InterMedi - Collaborative Intelligence for Biomed with Publications, Affiliations, and Social Networking...

<p>Social networks have come to the biometric business.  The interface combines both social aspects as well as the research end of things.  This makes it easy to find projects, affiliations, and to see how else has publications through the "<strong><a href="http://www.bioforge.be/intermedi/fight.php">fight" screen</a></strong>.  You can also add the widget to emails or to a web site to help others locate either yourself or your publications.  Hubmed does a good job with RSS feeds, but this appears to mine and bring it all together with names and faces.  BD  </p> <p> </p> <p><em><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgHsgt8tKI/AAAAAAAAIZk/EUl35UQhPdA/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="65" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgHtVSx_iI/AAAAAAAAIZo/HgvfS-dxXXw/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="199" /></a></b></em>InterMedi is a set of tools aiming at connecting biomedical researchers together helping them to find information about their previous <a href="http://www.bioforge.be/intermedi/widget.php"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgHt7tNQhI/AAAAAAAAIZs/lkCA95YUiBo/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="114" /></a>works, collaborators and affiliations. The remarkable fact is that no information is required! Our intelligent software knows how to combine information already available on the web, specially on the <a href="http://www.pubmed.com/">Pubmed</a> database, to provide meaningful information. </p> <blockquote> <ul> <li><em><b><em><b><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgHwzs7BXI/AAAAAAAAIZw/xk98MrNocOc/s1600-h/image%5B22%5D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="250" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgHzLC93kI/AAAAAAAAIZ0/2FCmwO2eUZo/image_thumb%5B13%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="367" /></a></b></em>Single Search:</b> Based on co-authoring of Pubmed publications, find someone's collaborators, publications, affiliations. </em></li> <li><em><b>Fight:</b> Who's got more publications? Who's got more collaborators? When did this fight reach its climax? </em></li> <li><em><b>Get in touch:</b> Who's between you and someone else? </em></li> </ul> <p><em><b></b></em></p> <p><em><b>Limitations of Pubmed:</b> while being the most complete database of biomed publications, it has a major drawback: it is just publications-centered, not people centered. Even <strong><a href="http://www.hubmed.org/">Hubmed,</a></strong> which is a re-engineering of Pubmed do not cover the people aspect. However the connection between people is an essential element for future collaboration, for knowing who works in the same area as who, etc. </em></p> <p><em></em></p> <p><em><b>Limitations of social networks:</b> Every member of any social network knows it, the "friend" or "contact" status doesn’t always reflect a real-life situation. Maybe in your LinkedIn or Facebook profile, you have "friends" and "contacts" you never saw once in your life. A tool centered only on true relation between people is welcome.</em> </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bioforge.be/intermedi/home.php">InterMedi - Collaborative Intelligence for Biomed</a> </p> <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://scienceroll.com/2008/08/03/intermedi-collaborative-intelligence-for-biomed/">Science Roll Blog</a></p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ec169617-6de6-4c9b-8291-4b42dd6a3601" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Biomed" rel="tag">Biomed</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Research" rel="tag">Research</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Social%20Networks" rel="tag">Social Networks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Affiliations" rel="tag">Affiliations</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pubmed" rel="tag">Pubmed</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hubmed" rel="tag">Hubmed</a></div>

InterMedi - Collaborative Intelligence for Biomed with Publications, Affiliations, and Social Networking...

Social networks have come to the biometric business.  The interface combines both social aspects as well as the research end of things.  Thi...

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The Microsoft Health Users Group Conference - August 26th and 27th, 2008

<p>   Technical events and training, plus a tour of the Microsoft campus, just looking at the itinerary it looks to be a couple pretty full days!  Follow the links for additional information and to register.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><em><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="47" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgAfRdwcxI/AAAAAAAAIZY/yluqh04Mv2E/image%5B26%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="158" /></a>Would you like to get the latest scoop on HealthVault and <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/amalga/default.mspx">Microsoft Amalga?</a> How about a sneak peek at future health solutions using Microsoft Surface? Would you like to see how some of the world's leading healthcare organizations are improving <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/amalga/default.mspx"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="41" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgAf1dzIrI/AAAAAAAAIZc/Yh39kwBJP3M/image%5B23%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="97" /></a>workflow collaboration and delighting patients with Microsoft Unified Communications? Or how about an opportunity to see a clinical user interface built with Microsoft Silverlight? Would you like to see how <strong>Microsoft Dynamics CRM</strong> can improve patient loyalty and satisfaction?   Bill Crounse, MD   Senior Director, Worldwide Health</em></p> </blockquote> <p>The Microsoft HUG Tech Forum 2008 will be held at the Microsoft Corporate Campus in Redmond, WA on August 26-27. <br />The fall conference offers attendees an inside glimpse of Microsoft, with a behind-the-scenes look at Microsoft Corp. and insight into upcoming Microsoft healthcare technologies. The experts behind Microsoft's product development will demonstrate the latest tools, resources and solutions for building next generation applications. <br />The conference will feature two days of networking, examples of healthcare IT best practices and educational sessions focused on <a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/healthblog/archive/2008/07/30/get-your-golden-ticket-here-the-microsoft-health-users-group-conference.aspx"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="74" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJgAguXLc3I/AAAAAAAAIZg/Pyr8buxYGV4/image%5B28%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="128" /></a>Microsoft's IT solutions for the healthcare industry.</p> <p>Tuesday, August 26, 2008 8:00 AM - Wednesday, August 27, 2</p> <p>008 3:00 PM <br />Pacific Time Zone</p> <p><a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/healthblog/archive/2008/07/30/get-your-golden-ticket-here-the-microsoft-health-users-group-conference.aspx">HealthBlog : Get Your Golden Ticket Here: The Microsoft Health Users Group Conference</a>  </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:936576bf-43da-4870-9443-b652a0987ca8" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Amalga" rel="tag">Amalga</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthVault" rel="tag">HealthVault</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HIMMS" rel="tag">HIMMS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health%20IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a></div>

The Microsoft Health Users Group Conference - August 26th and 27th, 2008

   Technical events and training, plus a tour of the Microsoft campus, just looking at the itinerary it looks to be a couple pretty full day...

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First Double-Arm Transplant Is a Success

<p> It may be 2 years though before the nerves grow in to place, so I would guess he would have a couple slings until everything grows back, <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJf5vo0RSzI/AAAAAAAAIZQ/YOvl_KUhFP4/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="89" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJf5wVUgY8I/AAAAAAAAIZU/U2_FHtTxsqQ/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="121" /></a>miracle surgery though.  Hand transplants have worked with feelings of hot and cold, so it will be interesting to follow this one.  BD  </p> <blockquote>A 54-year-old German farmer who lost his arms in an accident six years ago has just received two new arms in the first double-arm transplant operation ever performed (pictured is one of his new arms). A team of German doctors spent 15 hours grafting two arms from a recently-deceased teen donor onto the man's shoulders. </blockquote> <p><a href="http://io9.com/5032531/first-double+arm-transplant-is-a-success">Transplants: First Double-Arm Transplant Is a Success</a></p>

First Double-Arm Transplant Is a Success

It may be 2 years though before the nerves grow in to place, so I would guess he would have a couple slings until everything grows back, mi...

