MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'alaska'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:59:44 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008381&cid=t_101690_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Falaskan-healthcare-it-lessons-learned I'm back from Alaska and I'll post several blogs about my Healthcare IT and personal experiences in the 49th state. Alaska faces many healthcare challenges given its large area (663,268 sq mi) and population of 710,231 residents (as per the 2010 US Census), approximately half of which live in the Anchorage metropolitan area, making Alaska the least densely populated state. Roads are limited, making boat and small plane the only means of transportation to many locations, especially in the western portion of the state. read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008381 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 13:13:46 +0100 5008381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4495186&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKezm3WhuHEE%2F By Michael F. CannonThe Associated Press reports that Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell (R) told the Juneau Chamber of Commerce that he will not be implementing ObamaCare: "The state of Alaska will not pursue unlawful activity to implement a federal health care regime that has been declared unconstitutional by a federal court," Parnell told the Juneau Chamber of Commerce, to applause, Thursday. The AP included a couple of interesting comments from ObamaCare supporters Timothy Jost, a law professor at Washington & Lee University, and Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. Jost described Judge Roger Vinson (to whom Parnell referred) as "one renegade judge," when in fact two federal judges have struck down ObamaCare's individual mandate as unconstitutional.  (Since only two federal jud... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4495186 Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:01:58 +0100 4495186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077229&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F8oECYYB9uY0%2F By Daniel J. MitchellTim Carney of the Washington Examiner is an expert on graft and sleaze inside the Beltway, and his column this morning is a perfect example. He shows how corrupt insiders in Alaska use something known as the “Rent-an-Eskimo” scam to pull in hundreds of millions of tax dollars from no-bid federal contracts. These insiders, meanwhile, steers big bucks to Washington lobbyists (almost all of whom worked for politicians like Lisa Murkowski), who then provide campaign cash to the corrupt officials who pass the laws that enable the circle of graft to continue. Here are some key passages from Tim’s column. Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s write-in candidacy is being funded by $100,000 contributions from a handful of Alaska corporations that have been handsomely s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077229 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 15:48:17 +0100 4077229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3823124&cid=t_101690_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F08%2F04%2Fbristol-palin-levi-johnston-and-our-shared-crackers-and-jell-o-heritage%2F My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Bristol Palin, Levi Johnston and Our Shared Crackers and Jell-O Heritage. Oh dear. Today my colleague Sandra Fish brought me up to speed on the ever-changing Tilt-A-Whirl of love in a universe that is light years away from New York and Chelsea Clinton. Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston Engagement: It’s Off Again. Maybe. This story’s got everything you’ve come to expect of the family dramas surrounding our former governor of the great state of Alaska. Tabloid covers. Hints of a reality show. References to both the song “Jack and Diane” and Kathy Griffin. Not to mention the prospect of a downhome wedding. Chelsea may have been born in Little Rock, but she’s no more Arkansas than the Dalai Lama. Now, I don’t kno... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3823124 Wed, 04 Aug 2010 15:05:01 +0100 3823124 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3790665&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fmaternity-line-at-forever-21-tacky-or-tasteful%2F Forever 21, the clothing shop known for its stylish, cheap, and arguably disposable clothing aimed at the 21-and-under set is introducing a new maternity line, “Love 21″. They’ll be launching it in five states – Texas, Utah, Alaska, Arizona and California. Hmmn. Though Forever 21 reps claim that the store locations are random, these states just happen to be the states with the highest teen pregnancy rates. We suppose it’s their right to sell clothing for moms-to-be, but we’re not so sure we believe that their locations are pure coincidence. What do you think – is it tacky or tasteful to market trendy clothing to teen moms? Photo from Eco Salon Via Eco Salon Post from: BlissTree Maternity Line at Forever 21: Tacky or Tasteful? (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3790665 Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:12:04 +0100 3790665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3526945&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FaVQzGLrQa-M%2F The high court rejected an effort by Pfizer to deep six a securities lawsuit that alleged the drugmaker misrepresented safety issues about its Celebrex painkiller (see here). The lawsuit claimed Pharmacia, which Pfizer now owns, deliberately withheld results of a study showing Celebrex offered no safety advantages over less expensive meds, The Wall Street Journal writes. Pfizer argued that investors missed a two-year statute of limitations to bring the lawsuit. But the Alaska Electrical Pension Fund maintained there was no evidence of a possible fraud until The Washington Post published an article about missing Celebrex data in August 2001, which meant its April 2003 lawsuit was within two years of the statute. The 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia ruled last year that the la... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3526945 Mon, 03 May 2010 16:13:51 +0100 3526945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471967&cid=t_101690_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FX7m28P4JGHk%2F "Sarah Palin's Alaska", set to air on TLC, is getting lots of attention, but not in a good way. Remember “Drill, Baby, Drill!”? We’re guessing that The Discovery Network (which owns TLC, Planet Green, and the Discovery Channel) would like you to forget about it, given its recent $2 million contract with Alaska’s former Governor Sarah Palin. The rogue politician will host a reality TV series, Sarah Palin’s Alaska, about her home state, but it’s stirring up considerable controversy among animal rights and environmental groups. Many activists disapprove of Palin, who is well-known for her pro-oil-drilling slogans and staunch support of aerial wolf hunting, being featured on a network known for health, wellness, and nature programming. The netw... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471967 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 22:23:26 +0100 3471967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193696&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FxHRIBaCKSNE%2F By Tad DeHavenThe 2009 stimulus bill gave the U.S. Department of Transportation $50 billion to distribute to the states for highways, roads, and bridges. A House bill passed in December would add another $28 billion. According to Washington folklore, spending on infrastructure is always good because it’ll create jobs and spur economic growth. However, three recent examples are a reminder that the government often does a poor job of allocating resources. First, an Alaska legislative audit concluded that the state should not have spent federal transportation money building a road to the site of the proposed “Bridge to Nowhere,” which was canceled after a national outcry. Alaska kept the federal money originally earmarked for the bridge, and then-Governor Sarah Palin agreed to spend $26... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193696 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:02:16 +0100 3193696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598197&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FtIOAGuvoii8%2F Obama Considering Another Round of Stimulus With unemployment continuing to climb and the economy struggling along, some lawmakers and pundits are raising the possibility of a second stimulus package at some point in the future. The Cato Institute was strongly opposed to the $787 billion package passed earlier this year, and would oppose additional stimulus packages on the same grounds. “Once government expands beyond the level of providing core public goods such as the rule of law, there tends to be an inverse relationship between the size of government and economic growth,” argues Cato scholar Daniel J. Mitchell. “Doing more of a bad thing is not a recipe for growth.” Mitchell narrated a video in January that punctures the myth that bigger government “stimulate... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598197 Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:37:11 +0100 2598197 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2570989&cid=t_101690_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fputting-pain-aside-to-celebrate-the-4th-of-july%2F Is there any other American holiday that brings back more memories than the Fourth of July? Probably Christmas with all its festivities, lights and symbolism of Christianity; certainly Thanksgiving because of the wonderful food, family and history but the Fourth is special. For many of us it is the holiday that symbolizes the freedom we have come to take for granted.  Its celebration during the warm summer month, the long run of daylight and the National pride it represents; all come together to create memories. Here in the Northwest, and even more so in the state of Alaska, the long daylight hours stall the firework celebrations until late in the evening. The little children try to stay awake for the bursts of glory but don’t always make it. In our community there are always firewo... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2570989 Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:12:11 +0100 2570989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2452390&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FMGP6ZqHzAvU%2F Over the past few days, it seems like every major state newspaper ran a story on the state’s governor signing onto the Common Core State Standards Initiative, an effort to establish national standards in mathematics and reading curricula. The only holdouts are Alaska, Texas, Missouri, and South Carolina. I should probably be more worried, because national standards are a terrible idea. First, there is nothing inherently better about having a single standard agreed to by numerous states than having individual states set standards for themselves. Either way, politicians – people inherently most responsive to mobilized, highly motivated public school employees who want as little meaningful accountability as possible – will be setting the standards, and the standards will therefore eithe... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2452390 Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:22:09 +0100 2452390 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2398590&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfIPFc09EpwQ%2F Tad DeHaven does a fine job of exposing the mere window dressing that are the cuts in President Obama’s FY 2010 budget proposal. I’ll not add much to that other than to say that while Tad gives Obama’s predecessor a deserved hard time for his own paltry efforts to rein in spending, President Bush’s Education Department  budgets looked downright Draconian compared to what the Obama team just produced. Bush’s FY 2009 ED budget proposal included nearly $3.3 billion in cuts, generated by eliminating 47 programs. Given the dismal performance of all federal education efforts, this was obviously far too little, but compare it to Obama: His proposed budget would cut just twelve measly programs from ED’s budget, for a puny savings of about $551 million. And if that doesn’t give yo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2398590 Thu, 07 May 2009 21:00:13 +0100 2398590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2052846&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FXbfiuGrc-08%2F The Women’s Rights blog over at Change.org has a post about the Top 10 Moments of Feminism in 2008. The selection of Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska, as Senator John McCain’s running mate sparked (I guess that’s an understatement) lots of discussion in general, and certainly in the autism and disability community, and in particular regarding Palin’s baby son Trig, who has Down Syndrome. Would you consider the choice of Sarah Palin, special needs mother, as a Top 10 Moment in the annals of special needs families in 2008? Tags: alaska, asd, asperger syndrome, autism, change, children, disability, down syndrome, Family, feminism, Health, john mccain, sarah palin, women's rightsShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2052846 Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:00:46 +0100 2052846 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1883565&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F421772445%2F Bush administration officials, in their last weeks in office, are pushing to rewrite a wide array of federal rules with changes or additions that could block product-safety lawsuits by consumers and states, The Wall Street Journal reports. The administration has written language aimed at preempting product-liability litigation into 50 rules governing everything from motorcycle brakes to pain meds. The latest changes cap a multi-year effort that could be one of the Bush’s lasting legacies, the Journal writes, depending in part on how the underlying principle of preemption fares in a case the Supreme Court will hear next month (back story). This year, lawsuit-protection language has been added to 10 new regulations, according to the Journal, including one issued October 8 at the Depart... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1883565 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:13:51 +0100 1883565 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1826316&cid=t_101690_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fsarah-palin-on-the-risks-of-indoor-tanning%2F Regular readers of this blog will know that I’ve previously written about skin cancer, skin cancer prevention and the skin cancer-inducing risks of indoor tanning. So it will come as no surprise that I was troubled to learn that Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin had installed a tanning bed in the Governor’s mansion shortly after taking office in early 2007 and that this was being widely reported in the media. My concerns were that Governor Palin’s apparent endorsement of indoor tanning might lead some people to believe that it’s an okay thing to do. The good news is that Governor Palin apparently knows better than to use an indoor tanning bed. On May 4, 2007, she issued an official statement proclaiming May 2007 as “Skin Ca... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1826316 Tue, 23 Sep 2008 22:02:32 +0100 1826316 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1806351&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F51Lp1emZfis%2F In a speech on Monday in Golden, Colorado, Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin noted that, along with energy policy and government reform, “special needs” would be one of the issues she would focus on, should she and Senator John McCain be elected. The September 17th, Education Week notes that Gov. Palin’s reference to “special needs” is followed by mention of curing “our most dreaded diseases.” Here’s what she said: I’ve told Senator McCain a few things I’ve learned as a senator and as a mom. Ever since I took the chief executive’s job up north, I’ve pushed for more funding for students with special needs. It’s touched my heart for years, especially about 13 years ago with the beautiful addition to our exten... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1806351 Thu, 18 Sep 2008 19:30:20 +0100 1806351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1794452&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fg4QEL322p8M%2F Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin on the issues she intends to focus on should John McCain and her be elected in November, from Jonathan Martin’s blog on today’s Washington Examiner: “John and I have worked out a plan, what I want to concentrate on and what he would like to kind of tap into me to help with,” Palin said at a rally just outside Denver this morning. “My mission is going to energy security and government reform. And another thing near and dear to my heart, it’s going to be helping families who have special needs and children with special needs. And we’re going to be pushing for innovative cures for diseases.” Martin notes that Palin has a child with Down Syndrome and an autistic nephew. From her statement, it seems that she views w... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1794452 Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:50:35 +0100 1794452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1775597&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FWzPUvEiUjuQ%2F Without Trig, Governor Sarah Palin’s infant son who has Down Syndrome, what might discussions about her being Senator John McCain’s running mate be like? Gov. Palin’s older sister, Heather Bruce, has an autistic child, an article in today’s New York Times notes: Before her son was born, Ms. Palin went to extraordinary lengths to ensure that his arrival would not compromise her work. She hid the pregnancy. She traveled to Texas a month before her due date to give an important speech, delivering it even though her amniotic fluid was leaking. Three days after giving birth, she returned to work. But with Trig in her arms, Ms. Palin has risen higher than ever. Senator John McCain, the Republican nominee for president, says he selected her as his running mate because of h... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1775597 Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:00:47 +0100 1775597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770620&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F_yuautKfH1E%2F Here’s what readers have been saying in a very busy week in which we learned, or learned again, that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism: Norah on whether the term “mild autism” is still in use and Larry on the “pop psychology typical of wired [magazine].” Ongoing discussion about stem cell therapy as an autism treatment, and about the death of Shirley Meade at a camp after being given the wrong medication. Jaz on what it’s been like in Illinois on a 49-year-old younger brother who was “on a waiting list for a home for 20 years after contacting an advocate he got one of the two places that 52 people were waiting for.” Regan adds to a discussion on the MMR controversy and notes an interview with Ben Goldacre. Bonnie Sayers on school security... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770620 Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:36:32 +0100 1770620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1769364&cid=t_101690_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F09%2F06%2Fthe-situation-of-the-palin-familys-success%2F Adriaan Lanni and Wesley Kelman wrote an interesting piece in Slate this week, “Working-Class Hero: How the Palins’ enviable blue-collar lifestyle could help the McCain campaign.” Here are a few excerpts. * * * Most of the initial reaction to Sarah Palin’s selection . . . threatens to obscure a seductive and misleading subtext in Palin’s biography that may play a key role in the election: the way she embodies the hope of a blue-collar life without economic insecurity. Palin’s background reminded us of an Alaskan we met several years ago. We had just moved to Anchorage for a temporary job in the state court system and struck up an illuminating conversation with a bricklayer while on a hike outside town. He made a surprising amount of money—he had moved ... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1769364 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 04:10:38 +0100 1769364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1769139&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F383173631%2F In the latest twist in the complicated Zyprexa litigation, Lilly is asking an Alaska court to deny a request by Jim Gottstein, an attorney who was one of three people named as conspirators in the Zyprexa document scandal last year, to unseal some of the same documents that a federal court in New York ordered remain under seal. The move came after Gottstein recently renewed his fight against a federal-court injunction. You may recall the lawyer, who runs The Law Project for Psychiatric Rights, a non-profit against forced drugging; David Egilman, who was an expert witness for plaintiffs’ lawyers suing Lilly, and a New York Times reporter were accused by US District Court Judge Jack Weinstein of violating a court order by scheming to publish sealed Zyprexa documents. Since then, Lilly and A... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1769139 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 11:20:57 +0100 1769139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671777&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F351734080%2F Just when you think the Zyprexa litigation is unlikely to yield anything terribly new and revealing, along come some documents that shed still more light on how the drugmaker handled the marketing of its antipsychotic. Lilly, you will recall, has been accused of failing to properly warn states and healthcare providers that Zyprexa could result in weight gain, high blood sugar and diabetes, and has paid about $1.2 billion to resolve claims brought by more than 31,000 patients. Documents from the lawsuit in Alaska, where Lilly agreed to pay $15 million to settle, contain some interesting remarks and disclosure. For instance, Lilly’s research showed some patients on Zyprexa gained as much as 80 pounds and that the incidence of high blood sugar at diabetes levels was 3.5 times higher th... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671777 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:12:40 +0100 1671777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1543365&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F319960161%2F Salvatore Pizzuto—”disability policy specialist, learning consultant, transition specialist and parent/family advocate from East Rutherford”—writes in the June 26th Leader “(the Pulse of the Meadowlands)”: Autism has become a buzz word in New Jersey that transcends other disabilities that affect children and adults, in terms of its diagnostic and political impact. Over the past two years, several New Jersey State legislators, including Gary Schaer and Joe Roberts, have introduced legislation designed to improve services for children with autism. Pizzuto then reviews Tereance D. v. School District of Philadelphia, on which a decision was issued by the U.S. District Court in Pennsylvania in February 2008: ….the court held that a child with autism was... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1543365 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:00:38 +0100 1543365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1499829&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F06%2Ffutile-care-case-in-alaska.html This report is a bit vague but apparently there is a futile care case in Alaska with lawyers with the Alliance Defense Fund preventing the hospital from forcibly removing a patient from care. From the World Net Daily report: The Alaska Supreme Court has granted a motion sought by an attorney working with the Alliance Defense Fund to keep life support systems operating for a patient who could die within minutes of those tubes being removed...In the Alaska case, the names of the family members have been withheld so far. But the Alliance Defense Fund confirmed one of its attorneys sought and obtained an order from the state Supreme Court requiring Providence Hospital to keep life-support tubes for the woman..."No on should be allowed to decide that an innocent life is worthless. A man is cari... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1499829 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 19:00:00 +0100 1499829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1331526&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F259193657%2F The answer will likely be debated for awhile. To some, Lilly was a winner because it agreed to pay only $15 million to a state that spent $40 million over five years on Zyprexa and the med regularly racks up annual sales in the billions of dollars. Others may argue that’s not really small change because the deal works out to about $25 a head, based on Alaska’s population of about 600,000. And when you extend that to other states that have filed suits, or the nation as whole - there are settlement talks with the US Attorney in Philadelphia - the numbers can easily balloon. One person who takes the latter position is Patrick Burns of Taxpayers Against Fraud, a non-profit that chases corporate fraud and, yes, is funded by attorneys. Here’s an excerpt from our chat… Pha... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1331526 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:53:07 +0100 1331526 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1331530&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F259013713%2F Why was there a $15 million settlement now in the Zyprexa trial in Alaska? On one hand, the state worried about the upcoming Supreme Court review this fall of a lawsuit against Wyeth and the debate over preemption. This concept turns on whether FDA approval supercedes state law claims challenging safety, efficacy or labeling. Drugmakers and the FDA argue preemption exists by maintaining agency decisions are the final word on safety and effectiveness. During the trial, the judge remarked that, without lawsuits like the one Alaska brought against Lilly over Zyprexa marketing, claims that drugs cause health problems “might well go unaddressed.” His comment underscored the possibility that seeing the trial to completion may not be such a smart move. “We had this issue with the Supre... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1331530 Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:35:48 +0100 1331530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1327602&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F258238131%2F The settlement, which comes just after the drugmaker began staging its defense against charges of concealing side effects, doesn’t include any admission of wrongdoing. There’s also a stipulation that Alaska will be treated “as well as any other state” that resolves similar claims. At least 9 other states have filed similar lawsuits against Lilly and more are believed to be considering taking that step. The deal was announced in a joint statement by Lilly and Alaska’s attorney general, Talis Colberg. Lilly’s general counsel Robert Armitage insisted the drugmaker had a “strong defense”, but that settling was in the best interests of all parties. Compared with Zyprexa sales of nearly $4.8 billion last year, the settlement is a bargain. Colberg c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1327602 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 11:01:53 +0100 1327602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1325479&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F257648899%2F Zyprexa figured in two different courtrooms just one floor apart in an Anchorage court the other day. Upstairs, Lilly was battling charges by the state of Alaska that the drugmaker failed to warn patients of the antipsychotics’s side effects while making deceptive claims, which cost the state Medicaid program at least $40 million. Downstairs, a fidgety, 55-year-old man with long, greasy hair named William Bigley appeared before a judge who, The New York Times writes, would decide whether Bigley should be held for 30 days in a psychiatric hospital. For his part, he told the judge his meds were “poison” and that he didn’t need them. “I’m fine,” he said, according to the paper. Well, he also claimed that he knows President Bush, owns a private jet and has seen flying saucers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325479 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:05:26 +0100 1325479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1321818&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F256252592%2F Without lawsuits like the one the State of Alaska brought against Lilly over Zyprexa marketing, claims that drugs cause health problems “might well go unaddressed,” Anchorage Superior Court Judge Mark Rindner said from the bench this week. He made his remarks while the jury was out of the room, after the state had rested its case and Lilly asked for an immediate verdict in its favor, a routine step at that point in a trial. As part of the proceeding, Lilly’s lawyer, George Lehner, argued that drug regulation is a matter for the FDA, not any state, and that Alaska’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act shouldn’t apply to drugs. Rindner disagreed. Evidence presented by the state over the past two weeks established that the FDA “isn’t ca... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1321818 Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:00:13 +0100 1321818 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1288569&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F248006146%2F That’s what an expert witness told jurors yesterday in a state court in Alaska, where the drugmaker is defending charges brought by state officials in a lawsuit claiming hidden Zyprexa side effects caused many mentally ill people to develop diabetes and cost the state Medicaid program millions of dollars, The New York Times reports. Instead, Lilly hid Zyprexa’s risks from doctors to protect the drug’s sales, according to the witness, Dr. John Gueriguian. Lilly waited until 2007 to add strong warnings to Zyprexa’s label to reflect the drug’s tendency to cause severe weight gain and blood sugar changes. Lilly put “profit over concern of the consumer,” Gueriguian testified, saying the drugmaker could - and should - have warned docs as early as 1998 about the link between Zy... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1288569 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 18:51:58 +0100 1288569 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1283630&cid=t_101690_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F246861754%2F This is the Zyprexa trial we’re talking about. The state, you may recall, sued Lilly in 2006, alleging the drugmaker failed to warn of weight gain and diabetes caused by Zyprexa, and wants Lilly to cover treatment costs of Medicaid patients who suffered serious health problems. The civil suit is being closely watched by state and federal prosecutors investigating the drugmaker, because this is the first lawsuit filed by a state against Lilly to make it to trial. The outcome - and even the evidence - could, therefore, influence settlement talks under way with the US Attorney in Phildelphia and state attorneys general. An unfavorable verdict could also prompt other states to file lawsuits, although eight others already have done so. (By the way, if you want to read the controversial Z... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1283630 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:24:07 +0100 1283630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1241953&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F237699585%2F Dogs warm to children with autism reports the February 17th Chicago Tribune in an article about therapy dogs for autistic children—this is not the case for my own son, who on seeing a dog freezes, or backs up, or asks to be carry (something about the barks, especially when it is high-pitched, and their unpredictable movements). We’re not ready for a dog, not yet—-a family in Alaska have gotten approval to get a therapy dog for their 3-year-old autistic son, Trapper Leeth. Trapper’s family lives in a remote area of Alaska and, shortly after they were approved for the therapy dog, they got into a serious roll-over accident and Trapper’s mother, Jami, is now in body braces. Feline Fido, which is devoting autism donations to providing services dogs for autistic ch... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1241953 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:00:02 +0100 1241953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1179248&cid=t_101690_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F01%2Fmwah-awards.html "Michelle" over at "Scribbit" was kind enough to grant me this Mwah Award. As some of you may already know "Scribbit" lives in Alaska, the frozen wastes, for her crimes. Although she is happy to tout the many benefits of her "Lifestyle" we know that it's all lies, or possibly just delusional. As we American's know, sadly, a few persons are required to man the outpost in Alaska, all of it, and it is the lot of poor "Scribbit" that she is condemned to eek out her existence with her family of snowpersons. Is it any wonder that the poor woman finds relief via blogging to the outside world. We hear you "Michelle" even if the lines are frozen.Dear "Michelle" is also a technically challenged person like myself but I must give credit where it's due. I could no more fashion an igloo than crochet a ... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1179248 Sat, 26 Jan 2008 02:52:00 +0100 1179248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=869589&cid=t_101690_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fanother-court-rules-that-aana-are.html A recent court case ruled that a parolee can sue a parole officer for damages if the parole officer requires the parolee to attend 12-step groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous when this violates the parolee's religious or non-religious beliefs.The case is titled Inouye v. Kemna, issued Sept. 7, 2007. The full text of the opinion is here. The court that issued the decision is the Ninth Circuit of the United States Courts of Appeal. The court's ruling is the law in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Ricky Inouye was imprisoned in Hawaii after conviction on drug charges, and served his time. As a Buddhist, he objected to participating in 12-step treatment programs because of their relig... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=869589 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:49:00 +0100 869589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=733634&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F13%2Falaskan-kids-score-free-bikes-to-prevent-diabetes%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Lifestyle, ExerciseOver 700 kids in Alaska's Bristol Bay region will jump on shiny new Trek bikes this summer, thanks to a federal grant to fight diabetes among the area's American Indians and Alaska Natives. With about 8,000 residents in Bristol Bay, that is one bike for every eleven people. Now that's a pile of spokes! Alaska Native Medical Center reports Alaska natives have experienced a 120 percent increase of diabetes between 1990-2004, and in the mostly Yup'ik Bristol Bay region, it has increased 170 percent. Mary Clark, a 51-year-old Bristol Bay native and local hospital worker stated the area kids are gaining weight as traditionally-eaten berries and fish are being replaced with junk food. Carol Schumacher, diabetes program coordinator at Br... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=733634 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 733634 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=645135&cid=t_101690_107_f&fid=35041&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscienceblogs.com%2Fdigitalbio%2Fupload%2F2007%2F05%2Frhodies.jpg The first research assignment for our Alaska NSF Chautauqua course has been posted. Your task is to find a wound-inducible plant gene, learn something about it, and post a description in the comment section. We've already had one excellent answer, but I know there are at least 54 wound-inducible genes, so I expect to see more. Once we get our genes in order (and possibly before), we'll talk more about designing an experiment for detecting gene expression. In the meantime, I have some pre-course reading assignments to help you prepare. tags: plants, Alaska, NSF Chautauqua courses, bioinformatics, blast, evolution, phylogeny READINGS Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Discovering Biology in a Digital World) Discovering Biology in a Digital World blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=645135 Tue, 29 May 2007 14:19:08 +0100 645135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478726&cid=t_101690_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F15%2Fiditarod-winner-and-cancer-survivor%2F Filed under: All Cancers, Cancer Survivors, Head and Neck cancerLance Mackey beat cancer back in 2001 and on Tuesday he won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Nome, Alaska. Mackey was diagnosed with neck cancer in 2001 and received surgery and radiation for his treatment. Lance owns a kennel named Lance Mackey's Comeback Kennel. He indeed made a comeback, he has back to back wins in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and the Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. Mackey's status as a cancer survivor and champion musher will inspire other people with cancer, said Christine Schultz, 42, of Nome, a medical social worker who stood out in subzero temperatures with co-workers from Norton Sound Regional Hospital to watch Mackey cross the finish line. "I think it gives people hope they can overc... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478726 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 478726