck and AstraZeneca is a sign that the era of targeted cancer drugs is maturing.

Doctor Who Performed Abortions Is Murdered in Kansas

George Tiller had long been the subject of threats of violence and legal action.

European Biotechs Rust On the Auction Block

There's been a flurry of M&A action centered on the U.S. bio-pharma world. But European biotech companies haven't been finding buyers.

Brutal Gallery: A World of Cigarette Warning Pictures

The WHO is out today with the latest call for cigarette packs to carry "pictorial warnings."

Kennedy Plan: Health Insurance Mandate, Public Option

Ted Kennedy is privately circulating his own plan for health reform.

Blue Shield Wins Case Over Rescinded Health Insurance

It's the latest turn in California's long-running fight over when insurers can cancel policies.

Watch Advanced-Dementia Video, Then Make a Decision

The goal is to give patients an advanced look of what to expect if they develop the condition.

Watch a Video of Advanced Dementia, Then Decide What You Want

The goal is to give patients an advanced look of what to expect if they develop the condition.

Flu Outbreak Closes Eton, Ends Australian Luxury Cruise

A few flu news items from around the globe.

FDA Isn’t Ready to Approve J&J Anticlotting Drug

The agency's decision comes despite a 15-2 vote in favor of the drug by an advisory panel.

High Costs Put Damper on Massachusetts Insurance Program

More people are getting care, but some of the initial gains in terms of affordability have been chipped away.

Grassley Points to Another Academic Doctor’s Pay from Industry

He's making a case that universities and other institutions don't police conflicts-of-interest adequately.

Alzheimer’s, Aging and the Brain

The association of dementia and the hallmark signs of Alzheimer's decline with age, a study found.

Supremes Will Hear Merck Appeal in Vioxx Shareholder Lawsuit

The case could have wide-ranging implications for securities-fraud lawsuits.

FDA Message on Drug Ads: Don’t Bury Risk Information

The guidance provided a window into people's ability to understand information that's presented to them.

Industry Pledge to Curb Health Costs May Run Into Legal Troubles

Agreements among competitors, even when meant to cap prices, can run into antitrust problems.

Health Care Trust May Own 17.5% of General Motors

The deal between General Motors and the United Auto Workers gives a health-care trust GM shares in exchange for concessions on retiree health benefits.

The Drug Industry’s Talking Points on Health Reform

The industry makes the case that drugs aren't the main problem, and that "price controls" won't help.

Small Firms Face Choice Between Health Coverage and Jobs

President Obama's push for health reform might relieve some pressure on small-business owners.

Britain Says Health Service Is Splendid, Thank You Very Much

A British lord doesn't like advertisements in the U.S. that criticize the British health system.

Sotomayor’s Type 1 Diabetes Is ‘Non-Issue,’ Say Docs

Advances in understanding and managing the condition have substantially minimized the risk of complications.

FDA Top Dogs: Product Approvals Shouldn’t Be Litmus Test

The agency is often accused of either being too quick or too slow to approve new products, write Margaret Hamburg and Joshua Sharfstein in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Team Obama Keeps Up Heat on Touchy Health-Reform Issues

DeParle recently called a Blue Cross Blue Shield company about its opposition to a public insurance option; Orszag is focusing on variations in health costs.

FDA’s Hamburg, Husband Have Health-Related Wealth

They must divest themselves of several hedge-fund holdings as well as stock in companies including Johnson & Johnson, Merck and Medco.

Will Singh’s Exit Get Ranbaxy, Daiichi Sankyo Back on Track?

The pairing has been fraught with problems since the Japanese company bought a 64% stake in Ranbaxy.

Scientists Find ‘Happyhour’ Gene

Fruit flies with a mutation of the gene were relatively resistant to the intoxicating effects of alcohol.

Flu Update: Pigs, Genes and Vaccines

Researchers called for more surveillance of flu in pigs, as a study suggested the H1N1 strain may have been circulating undetected in pigs for some time. Also: The U.S. will spend $1 billion for vaccine development and the WHO reconsiders the meaning of a pandemic.

Yes, Bisphenol A Does Enter the Body from Plastic Bottles

The chemical's impact on health is a source of ongoing controversy.

Drug Companies’ Overseas Operations Cause Tax Headaches

GlaxoSmithKline is in another dispute with the IRS after paying some $3.4 billion to end litigation a few years ago.