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Overworking husbands drive working wives back into the home, study finds

<p> Interesting swing how things are going backwards...well a bit...with all the information flying at us today, sometimes it takes 2 to put it all together, especially with demanding jobs and positions that require a lot of travel or 60 hours a week or more.  BD  </p> <blockquote>Americans work longer hours than ever. That not only hurts women's careers but also widens the gender gap and threatens to trigger a resurgence of the traditional homemaker/breadwinner family structure in dual-earner households, says a new Cornell study. Presented Aug. 1 at the American Sociological Association's annual meeting in Boston, the study found that "Women whose husbands work long hours are more likely to quit their jobs," said Youngjoo Cha, a Cornell doctoral candidate in sociology who expects her Ph.D. in 2010. "<strong>Yet men's careers are not impacted when their wives put in long hours."</strong></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news137082837.html">Overworking husbands drive working wives back into the home, study finds</a></p>

Overworking husbands drive working wives back into the home, study finds

Interesting swing how things are going backwards...well a bit...with all the information flying at us today, sometimes it takes 2 to put it...

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FDA Puts $50,000 Cap on Conflicts in Advisory Hearings

<p> After conflict of interest stories last year with <strong><a href="http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/thelifesciencesblog/archives/145170.asp">Provenge</a></strong> and a diabetes drug a set of rules is in the making.  Also in the news this week was a blog about how prostate drugs and treatment news is being reported today, with <a href="http://blog.lib.umn.edu/schwitz/healthnews/137418.html">NBC taking a bit of a beating.</a>  BD  <img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9P_nkLTI/AAAAAAAAIV8/aMAtC1YcAlA/fda1_thumb[2].png?imgmax=800" /></p> <blockquote><em>The FDA has finalized some new rules of the road for its committees of expert advisers to bolster the publics confidence in their advice. A significant thrust is a clampdown on conflicts. The new rules bar the participation of an expert, if that person, their spouse or minor child has conflicting financial interests of more than $50,000. Until now, the FDA has screened committee members for conflicts of interests.</em>  </blockquote> <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/08/04/fda-puts-50000-cap-on-conflicts-in-advisory-hearings/">Health Blog : FDA Puts $50,000 Cap on Conflicts in Advisory Hearings</a></p>

FDA Puts $50,000 Cap on Conflicts in Advisory Hearings

After conflict of interest stories last year with Provenge and a diabetes drug a set of rules is in the making.  Also in the news this wee...

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Handheld Electronic Tongue Can Determine Wine Grape Variety And Vintage

<p> Ok, this disappoints me, no more wine tasting and an electronic tongue?  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfwkUWktiI/AAAAAAAAIZI/3vONUsmdnok/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfwlDPumwI/AAAAAAAAIZM/zqp-wBu84pM/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="102" /></a>BD  </p> <blockquote><strong>You no longer need a snooty wine expert to</strong> identify a 74 Pinot Noir from Burgundy a handheld electronic tongue devised by  European scientists will tell you the grape variety and vintage at the press of a button. Designed for quality control in the field, the device is made up of six sensors which detect substances characteristic of a certain wine variety. Components such as acid, sugar and alcohol can be measured by this detection, and from these parameters it can determine the age and variety of the wine.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.scientificblogging.com/news_releases/handheld_electronic_tongue_can_determine_wine_grape_variety_and_vintage">Handheld Electronic Tongue Can Determine Wine Grape Variety And Vintage | Scientific Blogging</a></p>

Handheld Electronic Tongue Can Determine Wine Grape Variety And Vintage

Ok, this disappoints me, no more wine tasting and an electronic tongue?  BD  You no longer need a snooty wine expert to identify a 74 Pi...

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Aetna "Take your Pill" Lottery...

<p> <strong>How bad do the insurance companies want the patients to take their medications?</strong>  Well enough to try a pilot program with an electronic umbilical cord to tie the patient to a device.  It doesn't say exactly how the device will work, but I am guessing once you remove a pill, it will make note, but who knows, it might be a little more sophisticated than that, nothing surprises me today.  I would think this is targeted at chronic illnesses whereby pills are taken every day.  There's a message telling you how much you would have won if you miss one...interesting, so one more electronic device to deal with.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfu0gyjW1I/AAAAAAAAIZA/AolJp3NW0KQ/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="92" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfu1P3iNlI/AAAAAAAAIZE/jNa8U6MWLBg/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="101" /></a> <em>Aetna, through its nonprofit foundation, is funding research to find out whether a daily lottery with cash prizes will help improve patients' medication adherence. The Aetna Foundation last fall gave researchers a $400,000 grant to fund a study at the University of Pennsylvania that will use prizes of $10 and $100 as rewards for taking medication as prescribed.</em></p> <p><em>1-in-10 chance of winning $10 every day they take their medication and a 1-in-100 chance of winning $100. Each day a text message will tell a subject whether he or she has won the lottery, or, if the dose wasn't taken, whether he or she would have won.</em></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/08/04/bisc0804.htm">AMNews: Aug. 4, 2008. Aetna tries paying patients to take their meds ... American Medical News</a> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0f946a9b-0781-4641-9009-0a8abcf4edf7" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Aetna" rel="tag">Aetna</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical%20Devices" rel="tag">Medical Devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pills" rel="tag">Pills</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prescriptions" rel="tag">Prescriptions</a></div>

Aetna "Take your Pill" Lottery...

  How bad do the insurance companies want the patients to take their medications?   Well enough to try a pilot program with an electronic um...

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Muscle Pain from Statins? Time for a genetic evaluation - Personalized Medicine

<p> This is good, a genomics test that can give some preliminary results on <u>whether or not statins will have an adverse effect before prescribing</u> them.  As the post states here, this is something that could certainly use some marketing to physicians.  <a href="http://thegenesherpa.blogspot.com/2008/08/muscle-pain-from-statins-time-for.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="231" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfi2M7IRiI/AAAAAAAAIY8/E9tn5RChno0/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="244" /></a></p> <p>Zocor at 40 mg is a very common dosage and there are many who complain about muscle pain from statins.  Over time the statins could have the potential of creating kidney failure, so one big step forward in genetic testing and knowing the side effects up front.   Read the entire article at the source and the complete write up in the <a href="http://www.nejm.org/">NEJM.</a>  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><em>In a wonderful demonstration of how successful genetic research on pharmacogenomics needs to be done. The SEARCH Collaborative Group successfully demonstrated the power of GWAS nested in other studies. This will be the hallmark of all great medication studies for the next 50 years. </em></p> <p><em>Imagine an Odds Ratio of 16 for developing statin induced myopathy!!! I was just talking to the founder of one of those sequencing companies worth billions of dollars about this the other day!!! <strong>Odds ratio of 16.9.  Statin Myopathy can cause kidney failure from rhabdomyolysis(muscle breakdown).</strong></em></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://thegenesherpa.blogspot.com/2008/08/muscle-pain-from-statins-time-for.html">Gene Sherpas: Personalized Medicine and You: Muscle Pain from Statins? Time for a genetic evalutaion!</a> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:cd4f68e4-e219-4bbf-a92c-d3d4052fb0d3" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA" rel="tag">DNA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Statins" rel="tag">Statins</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharmacogenomics" rel="tag">Pharmacogenomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prescriptions" rel="tag">Prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Genomics" rel="tag">Genomics</a></div>

Muscle Pain from Statins? Time for a genetic evaluation - Personalized Medicine

This is good, a genomics test that can give some preliminary results on whether or not statins will have an adverse effect before prescribi...

