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 'crime'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:50:28 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158871&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fwhy-cultivate-weldons-confidence-ceo.html Earlier this month, US President Barack Obama met "with eight business leaders to hunt for ideas to revive the economy," according to the Wall Street Journal.  At the session, the President asked "what he and his administration could do to improve their confidence...."  The reporters' White House informants emphasized that the point was "listening to the CEOs and not telling them what to do."Included amongst the eight CEOs was "Bill [William] Weldon of Johnson & Johnson."  Why would the US President want to improve Mr Weldon's confidence?Johnson and Johnson's Latest Guilty PleaAfter all, two days earlier, Bloomberg noted how Mr Weldon's company was ready to plead guilty, yet again.Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) said it reached an agreement to settle a misdemeanor criminal c... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158871 Wed, 24 Aug 2011 20:08:00 +0100 5158871 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5130668&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F15%2Fdiversion-pathfinder-selection-for-children-and-young-people%2F Scan or click to download 'Diversion pathfinder selection for children and young people' Title: Diversion pathfinder selection for children and young people The Skinny: Invitation from DH Offender Health to submit expressions of interest to become a youth justice point of arrest diversion pathfinder. Funding is available to provide identification of health needs and other vulnerabilities and support under 18 year olds into interventions at the earliest stage possible. Publisher: DH Size: 16p. Published: 03/03/11 Supplementary Documents: Background Scope Document: Pathfinders for Children and Young People Point of Arrest Diversion Application guidance for Children and Young People Point of Arrest Diversion Pathfinders Application form Youth Justice Liaison and Diversion process ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5130668 Mon, 15 Aug 2011 07:27:47 +0100 5130668 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125814&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F11%2F14405%2F From The Atlantic (by David Eagleman): On the steamy first day of August 1966, Charles Whitman took an elevator to the top floor of the University of Texas Tower in Austin. The 25-year-old climbed the stairs to the observation deck, lugging with him a footlocker full of guns and ammunition. At the top, he killed a receptionist with the butt of his rifle. Two families of tourists came up the stairwell; he shot at them at point-blank range. Then he began to fire indiscriminately from the deck at people below. The first woman he shot was pregnant. As her boyfriend knelt to help her, Whitman shot him as well. He shot pedestrians in the street and an ambulance driver who came to rescue them. The evening before, Whitman had sat at his typewriter and composed a suicide note: I don’t really unde... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125814 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 03:03:41 +0100 5125814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118610&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Ffr7x6uGcJwg%2F By Daniel J. MitchellI wrote earlier this year about the connection between a morally corrupt welfare state and the riots in the United Kingdom. But what’s happening now is not just some left-wing punks engaging in political street theater. Instead, the UK is dealing with a bigger problem of societal decay caused in part by a government’s failure to fulfill one of its few legitimate functions: protection of property. To make matters worse, the political class has disarmed law-abiding people, thus exacerbating the risks. These two photos are a pretty good summary of what this means. On the left, we have Korean entrepreneurs using guns to defend themselves from murdering thugs during the 1992 LA riots. On the right, we have Turkish entrepreneurs reduced to using their fists (and some hid... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118610 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:31:49 +0100 5118610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5050929&cid=t_100567_125_f&fid=34819&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FFullosseousflapsDentalBlog%2F%7E3%2F6hCRp_AEq1Q%2F These are my links for July 21st from 10:55 to 16:42: Poll shows Californians prefer easing prison terms to paying more – Cash-strapped Californians would rather ease "third-strike" penalties for some criminals and accept felons as neighbors than dig deeper into their pockets to relieve prison overcrowding, a new poll shows. In the wake of a court order that the state move more than 33,000 inmates out of its packed prisons, an overwhelming number of voters oppose higher taxes — as well as cuts in key state services — to pay for more lockup space. The survey, by The Times and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, shows a clear shift in attitude by residents forced to confront the cost of tough sentencing laws passed in recent decades. The poll ... FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5050929 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 00:00:25 +0100 5050929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4975834&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FqV6NneC-OkM%2F By Tim LynchOver at NRO, Mark Steyn on last Friday’s order that Conrad Black report back to federal prison: With a system that relies on multiple charges and an ability to pressure everybody else in the case to switch sides, you can win (as Conrad did) nineteen-twentieths of the battles and still lose the war. He’s a wealthy businessman, and nobody has any sympathy for those. But it’s even worse if you’re a nobody. A New Hampshire neighbor of mine had the misfortune to attract the attention of federal prosecutors for one of those white-collar “crimes” no one can explain in English. The jury acquitted him in a couple of hours. Great news! The system worked! Not really. By then, the feds had spent a half-decade demolishing his life, exhausting his savings, wrecking his m... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4975834 Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:07:55 +0100 4975834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968493&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-crime-be-linked-to-cuts-in-the-mental-health-budget%2F2011.06.25 From the New York Times today we have a story entitled, “A Schizophrenic, A Slain Worker, Troubling Questions,” a horrible story about a mentally ill man who killed a social worker in his group home. The story highlights the defendant’s longstanding history of violence with several assaults in his past. He once fractured his stepfather’s skull and his first criminal offense involved slashing and robbing a homeless man. (On another post on this blog Rob wondered why the charges were dismissed in that case; from experience I can tell you it’s probably because the victim and only witness was homeless and couldn’t be located several months later when the defendant came to trial.) The defendant, Deshawn Chappell, also used drugs while suffering from schizophr... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968493 Sat, 25 Jun 2011 12:00:00 +0100 4968493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934027&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fucb-settles-pleads-guilty.html Tromp, tromp, tromp.... the legal settlements keep marching along.  This latest story was reported by Reuters and Bloomberg.  The basics were, per Reuters:The American unit of Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB SA (UCB.BR) pleaded guilty on Thursday and will pay $34.4 million to settle criminal and civil charges that it illegally promoted a drug for migraines.The company pleaded guilty to one count of promoting the epilepsy treatment drug, Keppra, in the United States in 2004 for migraine treatment without the necessary approval from the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Justice said.One atypical element here is that the company actually pleaded guilty to a crime.Another slightly off-key note came from the description of the activities constituting the ill... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934027 Wed, 15 Jun 2011 21:41:00 +0100 4934027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813213&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Flogical-fallacies-to-defend-ceos-from.html There is now quite a kerfuffle over the US Department of Health and Human Service's threat to to stop doing business with the CEO of Forest Laboratories.  As we noted here, his company pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and misbranding, and agreed to pay a $313 million fine.  The major allegations by the government were that the company marketed antidepressants to children when they had only previously been approved for adults. Their marketing tactics allegedly included suppressing negative studies, and paying physicians to prescribe the drugs. The kerfuffle involves a number of ostensible authorities and pundits defending the CEO, and challenging the government's attempts to hold him responsible for his company's actions.  The kerfuffle also provid... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813213 Tue, 10 May 2011 22:22:00 +0100 4813213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803244&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F05%2F09%2Fbc-premier-christy-clark-im-absolutely-committed-to-working-with-you-on-it-re-opening-bc-adult-adhd-clinic%2F BC Premier Christy Clark “I’m Absolutely Committed To Working With You On It” Re: Opening BC Adult ADHD ClinicPost from: Adult ADD Strengths I went to the town hall meeting that BC Liberal Premier and Point Grey riding by-election MLA candidate Christy Clark had last Friday at St. Mark’s Church in Kitsilano, Vancouver. I asked Premier Christy Clark a question about re opening the BC adult ADHD clinic at an adult hospital that the BC Liberal govt closed down in 2007 after it had a 12-14 month wait list for an entire year. 8% of kids and 5% of adults have ADHD so there are more adults with ADHD than children, and most don’t know they have it and many doctors have NO training on ADHD. UBC medical students only get 1 hour of training on ADHD. I get em... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803244 Tue, 10 May 2011 05:25:28 +0100 4803244 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753922&cid=t_100567_136_f&fid=35302&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWhitePebble%2F%7E3%2Fm-PLM0HT2Bw%2F Laurie R. Kings Blog – Coincidence – April 20, 2011 07:25. Filed under: Link Tagged: books, Crime fiction, fiction, Laurie R. King, mystery (Source: white pebble) white pebble blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753922 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 22:03:36 +0100 4753922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753761&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F04%2F26%2Falan-beesley-liberal-candidate-for-delta-richmond-east-supports-screening-prisoners-in-federal-jails-for-adhd%2F Alan Beesley Liberal candidate for Delta – Richmond East Supports Screening Prisoners in Federal Jails for ADHDPost from: Adult ADD Strengths Monday April 14th I went to see Michael Ignatieff at the Vancouver Alpine Club. I asked Michael a question about ADHD & crime during the Q & A period, I think I was the 3rd questioner “Do you knew that 20-45% of prisoners have ADHD 15 clinical studies show? And only 5% of adults have ADHD? The UK screens prisoners for ADHD in their jails, would you commit to screening prisoners in Federal jails for ADHD?” I’m asking politicians this question for several reasons but one of them is most people don’t care at all about adults and children with ADHD or think it’s overdiagnosed/space alien... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753761 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:40:00 +0100 4753761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753762&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F04%2F26%2Fsukh-dhaliwal-liberal-mp-for-newton-north-delta-supports-screening-prisoners-in-federal-jails-for-adhd%2F Post from: Adult ADD Strengths Monday April 14th I went to see Michael Ignatieff at the Vancouver Alpine Club. I asked Michael a question about ADHD & crime during the Q & A period, I think I was the 3rd questioner “Do you knew that 20-45% of prisoners have ADHD 15 clinical studies show? And only 5% of adults have ADHD? The UK screens prisoners for ADHD in their jails, would you commit to screening prisoners in Federal jails for ADHD?” I’m asking politicians this question for several reasons but one of them is most people don’t care at all about adults and children with ADHD or think it’s overdiagnosed/space alien/drug company conspiracy/ not beating up your kid enough etc. But they do care about crime. After the rally was over ... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753762 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:10:57 +0100 4753762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753763&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F04%2F26%2Fwendy-yuan-liberal-candidate-vancouver-kingsway-supports-screening-prisoners-in-federal-jails-for-adhd%2F Post from: Adult ADD Strengths Monday April 14th I went to see Michael Ignatieff at the Vancouver Alpine Club. I asked Michael a question about ADHD & crime during the Q & A period, I think I was the 3rd questioner “Do you knew that 20-45% of prisoners have ADHD 15 clinical studies show? And only 5% of adults have ADHD? The UK screens prisoners for ADHD in their jails, would you commit to screening prisoners in Federal jails for ADHD?” I’m asking politicians this question for several reasons but one of them is most people don’t care at all about people with ADHD or think it’s overdiagnosed/space alien/drug company conspiracy/ not beating up your kid enough etc. But they do care about crime. After the rally was over I decided to ask som... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753763 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:15:56 +0100 4753763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753764&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F04%2F26%2Fhedy-fry-liberal-mp-for-vancouver-centre-supports-screening-prisoners-in-federal-jails-for-adhd%2F Post from: Adult ADD Strengths Monday April 14th I went to see Michael Ignatieff at the Vancouver Alpine Club. I asked Michael a question about ADHD & crime during the Q & A period, I think I was the 3rd questioner “Do you knew that 20-45% of prisoners have ADHD 15 clinical studies show? And only 5% of adults have ADHD? The UK screens prisoners for ADHD in their jails, would you commit to screening prisoners in Federal jails for ADHD?” I’m asking politicians this question for several reasons but one of them is most people don’t care at all about people with ADHD or think it’s overdiagnosed/space alien/drug company conspiracy/ not beating up your kid enough etc. But they do care about crime. After the rally was over I decided to ask som... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753764 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:30:24 +0100 4753764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753765&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F04%2F26%2Fujjal-dosanjh-liberal-mp-for-vancouver-south-supports-screening-prisoners-in-federal-jails-for-adhd%2F Post from: Adult ADD Strengths Last saturday shortly after I tweeted about Vancouver South Liberal MP and past BC Premier & Attorney General  Ujjal Dosanjh‘s (on Twitter @ujjaldosanjh ) signs been destroyed or defaced on Twitter, RT @pqpolitics 35+ of Liberal Dosanjh’s large 4 by 4 signs have gone missing + another 25 have been defaced & damaged http://bit.ly/dZgmJc #elxn41 #bcpoli I was going down 41st ave and noticed Vancouver Quadra Liberal MP Joyce Murry signs were knocked down. Soon, I noticed some of Vancouver South Liberal MP Ujjal Dosanjh’s signs trashed or defaced, one coincidentaly within 2 blocks of his tory opponent Wai Young’s campaign HQ. I went to the Fraser area & later wandered past Ujjal Dosanjh’s HQ. So I walked... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753765 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:00:47 +0100 4753765 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753630&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fwill-pharmaceutical-ceo-finally-be-held.html It appears there may be a move afoot to have the leader of a large health organization suffer some negative consequences for the misbehavior of his organization.  