GM, Union Near Deal On Health-Care Funds

The auto makers have struggled to pay the tens of billions of dollars they owe to retiree benefit funds.

Health-Reform Option: Government Health Plan as ‘Fallback’

A similar "fallback" mechanism was included in the legislation that created Medicare Part D prescription-drug coverage, but was never needed.

Study: Hospitals That Charge More Fare Worse On Quality Measures

It's the latest finding that suggests more health care isn't always better.

Schering Execs Could Leave With $108 Million After Merger

CEO Hassan alone would receive an exit payout of $17.8 million plus pension benefits of $13.2 million

What Do You Think of Work Limits for Medical Residents?

A recent report recommended shortening shifts for medical residents. Many doctors disagree. What do you think?

NIH Treads Where Drug Industry Rarely Goes

It's trying to do preliminary research that makes it less risky for drug makers to run trials of experimental drugs for rare diseases.

Should Medical Schools Use Pass-Fail or Letter Grades?

The University of Virginia's medical school compared the performance and mental health of students being evaluated by pass-fail and A-F grading systems.

Big Pharma Adds to Generics Medicine Chest

Novartis and Pfizer both announced deals that will help them expand their generic-drug portfolios.

PhRMA Tries to Keep ‘Comparative Effectiveness’ in Check

The industry is worried that "comparative effectiveness" research could lead to limits on insurance coverage for certain drugs.

Green Mountain for Docs? Vermont Wants Data on Industry Pay

Vermont is already out front on disclosure of drug makers' compensation to doctors, and it's about to go further.

After FDA Warning, J&J Yanks Online Video for Pain Med

It's the latest sign that drug marketers are still trying to figure out how to wade into the online ad world.

Will Nevo Revive J&J’s Stent Business?

Johnson & Johnson released preliminary data from a study that compared its Nevo stent against a device made by Boston Scientific.

The Familiar Woes of Japanese Pharma

Patent expirations? Troublesome acquisitions? It's a small world.

WHO Advisers: No Large-Scale H1N1 Vaccine Manufacturing Yet

Much of this year's seasonal-flu vaccine has yet to be produced.

Feds Join Lawsuits Against Wyeth on Protonix Prices

It's the latest case in which a drug maker is accused of offering hospitals deep discounts on drugs without offering similar deals to Medicaid programs.

PhRMA’s Billy Tauzin Talks From Experience on Electronic Records

The PhRMA head says he had to repeatedly fill out emergency-room forms and go through an unnecessary two-hour procedure because of the lack of electronic records.

WellCare Pays Another $10 Million Over Medicaid Fraud Probes

Earlier this month, it agreed to pay $80 million to resolve state and federal criminal probes.

Senate Mulls Laundry List of Tax Hikes to Fund Health Reform

Ideas include making changes to HSAs and FSAs and reducing a special tax deduction for non-profit Blue Cross Blue Shield companies.

WHO Chief: World Is in Midst of Flu ‘Grace Period’

Health officials are trying to keep the public from letting down its guard.

White House Again Leaves Door Open to Taxing Health Benefits

White House budget director Peter Orszag discussed the idea during an interview with CNN's John King.

California Jury Weighs Suit Over Insurance Canceled After Injury

The man lost his coverage after he was in a disabling car accident.

New York Closes More Schools as Assistant Principal Dies from Flu

The city has closed 11 schools since Thursday.

Early Winners and Losers in an Avalanche of ASCO Data

A handful of biotech companies get a boost from encouraging reports on emerging tests and treatments.

Live Blog: CDC Flu Update

Daniel Jernigan of the CDC's influenza division is getting on the line to talk with reporters. Here's what he's saying.

Obama Budget Chief: Four Steps to Cheaper, Better Health Care

Peter Orszag argues for changes he says will save money and improve outcomes.

Lines to See Most Specialists Get Longer in Boston

The state's universal health coverage may have contributed to the waits.

Who Is Thomas Frieden?

A thumbnail sketch of the New York City health chief who will run the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eli Lilly CEO Makes Case Against Public Health Insurance Plan

Such a plan could ultimately stifle innovation in the drug industry, he said in a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Recession Giveaway! Pfizer Offers Free Drugs to the Jobless

The company is giving away drugs to patients who lose their jobs and health insurance.