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First Patient-Specific Knee Resurfacing System on the Market

<p> This is a smaller knee implant that does not require as much shaving of the bone, resurfacing instead.  The site has some nice videos to show how it compares to a total knee implant.</p> <p>The products are FDA approved.  What is nice is that a CT scan is done and the image is uploaded to their imaging service, which uses the specifications to create the device, so it is a full custom fit from the start and the product is also suitable for young adults as well.  BD  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfdSTnaK7I/AAAAAAAAIYw/iQ9mqZiR-5U/s1600-h/image%5B17%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="143" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfdTk192FI/AAAAAAAAIY0/WOpK_iYAN3Q/image_thumb%5B10%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="118" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.conformis.com/Physicians/ConforMIS-Patient-Specific-Implants/iDuo-Biocompartmental-Knee-Resurfacing-Device"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="133" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfdVC8qI4I/AAAAAAAAIY4/cJ8vtf7xzKA/image%5B18%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="221" /></a>BURLINGTON, Mass., Aug 04, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- <strong><a href="http://www.conformis.com/Physicians/ConforMIS-Patient-Specific-Implants/iDuo-Biocompartmental-Knee-Resurfacing-Device">ConforMIS, Inc.,</a></strong> a privately held orthopedics company that develops and commercializes minimally invasive medical devices for the treatment of osteoarthritis and joint damage, today announced the launch of the first and only patient-specific bicompartmental knee resurfacing implant on the market. The iDuo(TM) is the third in the line of minimally invasive, patient-specific implants.  </p> <p> <strong>ConforMIS has developed for the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee, the most common reason for knee replacement surgery.  </strong></p> <p> </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/conformis-inc-launches-first-patient-specific/story.aspx?guid=%7B1CD487D2-EDF7-407E-B24B-923E49831BEA%7D&dist=hppr">ConforMIS, Inc. Launches First Patient-Specific, Bicompartmental Knee Resurfacing System on the Market - MarketWatch</a> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9d6103db-3266-48f6-9e0c-69810df2bd80" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Knee%20Surgery" rel="tag">Knee Surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Surgery" rel="tag">Surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Orthopedics" rel="tag">Orthopedics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Knee%20replacement" rel="tag">Knee replacement</a></div>

First Patient-Specific Knee Resurfacing System on the Market

This is a smaller knee implant that does not require as much shaving of the bone, resurfacing instead.  The site has some nice videos to sh...

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Prescription Data Used To Assess Consumers - No Privacy Unless You Pay Cash...

<p> This brings up one big issue, something I have been aware of for a while, collecting data for one purpose and being used for another, think this doesn't happen, think again.  When you sign up for health insurance, you sign you life away for all this data to be collected and reviewed for the process of qualifying for health insurance.  <strong>Ingenix is a division of United Healthcare and one company who does this with profits of over 1 billion last year.  </strong></p> <p>How do you stay out of the data bases, <strong>go pay cash,</strong> preferably for a $4.00 generic if available.  If you have a cholesterol problem and you are<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfKq-2bD7I/AAAAAAAAIYo/62QrMaFnxX8/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJfKryazCoI/AAAAAAAAIYs/Y-mLngLAdGY/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="138" /></a> taking a high dose, it will show up as well as any other prescriptions one is taking, so thus when you go to apply, if you have monthly bills in excess of $500.00 let's say for round figures, well what do you think the outcome might be?   </p> <p>The next step is developing the same type of service for labs, so where's the privacy?  Again, the only thing one can do is <strong>pay cash</strong> to keep the records private.  The information is easier to get and analyze as compared to medical records at present.  Health insurance is not only expensive these days, but it also costs you in the privacy department.  Where will the mined data go next and what about HIPAA revisions?  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><em>Health and life insurance companies have access to a powerful new tool for evaluating whether to cover individual consumers: a health "credit report" drawn from databases containing prescription drug records on more than 200 million Americans.</em></p> <p><em>Ingenix, a Minnesota-based health information services company that had $1.3 billion in sales last year -- and Wisconsin-based rival Milliman -- say the drug profiles are an accurate, less expensive alternative to seeking physician records, which can take months and hundreds of dollars to obtain. <strong>They note that consumers authorize the data release and that the services can save insurance companies millions of dollars and benefit consumers anxious for a decision.</strong></em></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/03/AR2008080302077.html">Prescription Data Used To Assess Consumers - washingtonpost.com</a> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ba1159a5-a652-4f97-a33b-d8d6614470bd" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health%20Insurance" rel="tag">Health Insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prescriptions" rel="tag">Prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Drugs" rel="tag">Drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cash" rel="tag">Cash</a></div>

Prescription Data Used To Assess Consumers - No Privacy Unless You Pay Cash...

This brings up one big issue, something I have been aware of for a while, collecting data for one purpose and being used for another, think...

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Payer Offers Patient Data on CDs

<p> This sounds like some of the data perhaps used for P4P being made available.  With the information on the patient prescriptions refills, etc, it tells all about whether or not a patient fills a prescription or note, unless they pay cash for the $4.00 generic brand, in which case that will <a href="http://www.healthdialog.com/hd/Core/Results/FinancialResults.htm"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="111" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJe39LfL4hI/AAAAAAAAIYk/am5KRAhDfKg/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="146" /></a>not show up on the insurance company records, thus they are eliminating some co-pays on medications for chronic conditions so they can have it in the reporting process.  Twice a year these come out on CDs and no longer on paper, but in the family practice who might have time to digest and research all of this unless you are getting cut further on payments to a large degree of dollars.  If many patients are paying cash for generics at $4.00, the physician stands a good chance on getting dinged on not prescribing enough generic drugs.  BD   </p> <blockquote><em>The CDs indicate whether a patient is in need of a recommended test, procedure or treatment and offer confirmation of tests that have been completed, along with available results. Also included on the CDs is information about patient's "medication persistence," which indicates how often the patient fills their recommended prescriptions and obtains refills in a timely manner.</em></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/disease_management26704-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e537:120588a:&st=email&portal=payers">Payer Offers Patient Data on CDs</a> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:f63cf9f9-57ee-4ea6-8523-8d09efa36322" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health%20Insurance" rel="tag">Health Insurance</a></div>

Payer Offers Patient Data on CDs

This sounds like some of the data perhaps used for P4P being made available.  With the information on the patient prescriptions refills, et...

