Economic crisis will challenge Obama's health coverage expansion plans
December 1st 2008During his campaign for the presidency, President-elect Barack Obama stated that all Americans have a right to healthcare and that he will expand coverage for the uninsured. Many voters cited healthcare as a key election issue; however, the need to address a rising unemployment rate and low economic growth may force Obama to seek more limited changes in the near future.
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In 2003, the Canadian Forces (CF) drug benefit plan used preferential listing to control costs associated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs); however, significant expenditures for nonbenefit PPIs continued. A database review was thus conducted to explain this anomalous usage pattern. This study provides further information regarding the effectiveness of preferred listing as a cost-saving measure, noting that adherence to such policies may be less than projected.
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California court: Wyeth accountable for harms caused by generic metoclopramide
November 13th 2008On November 7, the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, California, overturned a previous ruling in the case of Conte v Wyeth and ruled that Wyeth, the manufacturer of Reglan (metoclopramide), should be held responsible for harm caused to Elizabeth Conte, who developed tardive dyskinesia after taking generic metoclopramide for nearly 4 years. The court upheld the previous ruling in favor of Purepac, Pliva, and Teva, manufacturers of generic metoclopramide.
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Pneumonia mortality rates lower for statin users
November 13th 2008In a large, population-based cohort study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, current use of statins by patients hospitalized with pneumonia was associated with a decreased risk of death after hospital admission compared with nonusers of statins.
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