Eli Lilly CEO Makes Case Against Public Health Insurance Plan

Such a plan could ultimately stifle innovation in the drug industry, he said in a speech before the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Recession Giveaway! Pfizer Offers Free Drugs to the Jobless

The company is giving away drugs to patients who lose their jobs and health insurance.

Grassley Ups Total of Undisclosed Fees Paid to Prof by Glaxo

The Iowa Republican says that the payments not disclosed may be as high as $230,000.

California Mulls Banning Higher Insurance Tabs for Women

An insurance trade group in the state defended the practice of charging women more for coverage, despite what the industry's Washington lobby has said about it.

Faulty Defibrillator Wires Prompt Call for More Monitoring

Some of the wires were prone to fracture in the past.

Political Parties Prepare Their Spin on Health Reform

Words matter when selling health reform to the public.

Check, Please: Four Ways to Pay the Health-Reform Bill

There's lots of room for controversy.

Kids Take More Drugs for Diabetes, Attention Deficit

The data come from an annual report on drug spending from pharmacy-benefits manager Medco.

Army Says Faked Medical Study Involves ‘Ghost’ Soldiers

Walter Reed medical center says there was a "ghost population" in the study that it has "no record of ever having existed."

Medicare: Not Enough Evidence to Pay for Virtual Colonoscopies

Medicare again points to a lack of scientific evidence in declining to pay for a test.

CVS’s PBM-Pharmacy Combo Again Raises Conflict Concerns

Since the merger, critics have complained that it would mean the company would use its PBM to steer patients to its drugstores.

As Medicare Feels Pinch, Sebelius Puts Health-Reform Odds at 75-25

With Medicare's hospital fund now projected to run out of money by 2017, Sebelius says broader health reform will help.

Columnist With Parkinson’s Urges Keeping Ban on Device Suits

Michael Kinsley said he’s a believer that some risk is necessary in trying out new devices like the one in his head.

Pallone Lends Hand to Device Maker, Then Asks for FDA Probe

The gency says there are "legitimate concerns" about its review process and decision in the case of a knee-surgery product.

FDA Warns General Mills: Cheerios Is a Drug

Health claims on cereal boxes run afoul of the FDA.

Soda Tax: From YouTube, to New England Journal, to Congress

Tracking the recent journey of a controversial idea.

Johns Hopkins Employee May Have Stolen Patient Data

The employee had access to birth dates and social security numbers, but not health information.

Senate Considers Health Insurance Mandate

Discussion has focused lately on whether a public insurance plan should compete with private insurers. But there's another key debate waiting in the wings: Whether to require most Americans to buy health insurance.

AMA Prez-Elect: What Docs Want In Exchange for Curbing Costs

Doctors who follow evidence-based guidelines shouldn't be sued for skipping tests, argues Jim Rohack.

Pfizer CEO’s Three Tips for Research Success

Like its rivals, Pfizer is trying to streamline its labs.

Another Potential Plavix Competitor: AstraZeneca’s Brilinta

The news this morning is the latest sign of mounting pressures on the blockbuster drug from branded and generic rivals.

Chasing the H1N1 Flu Outbreak in Harvard Students

An outbreak at the dental school led to the suspension of classes and clinical work by both dental and medical students.

Quick: What Hospital Mainstay Is a ‘Product Nobody Likes’?

The Health Blog invites you to take a break from your worries over rising health costs and complex reform plans. Ponder, instead, a simpler health issue: The humble hospital gown.

What the Pledge to Curb Health Costs Does (and Doesn’t) Mean

Health-care interest groups ranging from doctors to insurers to drug makers will pledge to slow the rise in health costs. It's striking to see such a wide range of groups acting in unison. But the specifics are thin, and things will get trickier as the move toward health reform continues.

Aetna Puts Weight Behind Kidney Donor-Matching Effort

The annual dialysis is about $50,0000 compared with $8,500 to treat someone who is recovering from a transplant.

Coming Soon: Guidance for Grabbing Health IT Billions

Doctors and hospitals will have to demonstrate "meaningful use" of health IT to qualify for federal money. But what's "meaningful use"?

Understanding HCG, the Drug that Got Manny Ramirez in Hot Water

It's a hormone produced during pregnancy that is used by women with fertility problems and men to help them produce testosterone.