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Does Your CEO Get It? - Healthcare

<div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ac3a671a-14f7-436f-b2a6-2a6d7fbcf552" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CIO" rel="tag">CIO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CEO" rel="tag">CEO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a></div> <p>  Good article about working together at the top levels.  I've been in places where the CIO is not lucky and has a difficult time with CFO budgets, and each incident I have seen comes from the lack of interest with technology from the top.  About a year ago I had a CIO, as he identified himself in healthcare beg to differ with me in the fact that he stated he was an "executive CIO" and that he had been a CIO at several companies and went on further to say that technology knowledge was not important to being a CIO.  Now that was a year ago, and I wonder if perhaps his comments might change by today's standards.  You can do a search to find the article on the blog.  Just from the readers here and others who link to this blog, I think there might be a real difference of opinion.(grin).  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>We interview CIOs all the time for both our traditional magazine-style stories and our one-on-one Web exclusives. These <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJezBDDuy_I/AAAAAAAAIYc/G90ThOxENK8/s1600-h/image7.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="97" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJezBiF5AiI/AAAAAAAAIYg/L2rBRbfpi8k/image_thumb3.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" width="96" /></a>conversations are wide ranging, covering everything from leadership perspectives to implementation specifics. One of our favorite lines of questioning drills down on the CEOs they work for, to discover how the boss can contribute to, or hinder, CIO effectiveness.<strong> Because we usually talk to IT leaders that are finding some measure of success, its not surprising their CEOs are cast in a positive light. But not everyone is so lucky. </strong></p> <p><em>I'm sure some reading this column work for the (ital) other (end ital) type of CEO, the one that has you reporting to a tough-as-nails CFO who's got you on budgetary lockdown.</em></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://healthcare-informatics.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=349DF6BB879446A1886B65F332AC487F&nm=&type=Blog&mod=View+Topic&mid=67D6564029914AD3B204AD35D8F5F780&tier=7&id=13B5899951EC4691B4FC6FF931A1DFE9">Does Your CEO Get It? | Blog | Healthcare Informatics</a></p>

Does Your CEO Get It? - Healthcare

Technorati Tags: CIO , Healthcare , CEO , Technology   Good article about working together at the top levels.  I've been in places whe...

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Medicare Expands List of 'No-Pay' Hospital Conditions

<p> These 3 new items could sure leave some questions on the table and issues could be cloudy.  These 3 should be evaluated on an individual patient basis and not an overall listing, after all one patient could be allergic to most medications used for blood clots as a simple example.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>The list of hospital treatments that Medicare wont pay for is growing, but not by as much as the feds initially suggested it <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJewYEEOs_I/AAAAAAAAIYU/qdzOU0vkqS0/s1600-h/image%5B12%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="84" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SJewZeqdEzI/AAAAAAAAIYY/JnOK__g0928/image_thumb%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" width="107" /></a>might. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said last year it would stop paying to treat certain complications it said were preventable with good care. (We described the initial list in this post.) Earlier this year, CMS said it could add nine more complications to the list. CMS said yesterday that after considering public comments, it was adding three conditions: </p> <ul> <li><strong><font face="Arial">Blood clots in patients after surgery for knee and hip replacements </font></strong></li> <li><strong><font face="Arial">Surgical site infections after certain elective procedures, including some orthopedic surgeries and bariatric surgery </font></strong></li> <li><strong><font face="Arial">Certain major problems that result from failing to control blood sugar levels after a patient is hospitalized</font></strong> </li> </ul> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/08/01/medicare-expands-list-of-no-pay-hospital-conditions/">Health Blog : Medicare Expands List of 'No-Pay' Hospital Conditions</a> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:cde2ce21-9c30-4a8a-adf4-c55cb2387464" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hospital" rel="tag">Hospital</a></div>

Medicare Expands List of 'No-Pay' Hospital Conditions

These 3 new items could sure leave some questions on the table and issues could be cloudy.  These 3 should be evaluated on an individual pa...

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Medical Quack is Back

<p>Sorry for the long week of no posts, working on things today and there should be some new stories up this evening.  Thanks once more to all my readers and thanks for your patience.  </p> <p> </p> <p>Barbara Duck  </p>

Medical Quack is Back

Sorry for the long week of no posts, working on things today and there should be some new stories up this evening.  Thanks once more to all ...

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House votes to treat tobacco as a drug

<p> <img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9P_nkLTI/AAAAAAAAIV8/aMAtC1YcAlA/fda1_thumb[2].png?imgmax=800" /> It sounds like the overburdened FDA could get a little busier in the future if the bill passes the Senate as well.  BD  </p> <blockquote>If the U.S. House gets its way, the FDA soon may have even more power--to regulate tobacco as a drug. Reps voted overwhelmingly to charge the agency with overseeing the tobacco industry, in spite of a veto threat by President Bush. It's a move long sought by anti-smoking advocates, and one lobbied for, as you may recall, by ex-FDA chief David Kessler.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/house-votes-treat-tobacco-drug/2008-07-31?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss&cmp-id=OTC-RSS-FP0">House votes to treat tobacco as a drug - FiercePharma</a></p>

House votes to treat tobacco as a drug

  It sounds like the overburdened FDA could get a little busier in the future if the bill passes the Senate as well.  BD  If the U.S. Hou...

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Insurance companies deny coverage based on medications a patient is taking obtained from marketing reports…