As reported by the St Louis Post-Dispatch,For the past 34 years, Howard Solomon has presided over Forest Laboratories Inc., a midsize pharmaceutical company that runs its national sales operations from Earth City.Solomon, 83, took home $8.3 million last year as the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer. But his company's marketing arm also fell into trouble, pleading guilty to federal charges that its sales force illegally marketed the antidepressants Celexa and Lexapro to children and adolescents, even though these drugs had not been approved for minors.Now, the federal Department of Health and Huma... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753630 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 19:25:00 +0100 4753630 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734215&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F04%2F18%2Fof-course-green-party-leader-elizabeth-mays-answer-to-my-would-she-support-screening-federal-prisoners-for-adhd%2F Of Course. Green Party Leader Elizabeth May’s Answer to my ? Would She Support Screening Federal Prisoners For ADHDPost from: Adult ADD Strengths Yesterday I went to two leaders rallies in Vancouver, Michael Ignatieff’s in North Vancouver and Elizabeth May’s in Vancouver At the Green party rally that started at 7.30pm in front of the train station in Vancouver I asked Elizabeth May who’s @elizabethmay on Twitter “Do you knew that 20-45% of prisoners have ADHD?”  Only 5% of adults have ADHD. She said a lot of prisoners have ADHD and other mental health problems. I then said “The UK screens prisoners for ADHD in their jails, would you commit to screening prisoners in Federal jails for ADHD?” She answered “Of course&#8221... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734215 Mon, 18 Apr 2011 23:24:33 +0100 4734215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709237&cid=t_100567_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Frecent-science-news-roundup.html Optical catapulting for explosive fingerprint detection – Optical catapulting-laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been used to successfully detect residues of common explosives in human fingerprints, according to researchers from Egypt and Spain. Unsettling enzymes – Millisecond oscillations can massively impact how an enzyme functions, a new NMR spectroscopic study in the US reveals. The study suggests that finding ways to control such movements, without altering the overall structure of an enzyme might be useful in disabling an enzyme in disease. Proof of principle was demonstrated with an enzyme from Escherichia coli. Melanoma lead – Cheminformatics has helped researchers home in on a single compound that could lead to a new approach to treating malignant melanoma... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709237 Thu, 14 Apr 2011 09:00:34 +0100 4709237 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4709362&cid=t_100567_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fbut-is-it-murder.html A divorced mom was recently convicted of attempted murder for withholding cancer medications from her son who had leukemia. I know I don't have all the details but have the basics. The boy was diagnosed with leukemia in 2006 with a 95% chance for full recovery if treatments were followed. The boy was in primary custody of the mother. She did not give him his treatments because she thought they were making him sicker. The father sued for custody but it was too late and the boy died in 2009. The father has also since died in a motorcycle accident. This week the mother was convicted in court of attempted murder for withholding the medication and causing his death. She faces up to 47 years in jail.It is one thing if you are adult and able to make decisions on your own and do your own research ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4709362 Wed, 13 Apr 2011 10:08:00 +0100 4709362 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560591&cid=t_100567_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FBT-5WE3EYXc%2F Citing a dramatic rise in pharmaceutical thefts, five US Senate Democrats have introduced a bill to increase penalties for stealing drugs and other medical products by relying on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization law. Better known as RICO, the proposal to use this law reflects reports of brazen robberies and organized crime involvement. In particular, the move is an attempt to crack down on a growing number of reports that stolen drugs - such as OxyContin and insulin - are diverted and relabeled, but often resold on the black market without proper storage before winding up in legitimate pharmacies or sold online. The bill would formally criminalize storing, transporting or changing labels on stolen medical products (read statements from New York’s Chuck Schumer and Oh... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560591 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:47:33 +0100 4560591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489638&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fzjqy-rOPM90%2F By David RittgersThe Baltimore police must have solved the city’s violent crime problem. They’ve shifted resources to illegal gambling: Baltimore County police arrested five men after an undercover detective infiltrated an illegal high-stakes poker game in Edgemere, records show. Police say "Texas Hold 'Em" games were held regularly at the Lynch Point Social Club in the 3100 block of Roger Road, where organizers were making as much as $1,500 in profit a night, according to charging documents. After receiving a tip, officers conducted surveillance at the club and later sent an undercover detective inside, who participated in a game with a $65 buy-in. The detective played for hours — leaving after he lost all his chips, records show. A tactical unit conducted a raid on the club Feb. 11... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489638 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:33:49 +0100 4489638 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4464459&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fwhy-werent-existing-laws-about-hospital.html Public radio station KUOW reported on the generous compensation given hospital CEOs in Washington:KUOW has learned that 15 hospital executives in Washington made $1 million or more in 2009. That elite group includes 14 nonprofit executives and one head of a government hospital. CEOs at Multicare, Providence, Virginia Mason and Valley Medical each made more than $2 million.Those numbers can be found in the hospitals' latest tax filings and other public records. The pattern was more lopsided in the two prior years. Nobody working at a public hospital cracked the top 10 list of the state's highest hospital paychecks in 2007 or 2008.But then the story takes an interesting twist:Most of Washington's largest hospitals are nonprofit organizations. The state gives the nonprofits a break on th... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4464459 Fri, 11 Feb 2011 21:19:00 +0100 4464459 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459939&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F15JGehVfEHQ%2F By David RittgersThe American criminal justice system has long been flawed. This probably isn’t news to you. What is news is the emergence of a broad chorus of organizations and leaders from across the political spectrum speaking out in support of serious reform. A few examples: The Smart on Crime Coalition released its recommendations (and in pdf) for the 112th Congress, providing ways that the federal government can help fix the criminal justice system. Congress creates, on average, a new criminal offense every week. The urge to overcriminalize just about everything needs to be replaced with serious thought about how broadly Congress writes laws so that the drive to lock up a few bad actors does not make felons of a large portion of the citizenry. The Smart on Crime report also points ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459939 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:00:12 +0100 4459939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433059&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fmore-legal-theater-actavis-convicted.html The march of legal settlements, and guilty pleas and verdicts continues.  The latest on parade, in alphabetical order, are:ActavisAs reported by the (Austin, Texas) American-Statesman:In what state officials describe as a record-setting verdict, a Travis County jury found Tuesday that a global drug manufacturer misrepresented prices to the state's Medicaid program and said the company should pay the state and federal government $170.3 million.The verdict concluded a nearly three-week trial in state district court, where lawyers for the Texas attorney general's office argued that Actavis Mid-Atlantic LLC and co-defendant Actavis Elizabeth LLC artificially inflated the costs of medications to obtain more money. Medicaid reimbursed pharmacies at higher rates because of the falsely report... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433059 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 21:13:00 +0100 4433059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355705&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fguidant-boston-scientific-gets.html The latest in the parade of legal settlements by health care corporations involves a new wrinkle.  We have been writing about the case of Guidant Corporation's faulty implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) in 2005, almost since the start of the Health Care Renewal blog.  A quick summary, via the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, is:In 2005 Minneapolis Heart Institute doctors Barry Maron and Robert Hauser went public with concerns about a Guidant defibrillator called the Ventak Prizm 2 after a 21-year-old patient died when his defibrillator short-circuited and failed to revive him after he went into sudden cardiac arrest.Guidant had known about the short-circuiting issue since 2002 and had made two attempts to fix the device, according to court documents. The company did not alert the ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355705 Mon, 17 Jan 2011 01:49:00 +0100 4355705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405829&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F01%2F12%2Fadhd-and-crime-ignore-now-jail-later-15-clinical-studies%2F CONCLUSION: Among incarcerated women, childhood ADHD is associated with negative social and health behaviors. 3.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Men and Women Newly Committed to Prison Clinical Characteristics, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Quality of Life Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol June 2010 vol. 54 no. 3 361-377 Patricia Westmoreland, Iowa Department of Corrections, Oakdale, Tracy Gunter, Peggy Loveless, Jeff Allen, Bruce Sieleni, Donald W. Black University of Iowa, Iowa City, email hidden; JavaScript is required /* */ Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and antisocial behaviors that contribute to criminality, yet studies of ADHD in offenders are few. The authors evaluate a random sample of 319 offenders u... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405829 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:18:06 +0100 4405829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389221&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F01%2F12%2Fadhd-and-crime-ignore-now-jail-later-15-clinical-studies%2F CONCLUSION: Among incarcerated women, childhood ADHD is associated with negative social and health behaviors. 3.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Men and Women Newly Committed to Prison Clinical Characteristics, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Quality of Life Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol June 2010 vol. 54 no. 3 361-377 Patricia Westmoreland, Iowa Department of Corrections, Oakdale, Tracy Gunter, Peggy Loveless, Jeff Allen, Bruce Sieleni, Donald W. Black University of Iowa, Iowa City, email hidden; JavaScript is required /* */ Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and antisocial behaviors that contribute to criminality, yet studies of ADHD in offenders are few. The authors evaluate a random sample of 319 offenders u... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389221 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:18:06 +0100 4389221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355776&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F01%2F12%2Fadhd-and-crime-ignore-now-jail-later-15-clinical-studies%2F CONCLUSION: Among incarcerated women, childhood ADHD is associated with negative social and health behaviors. 3.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Men and Women Newly Committed to Prison Clinical Characteristics, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Quality of Life Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol June 2010 vol. 54 no. 3 361-377 Patricia Westmoreland, Iowa Department of Corrections, Oakdale, Tracy Gunter, Peggy Loveless, Jeff Allen, Bruce Sieleni, Donald W. Black University of Iowa, Iowa City, email hidden; JavaScript is required /* */ Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and antisocial behaviors that contribute to criminality, yet studies of ADHD in offenders are few. The authors evaluate a random sample of 319 offenders u... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355776 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:18:06 +0100 4355776 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4338030&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=35044&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadultaddstrengths.com%2F2011%2F01%2F12%2Fadhd-and-crime-ignore-now-jail-later-15-clinical-studies%2F CONCLUSION: Among incarcerated women, childhood ADHD is associated with negative social and health behaviors. 3.  Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Men and Women Newly Committed to Prison Clinical Characteristics, Psychiatric Comorbidity, and Quality of Life Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol June 2010 vol. 54 no. 3 361-377 Patricia Westmoreland, Iowa Department of Corrections, Oakdale, Tracy Gunter, Peggy Loveless, Jeff Allen, Bruce Sieleni, Donald W. Black University of Iowa, Iowa City, email hidden; JavaScript is required /* */ Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and antisocial behaviors that contribute to criminality, yet studies of ADHD in offenders are few. The authors evaluate a random sample of 319 offenders u... Adult ADD Strengths blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4338030 Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:18:06 +0100 4338030 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4330969&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fexecutive-compensation-at-non-profit.html We have often discussed executive compensation at US hospitals and academic medical centers, which seems to run from generous to outrageous.  The usual explanation by organizational spokespeople, and occasionally boards of trustees is that this is the sort of compensation needed to attract the best and the brightest, a variation of the "pay for performance" meme that resounds throughout business schools and executive suites.  However, almost never does anyone at any hospital or AMC acknowledge that their leaders are not the best and brightest, although outside of Lake Woebegone, all cannot be above average.Here are two recent stories about hospital executives whose compensation contrasted with their performance.Danbury HospitalWe previously posted about how the former c... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4330969 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:49:00 +0100 4330969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294580&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fhackensack-university-medical-center.html Last year was an embarassing one for Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC), a large academic medical center affiliated with the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.  In April, former state senator Joseph Coniglio was convicted of fraud (against the public) and extortion for a scheme that involved him being paid $5000 a month for undefined consulting work for HUMC while he promoted the hospital's interests in the state legislature (see post here).  A subsequent investigative report revealed widespread self-dealing on the part of the HUMC board (see post here).  Soon after, the HUMC CEO, John Ferguson, announced his retirement, per the Newark Star-Ledger.Scandal Leads to Apparent ReformsSo when I read an article from last week on NorthJersey.com entit... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294580 Mon, 27 Dec 2010 22:47:00 +0100 4294580 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4281281&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fexactech-settles-its-regional-sales.html The march of legal settlements by health care organizations continues.  Here is a curious story in two parts.  