Key Republicans Back Obama’s FDA Nominee Peggy Hamburg

At a Senate hearing, Hamburg also spoke in favor of FDA regulation of tobacco.

Stress Tests: A Cardiologist Weighs In

Tracing the financial metaphor of the week to its roots in medicine.

H1N1 Flu: Thursday Update

With the flu outbreak settling into a rather steady pattern of rising numbers of generally mild cases, the WHO's Keiji Fukuda today brandished a big number to warn against complacency.

Adding Up Obama’s Proposed Increases to FDA Budget

The budget proposes more money for the agency across the board.

GE CEO to Tout Health-Care Push

The company's health-related businesses include selling electronic health records and systems for monitoring patients at home.

Massachusetts Looks to Change the Way Doctors Are Paid

The state is considering using single, global payments to cover care for each person for an entire year.

Grassley, Sticking Around at Finance, Talks Health With Obama

As it turns out, the Republican Senator isn't leaving the Finance Committee anytime soon.

Health Net Taps WellPoint’s Ousted CFO as Consultant

Despite resigning two years ago in disgrace, his industry expertise appears to remain in demand.

A Persistent Mystery: Why Is H1N1 Hitting the Young So Hard?

The acting director of the CDC suggested a few possible reasons.

Job-Related Drug Tests Show Progress, Mostly

Overall, 3.6% of pre-employment tests and 5.3% of random tests came back positive.

Deals Near for UN Agencies to Buy Vaccine for H1N1 Flu

The agreements, which would kick in if manufacturers begin making a vaccine against the new flu strain, would be designed to guarantee a rapid supply for countries in the developing world.

Flu Roundup: Vaccine Plan, a Death in Texas and a Pfizer Case

Here are a few items of note on the flu outbreak.

Grain Alcohol and Crystal Light? It’s for Science

A Harvard doctor is enrolling patients in a randomized trial to study the effects of alcohol on heart disease risk.

Face Transplants: Further Reading

After the first U.S. patient to receive a face transplant spoke publicly today, here's a reading list for those interested in learning more about this sort of procedure.

Order in the Senate! Single-Payer Advocates Disrupt Hearing

They got up, one by one, and complained that advocates of a single-payer system weren't getting a voice.

Live Blog: CDC Flu Update

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and CDC Acting Director Richard Besser are updating reporters about the flu outbreak.

Live Blog: WHO Flu Update

The WHO's Keiji Fukuda is talking with reporters about the latest on the flu outbreak.

More Sales Rep Jobs Bite the Dust, This Time at Amylin

The company will lean more heavily on Eli Lilly's sales force.

Sen. Specter Sends Mixed Signals on Health Reform

He has said he wants to get legislation done, but also opposes Democratic ideas such as a public plan.

Academic Medical Centers Often Guilty of Research Hype

Press releases about medical studies often exaggerate the findings, a report says.

Live Blog: CDC Flu Update

CDC Acting Director Richard Besser is talking to reporters about the current swine flu situation.

Wal-Mart Tries to Step on Pharmacy-Benefit Managers’ Turf

The company's program with employer Caterpillar tries to eliminate the drug-coverage middleman.

Daschle Puts Odds of Health Reform in 2009 at 50-50

If it doesn't get done this year, it will be tough to get done later on.

Want to Know if You Have Swine Flu? You May Have to Wait.

Is it easy to find out if you have swine flu? Not necessarily.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak - Monday

This live blog will track developments Monday related to the outbreak of the new H1N1 flu, from The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires and other news services.

Children Especially Vulnerable to A/H1N1 Virus

The new A / H1N1 virus that's spreading around the world appears to affect young people far more than the old.

Understanding Mexico’s Changing Flu Numbers

Mexico is changing the way it counts cases in the flu outbreak.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak: Saturday Edition

Get updates here on flu news over the weekend.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak: Weekend Edition

Get updates here on flu news over the weekend.

Genentech Exec Poised for Academic Post at UCSF

Desmond-Hellman, an oncologist, cancer researcher and 14-year company, is slated to become chancellor.

What Americans Are Doing to Avoid Catching the Flu

The Harvard School of Public Health surveyed Americans on their level of concern about the new flu strain, and what they're doing to avoid it.

Live Blog: WHO Flu Update

Marie-Paule Kieny, director of the WHO Initiative for Vaccine Research, is talking to reporters about the flu outbreak. Here's what she's saying.