<p> One more way for the information to run queries to cherry pick applicants is accomplished.  When you apply for insurance, the fine writing will usually state that you are giving permission to check any medical information and records and, yes, this includes prescriptions.<strong>  Even the $4.00 generic retailers can’t help out here as they maintain records too even if you pay cash.  </strong></p> <p>Two companies supplying these pharmacy profiles—MedPoint and IntelliScript—violated federal law for years by keeping the system hidden from consumers.  They collect data and can sell the file back to the insurance company for maybe $15.00 or so.  Not only does this help to deny coverage, but it levies other reasons to charge a higher rate for coverage too, and<strong> employers pay attention too as this can result in overall higher premiums for your group plan too</strong>.   </p> <p>The 2 companies buy the data bases from Pharmacy Benefit Managers like Medco as an example, but some retailers have their own Pharmacy Benefit Managers, and there are no HIPAA or other privacy laws to stop the process, scary.  The insurance companies say this helps identify high risks, well yes, so they can potentially dodge a high risk of sorts.  <strong>The insurance companies are not notifying consumers why they were denied</strong> if it was due to a pharmaceutical data mine either.  So what is the solution, go back to getting medications from Canada, and I say that with a bit of satire here.  One other item, what about fraud, could one be denied in this case, it does happen here and there.  </p> <p><strong>Just one more angle in the fight for healthcare.</strong>  The more meds you take, the greater potential of scrutiny when it comes to insurance.  The records they have access to can go back up to 5 years.  As the insurance business dwindles here due to the economy, more are opening up offices in China for their next frontier.  If you have read recent posts here you can see where <strong>several carriers have been sued in California</strong> and new laws are being passed to give the department of managed care more teeth to go up against the carriers to assure equal opportunities and cut down this type of activity, after all who can you trust anymore…that’s one good question.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIpiY_6KPCI/AAAAAAAAIXc/5W9Dwg31t2I/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="529" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIpicl4wGOI/AAAAAAAAIXg/4Ojg_zIeFSc/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="496" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p><em>That prescription you just picked up at the drugstore could hurt your chances of getting health insurance. An untold number of people have been rejected for medical coverage for a reason they never could have guessed: Insurance companies are using huge, commercially available prescription databases to screen out applicants based on their drug purchases.</em></p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:717eb6ce-b5f4-4604-af18-f24f9473cef4" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+Insurance" rel="tag">Health Insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prescriptions" rel="tag">Prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medications" rel="tag">Medications</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharmaceuticals" rel="tag">Pharmaceuticals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Drugs" rel="tag">Drugs</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_31/b4094000643943.htm?chan=search">They Know What's in Your Medicine Cabinet</a></p></blockquote>

Insurance companies deny coverage based on medications a patient is taking obtained from marketing reports…

One more way for the information to run queries to cherry pick applicants is accomplished.  When you apply for insurance, the fine writing ...

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FDA, Military Health System tighten data sharing pact

<p>Recently the FDA announced it was going to use the <strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/fda-to-have-access-to-cms-medicare-data.html">Medicare data base</a></strong> in the effort to mine and help find adverse drug side effects as well as other pertinent data relative to the approval and warning process in place at the FDA.  This is more than likely related to  the latest technology updates in progress with the new <strong>Sentinel Imitative,</strong> so by adding military <img align="left" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9P_nkLTI/AAAAAAAAIV8/aMAtC1YcAlA/fda1_thumb[2].png?imgmax=800" />records to the overall process there will be more data available to study and scrutinize.  </p> <p>No doubt the information made available will also play an important role in how genomics is shaping up to play a role in helping with additional information up front for the decision making processes.  If the <strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/07/sensible-censor-for-sharing-medical.html">recent software solution from MIT</a></strong> could enter the picture and be effective with anonymizing the data, the processing time for mining data could improve as well.  One more step towards personalized medicine in the works.  BD</p> <p>The Food and Drug Administration and the Military Health System (MHS) are planning to deepen an existing information-sharing relationship. <br /> <br /><strong>Cooperation between the two agencies will be expanded to include use of MHS databases to track unexpected side effects for newly approved pharmaceuticals. It will also include investigating and tracking outbreaks of food poisonings and incidents of bioterrorism.</strong> </p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:2e4a40e7-f80a-45ad-92b3-a4d1ae34940d" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DOD" rel="tag">DOD</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Records" rel="tag">Medical Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MIT" rel="tag">MIT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data+Mining" rel="tag">Data Mining</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genomics" rel="tag">genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personalized+medicine" rel="tag">personalized medicine</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350476-1.html">http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350476-1.html</a></p>

FDA, Military Health System tighten data sharing pact

Recently the FDA announced it was going to use the Medicare data base in the effort to mine and help find adverse drug side effects as well...

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Gentag and MacroArray Develop Prostate Cancer Wireless Diagnostic Processes and Technology

<p> According to this article, a <strong>patch would transmit the results direct to a cell phone,</strong> more telemedicine in the works?  If the efforts are successful, this would allow <a href="http://www.macroarraytechnologies.com/macro1.pdf"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="144" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoeBD5NRdI/AAAAAAAAIXY/sxjDx_K8tTg/image%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="129" /></a>more to be tested though the technology as the results could be relayed back to the physician or hospital.  Biotech at work once more by using a biomarker with an assay combining the lab portions of the test on the patch with the software of a cell phone to transmit.  A urine sample would be placed on the sensor test strip with a reaction time established and off to the cell phone the data would travel.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>The companies will combine <strong><a href="http://www.gentag.com/">Gentag's cell phone</a></strong> technology with <strong><a href="http://www.macroarraytechnologies.com/">MacroArray's</a></strong> urine-based cancer diagnostic. Gentag has found a way to integrate radiofrequency identification sensors and wireless cell phone technology to provide a non-invasive, low-cost, and disposable testing method through the use of skin patches or immunoassays.</p> <p><strong><em>The companies hope that the new test will replace the traditional PSA blood test as a more rapid, effective method of prostate cancer diagnosis.</em></strong></p> </blockquote> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:13e689de-fcca-4e9f-ab3e-1cf2186d0a5e" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Devices" rel="tag">Medical Devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Telemedicine" rel="tag">Telemedicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prostate+Cancer" rel="tag">Prostate Cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PSA" rel="tag">PSA</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.medicaldevicestoday.com/2008/07/gentag-and-macr.html">Medical Devices Today: Gentag and MacroArray Develop Prostate Cancer Diagnostic</a></p>

Gentag and MacroArray Develop Prostate Cancer Wireless Diagnostic Processes and Technology

According to this article, a patch would transmit the results direct to a cell phone, more telemedicine in the works?  If the efforts are ...

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Biogenerics Would Reduce Health Care Costs For Patients, Says Generic Pharmaceutical Association

<p><strong> A new possible term in the world of Biotech, <u>Biogenerics?</u> </strong>  We currently have Pharmacogenomics working and now perhaps an interest with the Generic Drug business investing in Biotech as well or perhaps the availability of a generic without a long patent <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoYXxwD4HI/AAAAAAAAIXQ/HLN1JIFMkBA/s1600-h/fda1%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="fda1" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoYYVEM0nI/AAAAAAAAIXU/LUqyXJ44Le4/fda1_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="fda1" width="118" /></a>protection period?  I am not quite sure how this fits in, but perhaps more information will be available as the issue develops  The group is asking that the FDA work on a program to make it possible without the long and extensive patent protections for one.  BD   </p> <blockquote><strong><a href="http://www.gphaonline.org/">The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (</a></strong>GPhA) today said the availability of a workable pathway that provides timely patient access to safe, affordable and life-saving biogeneric medicines would save consumers and the health care system billions of dollars. The skyrocketing prices of certain prescription drugs were the focus of a Joint Economic Committee hearing on Capitol Hill yesterday (www.jec.senate.gov).</blockquote> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7fe452c0-69d7-4a19-9e3b-1b73ba9c3304" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Generic+Drugs" rel="tag">Generic Drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Biotech" rel="tag">Biotech</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharmaceuticals" rel="tag">Pharmaceuticals</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/116097.php">Biogenerics Would Reduce Health Care Costs For Patients, Says GPhA</a></p>

Biogenerics Would Reduce Health Care Costs For Patients, Says Generic Pharmaceutical Association

A new possible term in the world of Biotech, Biogenerics?   We currently have Pharmacogenomics working and now perhaps an interest with th...