The first part was reported in the most detail by the Gainesville (FL) Sun:Gainesville-based Exactech must pay $3 million and submit to a year of federal monitoring under a settlement to avoid prosecution on charges that resulted from an investigation into whether orthopedic implant manufacturers were paying kickbacks to surgeons to use their products.The company announced the deferred prosecution agreement Tuesday after three years of an expanded federal probe.The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey agrees not to prosecute charges of conspiracy to violate federal anti-kickback laws if the company avoids any violations for a year. What did Exactech do t... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4281281 Wed, 22 Dec 2010 21:29:00 +0100 4281281 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4265627&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Felan-eisai-settle-for-related-reasons.html The parade of legal settlements of bad behavior by major health care organizations marches on. The latest to shuffle by are Elan Corp, based in Ireland, and Eisai Inc, based in Japan, for actions taken in the US.  According to Bloomberg:Elan Corp. will pay $203 million and a U.S. unit of the Irish drugmaker will plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge to resolve an investigation of its marketing of the epilepsy medicine Zonegran.Elan will pay $102.9 million to resolve civil claims and $100 million in criminal fines and forfeitures, according to the U.S. Justice Department. Japanese drugmaker Eisai Inc., which bought the drug from Elan in 2004 for $128.5 million, also will pay $11 million to settle civil claims.The Elan Pharmaceuticals unit will plead guilty in federal court in ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4265627 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4265627 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4241686&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fabbott-laboratories-and-pig-roasts.html Help.... The health care muck is now being raked so fast I can't keep up.Abbott Laboratories, Prolific Stenters, Pig Barbecues, EtcIn the last week, multiple media outlets picked up the story of the cozy relationship between Abbott Laboratories and a doctor now accused of implanting too many cardiac stents for too much money.  The essentials were, as summarized from New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Baltimore Sun articles -Dr Mark Midei was a prolific user of cardiac stents for patient with coronary artery disease (blocked cardiac arteries)In the June deposition, Dr. Midei estimated that in 2005 — before research revealed that many stents were unnecessary — he performed about 800 stent procedures. Instead of dropping in subsequent years, however, the number of ste... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4241686 Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:45:00 +0100 4241686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225185&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Facademic-medical-center-crime-wave.html Every large group or organization has a few bad apples.  My web searches constantly turn up stories of individuals working in health care who behave unethically or commit crimes.  I do not generally discuss these cases on Health Care Renewal, since they seem unavoidable, and their sporadic appearance does not necessarily have anything to do with systemic problems in health care.However, in the last week, I noted four cases of rather exceptionally bad behavior by individuals working in large hospital systems, and the severity and proximity of these cases made me wonder if they reflect some new trend.Pennsylvania State University Faculty Member Charged with RapeAs reported by PennLive.com,Former Derry Township, Dauphin County, doctor Dr. Robert L. Yarwood stands accused of using hi... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225185 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:16:00 +0100 4225185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4220425&cid=t_100567_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F12%2F01%2Fwomen-who-kill-or-rather-women-who-dont%2F Laurie Bembenek, of "Run, Bambi, Run" fame My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Women Who Kill . . . or Rather, Women Who Don’t. Two “femme fatales” were in the news last week. Laurie Bembenek, accused killer turned folk hero (“Run, Bambi, Run”) died of liver cancer at the age of 52 in Portland, Ore. A former Playboy bunny and a Milwaukee police officer, Bembenek was convicted of the 1981 murder of her husband’s ex-wife. She escaped from prison in 1990 and fled to Canada. She was recaptured and, after a new trial, was sentenced to time served and set free. To the end, she proclaimed her innocence. On the other side of the world, in Italy, former Seattle college student Amanda Knox recently appealed her murder conviction and life sentenc... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4220425 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:25:02 +0100 4220425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4203187&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F26%2Fscared-straight-not-really%2F “Controlled studies show that boot camp and “Scared Straight” interventions are ineffective, and even potentially harmful, for delinquents.” — Lilienfeld et al, 2010, p.225 ‘Scared Straight’ is a program designed to deter juvenile participants from future criminal offenses. Participants visit inmates, observe first-hand prison life and have interaction with adult inmates. These programs are popular in many areas of the world. The basic premise of these programs are that juveniles who see what prison is like will be deterred from future violations of the law — in other words, “scared straight.” “Scared Straight” emphasizes severity of punishment, but neglects two other key components of deterrence theory — certai... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4203187 Fri, 26 Nov 2010 12:50:48 +0100 4203187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197070&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmaking-circumcision-a-crime%2F2010.11.23 Have you heard? First San Fransisco bans toys in Happy Meals. Now CNN is reporting there’s a  circumcision ban proposed in San Fransisco as well.  To recap: Anti-circumcision activist Lloyd Schofield has drawn up a proposal outlawing all circumcisions, even for religious reasons (circumcision of boys is traditional in Judaism and Islam.) The punishment would be up to a year in jail or up to a $1,000 fine. Boy, oh boy. What a hot-bed topic circumcision is. Mandating a ban against all circumcisions is like mandating a requirement that all boys be circumcised. Nobody is right. Everyone is an expert. You’re either for it or against it. But making circumcision a crime? I don’t know. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Happy Hospitalist*... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197070 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4197070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183254&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fformer-kv-pharmaceutical-ceo-and.html Early this year we noted that a subsidiary of KV Pharmaceutical, Ethex, pleaded guilty to two felony counts, and paid a fine in response to charges "stemming from its failure to make and submit to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration a report on its discovery of undistributed pills that 'failed to meet product specifications,' ...."   At the time, we noted that this was yet another marcher in the parade of legal settlements affecting health care organizations.  In this case, as in many others, despite the acknowledgement that unethical actions, worse, crimes were committed, no person appeared to suffer any penalty or negative incentive.  As usual, we argued that settlements like this would be perceived by unscrupulous leaders as mere costs of doing business, ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183254 Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:59:00 +0100 4183254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172297&cid=t_100567_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F11%2F15%2Fa-teenage-girl-truman-capote-two-killers-and-a-full-moon%2F My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. A Teenage Girl, Truman Capote, Two Killers and a Full Moon. Clutter driveway If Nancy Clutter had survived, she would be 67 years old. But on Nov. 15, 1959, she was murdered in her family’s farmhouse near Holcomb, Kansas, along with her mother, father and 15-year-old brother. Six more years would pass before author Truman Capote would publish “In Cold Blood,” his landmark book about the murders. Nancy Clutter was 16 years old when she died, and I was 16 years old when I read about the last days, hours and moments of her life. To my sad teenage mind, Nancy Clutter had it all: A stable, close-knit family. A sports team. A boyfriend. A place in her community. She belonged. In an instant, she lost it all just because a cellmate of ... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172297 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:54:44 +0100 4172297 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164640&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspiewebnet%2F%7E3%2F2wLeP9rjp8A%2F So in the last few days another Autism Advocate, Andrew Ackner has been on AspieWeb attempting to justify admitted underage pornography downloader Dr. Nick Dubin’s perverted sexual exploits as research – and then throwing insults and a tizzy fit when I disagree with him.  I’m finding it really disgusting how Autism Self advocates are jumping [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164640 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 22:36:25 +0100 4164640 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4162958&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F12%2Fthe-legal-policy-situation-of-continued-inequality%2F Judge Michael Wolff posted his article “Stories of Civil Rights Progress and the Persistence of Inequality and Unequal Opportunity 1970-2010” (forthcoming in William Mitchell Law Review) on  SSRN.  Here is the abstract. * * * In this article, Missouri Supreme Court Judge Michael A. Wolff, who also is distinguished visiting professor at St. Louis University School of Law, outlines the judicial and legislative victories and failures of civil rights advocates over the last forty years at both the federal and state level. He details the reform efforts through personal anecdotes of many of his own cases that he pursued as a legal services lawyer and has seen as a judge. Judge Wolff’s stories focus on the rights that legal services programs fought for and obtained and the battles... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4162958 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 04:01:01 +0100 4162958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4151700&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fthis-is-really-going-to-set-peoples.html We have been posting nearly every week about the parade of legal settlements, sometimes including guilty pleas to criminal charges, made by health care organizations.  The settlements have involved charges of kickbacks, fraud, conspiracy, and other colorful offenses. Most of these settlements entailed fines or other payments by the organizations that may seem huge, but were fractions of the amounts made by the practices that lead to the charges that were settled.  Almost never have the cases involved penalties for any individuals who authorized, directed, or implemented the misbehavior.  We have also been saying (seemingly endlessly, but most recently here) that such settlements may be viewed by organizations as merely the costs of doing busines... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4151700 Wed, 10 Nov 2010 16:52:00 +0100 4151700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133611&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fblogscan-corporate-characteristics-that.html Kurt Eichenwald on the corporate characteristics that lead to fraud: 1) huge positive incentives for achieving financial targets, huge negative incentives for not achieving them; 2) a cult of personality, or a rock-star CEO; 3) a weak compliance department.  The example was for-profit hospital system Columbia/ HCA, whose former CEO just was elected governor of Florida.  See the video on PharmaGossip. (Source: Health Care Renewal) Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133611 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:28:00 +0100 4133611 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133612&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fgreat-investment-oppotunity.html A sad commentary on the current morality of the health care "business," as provided by the New York Times. Sam Waksal is back in the biotechnology business:Mr. Waksal says his new venture, Kadmon Pharmaceuticals, will be 'a fully integrated biopharmaceutical company from the get-go,' replete with everything, including its own research and products on the market or in clinical trials that it acquires from others. 'You’ll see a company that next year will be doing significant revenues in a growth area, with earnings, probably five Phase 3 programs and a couple of Phase 2 products,' Mr. Waksal said Sunday in a telephone interview. Phase 3 and Phase 2 are the late and middle stages, respectively, of clinical trials. Several of Mr. Waksal’s former colleagues from ImClone have joined him at ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133612 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 21:21:00 +0100 4133612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121919&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F31%2Fare-your-children-safe-on-halloween%2F The short answer is, “Yes.” At least from sex offenders. Halloween is today. And parents around the country walk along their young children for fear of their safety. And yet, what do the data show about sex offenders offending on or around Halloween? Are they more likely to target the holiday because so many children are out and about? Police are on alert during Halloween, especially for sex offenders. The common wisdom is that sex offenders are out and about on Halloween, looking for targets. Researchers led by Mark Chaffin (2009) looked at the National Incident-Base Reporting System which reports crime report data. They examined sex crimes data from 1997 to 2005 against children ages 12 year and younger by non-family members. Halloween crime rates were compared with expected ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121919 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 12:43:34 +0100 4121919 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122068&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fsliding-into-iraqistan.html [Originally posted 29 Oct 2010 on hellowellness.in]Drug use among the Karzai government forces in Afghanistan is old news. That country is, after all, the world’s leading producer of opium, and high government officials, including the President’s brother, are widely believed to be among the kingpins in the heroin trade.  Now comes a report, in Monday’s New York Times, that government troops in Iraq have been sliding in the same direction. Reporters Timothy Williams and Omar al-Jawoshy write from Baghdad: “A growing number of Iraqi security force members are becoming dependent on drugs or alcohol, which has led to concerns about a significant addiction problem among the country’s armed services as the insurgency remains a potent force and American troops prepare to ... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122068 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 21:15:00 +0100 4122068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122070&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fpain-relief-without-addiction-walking.html [Originally published on hellowellness.in on 29 Oct. 2010]Roger T., a middle-aged systems analyst, showed up at a LifeRing recovery support group looking for help with addiction to painkillers.  Years earlier he had been a passenger in an auto collision which left him with chronic pain in his lower back and hips.  His doctors had prescribed the standard opiates, and this had provided him with some relief, but over time he needed larger and larger doses.  He said he had been taking 300 Vicodins® per day.  He knew he had to stop the drugs -- but he couldn’t live with the pain.  Not only patients but also their physicians have to walk a tightrope between pain and addiction.  A hot case in point is the jury trial involving Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, the 42-year old Ho... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122070 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:27:00 +0100 4122070 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122071&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35797&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewrecovery.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fif-alcohol-were-invented-today.html [Originally posted on hellowellness.in 29 Sept 2010]The word 'alcohol' was coined around 1540 by an Arabic chemist to describe the fine powder, or 'kohl,' used to stain or paint the eyelids.  