Botox Gets Stuck With Black-Box Warning

The warning also applies to two other drugs that are similar.

Tracking the Flu Outbreak: Friday

This live blog will track developments throughout Friday related to the new flu strain, from The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires and other news services.

Free From Uncle Sam: VA Software for Hospital EHS Systems

Infection rates at one VA hospital dropped 88% thanks to guidelines in the record system.

Companies Look to Shift More Health Costs to Workers

The recession is prompting some companies to get more aggressive in cutting their health costs, according to a new survey.

Live Blog: CDC Swine-Flu Update

Richard Besser, the CDC's acting director, is giving today's daily media update on swine flu. Here's what he's saying.

Live Blog: CDC Swine Flu Update

Richard Besser, the CDC's acting director, is giving today's daily media update on swine flu. Here's what he's saying.

Medicare May Pay More For Primary-Care Docs, Rural Surgeons

But where would the money come from?

Tracking the Swine Flu Outbreak: Thursday

This live blog will track developments throughout Thursday related to swine flu, from The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones Newswires and other news services.

Provenge Data Give Dendreon a Takeover Glow

The company may now be an appealing acquisition target.

Considering the Range of Pandemics

Pandemics can be relatively mild or more severe.

Live Blog: Swine Flu Update from WHO Director-General

Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, is giving an update on the swine flu. Here's what she's saying.

Live Blog: Swine Flu Update from WHO Director-General,

Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, is giving an update on the swine flu. Here's what she's saying.

Live Blog: Swine Flu Update from WHO Director-General

Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General, is giving an update on the swine flu. Here's what she's saying.

Swine Flu? H1N1? What’s In a Name?

Unpacking the language officials are using to describe the bug.

After Yesterday’s Storm, Sun Shines Again on Dendreon’s Shares

The company's shares surged this morning after they plunged yesterday before details of its latest drug study were unveiled.

Search for Swine Flu’s Patient Zero Leads to Mexican Boy

He's the earliest confirmed case in Mexico, but it's not clear that the outbreak started with him.

After Swearing In, Sebelius Talks Swine Flu in Situation Room

If the push for an overhaul of the health-care system wasn't enough to get Sebelius into the top job at HHS quickly, then swine flu created an extra incentive.

Plunging Stock Price Rains on Dendreon’s Provenge Parade

Shares in Dendreon fell 45% just before trading was slated to be halted ahead of news on an important study.

Swine Flu: Live Blogging CDC’s Tuesday Call

Acting Commissioner Richard Besser is giving the CDC's daily media update on swine flu. Here's what he's saying

Headless Health Agencies Face Swine Flu

The nominee to head the FDA has experience with preparation for pandemics, but she's not on the job yet.

IOM Talks Softly, Carries Big Stick on Doctor Conflicts

The report asked doctors to refuse all fees and gifts and it suggested establishing a public Web site for disclosing all industry payments.

Live Blog: WHO Tuesday Call

The WHO's Keiji Fukuda is talking to reporters about the current swine flu situation. Here's what he's saying.

Pfizer Roundup: Lipitor Sales Fall, Biotech Chief Exits

The company's quarterly earnings are out this morning. And, in a move that is likely connected to the Wyeth deal, the head of the company's biotech R&D unit is leaving.

A Century of Flu Pandemics

Last century's pandemics ranged from the "catastrophe" of 1918, to milder pandemics in the '50s and '60s, to a near miss in the 1970s.

Amid Swine Flu Outbreak, N95 Masks Placed on Back Order

3M Co. said it is racing to meet demand for it N95 respiratory masks amid surging demand brought on by the outbreak of swine flu. Spokeswoman Jacqueline Berry said the masks are now on back order -- meaning the Minnesota-based company doesn't have enough of them on hand to ship [...]

Swine Flu at Alert Phase 4: ‘Mitigation,’ Not ‘Containment’

The WHO says the virus is too widespread for travel restrictions or border closing to help much, if at all.

If Primary-Care Docs Are Paid More, Will Specialists Get Less?

Plenty of people say primary-care doctors should get paid more. But where should the money come from?

Understanding the WHO’s Global Pandemic-Alert Levels

There are six different alert phases, used to describe how close the world is to a pandemic.