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GSK Gets on Board with The YouTube Revolution – Well Sort of…

<p> One more Pharma company joins You Tube Channels, GSK, <strong><a href="http://www.eyeonfda.com/eye_on_fda/2008/07/gsk-gets-on-boa.html">but this post makes a very good point, no embedding,</a></strong> I agree here, what’s up with Glaxo not allowing one to embed!  Also as mentioned, where’s the publicity as <strong><a href="http://www.eyeonfda.com/eye_on_fda/2008/07/gsk-gets-on-boa.html">Eye on the FDA</a></strong> reports that he’s subscriber number 8!  Is big pharma still a little gun shy about using video media?  Use the link below to read the entire post, he makes some very good points here and reviews other efforts being made by Pharma in the You Tube Channels and <strong>shoot even the FDA allows embedding to help spread the news. </strong> Do you think that perhaps<strong> Twitter</strong> might enter the marketing scheme any time soon with Pharma?  Good article and worth reading.  BD  </p> <blockquote><em><strong>“The first video listed is one that overviews their philanthropy.</strong> You would be surprised<strong> how little people know about the extent of philanthropy from the pharmaceutical industry</strong>. Frankly, most people don't know anything about it and pharmaceutical companies tend to believe everyone knows the extent to which drugs flow to developing countries. Here is a link to that video - unfortunately for some reason that is unfathomable, they have disabled the ability to embed the vid. Not a good idea.”</em></blockquote> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:c940bfbc-946d-4c6f-8104-58f44c023e31" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GSK" rel="tag">GSK</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/You+Tube" rel="tag">You Tube</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharma" rel="tag">Pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.eyeonfda.com/eye_on_fda/2008/07/gsk-gets-on-boa.html">Eye on FDA: GSK Gets on Board with The YouTube Revolution -</a></p>

GSK Gets on Board with The YouTube Revolution – Well Sort of…

One more Pharma company joins You Tube Channels, GSK, but this post makes a very good point, no embedding, I agree here, what’s up with Gl...

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Yahoo offers free Zimbra email Client on your Desktop

<p>The race for the desktop email client continues with the latest offering from Yahoo.  Up until now you had to be online to work with email, now with the new Zimbra client, you can work with email offline, just as you have been able to do with Outlook for years.  </p> <p>You can also import other email accounts, again just as Outlook has done for quite a while to include AOL, GMail, and others.  The software offers a lot of customizations and is <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoMR-Dp3ZI/AAAAAAAAIW4/jmRe4WAq3Pg/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="167" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoMTgNqq-I/AAAAAAAAIW8/jOo2w8m2O4A/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a>a bit of a lengthy download.  Microsoft has a <strong><a href="http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview">Windows Live Desktop,</a></strong> which is very similar to Outlook and I have used it for over a year one on of my PCs with pretty much the same capabilities,<strong> but it looks like Outlook, easier for me to work with and many of the same customization features and rules formats</strong>.  </p> <p><strong>Yahoo Mail is available with all 3 operating systems though, Windows, Linux and Apple, </strong><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoMUQnO48I/AAAAAAAAIXA/Gb0BOhWs0Kw/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><strong><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoMVNug5xI/AAAAAAAAIXE/qC9yA91a1YY/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="151" /></strong></a>so if you are not a Windows person, you have some options.  My overall opinion is that it is ok so now I have an alternative to reading Yahoo mail, which cannot be brought in to Outlook <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoMZNeYctI/AAAAAAAAIXI/O36QoNSOOxM/s1600-h/image%5B6%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="166" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoMaA5i28I/AAAAAAAAIXM/N2kdF7wGkLY/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a>unless you pay for a premium subscription, something that has always bugged me a bit as you don’t have that with GMail or Hotmail.  Oh well I guess you can’t have everything, so the battle for the desktop email client continues and this is worth a look if you are using Yahoo mail.  I still see many physicians and medical offices using it, thus I thought I would add this for information purposes.  <strong>It’s not Outlook, but it’s ok.</strong>  BD  </p> <ul> <li>Email, contacts, and calendar all in one application  </li> <li>Available for Windows, Apple, or Linux desktop computers </li> <li>Easily set up Zimbra, Yahoo! Mail Plus, AOL and Gmail email accounts with the Account Wizard </li> <li>Any POP or IMAP email account can be added to Zimbra Desktop </li> <li>No limit to the size of your email storage  </li> <li>It works online and <u>offline </u></li> </ul> <blockquote><a href="http://www.zimbra.com/products/desktop_features.html"> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:b3c35037-019a-48fc-90fa-dbc345ee17e7" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Yahoo" rel="tag">Yahoo</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Email" rel="tag">Email</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Desktop+Client" rel="tag">Desktop Client</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/POP+Mail" rel="tag">POP Mail</a></div> Zimbra on your Desktop</a></blockquote>

Yahoo offers free Zimbra email Client on your Desktop

The race for the desktop email client continues with the latest offering from Yahoo.  Up until now you had to be online to work with email, ...

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PEAK Surgical Receives Clearance To Market PEAK(R) Surgery System For Use In General Surgery

<p><a href="http://www.peaksurgical.com/products/plasmablades/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="148" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoA2m7NkEI/AAAAAAAAIWo/YFRK-zf0flw/image%5B19%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="196" /></a> This appears to be a replacement to the scalpel as known today.  Less bleeding and <strong><a href="http://www.peaksurgical.com/"></a><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoA6qUbVXI/AAAAAAAAIWs/HfniTNoZqXI/s1600-h/image%5B16%5D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="161" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoA7_wws2I/AAAAAAAAIWw/gZ78WMES-DE/image_thumb%5B10%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="150" /></a></a></strong>better control are some of the benefits for surgeons.  This gives <strong>the best of both worlds to the surgeon</strong> it appears.  Other devices on the market also control bleeding but potentially cause additional tissue damage whereas the Plasma Blade is engineered to take this one step further.  The techniques used by the device were originally developed at Stanford University.  </p> <p><strong>The pulsing action leads to less surrounding tissue damage.</strong>  The Pulsar generator is a plug and play device that works with the Plasma Blade to set and monitor the Plasma Blade during surgery.  The device is set to be for sale in the very near future.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><strong><a href="http://www.peaksurgical.com/">PEAK Surgical, Inc.,</a></strong> a medical device company that has developed a  <a href="http://www.peaksurgical.com/products/peak-technology/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="162" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIoA-E8N2NI/AAAAAAAAIW0/Qh-DWM7LcB0/image%5B18%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a>new tissue dissection system based on a proprietary technology, announced  that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted the company 510(k) clearance to market its PEAK(R) Surgery System for use in general surgery. </p> </blockquote> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:d83f5818-332f-4245-873c-51f133299548" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Surgery" rel="tag">Surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Devices" rel="tag">Medical Devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hospital" rel="tag">Hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/116088.php">PEAK Surgical Receives 510(k) Clearance To Market PEAK(R) Surgery System For Use In General Surgery</a></p>

PEAK Surgical Receives Clearance To Market PEAK(R) Surgery System For Use In General Surgery

This appears to be a replacement to the scalpel as known today.  Less bleeding and better control are some of the benefits for surgeons.  T...