Swine Flu: Live Blogging CDC’s Monday Conference Call

The WHO said earlier today that there have been 40 cases of swine flu confirmed in the U.S. So far, cases in this country appear to have been mild, but [...]

Glaxo, Roche Start to Map Swine-Flu Game Plans

Roche's Tamiflu and GlaxoSmithKline's Relenza may help, while Novartis is getting ready to produce a vaccine.

What’s Confusing About Swine Flu

One major question is whether there have been relatively mild cases in Mexico that haven't been included in the count of people with the illness.

Health Blog Q&A: Swine Flu in the U.S. and Mexico

Here are a few basics on the swine flu outbreak.

Abbott Shareholders Don’t Want Say On Exec Pay

The vote comes a day after Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson released the results of similar votes.

Number of Malpractice Suits Falls 41% in Pennsylvania

The decline looks like the result of a few changes in the rules for filing the suits.

As Insurance Coverage Increases, ERs Get Busier

New data from Massachusetts suggest that covering more people won't reduce emergency-room crowding.

War Against Cancer: A Long, Hard Slog

Despite decades of intensive research, the death rate from cancer has declined only a bit.

Swine Flu: Look Hard Enough, and You’ll See Strange Things

Intensive surveillance has turned up a strain of swine flu that can pass from person to person.

Embryonic Stem Cells Without Embryos, Cont’d

The march toward reprogramming adult cells to act like embryonic stem cells continues.

Pfizer Holders Want Say on Exec Pay; J&J Holders, Not So Much

Both companies held annual meetings today.

Patients: There’s Waste in Medicine, but My Doctor Is Perfect

A poll shows doctors have a sharp arrow in their quiver when it comes to health reform.

Specialty Matters When Implanting Defibrillators

A study looked at complication rates among patients who got the devices implanted by different types of doctors.

Boston Medical School in Awkward Spot After Craigslist Arrest

Boston University's medical school has been inundated with media since the arrest of its second-year student.

Does Avastin Trial Mean Roche Paid Too Much for Genentech?

A major Genentech drug, Avastin, failed to meet its main goal in a closely watched trial in colon cancer.

Sebelius Wins Committee Vote Despite Abortion Controversy

Republicans expressed concern about contributions she'd received from a Kansas doctor who performs late-term abortions.

Where Medical Boards Do and Don’t Crack Down on Doctors

Disciplinary rates were high in Alaska and low in Minnesota.

Merck Suffers Blow Developing New Migraine Drug

Analysts had considered telcagepant one of Merck's key new products.

Debate Over Public Plan Pulls Health Reform Past ‘Kumbaya’

Some folks on the left are worried President Obama will abandon the idea of a new government-sponsored health plan.

10 Reasons Doctors Get Burned Out

Factors contributing to burnout include long work hours and a lack of balance between work and family.

As Nest Eggs Shrink, Some Doctors Try to Return From Retirement

Doctors face hurdles as they try to return to the workforce to make up for shrinking retirement savings.

WellPoint Makes Three Million Calls In Health-Reform Survey

The survey looks like a step into the debate over health-reform policy.

Amid Talk of Reform, Health-Clinic Lines Grow

In North Carolina, one in four adults under 64 is uninsured.

Friendlier Skies in Canada for Overweight Passengers

Canadian regulators require that obese passengers get a free extra seat, because it views obesity as a disability.

Universal Care Could Be Thwarted by Disappearing Docs

Another survey of docs in Texas found only 38% said they took new Medicare patients.

Silicone Can Carry High Cost in Bid to Look Good

There are 3,000 agencies that work to prevent food-contamination illnesses, with little communication between them.

Trying to Fill In the Blanks in FDA’s Rules on Web Ads

Drug companies say they don't know what the FDA's rules are when it comes to Web advertising.

Feds: Watch Out for Exploding Fitness Balls

The maker of the fitness balls received 47 reports of balls "unexpectedly bursting, including reports of a fracture, and multiple bruises."

Roche and Genentech Break Down Some R&D Walls

Roche is getting its hands on some data it wasn't seeing before it took full control of Genentech.

Eli Lilly Tops List of Drug-Company Pay to Vermont Docs

The state tallied compensation including consulting and speaker fees, travel expenses, gifts and food.

Pharma Sales Reps Often Find the Doc Won’t See Them Now

The 18 million wasted sales calls each year suggest the extent of a physician backlash against pharma's marketing push.

Fresh Off Wyeth Deal, Pfizer Inks HIV Pact with Glaxo

By combining their HIV businesses, Glaxo and Pfizer are both trying to mitigate problems related to generic competition and parched pipelines.

Nancy-Ann DeParle’s Definition of ‘Public’ Health Insurance

The head of the new White House Health Reform Office talks about government-sponsored insurance.

Study Author in JAMA Disclosure Flap Has His Say

The author of that 2008 study is firing back at his critics in a letter today in the British Medical Journal.

Abbott CEO: ‘We’re Not Necessarily Looking for any Large M&A’

He added that he has a "clear bias towards smaller to midsize deals."

Merck Exec on R&D: ‘Nothing Is Safe From Cuts’

The whole drug industry seems to be reorganizing research.

Roche Exec Takes Over As Genentech CEO

The other shoe just dropped at Genentech.

After Falling for Fake Study, Review Board Steps Aside

Coast IRB, until further notice, won't be reviewing new FDA-regulated studies and will direct researchers involved with ongoing FDA-regulated studies it previously approved to halt enrollment of new subjects.

Dendreon’s Shares Come Back to Life on Prostate Cancer Data

The company says Provenge improved survival among men with advanced prostate cancer, but is holding off on providing details until late April.

Diabetics Visiting the ER Have Greater Chance of Dementia

Bouts of severely low blood sugar raise diabetics’ risk of developing dementia in later age.

Generics, Recession Take Bites Out of J&J’s Profit

Sales fell in the company's consumer, pharmaceutical and medical-device businesses.

Finding Referrals for Mental-Health Patients Often Elusive

He's emerging in the health-reform debate after being passed over for the top job at Health and Human Services.

Drug Makers Talk Up Comparative Effectiveness, Sort Of

They're getting behind the concept, as long as the research doesn't lead to coverage denials.

Heart Health: Mediterranean Diet Good, Trans Fats Bad

Researchers parsed the data from hundreds of studies to try to connect the dots between diet and heart health.

How Much Will Higher Taxes, Price Hikes Damp Cigarette Sales?

The one-two punch of higher taxes and price increases could see 2009 volume drop by percentages in the high single digits to low double digits, Fitch says.

What the Recession Means for Hospitals, Nurses

Health care is weathering the economic hard times better than many other sectors. Still, it has its share of trouble.

Fraud Hits Home Health-Care Program

One man who claimed he couldn't get out of bed was driving an ice cream truck for hours every day.

What the Recession Means for Hospitals, Nurses

Health care is weathering the economic hard times better than many other sectors. Still, it has its share of trouble.

Fraud Hits Home Health-Care Program

California is set to spend more than $5 billion this year to provide home health care that helps low-income people who are old and incapacitated stay out of nursing homes. Allowing people to stay at home is often a good thing -- but with [...]

What’s the Best Way to Manage Prescription-Drug Benefits?

Express Scripts' deal to purchase of WellPoint's pharmacy-benefits management business points to a debate in the insurance world.

Icahn Tries to Shake Up Boards at Amylin and Biogen

Biogen and Amylin are on the hot seat.

Researcher Faked Data in Sleep Apnea Study

The researcher fudged data so it would "better conform to his hypothesis."

Harvard-Affiliated Hospitals to Limit Docs’ Industry Ties

The announcement comes just a few days after Johns Hopkins said it was adopting a new conflict-of-interest policy.

Bristol, Biogen CEOs: We’re Not Rushing to Be Acquired

But they aren't ruling it out, either.

Reality Check on Foodborne Illness Rate

The rate hasn't changed much nationwide in the past few years, a new estimate found.

Girl With Genetic Disease Sues Sperm Bank

A federal judge said the case can proceed.

Hospital Settles Over ‘Dumping’ Homeless Patients

Several hospitals in Los Angeles have run into legal troubles over a practice of dropping off homeless patients on skid row.

Big Pharma’s Global Generics Push Continues With Sanofi Deal

As growth has slowed for Big Pharma's traditional cash cows -- blockbuster drugs sold in rich countries -- the industry has increasingly looked to middle-income countries and off-patent drugs.

Wait, What Is Brown Fat?

Everybody's talking about brown fat this morning. Here's what they're talking about.