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Physician Funnies – Real comments between Doctors and Patients

<p></p> <p>It is time for a bit of humor, which is needed from time to time.  I don’t know who the author was that put all of these together, but they are funny misconceptions with conversations between MDs and their patients, and it’s real life.  Communication mix ups that are just funny and thanks to the MDs who shared these moments of humor.  </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <object align="middle" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="500" id="doc_219682890661153" name="doc_219682890661153" width="100%"> <param name="movie" value="http://documents.scribd.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=4094000&access_key=key-dzb3w69hfu5d8tgtic1&page=&version=1&auto_size=true"> <param name="quality" value="high"> <param name="play" value="true"> <param name="loop" value="true"> <param name="scale" value="showall"> <param name="wmode" value="opaque"> <param name="devicefont" value="false"> <param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff"> <param name="menu" value="true"> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"> <param name="salign" value=""> <embed src="http://documents.scribd.com/ScribdViewer.swf?document_id=4094000&access_key=key-dzb3w69hfu5d8tgtic1&page=&version=1&auto_size=true" quality="high" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" play="true" loop="true" scale="showall" wmode="opaque" devicefont="false" bgcolor="#ffffff" name="doc_219682890661153_object" menu="true" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" salign="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" align="middle" height="500" width="100%"></embed> </object> <div style="display: none"></div>

Physician Funnies – Real comments between Doctors and Patients

It is time for a bit of humor, which is needed from time to time.  I don’t know who the author was that put all of these together, but the...

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California Wants Dr. Kevin Brown’s Medical License

<p> It sounds like there are some pretty major issues here from alleged sexual misconduct <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkTbRygXnI/AAAAAAAAIWg/axk386JoiP8/s1600-h/image%5B15%5D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="193" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkTcL8EViI/AAAAAAAAIWk/1iM5Bu2xy1o/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="117" /></a>to <strong>over prescribing Oxycodone and other fraud issues</strong>.<em>  “Dr. Brown attracted controversy earlier this year when he organized a charity fundraiser at the Playboy   Mansion to which his father, the Premier, donated three all-expense paid trips to Bermuda in conjunction with Elbow Beach to this effort.”</em> <strong> He is accused of rape when making a house call at a patient’s residence as well. </strong> If this is the case, we certainly don’t need someone like this on the rolls of making house calls.  <strong>Six patients so far have come forward.</strong>  BD  </p> <blockquote>  The arraignment of Premier Ewart Brown's son for 19 felony charges of sexual molestation was yesterday adjourned until August 7. But the Los Angeles Superior Court was told that seven more alleged victims of Dr. Kevin Brown have come forward. Dr. Brown was remanded in custody on $4 million bail after facing 19 felony counts, including a lewd act on a 15-year-old, rape, sexual battery by fraud and sexual exploitation in the court yesterday. These alleged assaults occurred between November 6, 2006, and May 31, 2008. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years in state prison.</blockquote> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:514068cd-bc50-4993-9cc1-748c103e7314" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Doctor" rel="tag">Doctor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/California" rel="tag">California</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+License" rel="tag">Medical License</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Rape" rel="tag">Rape</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Assault" rel="tag">Assault</a></div> <p><a href="http://www.royalgazette.com/siftology.royalgazette/Article/article.jsp?articleId=7d87c3330030008&sectionId=60">The Royal Gazette</a></p>

California Wants Dr. Kevin Brown’s Medical License

It sounds like there are some pretty major issues here from alleged sexual misconduct to over prescribing Oxycodone and other fraud issues ...

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Microsoft HealthVault and RelayHealth (McKesson) to Connect Doctors and Patients

<p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/hospitals/"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="89" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkMb8udMII/AAAAAAAAIWQ/skOtLvJnZ9s/image%5B25%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none ;" title="image" width="199" /></a> Many of the Tenet hospitals are McKesson Clients. The Relay Health network will be able to connect to the patient’s file <em>“The RelayHealth network then connects the consumer's portfolio of information with the care<a href="http://www.relayhealth.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="88" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkMcqltfqI/AAAAAAAAIWU/2nLkBK_seZE/image%5B26%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none ;" title="image" width="182" /></a> provider and unifies the management of the personal health record." </em><strong>Physicians will be able to review the information and share information with patients or other physicians</strong>. This can work well with prescribing through the network as a physician for a simple example could choose to share the medication with the HealthVault, so the patient could have it available as well. <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/hospitals/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="343" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkMe8rTiVI/AAAAAAAAIWY/pFLZ7tVaz2s/image%5B30%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none ;" title="image" width="326" /></a> </p> <blockquote> <p>In addition on<strong> <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/hospitals/">the web page</a></strong> there are a number of videos that show how the HealthVault is currently and potentially used at the hospital. Also just recently in the news was the announcement from <strong><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/07/14/daily10.html">Longs Drugs to also begin offering HealthVault services in the near future.</a> </strong></p> <p>There’s also an information site for developers who want further information about becoming <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/healthvault/cc185139.aspx"><strong>a HealthVault</strong></a><strong> solution provider.</strong> <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/healthvault/cc507320.aspx">Health Vault and HIPPA information</a> can be read here. </p> <p><strong>In addition, new certification logos are available for certified devices after going through the process.</strong> BD</p> <p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/devicelogo/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="215" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkMgUBCsII/AAAAAAAAIWc/S_AODCQ7x-I/image%5B29%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border: 0px none ;" title="image" width="478" /></a></p> <p>REDMOND, Wash., July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Corp. today announced a strategic collaboration with RelayHealth, McKesson Corp.'s connectivity business, to accelerate and improve the relationship between doctors and patients. </p> <p><strong>HealthVault will provide physicians using RelayHealth's Software as a Service (SaaS) platform with the technology to facilitate enhanced online patient service and communications.</strong> Physicians can easily employ the RelayHealth service, which includes electronic prescribing, through a Web browser as the initial step toward clinical automation of their practice. <strong>The service is also designed to integrate with electronic medical record systems already in use.</strong> For patients, the combined solution allows access to their personal health information and an online interaction with their personal physician.</p> </blockquote> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8d4928f2-5ce2-429c-be7e-ab9647281801" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline; float: none;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthvaut" rel="tag">Healthvaut</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/McKesson" rel="tag">McKesson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/RelayHealth" rel="tag">RelayHealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Records" rel="tag">Medical Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personal+Health+Records" rel="tag">Personal Health Records</a></div> <p><a href="http://sev.prnewswire.com/computer-electronics/20080724/AQTH52524072008-1.html">Microsoft Corp. :: Microsoft HealthVault and RelayHealth to Connect Doctors and Patients</a></p>

Microsoft HealthVault and RelayHealth (McKesson) to Connect Doctors and Patients

Many of the Tenet hospitals are McKesson Clients. The Relay Health network will be able to connect to the patient’s file “The RelayHealt...