Time for Soda Tax? Backers Want to Cut Obesity, Aid Budgets

A tax on sodas of a penny an ounce could lead to a drastic reduction in consumption of sugary drinks.

FDA Takes New Look at Female Condoms, External Defibrillators

The affected products date back to before 1976.

Johns Hopkins Bans Free Drug Samples, Gifts from Industry

Hopkins is trying to cut down on "the marketing component of academic-industry relations," it says.

Illegal Immigrant Used Stolen Identity to Get Hospital Care

She illustrated the risks of medical identity theft as well as the struggles of illegal immigrants.

How Quality-of-Care Rules Can Lead Doctors Astray

An op-ed piece in the WSJ argues that medicine evolves beyond what the rules say.

If China Builds Hospitals, Patients Will Come

The country's health reform plan involves a health-care construction boom and subsidies to get more of the uninsured covered.

More Prescriptions for Generics, Fewer for Branded Drugs

A few years back, most U.S. prescriptions were for branded drugs. By the end of this year, two-thirds of all prescriptions will be generic, according to a new analysis.

Shares of Medicare Advantage Companies Rise On News of Cuts

There is likely to be some more tinkering before all is said and done.

Reorganizing Drug R&D: $62 Billion Merger Not Required

As their pipelines have grown thin, big drug companies have busied themselves reorganizing R&D.

Reorganizing Big Pharma R&D: $62 Billion Merger Not Required

As their pipelines have grown thin, big drug companies have busied themselves reorganizing R&D.

Citing Economy, AMA Announces 100 Layoffs

The cuts will affect staffers in the group's Chicago and DC offices.

Torti’s Farewell Memo to FDA Staff: ‘Take the FDA Back’

As he departed from his post as acting FDA commissioner, Frank Torti said the agency "is now defined by others."

Does the World Need a Prescription Drug for Jet Lag?

Cephalon says it had positive results in a trial of Nuvigil in participants who hopped over the pond from the eastern U.S. to France.

Abortion Foes Call Republican Response to Sebelius ‘Baffling’

They're disappointed Republicans aren't taking a tougher stand against the HHS nominee.

Pfizer Closes In on Settlement Over Drug Trial of Trovan in Nigeria

The charges involve a trial of the antibiotic Trovan in children during the mid-1990s.

Abilify Deal Gives Bristol-Myers Some Breathing Room

The company will hang on to sales of the antipsychotic longer, helping it around the same time the huge seller Plavix will go generic.

Oops! Seroquel Documents Bounce On and Off FDA Web Site

The FDA inadvertently posted documents for an upcoming advisory committee meeting too early -- then took them down and later put them back up online.

What FDA Diabetes Panel’s Novo Nordisk Vote Means for Amylin

Amylin makes the diabetes drug Byetta, and is working on a long-acting version.

Nurse Charged With Killing Dialysis Patients With Bleach

She is being held without bond.

Sebelius Nomination May Shift to Slow Track

The nominee for HHS secretary sailed through confirmation hearings this week. But she may not be confirmed before Congress's two-week spring break.

Tobacco’s Regulator May Soon Be Same As Pharma’s

The Senate didn't take up FDA regulation of tobacco last year, but a new president this year supports passage of the bill.

GE, Intel, Google, IBM, Microsoft & Home-Health Monitoring

Lots of big technology companies are angling to get into the business of helping patients monitor their health at home.

Testing of Alzheimer’s Treatment Is Curbed by Wyeth and Elan

Bapineuzumab has been closely watched because it is thought to potentially to be able to slow the course of the disease.

Conservative Critic of Obama on Health Reform Has Messy Past

Conservative Richard Scott, ousted from Columbia/HCA in the late 1990s, is getting a mixed reception in the current health-care debate.

Hospital Doors Revolve for Many Medicare Patients

The government is searching for ways to get hospitals and community doctors to work together to cut hospital readmissions.

Is Earlier Better for AIDS Treatment?

A new analysis weighs in on a long-running question: When to start drug treatment for HIV?

Potential Buyers Kick the Tires of Solvay’s Drug Business

Potential bidders include Bayer, Sanofi-Aventis, AstraZeneca, Abbott Labs and Merck KGaA of Germany.

Television Viewers Offer Kidneys to Natalie Cole

The ethics of such donations are muddy.