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Complaints Undermine Hip Device – Zimmer Hip

<p>The sales have been suspended until an investigation from the company can determine the problems and issues with the hip.  <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkEdU9_UfI/AAAAAAAAIWI/IM1L1-ZKiFA/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="195" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIkEeFL3PDI/AAAAAAAAIWM/hEWn4AGK3-k/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="114" /></a></p> <p>A surgeon in Los Angeles was the initial person to voice an opinion about the cup failures.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/zimmer_holdings/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Zimmer Holdings</a>, the nation’s biggest producer of orthopedic devices, says it will suspend sales of an artificial hip component that some doctors have complained was failing at a high rate. </p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/business/24hip.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss" title="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/business/24hip.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss">http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/business/24hip.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss</a></p>

Complaints Undermine Hip Device – Zimmer Hip

The sales have been suspended until an investigation from the company can determine the problems and issues with the hip.  A surgeon in Lo...

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State freezes Medi-Cal payments to thousands of healthcare facilities - California

<p> We all know that this means and it stands to put many small businesses at risk if they cannot get a line of credit to carry them through until a budget is passed.  Nursing Home facilities stand to be hit the hardest.  BD  </p> <blockquote>SACRAMENTO -- -- Thousands of medical providers who care for low-income Californians are scrambling to find funds to keep their doors open, as the failure of lawmakers to pass a budget forces the state to halt payments to them. State officials put the healthcare facilities on notice that starting today, payments from the Medi-Cal insurance program for the poor will be frozen until a budget is approved. An emergency pot of cash officials had set aside to pay the healthcare clinics, nursing homes and adult day care centers in the event of a delayed budget has run dry.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-me-budgetside24-2008jul24,0,1733940.story?track=rss">State freezes Medi-Cal payments to thousands of healthcare facilities - Los Angeles Times</a></p>

State freezes Medi-Cal payments to thousands of healthcare facilities - California

We all know that this means and it stands to put many small businesses at risk if they cannot get a line of credit to carry them through un...

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A sensible censor for sharing medical records – Anonymize medical records for research…

<p>This could be great news <strong>as how many times do medical records need to be anonymized for research, a lot.</strong>  We all remember the case with the NHS and their mistake made a few months back with the records.   This will be nice too if it is open source and<strong> I hope they send the software over to Medicare to use before <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9NW69XZI/AAAAAAAAIV4/YDB9gtA7lEg/s1600-h/fda1%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="fda1" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9P_nkLTI/AAAAAAAAIV8/aMAtC1YcAlA/fda1_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="fda1" width="118" /></a> opening up the records for the FDA to use in research</strong>.  Actually this could be a nice blessing in disguise for both the FDA and Medicare if it proves to be truly functional and work well and quickly.  This way <strong>as citizens we might be able to have some assurance of some HIPAA compliance at the top levels to</strong>o.  To manually remove the information presently by using the standard query functions can take a long time with the number of records,<strong> as you might run the query, take a weeks vacation to come back to see if the results have finished</strong> (grin), well maybe not that long, but it does take time.    BD</p> <blockquote><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9RMUlLgI/AAAAAAAAIWA/pFgHtREnTQ0/s1600-h/image%5B9%5D.png"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SIj9TLxZV2I/AAAAAAAAIWE/PR6fjMM5YJI/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" title="image" width="140" /></a>  In the July 24 issue of the journal BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, <strong>a team of MIT researchers describes a computer program capable of automatically deleting details from medical records that may identify patients, while leaving important medical information intact.</strong> Patient records that are to be shared within the research community must have any identifying information removed, according to the U.S. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). <strong>However, manual removal of identifying information is prohibitively expensive, time consuming and prone to error-constraints</strong> that have prompted considerable research toward developing automated techniques for "de-identifying" medical records.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news136124639.html">A sensible censor for sharing medical records</a></p> <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:e06cdfd7-b02e-4823-b3f7-6a2e1ae43a45" style="padding-right: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-top: 0px">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Records" rel="tag">Medical Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HIPAA" rel="tag">HIPAA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Anonymize" rel="tag">Anonymize</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MIT" rel="tag">MIT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Techonology" rel="tag">Techonology</a></div>

A sensible censor for sharing medical records – Anonymize medical records for research…

This could be great news as how many times do medical records need to be anonymized for research, a lot.   We all remember the case with the...

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AHLTA (military health records software) takes hits in latest Web hall

<p>The physicians were stating it lacked features.  Recently the DOD and Military have been collaborating on the subject of medical records and looking at the system used by the VA, called Vista.  The use of both systems though would require interoperability to talk to each other as well, something private industry is working on presently with a vengeance, so nothing new here with the progression of medical records, as everyone is going in the same direction.  BD</p> <p>Military health providers have numerous complaints about AHLTA, the Military Health System’s electronic medical record system. <br />That was the inescapable conclusion to be drawn from the latest Web hall sponsored by MHS and conducted June 20. Participants posted comments on a message board at the MHS Web site, to which MHS staffers responded. <br />There were more than 150 comments, the overwhelming majority negative. Among the more general complaints: AHLTA is too slow, it transforms health care providers into typists and clerks, and its system for generating medical notes is inefficient. </p> <p><a href="http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350442-1.html?GHITNLmhit=yes">http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350442-1.html?GHITNLmhit=yes</a></p>

AHLTA (military health records software) takes hits in latest Web hall

The physicians were stating it lacked features.  Recently the DOD and Military have been collaborating on the subject of medical records and...

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Advanced Cancer Therapeutics licenses technology to develop HPV vaccine with plants

<p> Merck may be getting some competition in time with the HPV Vaccine business, but the research here will focus on using plants, which they state will provide a vaccine at a cost less to the consumer.  BD </p> <blockquote>Advanced Cancer Therapeutics (ACT) has announced the signing of two new collaborative agreements that will advance development of the Company's novel human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program. The vaccine, to be produced in tobacco plants, targets the L2 protein, an integral part of the papillomavirus capsid. Preclinical research indicates that this development strategy may yield a vaccine that provides broader immune protection against a greater number of the approximate 200 HPV subtypes, as well as provide a more cost-effective alternative to the currently available options to patients. As such, the vaccine could have a significant impact on reducing the global incidence of HPV-linked cancers, including cervical cancer.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40217">Advanced Cancer Therapeutics licenses technology to develop HPV vaccine</a></p>

Advanced Cancer Therapeutics licenses technology to develop HPV vaccine with plants

Merck may be getting some competition in time with the HPV Vaccine business, but the research here will focus on using plants, which they s...

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