Two centuries later, British writers borrowed the word to describe the intoxicating essence of wine -- an ironic twist, since the original Arabic chemist was very likely a Muslim and, as such, forbidden to drink it.  If alcohol were invented today, international law would class it with the controlled substances, alongside opium, heroin, cocaine and the like.  The World Health Organization (WHO), in its most recent comprehensive report, writes:Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with a known liability to produce dependence in humans and animals. If considered in the frame of the 1971 Con... New Recovery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122071 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 18:19:00 +0100 4122071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118810&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fglaxosmithkline-subsidiary-pleads.html DiscussionFirst, this is another dreary marcher in the parade of legal settlements that we have now been chronicling for years. This case has some particular features. It included a guilty plea to a crime. Although the allegations included fraud, the fundamental problem seemed to be the selling of adulterated, impure drugs.So my first comment is that this is the latest instance of a major pharmaceutical company not being able to fulfill its most basic responsibility and reason for being, the manufacture of pure, unadulterated drugs. We previously discussed problems with adulterated drugs made by Baxter International and Johnson and Johnson. We have discussed, seemingly endlessly, how big health care corporations, including but certainly not limited to pharmaceutical companies, have engaged... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118810 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 20:56:00 +0100 4118810 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077463&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspiewebnet%2F%7E3%2F11mV6O4X5es%2F In an example of some of the stupider sides of advocacy long time autism rights advocate Joe Mele is defending Dr. Nick Dubin who was recently arrested by the FBI for being a pervert.  For those that do not yet Dr. Nick Dubin a long time autism self advocate was recently arrested by the FBI [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077463 Mon, 18 Oct 2010 04:50:12 +0100 4077463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077465&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Faspiewebnet%2F%7E3%2FRVt0Jq8--EU%2F A famous worldwide expert on Autism along with bullying has been arrested by agents from the US Department of Justice’s FBI on charges of downloading graphic imagery of children in sexual situations for the last two years according to reports. A Detroit, MI news station has reported that Dr. Nick Dubin who is a psychologist [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077465 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 04:57:57 +0100 4077465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4060548&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fsynthes-and-its-subsidiary-plead-guilty.html In December, 2009, we updated the story of Swiss-based medical device company Synthes and the marketing by its Norian division of a bone cement.  At that time, US authorities charged the company with use of an unapproved product in about 200 patients, three of whom suffered untimely deaths.  At that point, four US based Synthes executives had pleaded guilty to charges related to this affair.  Last week, another shoe dropped.  As reported by the Associated Press,A medical devices company will admit criminality and pay the maximum $23 million fine for illegally testing bone cement on about 200 spinal patients, three of whom died in surgery, U.S. prosecutors said Monday.Norian Corp. trained surgeons to conduct unapproved clinical tests of its bone cement from 2002 to 2004,... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4060548 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 21:52:00 +0100 4060548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031186&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fwright-medical-settles-but-wait-there.html Everyone loves a parade, and so the parade of legal settlements by prominent health care organizations continues.  The latest to march into view is Wright Medical Group, as reported by Bloomberg:Wright Medical Technology Inc. agreed to pay $7.9 million to resolve U.S. criminal and civil investigations into whether it paid kickbacks to induce doctors to use its hip and knee devices.Prosecutors in Newark, New Jersey, today charged Wright with conspiring to violate a federal anti-kickback statue through consulting contracts with orthopedic surgeons. The U.S. agreed to drop the case in 12 months if a monitor agrees that Wright has reformed the way it hires consultants.Wright, based in Arlington, Tennessee, also agreed to a $7.9 million civil settlement with the Justice Department and insp... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031186 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 19:51:00 +0100 4031186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4022875&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fnovartis-settles-but-wait-theres-more.html Back in January, 2010, we posted about Novartis' settlement of charges that it promoted its anti-seizure drug, Trileptal, (Oxcarbazepine) for off-label uses, agreeing to plead guilty to one charge of violating the US Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.  This week, the full story of the settlement just came out, and yes, but wait, there's more.  Per the New York Times article by Duff Wilson, the story is not only about Trileptal:The Swiss drug giant Novartis is paying $422.5 million to settle criminal and civil investigations into the marketing of the antiseizure medicine Trileptal and five other drugs, federal officials said on Thursday.The other drugs were:Diovan, a hypertension drug that is the company’s top-selling product, at $6 billion last year; Sandostatin, ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4022875 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:40:00 +0100 4022875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987042&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FKqcIiDVsv8g%2F By Daniel J. MitchellThe Washington Post has an interesting report about the huge amount of money that Fairfax County spends to go after gambling. The story cites critics who ask “why law enforcement spends valuable time and money on combating sports gambling. The answer is obvious — and explicit in the story: “…police in Virginia are allowed to keep 100 percent of the assets they seize in state gambling cases.” In other words, harassing the gambling business is a profit-making endeavor for police. And it also can be deadly since cops killed an optometrist during a SWAT arrest. The Institute for Justice has a powerful video on the dangers of “policing for profit,” and Fairfax County is just one bad example of how this lures cops into misallocating ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987042 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 14:21:35 +0100 3987042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3987045&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FcFUXszHEmWA%2F By David BoazNPR reports: Black-market cigarettes are costing many states hundreds of millions of dollars a year in lost tax revenue. And the lucrative, illicit trade is attracting violent criminal gangs that can be lethally ruthless. The rewards, and the risks, of dealing in contraband cigarettes became quite clear recently in northern Virginia, says Capt. Dennis Wilson of the Fairfax County Police Department. Undercover investigators working with his department “had two cases where contacts that we were working with had asked us to murder their competition,” Wilson says. The problem is that exorbitant taxes in New York state and especially New York City can add as much as $60 to the cost of a carton of cigarettes. No wonder criminals including “organized crime groups wi... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3987045 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 11:05:29 +0100 3987045 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3980796&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fforest-pharmaceuticals-pleads-guilty-to.html The parade of legal settlements marches on.  The latest story is about Forest Laboratories and its marketing of Celexa (citalopram ) and Levothyroid (l-thyroxin).  Here is the most complete version, courtesy of Natasha Singer reporting for the New York Times. First, the lead sentence:A unit of Forest Laboratories, the maker of the antidepressant Celexa, agreed on Wednesday to pay more than $313 million to settle criminal and civil complaints, including a claim that it had illegally promoted the drug for use in children. Here are the charges:Among the criminal charges was one that the subsidiary, Forest Pharmaceuticals, marketed Celexa, which was approved only for adult depression, to treat children and adolescents. The government also claimed that, in conjunction with the company... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3980796 Fri, 17 Sep 2010 19:27:00 +0100 3980796 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3972885&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fhealth-care-leaders-best-and-brightest.html We have recently discussed how even executives of relatively small, not-for-profit health care organizations are paid enough to make them rich.  The compensation and privileges given to leaders of health care organizations are often justified by the notion that they are the "best and brightest," such arguments sometimes accompanied by a few choice logical fallacies (e.g., here).  So here are a few news stories about the activities of some choice health care executives.Canopy FinancialThis company provided financing for health care services.  As reported by the Associated Press,A former executive of the bankrupt health care company Canopy Financial Inc. has agreed to plead guilty in an alleged multimillion-dollar fraud.Court documents released Wednesday say former chief techn... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3972885 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 20:21:00 +0100 3972885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3938310&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fat-end-of-summer-everybody-well-nearly.html Many US health care organizations announced legal settlements as the dog days of summer drew to a close.  The hit parade included, in order of dollar amount:Stryker CorpAs reported by Bloomberg News:Sryker Corp., a maker of artificial hips and knees, will pay $1.35 million to settle claims it marketed items without regulatory approval and misled health care providers about the use of its products, the Massachusetts attorney general said.Stryker’s biotech unit engaged in unfair and deceptive trade practices that boosted sales of products used to strengthen and promote growth of bones, Massachusetts said in a filing in state court in Boston.'Stryker Biotech subverted review procedures designed to safeguard patients and promoted uses of its products that were not shown to be safe or ef... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3938310 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:11:00 +0100 3938310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3899376&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F7Q282tzEUmw%2F It sounds a little bit like the “pre-crime” unit featured in the 2002 film “Minority Report,” but news that Washington, D.C. will implement software to “predict” crime is not quite as worrisome as it might seem at first blush. Beginning several years ago, the researchers assembled a dataset of more than 60,000 various crimes, including homicides. Using an algorithm they developed, they found a subset of people much more likely to commit homicide when paroled or probated. Instead of finding one murderer in 100, the UPenn researchers could identify eight future murderers out of 100. Berk’s software examines roughly two dozen variables, from criminal record to geographic location. The type of crime, and more importantly, the age at which that crime wa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3899376 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:09:42 +0100 3899376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3880826&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fk2NKRo9Lezk%2F More than 16,000 murders occurred in Venezuela in 2009. That compares with 4,550 homicides reported in 1998, the year Hugo Chavez was elected president. The fact that Venezuela now has one of the world’s highest violent crime rates underscores the Chavez revolution’s utter neglect of the basic and proper functions of government. Yet the problem is downplayed by the government, which inexplicably blames capitalism and poverty even though official figures show a fall in poverty rates. As if to highlight the government’s insensitivity, the president of state-run TeleSUR TV station recently laughed off the problem in a widely-seen CNN interview. Last week, El Nacional newspaper published this graphic front-page photo of crime victims in a morgue. The official response from a government-c... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3880826 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:21:08 +0100 3880826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3866984&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F14%2Fsurviving-domestic-abuse%2F Today I have the honor of interviewing a woman who is a survivor in all meanings of that word. Kathy Lockhart is a professional Registered Nurse with a Master’s Degree in Psychiatric Nursing from the University of Virginia and a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from California State University, East Bay. She became interested in Domestic Violence after being in an abusive relationship. She has been an active volunteer for a community Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Hotline for the past 14 years and is an advocate for victims of domestic violence and rape. She knows Domestic Violence can happen to anyone. She is a living example of how women can break free from abuse and live a meaningful life. When a young woman who has been beaten by her husband calls your hotline a... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3866984 Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:00:12 +0100 3866984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827043&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcar-thieves-disregard-environment-prefer-gas-guzzlers-to-hybrids%2F photo: Thinkstock Yet another reason to pat yourself on the back for buying a fuel-efficient car: It’s less likely to get stolen. A new report from the Highway Loss Data Institute shows that crooks are way more likely to jack a flashy, gas-guzzling SUV — like an Escalade — than they are to steal a sensible, sedate hybrid, like a Prius. This just shows that car thieves are dumber than we thought. If you’re so broke that you need to steal some wheels, you really should choose the make and model that will get you the best mileage. via Grist Post from: BlissTree Car Thieves Disregard Environment, Prefer Gas-Guzzlers to Hybrids (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827043 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:34:25 +0100 3827043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3816763&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fserving-productive-jail-time%2F Serving Productive Time Are you or have you ever been incarcerated? Do you have a loved one in jail or prison? Do you work or volunteer at a correctional facility? Have you ever been the victim of a crime? Do you understand that we all share the responsibility of helping others—no matter who they are, where they live, or what they have done? If so, you understand that incarceration affects everyone and that only through positive change can people begin to heal and grow. In Serving Productive Time, you’ll read about extraordinary people who are taking tangible steps to make positive changes in their own lives and who are reaching out to help others do the same. Some stories will help you gain a new perspective on those who are incarcerated. Some will help you understand t... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816763 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:56:00 +0100 3816763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3798609&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F28%2Fshirley-sherrod-and-the-decline-of-decency%2F The airwaves, newspapers and blogosphere were abuzz this week with the fiasco involving Shirley Sherrod, the USDA worker forced to resign over a fabricated racial controversy. The original slur was initiated by a blogger who posted a misleading video clip of a speech by Ms. Sherrod. Ultimately, Sherrod was cleared of any racist leanings, and we must now hope for some genuine soul-searching among all those who failed the most elementary tests of fairness, accuracy and decency in responding to the original charges. But the other day, amidst all the commentary on Shirley Sherrod, a short article buried inside the Sunday New York Times caught my eye. Innocuously entitled, “No Air-Conditioning, and Happy,”1 the article concerned a certain agricultural scientist and his wife who “…do not... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3798609 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:12:24 +0100 3798609 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259203&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamblingwatchglobal.com%2Farchives%2Freaction-to-the-relationship-between-crime-and-gaming-expenditure%2F Academics, law enforcement and opposition members are reacting to  The Relationship Between Crime and Gaming Expenditure in Victoria. The Age: Opposition gaming spokesman Michael O’Brien strongly criticised the Brumby government for its delay in releasing the report, which was quietly uploaded on a government website last month after the report was completed in October. It was appalling that [...] (Source: Gambling Watch Global) Gambling Watch Global blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259203 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:41:50 +0100 4259203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259204&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamblingwatchglobal.com%2Farchives%2Fthe-relationship-between-crime-and-gaming-expenditure-in-victoria%2F The Age: Researchers in Victoria say they have found a “strong and robust” evidence of a link between spending on pokies and the incidence of “income-generating” crimes such as theft, robbery, fraud and handling stolen goods. The findings, which have been quietly posted on the Department of Justice website, add weight to long-held assumptions about the incidence [...] (Source: Gambling Watch Global) Gambling Watch Global blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259204 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:22:25 +0100 4259204 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753898&cid=t_100567_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2FErVctpUe6H8%2F Time for me to join in the various bouts of liberal handwringing over Raoul Moat. In the news today is the furore over a collection of Facebook groups proclaiming Moat a “legend”. Or possibly a “lejjarnd” since 99% of people on those groups seem incapable of basic spelling. The charming inhabitants of these groups proclaim such lovely sentiments as: He got pushed to the edge by a lying scummy girlfriend who told him she was shagging a copper, she tried to wind him up and it worked quite well. He only done what every guy in jail ‘says’ he would do if his partner cheated while inside, difference is he wasn’t all mouth! Stupid little bitch, bet she feels stupid now. and he sat underneath a window nd listened 2 his ex nd new partner slaging him off 4... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753898 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 20:44:50 +0100 3753898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710553&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FmU7LqpMVGZs%2F By Daniel GriswoldThe June issue of Cato’s monthly newsletter on immigration reform, just released, tackles the timely topic of “Immigrants and Crime: Perceptions vs. Reality.” The bulletin finds that, contrary to public perception, immigration has not caused higher crime rates, in Arizona or in the nation as a whole. In fact, one new study even suggests that a rising level of immigration in a city actually leads to lower crime rates. According to bulletin editor and author Stuart Anderson, a Cato adjunct scholar, “National studies have reached the conclusion that foreign-born (both legal and illegal immigrants) are less likely to commit crimes than the native-born.” It’s an important fact to consider as other states look to copy Arizona’s tough new law against illegal immigr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710553 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:12:20 +0100 3710553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3699659&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Freginald-latson-warrents-autism-police%2F The teen who assaulted a police officer in Virginia who’s mother claims is harmless had multiple warrants according to sources.  According to my source Latson currently has warrants out for Burglary and Domestic Assault that were filed in just the last year.  This seems to paint a picture of a very dangerous, very criminal man.  [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3699659 Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:13:56 +0100 3699659 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691037&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Faspergers-teen-reginald-latson-arrested-racial-gun%2F Reginald Latson an 18 year old physically assaulted a police officer in Stafford County, VA.  His mother has maintained her sons innocence and until today I was somewhat open minded about it, until I saw a recent quote of her.  According to the Police Information Statement The long story short Latson was sitting outside a [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691037 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:53:27 +0100 3691037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3679750&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FXsYCxScVoto%2F By David BoazDespite the claims of immigration opponents such as Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, the rate of violent crime at the border and across Arizona has been dropping in the past few years, the New York Times reports — a fact you could have read here at Cato@Liberty back on April 27 and May 25. (Source: Cato-at-liberty) Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3679750 Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:44:27 +0100 3679750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3652617&cid=t_100567_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2010%2F06%2F10%2Fjoran-van-der-sloot-suspect-in-natalee-holloway-case-confesses-to-murder-in-peru%2F Joran van der Sloot and Stephany Flores in Peru on May 30, shortly before her murder. My new post on Politics Daily / Woman Up. Joran van der Sloot, Suspect in Natalee Holloway Case, Confesses to Murder in Peru. Natalee Holloway, the Alabama teen who disappeared five years ago during a vacation in Aruba, is again in the news. On June 7, the prime suspect in her presumed murder, Dutch citizen Joran van der Sloot, was arrested in Chile after another woman, 21-year-old student Stephany Tatiana Flores Ramirez, was found dead in Lima, Peru. Security video shows Flores and van der Sloot entering his hotel room on May 30. Three hours later, he left alone. Soon after his arrest, van der Sloot confessed to murder. Perhaps in an attempt to get a sentence more lenient than the maximum 35 years, van d... Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3652617 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 18:32:22 +0100 3652617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3644743&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fkeeping-your-boyfriend-while-in-prison-piper-kerman-author-of-orange-is-the-new-black-opens-up%2F Watch the previous installment of our exclusive video chat with Piper Kerman, where she opens up about spending six years in limbo before she was locked up in prison. When Piper Kerman was 34, she was sent to federal prison for a ten-year-old drug smuggling and money laundering offense. She spent 13 months in a minimum-security correctional facility for women in Danbury, CT, which isn’t necessarily what you’d expect from a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Smith graduate and Red Sox fan from a nice, New England family. Piper’s excellent memoir about her prison experience, Orange Is the New Black, was just published by Random House – with back cover blurbs by Dave Eggers and Elizabeth Gilbert (not too shabby for a first-time writer). Piper sat down with Blisstree for the af... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3644743 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 19:42:58 +0100 3644743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635705&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fattempt-to-hold-health-care-leaders.html We have frequently noted how health care organizations accused of kickbacks, fraud, and other unethical and sometimes illegal behavior involving how they produce or market health care products or services often are allowed to settle the charges only with a fines to the companies, and sometimes with corporate integrity agreements.  Almost never are the people who authorized, directed, or implemented the unethical behavior required to pay any sort of penalty.  We recently commented on a case in which an executive of a medical device company accused of exaggerating the performance of a diagnostic test in development was charged, not with misleading doctors or patients by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but with misleading investors by the US Securities... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635705 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:30:00 +0100 3635705 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635707&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F06%2Fsequenom-executive-pleads-guilty-banned.html This report from Bloomberg describes a case in which a health care corporation was accused of lying to investors about the performance of a product which it hoped to market. The product was a diagnostic test, and so exaggerating its performance could have affected medical decisions, and hence patients' outcomes, as well as affecting investors' finances. Note how this case was handled.Elizabeth A. Dragon, former senior vice president of research and development at Sequenom Inc., pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to commit securities fraud for lying to investors about the company’s prenatal test for Down syndrome, U.S. officials said.Dragon admitted to making false claims to investors and analysts about the effectiveness of the San Diego-based company’s test as well as ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635707 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 19:32:00 +0100 3635707 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3632247&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F6-years-in-limbo-before-prison-exclusive-video-of-piper-kerman-author-of-orange-is-the-new-black%2F Check out more of our exclusive video chat with Piper Kerman, where she talks about why she never sought therapy throughout her prison ordeal. When Piper Kerman was 34, she was sent to federal prison for a ten-year-old drug smuggling and money laundering offense. She spent 13 months in a minimum-security correctional facility for women in Danbury, CT, which isn’t necessarily what you’d expect from a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Smith graduate and Red Sox fan from a nice, New England family. Piper’s excellent memoir about her prison experience, Orange Is the New Black, was just published by Random House – with back cover blurbs by Dave Eggers and Elizabeth Gilbert (not too shabby for a first-time writer). Piper sat down with Blisstree for the afternoon to discuss all asp... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3632247 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:11:17 +0100 3632247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4259210&cid=t_100567_151_f&fid=35819&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gamblingwatchglobal.com%2Farchives%2Fthanks-jim-coyle-thanks-toronto-star-wisdom-paid-for-by-pain%2F At first glance I nearly dismissed this article, but I like to read Jim Coyle. Michael Bryant a wiser man after tragedy Former Ontario Attorney General Michael Bryant finishes speaking to journalists at a press conference in Toronto after criminal charges against him in the death of a cyclist were withdrawn. Michael Bryant struck a grace note this [...] (Source: Gambling Watch Global) Gambling Watch Global blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4259210 Mon, 31 May 2010 22:56:56 +0100 4259210 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603543&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fhow-did-ceo-who-presided-over-company.html This one fits in the "you just can't make this stuff up" category.  Let me provide a summary from the Fort Lauderdale, Florida Sun-Sentinel,It was and still is the biggest Medicare fraud case in U.S. history and ended with the hospital giant Columbia/HCA paying a record $1.7 billion in fines, penalties and damages.Now the man who ran the company at the time wants to be Florida's governor.Rick Scott was co-founder and CEO of Columbia/HCA in the 1990s, when the FBI launched a massive, multi-state investigation that led to the company pleading guilty to criminal charges of overbilling the government.Today, Scott is a Republican candidate for governor, running his campaign from an office in downtown Fort Lauderdale.Here is the Sun-Sentinel's review of the Columbia/ HCA case from the end o... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603543 Wed, 26 May 2010 16:16:00 +0100 3603543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3599360&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FI4cGYzwK-YM%2F By Daniel GriswoldFBI crime figures reported in today’s Wall Street Journal challenge the perception that illegal immigrants have unleashed a crime wave in Arizona. One of the clinching arguments for Arizona’s tough new law aimed at illegal immigration has been the perception in that state that crime has been rising, and that undocumented workers are largely to blame. Yet the Journal reports that the incidence of violent crime in Phoenix last year plunged 16.6 percent compared to 2008, a rate of decline that was three times the national average. According to the Phoenix Police Department, the downward trend in crime has continued into 2010 even as the “illegal immigrant crime wave” story reverberates on cable TV and talk radio. As the Journal story reports: In Phoenix, police spoke... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3599360 Tue, 25 May 2010 16:22:20 +0100 3599360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595553&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fpublic-policy-do-accused-rapists-deserve-privacy-protection%2F photo: Thinkstock We all know the sites you can visit to find out how many sex offenders live or work near you. It’s seen as a measure of public safety to keep the community informed of their whereabouts. It also may be another form of punishment for the offender; a reminder that they’ve lost all privacy. In England and Wales, there’s a movement to keep the identities of rapists anonymous. The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition thinks the fact that the victim is unnamed, but the accused is identified, creates a double standard. Great Britain tried not naming accused sex offenders once before for 12 years, but the policy was eventually repealed because it was impeding police investigations; authorities wanted other victims who had been attacked by the accused to come ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595553 Mon, 24 May 2010 22:35:21 +0100 3595553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3546844&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FHcAMhZf4Za0%2F By Daniel J. MitchellHere are some very depressing stories showing the corrosive — and perhaps even deadly — effect of redistibutionist policies. We begin with a story of a government that actually tried to do the right thing, but was thwarted by a supra-national court. The Daily Mail reports that a European Court has ruled that the UK no longer can impose restrictions on welfare payments to women married to suspected terrorists: A European court has instructed Britain to drop restrictions which limit social security benefits paid to the wives of terror suspects. Ministers imposed tight rules on payouts to stop the money falling into the hands of alleged Al Qaeda fanatics. Under the restrictions, cash payments were strictly limited and families had to show receipts to justify every ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3546844 Sat, 08 May 2010 16:51:25 +0100 3546844 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3538181&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F05%2F06%2Fthe-racialized-situation-of-vandalism-and-crime%2F Here is another segment from John Quinones excellent ABC 20/20 series titled “What Would You Do?” — a series that, in essence, conducts situationist experiments through hidden-camera scenarios (in consultation with renowned social psychologist John Dovidio). * * * * * * * * * To review a sample of related Situationist posts, see “Journalists as Social Psychologists & Social Psychologists as Entertainers,” “The Situation of Bystanders,” “The Situation of Racial Profiling,” “The Situation of Black and White,” “He’s a Banana-Eating Monkey, but I’m Not a Racist,” “The Legal Situation of the Underclass,” “Why Race May Influence Us Even When We “Know” It Doesn’t,” “Jennifer Eberhardt’s “Pol... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3538181 Thu, 06 May 2010 04:14:33 +0100 3538181 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3526708&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fsunday-settlement-and-guilty-plea.html Here we go again.  AstraZeneca / SeroquelWe have posted frequently about allegations of devious marketing techniques used by AstraZeneca to promote its blockbuster atypical anti-psychotic drug Seroquel (quetiapine.)  See our posts here, here, here, here, and here.  Now, as reported by the New York Times, it is time for AZ to settle with the US government.AstraZeneca has completed a deal to pay $520 million to settle federal investigations into marketing practices for its blockbuster schizophrenia drug, Seroquel, the Attorney General, Eric Holder, said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon. 'AstraZeneca paid kickbacks to doctors as part of an illegal scheme to market drugs for unapproved uses,' Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of health and human services, said at the event in W... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3526708 Sun, 02 May 2010 20:49:00 +0100 3526708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519409&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Finvestigations-indictments-and-guilty.html Some of the US most prestigious academic medical centers have been receiving unusual scrutiny lately.Mount Sinai Medical Center and New York - Presbyterian Hospital.As reported first by the Wall Street Journal,Federal prosecutors are investigating allegations that bid rigging and fraud at Mount Sinai Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital resulted in the hospitals awarding contracts worth tens of millions of dollars to outside contractors.Purchasing officials at the hospitals, two of the city's largest and most prestigious, are alleged to have gotten more than a million dollars in payments from companies that were then given lucrative contracts to perform work such as re-insulating pipes and removing asbestos, according to documents filed in the Southern District of New York. Ni... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519409 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:29:00 +0100 3519409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515296&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fjudge-rejects-prosecutors-lenient.html We just discussed the proposed settlement of a case in which the Guidant subsidiary of Boston Scientific was alleged to have withheld information about defects in its implantable cardiac defibrillators that were associated with six patient deaths (see next most recent post here with more complete summary).  The devices were manufactured in 2000-02, and the issue first became public in 2005.  The proposed settlement included a seemingly large fine for the company.  Now the New York Times has reported that the presiding judge has rejected the settlement as too lenient.A federal judge in Minnesota on Tuesday rejected a plea agreement between the federal government and the Guidant Corporation, saying that the deal did not hold the company sufficiently accountable for an epi... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515296 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:09:00 +0100 3515296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501493&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fexplaining-health-care-executives.html On Health Care Renewal, we noted many legal settlements and criminal convictions in cases alleging unethical behavior by health care organizations.  Some organizations have settled, and/or pleaded guilty, and/or been convicted numerous times.  And we have said repeatedly, (e.g., here) such legal actions will not deter unethical behavior by health care organizations until the people who authorize, direct or implement bad behavior fear some meaningfully negative consequences. Relatively small fines imposed on large corporations pain workers on the line and stockholders while sparing the richly paid top hired management and the boards that will not reign them in. A recent article in the New York Times about a plea agreement in a case in which the Guidant subsidiary of Bost... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501493 Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:03:00 +0100 3501493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3468064&cid=t_100567_180_f&fid=38610&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.productivity501.com%2Fa-talk-with-the-fbi%2F7573%2F Do you have a backup plan for your important files? Hard drives always fail eventually. What would happen if your hard drive failed right now? Our DropBox review looks at a great free application that can help you backup and synchronize your important files across multiple computers. Best of all the basic DropBox plan is free.I recently had a chance to talk with an FBI agent who works with computer evidence. Here are some of the things I took away from the conversation.  A lot of his job is fairly easy  because most criminals have no idea how a computer works. I asked if he ran into any type of encryption very often and he said it was very rare. There was only one case where someone was using encryption and he said it was completely luck that they were able to catch him because he hadn&#... Productivity501 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3468064 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 17:00:07 +0100 3468064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3448806&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fwhat-me-worry-leaders-prosper-despite.html There were two examples in the recent news about how the leaders of health care organizations seem to prosper no matter what questions are raised about their organizations' ethics or performance.WellPointIt seemed that anger over a rate increase by a subsidiary of the huge insurance company/ managed care organization WellPoint was one reason for the revival of efforts in the US to enact some sort of health care reform legislation.  In our comment on this controversy, we noted that questions about the ethics of WellPoint's actions have appeared again and again.  Wellpoint...settled a RICO (racketeer influenced corrupt organization) law-suit in California over its alleged systematic attempts to withhold payments from physicians (see post here).subsidiary New York Empire Blue Cross ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448806 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:19:00 +0100 3448806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3448814&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fpersuasion-adolescence-and-joys-of.html Low IQ special needs adolescence does not come as a "thief in the night". It comes as a ton of bricks.Behavioral management, which was never terribly effective, has become even less effective. We may still have a "paradoxical permission" effect, whereby when we give permission for an annoying behavior it becomes less attractive. I'm not sure we have even that however.Medications are still available, but of course side-effects may be less tolerated.Which is why I'm turning, with a measure of desperation, to my favorite sales book: Three Steps to Yes: The Gentle Art of Getting Your Way by Gene Bidell. I hope I can use some of Bidell's techniques to change my son's choices.Bidell emphasizes understanding your Prospect's recognized and unrecognized needs and aversions, then figuring ways to me... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448814 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:48:00 +0100 3448814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3443645&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fwho-guards-guardians-case-of-boston.html The fallout from the case of the faulty implantable cardiac defibrillators continues.  To summarize the story thus far,We started posting about Boston Scientific's travails in 2005, starting with allegations that Guidant, which is now a Boston Scientific subsidiary, hid information about defects in the implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) the company manufactured. As we noted in early 2005 here, Guidant executives allegedly knew that ICDs made from 2000-2002 were at risk for short-circuiting and failing, thus making them unable to deliver potentially life saving electrical shocks meant to prevent cardiac arrests, but the company only revealed the problem in 2005. By failing to notify physicians and the public, Guidant executives let expensive and profitable, but po... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3443645 Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:28:00 +0100 3443645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3440751&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fprosthetic-conscience-for-special-needs.html Some special needs teens and adults may wish to do well, but have a great deal of difficulty modeling the impact of their actions. Impulse disorders, limited abilities to abstract, and autism-associated disabilities may all make a prosthetic conscience useful ...Gordon's Notes: A conscience for robots - and for humans too... Some humans too would benefit from a prosthetic conscience. It might allow persons with disorders of conscience to function more effectively in the modern world. Our prisons are full of low IQ individuals with a limited capacity to model the impacts of their actions on other persons. A prosthetic conscience might allow them to avoid prison, or to have great success after prison life... (Source: Be the Best You can Be) Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3440751 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 17:24:00 +0100 3440751 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3432861&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fds90DTuzjrM%2F By David RittgersNearly half of the security cameras in the New York City subway system don’t work. That may seem like cause for alarm, and it may be from a financial standpoint — NYC isn’t getting a lot of return on its investment. From a broader security standpoint, I don’t find this particularly disturbing. As the article points out, crime is down as ridership increases. Reducing the number of police officers on patrol in the subway (as NYC is doing) is more likely to facilitate increased criminality. A camera can catch many things on film, but the presence of law enforcement officers provides intangible benefits that technology cannot. The would-be Millenium Bomber was stopped by a border patrol agent who interviewed him and thought that something was “hinky” about his beh... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3432861 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 14:17:29 +0100 3432861 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429131&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fnew-investigations-of-boston-scientific.html It appears that device-maker Boston Scientific has a new set of troubles.  The Boston Globe just reported:Stepped-up government scrutiny of Boston Scientific Corp. stems from heightened concern over medical safety and disappointment that the company made new missteps after resolving previous problems with the Food and Drug Administration, analysts said yesterday.The Natick medical-device maker, which has been working to settle patent suits and federal investigations dating back years, recently was notified of fresh investigations begun by the Department of Justice and the Securities Exchange Commission into problems that forced it to recall implantable heart defibrillators this month.Boston Scientific said March 15 that it had halted shipments and recalled unsold units of seven brands... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429131 Wed, 31 Mar 2010 20:39:00 +0100 3429131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3411069&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fsettlement-and-conviction-round-up.html It's time for one of our periodic round-ups of legal settlements and convictions of health care organizations.  This time, we report on three frequent fliers, in chronologic order of the appearance of the relevant news stories.Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (UMDNJ)We have written multiple times about the woes of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, which lead to a deferred prosecution agreement and operation under the watchful eye of a federal monitor for several years, and resulted in criminal convictions of a former Dean and the state legislative leader he hired.  Scroll through this for far too many details.  Now, the redoubtable Newark Star-Ledger reports:Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in Hamilton has agreed to pay ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3411069 Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:22:00 +0100 3411069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3398988&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F23%2Fa-psychopaths-brain-on-fmri%2F Our newest blogger, Dr. Kelly McAleer, has an interesting two-part post about the use of fMRI imaging technologies to try and detect psychopathology in criminals: In my last post, I discussed how Dr. Kent Kiehl, a neuroscientist, is using fMRI technology to detect brain abnormalities in people with psychopathy. His participants are prison inmates who score high on the PCL-R, a psychodiagnostic measure used to assess psychopathy. Once he determines that the participant is, in fact, a psychopath based on their PCL-R score, he takes scans of their brains using an fMRI to determine if there are brain differences between psychopathic participants and normal controls. He has found defects in the paralimbic system that he believes relate to psychopathy. Interestingly, Dr. Kiehl’s research ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3398988 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:28:39 +0100 3398988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3382875&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2F101-dalmations-and-chihuahuasand.html In the New York Times this week we have a story entitled Animal Abuse as Clue to Additional Cruelties. In this article Ian Urbina discusses the problem of people who hoard animals and the connection between animal abuse and violence toward people.The link between animal cruelty and antisocial behavior is well known and was first studied in the 1960's by a researcher at Washington University by the name of Lee Robins. Dr. Robins followed the outcomes of children referred to a local mental health center for conduct problems, and learned that about one third of them developed antisocial behavior as adults. This is where we get the current conduct disorder criteria for antisocial personality disorder found in DSM-IV: firesetting, theft, running away, truancy and animal cruelty.States are passi... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3382875 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3382875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366160&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fcity-hospital-system-board-member-fined.html Sometimes I think I have now seen every type of conflict of interest that could afflict health care, but then some amazing new variation on the theme comes along...Last year, the New York Times reported on an unusual deal between the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation and a proprietary (for-profit) Caribbean medical school that attracts US citizens who were not admitted to US medical schools:New York City’s Health and Hospitals Corporation has signed a 10-year, $100 million contract with a profit-making medical school in the Caribbean to provide clinical training for hundreds of students at the city’s 11 public hospitals.The unusual deal, proposed by a member of the corporation’s board who has long worked for the Caribbean school, has been met by an outcry from New York m... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366160 Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:23:00 +0100 3366160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346409&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F09%2Fstaying-safe-online%2F Title: Staying Safe Online Skinny: Examines whether the Get Safe Online and ThinkuKnow initiatives provide the advice that internet users need and their effectiveness in changing people’s behaviour. Key findings: 70 per cent of people use the internet The internet also provides more opportunities for criminals. It enables them to commit traditional crimes such as theft or fraud in new and more sophisticated ways, but also to commit new crimes such as the generation of malicious codes to attack IT systems Internet users need appropriate protective software loaded on their computers, but they also need to be aware of good practice which will help to protect their data. Young people need to protect themselves from the risks that the internet presents in terms of grooming for sexual abuse a... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346409 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:34:41 +0100 3346409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3342619&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fkeeping-eye-on-dave.html Although Dave had been a patient of mine for five years, I first met him when he was repairing the health centre roof. I first saw him as a patient a few months later when he had a painful left shoulder. As we talked, I was putting his notes in order and noticed that there was an 11 year gap. A common enough finding in people who move around the country. I asked him about the gap. He said he had been in jail. I asked him why. He paused and then said, quietly, that he had killed his wife. “Manslaughter”? I asked. He shook his head. Another pause. “I’ve been out on licence for seven years now.” He was living with his partner, a much younger woman, who was originally from Wales. She was also a patient of mine. “Yes, she does know” he said. I wasn’t going to ask. They had a thr... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3342619 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 18:45:00 +0100 3342619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322323&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fsacks-medical-kv-pharmaceutical-plead.html The march of legal settlements and guilty pleas by health care organizations just keeps going.  The most recent participants were:Sacks Medical CorpThe Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported:A Butler County drug company pleaded guilty in federal court in Pittsburgh to international money laundering and violating federal drug laws in an investigation that involved the now-defunct Monsour Medical Center Research Institute.Sacks Medical Corp. of Evans City was fined $500,000 and ordered to forfeit an additional $500,00 by U.S. District Court Judge Gustave Diamond on Monday. The firm was placed on one year's probation.The research institute was not charged in the investigation.According to federal prosecutors, Sacks in 2004 obtained pharmaceutical drugs at discount prices, which were then res... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322323 Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:22:00 +0100 3322323 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3290858&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F20%2Fclarence-darrow-on-the-situation-of-crime-and-criminals-2%2F “Crime and Criminals: Address to the Prisoners in the Chicago Jail” (1902) Preface This address is a stenographic report of a talk made to the prisoners in the Chicago jail. Some of my good friends have insisted that while my theories are true, I should not have given them to the inmates of a jail. Realizing the force of the suggestion that the truth should not be spoken to all people, I have caused these remarks to be printed on rather good paper and in a somewhat expensive form. In this way the truth does not become cheap and vulgar, and is only placed before those whose intelligence and affluence will prevent their being influenced by it. —Clarence Darrow Crime and Criminals If I looked at jails and crimes and prisoners in the way the ordinary person does, I should not spe... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3290858 Sat, 20 Feb 2010 14:43:14 +0100 3290858 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185295&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fphysician-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-for.html As reported by the Springfield, MA, Republican:A former chief of acute pain at Baystate Medical Center has agreed to plead guilty to falsifying medical research and must pay $420,000 in restitution to pharmaceutical companies, federal court records show.Dr. Scott S. Reuben, of Longmeadow, was charged on Thursday with health care fraud. He signed a plea agreement with prosecutors a week earlier.Reuben prompted a furor in the medical community in March, when he was accused of making up research results in at least 21 published studies and inventing patients in certain instances. In one notable instance,In 2005, Reuben received a $74,000 research grant from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, agreeing to test Celebrex as a component of the multimodal therapy. He claimed to have treated 200 patients,... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185295 Mon, 18 Jan 2010 21:40:00 +0100 3185295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153356&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FON8LqoedHMQ%2F By Daniel GriswoldOne of the more common complaints I hear about illegal immigration is that low-skilled workers from Mexico and Central America allegedly bring with them a wave of crime and incarceration expenses, especially to southern California. Those complaints are hard to square with the mounting evidence that immigrants, even low-skilled, illegal immigrants, are no more prone to commit crimes than native-born Americans. The latest data point comes from Los Angeles, where the Wall Street Journal reports this morning: “Violent crime in Los Angeles hit its lowest level in more than half a century last year, one of a growing number of U.S. cities reporting its streets were remarkably safe in 2009.” I tried to connect the dots on immigration and crime in a recent article I wrote for ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153356 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 17:46:33 +0100 3153356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126552&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F29%2Fimproving-health-supporting-justice%2F Title: New Horizons: the next stage of mental health policy The Skinny: Briefing on the national delivery plan of the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board which aims to aid early identification, by providing easier read materials, and assisting front-line professionals to develop skills and a knowledge base to support them in managing offenders with learning disabilities more effectively. This delivery plan contributes to key Government initiatives around protecting the public, reducing health inequalities, reducing reoffending and health improvement and protection.  Key points are: Offenders are more likely to experience mental health problems, have learning disabilities or have problems with drugs and alcohol. Improving outcomes for this group will reduce re-offending rates and ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126552 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 14:26:53 +0100 3126552 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3111590&cid=t_100567_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F12%2Fcrime-way-down-who-exactly-knows-stuff.php Despite recession, crime keeps falling:In times of recession, property crimes, in particular, are expected to rise.They haven't.Overall, property crimes fell by 6.1 percent, and violent crimes by 4.4 percent, according to the six-month data collected by the FBI. Crime rates haven't been this low since the 1960's, and are nowhere near the peak reached in the early 1990's.Who expected crime to increase? Did you? I did. But I didn't know anything about crime statistics over time so I was working off naive intuition. Did social scientists expect this? I recall a lot of worry in the media about a year ago that the crime drop which started in the 1990s would be reversed, and I shared the worry. Here's Matt Yglesias worrying last January:I think this is worth worrying about. One thing we know abo... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111590 Mon, 21 Dec 2009 23:19:00 +0100 3111590 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3100780&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FOzOGa6jQh8Y%2F By Tim LynchHere are some interesting new items on the web: Cato Senior Fellow Nat Hentoff is interviewed by John W. Whitehead of the Rutherford Institute.  Nat says “Obama has little, if any, principles except to aggrandize and make himself more and more important.”  And “Obama is possibly the most dangerous and destructive president we have ever had.”  Go here for the full interview. Cato adjunct scholar Harvey Silverglate is blogging this week over at the Volokh Conspiracy on his new book, Three Felonies a Day.  Cato Adjunct Scholar Marie Gryphon, who is also a Senior Fellow with the Manhattan Institute, has just put out a new paper, It’s a Crime: Flaws in Federal Statutes That Punish Regular Businesspeople. Cato Media Fellow Radley Balko takes a lo... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3100780 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:13:04 +0100 3100780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3096790&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F17%2Fguidance-on-the-consumption-of-alcohol-by-children-and-young-people-a-report-by-the-chief-medical-officer%2F Title: Guidance on the consumption of alcohol by children and young people Skinny: Over the last decade, public concern about the impact of alcohol on health and society has steadily mounted. Particular concern has centred on the level and pattern of drinking among children and young people and its consequences on health, crime, violence and antisocial behaviour. Built on the work of Professor Mark Bellis at Liverpool John Moores University this guidance details: Nature and extent of the problem provides an overview of drinking patterns and some of their consequences in young people in the UK. Guidance for the consumption of alcohol by children and young people presents each guideline followed by the rationale, the underpinning scientific evidence and implications. Reviews current policy,... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3096790 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:30:57 +0100 3096790 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3092648&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F15%2Flearning-from-the-past-tackling-worklessness-and-the-social-impacts-of-the-recession%25c2%25ad-%25e2%2580%2593-briefing-paper%2F Title: Learning from the Past: Tackling worklessness and the social impacts of the recession­ – Briefing Paper Skinny: Paper that argues that beating the social impacts of recession is crucial in preventing the downward spiral into long-term worklessness that the country has seen in the past. It is published alongside an evidence pack that sets out the data related to the past and current economic context.  It outlines how previous recessions have resulted in not just rising unemployment, but also increases in crime, mental health problems and family and relationship breakdown. It highlights the social impacts of previous recessions and how this time round despite steeper falls in GDP, labour market effects have been less severe than in the past. Publisher: Cabinet Office Size of Publ... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3092648 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:14:59 +0100 3092648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3056618&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FfB-YnI-ojB4%2F Speaking of White House gate-crashers Tareq and Michaele Salahi (as we were trying to think of an excuse to do, to increase blog traffic), Slate says they might be guilty of a federal crime. What crime? Well, possibly trespassing on federal property. Or maybe the “broad prohibition on lying to the federal government.” Title 18, section 1001 of the U.S. Code can be used to prosecute anyone who “knowingly and willfully … falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact” or “makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation” to the government. That could include lying about your arrest record on a government job application, claiming a fake deduction on your taxes, or telling someone you&#8... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3056618 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:11:24 +0100 3056618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3048162&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F12%2Fthings-well-never-know.html I've been following the story of Maurice Clemmons, the suspect wanted for the killing of four police officers in Seattle. I don't have any connection to the case, but his story is familiar to me from thousands of inmates like him I've met over the years.In addition to the media reports, I reviewed the parole and clemency documentation published here.Here's what strikes me about the case:Clemmons was a repeat offender who committed new crimes every few months until he turned eighteen. The longest break in his criminal activity was the eleven years that he was in the Arkansas prison system. We don't know what he was involved in before that because juvenile records are generally sealed.He was already under court supervision when he was convicted of the robbery and theft that sent him to priso... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3048162 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:33:00 +0100 3048162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3044935&cid=t_100567_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F12%2Fthere-is-no-society-just-homicidal.php There's a new book out, American Homicide, which has some interesting arguments:He concluded that people's views about the legitimacy of government and how much they identify with their fellow citizens play a major role in how often they kill each other -- much more so than the usual theories revolving around guns, poverty, drugs, race, or a permissive justice system."The predisposition to murder is rooted in feelings and beliefs people have toward government and their fellow citizens," said Randolph Roth, author of the book and professor of history at Ohio State....That includes theories held dear by both conservatives and liberals. If you look at the evidence over time, poverty and unemployment don't lead to higher murder rates, as many liberals argue, he said. But locking up criminals, ... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3044935 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:48:00 +0100 3044935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3039737&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F30%2Fresponse-to-the-consultation-and-final-guidance-to-deal-with-nuisance-and-disturbance-on-nhs-premises%2F Title: Response to the consultation on provisions to deal with nuisance and disturbance on NHS premises Skinny: Response to the consultation produces a final version of the guidance for the use of powers under the The Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 to remove those causing a nuisance or disturbance on hospital premises in England. Publisher: DH Size of Publication: 15p Published: 30/11/2009 Posted in Grey Literature, Legislation, NHS Tagged: Consultations, Crime Prevetnion and Control, Gery Literature, Hospitals, Legislation, NHS (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3039737 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:26:42 +0100 3039737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023096&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FRyfkIWvzAf4%2F The New York Times has a good article about how lawyers on both the right and left are working together to try and roll back state power in the criminal justice system. Here is an excerpt: “It’s a remarkable phenomenon,” said Norman L. Reimer, executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. “The left and the right have bent to the point where they are now in agreement on many issues. In the area of criminal justice, the whole idea of less government, less intrusion, less regulation has taken hold.” There’s plenty to be concerned about — overcriminalization, federalization of crime, and the militarization of police tactics.  I told the reporter that Cato has been uniquely positioned on this subject — that is, we remind our friends on... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023096 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:09:42 +0100 3023096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3023076&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fformer-mckesson-ceo-and-board-chairman.html Continuing with our annals of health care crime, Bloomberg.com reported a new verdict on a very old case:Former McKesson Corp. Chairman Charles McCall was convicted in a second trial of participating in a fraud 10 years ago that cost investors $8.6 billion, one of the largest white-collar crimes at the time.A federal jury in San Francisco yesterday found McCall guilty of five of six counts of securities fraud and circumventing accounting rules. He was acquitted of falsifying records. Sentencing is set for March 2. Ex-McKesson General Counsel Jay Lapine was found not guilty of three charges.McCall and Lapine were accused of hiding backdated sales contracts from auditors and other conduct that improperly inflated revenue figures at San Francisco-based McKesson, the biggest U.S. drug distribu... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3023076 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:26:00 +0100 3023076 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3008064&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F_bcLjY-XE4Q%2F The Obama administration and its allies in Congress want the federal government to expand its role in subsidizing health care. We are told that this expansion will restrain rising health care costs. But an OMB report yesterday that the government made $98 billion in improper payments last year — $55 billion of which came from Medicare and Medicaid — ought to raise suspicions about that claim. According to Reuters, OMB Director Peter Orszag told reporters that the embarrassing figures from Medicare and Medicaid demonstrate the need for health care reform. I would concur if “reform” meant reducing the government’s role in health care. However, he means the opposite, which raises the question of how giving more money to an already waste-prone and bureaucratic federal health ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3008064 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:56:49 +0100 3008064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2984754&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fboston-scientific-to-plead-guilty-of.html In the early days of Health Care Renewal (2005-2006) we posted several times about allegations that Guidant hid information about defects in the implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs) the company manufactured.  As we noted in early 2005 here, Guidant executives allegedly knew that ICDs made from 2000-2002 were at risk for short-circuiting and failing, thus making them unable to deliver potentially life saving electrical shocks meant to prevent cardiac arrests, but the company only revealed the problem in 2005.  By failing to notify physicians and the public, Guidant executives let expensive and profitable, but potentially useless devices to continue to be implanted, potentially increasing the risk of sudden death for the patients who received them.  Then here we note... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2984754 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:23:00 +0100 2984754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2981384&cid=t_100567_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fcrime-and-seniors-safety-theft.html Theft and vandalism threatened my own safety this week. Vandals came over the private 6 foot tall gates to the backyard and went for the unlocked storage shed. In the hours sometime after midnight I heard noise outside my open window, and my dog barked, but I told myself it was just a raccoon or cat.But even in our quiet little group of houses in the country I learned I need to be more careful. Nothing was taken, and it's probable the thieves ran, leaving the shed doors open, when they saw the house lights come on. During the senior years one's personal thermostat may not work as well as it used to, and I frequently get up to raise or lower the heat, turning on the lights at that time.What safety steps can a senior living alone take? I put "Dog on Duty" signs on the gates and house, added ... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2981384 Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:02:00 +0100 2981384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2970253&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fone-of-us-physicians-who-kill.html "I have already said that if you kill a doctor, all the doctors are instantly on your neck. But what if the man who does the killing is a physician himself? That complicates the situation most damnably..." ---Foursquare: The Story of a Fourfold Life by John Oliver I've been reading, along with everybody else, the story of the Army major and psychiatrist Dr. Nidal Hasan who killed thirteen people in a spree shooting at Fort Hood yesterday. Let me say first that I've never met Dr. Hasan and know nothing about him; I have no particular information or insights about this offense beyond what I've read in the media.The CNN article today interviewed two of Dr. Hasan's patients, who both said nothing but glowing things about him and his care. I've blogged about spree killers before ("Shooter ... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2970253 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:36:00 +0100 2970253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2954474&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F11%2Fdid-yakuza-boss-pay-million-dollars-for.html One of the more bizarre stories to appear on Health Care Renewal just resurfaced.  To summarize, in June, 2008, we posted about the strange case of four Japanese men, allegedly affiliated with Yakuza criminal organizations, who received liver transplants from the UCLA Medical Center, apparently with some alacrity. All likely paid full list prices for their procedures, and two later donated $100,000 each to the medical center. The case raised concerns by several notables (including Senator Charles Grassley, and Professor Arthur Caplan) about the integrity of the transplant system. Presumably these concerns were based on suspicions that the four may have received a higher priority than others on the list. More concerns should have been raised after it was revealed that shadowy char... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2954474 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:52:00 +0100 2954474 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2950690&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F02%2Festimating-drug-harms-a-risky-business%2F Title: Estimating drug harms: a risky business? Skinny: In this edited transcript of the 2009 Eve Saville lecture Professor Nutt discusses drug regulation and control, drugs politics and suggests a way forward on the drugs debate. Publisher: Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, King’s College London Size of Publication: 13p Published: October 2009 Posted in Crime Prevention and Control, Drugs of Abuse, Grey Literature, Legislation, Public Health Tagged: Drugs of Abuse, Grey Literature, Jurisprudence, Legislation, Politics (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2950690 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:00:37 +0100 2950690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2930905&cid=t_100567_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F27%2Fa-resource-for-developing-sexual-assualt-referral-centres-sarcs%2F Title: A Resource for Developing Sexual Assualt Referral Centres (SARCs) Skinny: Guidance identifying the the minimum elements essential for providing high-quality Sexual Assualt Referral Centres (SARCs) for victims of sexual violence and sexual abuse, including forensic medical examination. Publisher: DH Size of Publication: 40p Published: 27/10/2009 Posted in Crime Prevention and Control, Grey Literature, NHS, Sexual Health, Violence Tagged: Crime Prevention and Control, Forensic Medicine, Grey Literature, Guidance, Sexual Abuse, Violent People (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2930905 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:03:04 +0100 2930905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927543&cid=t_100567_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dartmouthatlas.org%2Ftopics%2Fagenda_for_change.pdf Scammer Explains How Easy It Is To Steal Millions60 Minutes Medicare Fraud A $60 Billion Crime is sure to make taxpayers irate. Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via EmailYou might also find these articles of interest. A Real Solution to the Health Care Crisis Waste in Healthcare Spending Should be Issue Number One In Healthcare Insurance Reform World Health Care Spending and Performance Ranking by Country (Table) The price of excess: Identifying waste in healthcare spending An Agenda for Change: Improving Quality and Curbing Health Care Spending: Opportunities for the Congress and the Obama Administration Medicare Fraud: A $60 Billion Crime A.G. Holder Tells 60 Minutes More Oversight Is Needed; Scammer Explains How Easy It Is To Steal Millions Of all the problems faci... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927543 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:51:28 +0100 2927543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2927505&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FHZIPU1gHIVo%2F Slate’s Erica Westly takes an interesting look at the increasing incidence of Asperger’s as a legal defense, citing the recent headline case of British computer whiz Gary McKinnon, who hacked into almost 100 U.S. government and NASA computers after becoming obsessed with the United States covering up UFO contact. “Criminal defendants in the United States have been using similar tactics with varying degrees of success in recent years,” Westly writes. “In fact, it’s not all that rare for criminal defendants with Asperger’s to argue for leniency in cases of computer fraud, sexual misconduct, and murder. Three years ago, the defense even made its way into an episode of ‘Boston Legal.’” Photo/D Sharon Pruitt (Pink Sherbet Photograph... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2927505 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:55:50 +0100 2927505 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2920161&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FBKljAOERYaE%2F The Senate is about to vote on Defense Department funding with an expanded federal “hate crimes” bill. This well-intentioned piece of legislation threatens to make violations of the fundamental right against Double Jeopardy a routine practice, as federal courts will now have the power to re-prosecute defendants for what are traditionally state crimes. The House removed language that the Senate put in place to ensure that the “hate crimes” provisions did not stretch to encompass free speech, threatening to attach criminal liability to core rights of free expression. This expansion of federal jurisdiction guarantees that high profile cases will be retried until a guilty verdict is obtained to satisfy political factions. This politicization of justice will only harm ou... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2920161 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:26:57 +0100 2920161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2898921&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FaLvOQkVlIs0%2F Last week, I wrote a piece for Reason in which I took a close look at the USA PATRIOT Act’s “lone wolf” provision—set to expire at the end of the year, though almost certain to be renewed—and argued that it should be allowed to lapse. Originally, I’d planned to survey the whole array of authorities that are either sunsetting or candidates for reform, but ultimately decided it made more sense to give a thorough treatment to one than trying to squeeze an inevitably shallow gloss on four or five complex areas of law into the same space. But the Internets are infinite, so I’ve decided I’d turn the Reason piece into Part I of a continuing series on PATRIOT powers.  In this edition: Section 206, roving wiretap authority. The idea behind a roving wiretap s... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2898921 Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:58:07 +0100 2898921 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890599&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Flonely-japanese-seniors-turn-to-crime%2F Sounds like a trashy tabloid headline, doesn’t it? But, it’s not far from the truth. In Japan, seniors are beginning to be the largest portion of the population- almost 20%, and this number is set to double by the middle of the century. Japanese couples are having fewer children and are busy with their own lives, leaving the seniors to their own devices. Citing loneliness as their reason, many of these elderly people have turned to shoplifting. Often, they don’t do it because they need the items, they do it because it gets them out of the house and gives them a thrill. Considering how law-abiding Japanese society is, this is a long stretch from how they likely behaved as youngsters. Latest statistics show that seniors (over 65 years old) made up 23% of known shoplifting c... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890599 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:02:29 +0100 2890599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890862&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Ftheft-takes-all-autistm-family%2F A family with an Autistic Son recently lost everything in North Texas to theft. They are traveling thousands of miles to go to central America to seek an experimental treatment for Autism.  They sold their home and almost everything they have to pay for the experimental treatment which is not covered by insurance. The rest of [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890862 Wed, 14 Oct 2009 05:29:20 +0100 2890862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2881304&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Fmckinnon-pentagon-hacker-extradition-aspergers%2F The autistic hacker who hacked into the US Military, NASA and other goverment agencies will most likely be extradited to the United States for his crimes withing 14 days.  Gary McKinnon is suicidal according to his mother, who claims that the extradition of his son would be a cruel and excessive punishment.  Gary McKinnon [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2881304 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:54:31 +0100 2881304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876011&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F2fOmAu13ijY%2F Last night, the House of Representatives approved a defense spending measure that included a totally unrelated bill that would ban so-called “hate crimes.”  I’ve testified twice against federal hate crimes proposals.  Here’s the case against the law (in brief): First, the federal hate crime law is unconstitutional because it is beyond the powers of Congress.  Second, the law will not prevent violent crime.  Anyone already inclined to kill or beat up another human being is not going to reverse course because Congress passes a new law against violence motivated by bias.  Third, the law does take the state too close to the realm of thought crimes.  In order for a prosecutor to prove the “hate” aspect, detectives have to dig into a person’s life,... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876011 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:44:30 +0100 2876011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871542&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34925&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbestyoucanbe.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fspecial-needs-criminals.html The average IQ of an inmate is about 87. Since 75 is usually considered mental retardation, there are a lot mentally retarded persons in prisons. Even the average prisoner is borderline retarded.In addition to very low IQ, about half all prisoners meet DSM-IV criteria for ADHD.Prisoners are a special needs population.Hold that thought. Now, readers with children on the "explosive" spectrum, raise your hand if you have not contemplated your future adult child behind bars. Ahh, as I expected. No hands are raised.We know some of our children don't respond normally to near term consequences - much less long term consequences. They pretty much only respond to immediate consequences and rewards. The future, for them, is a foreign land.People studying prisoners, have come to similar conclusions f... Be the Best You can Be blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871542 Thu, 08 Oct 2009 02:19:00 +0100 2871542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871531&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fpfizer-in-guise-of-pharmacia-pfound-to.html It was only a month ago that Pfizer Inc, the world's largest pharmaceutical company, submitted to a gargantuan $2.3 billion settlement and yet another corporate integrity agreement. As we posted here, this was the company's fourth major settlement of charges of unethical marketing behavior since 2002.Now Pfizer is in trouble again. As reported by the AP,A judge on Tuesday imposed $4.5 million in forfeitures on prescription drug company Pharmacia Inc.[a Pfizer Inc subsidiary] for misrepresenting prices and defrauding Wisconsin's Medicaid system.A jury in February found that Pharmacia violated the state's Medicaid fraud law 1.44 million times over a decade. State Justice Department attorneys had demanded about $212 million in forfeitures, but Dane County Circuit Judge Richard Niess said juro... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871531 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:01:00 +0100 2871531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858673&cid=t_100567_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F04%2Fandrew-papachristos-at-harvard-law-school%2F On Monday, October 5, the HLS Student Association for Law and Mind Sciences (SALMS) is hosting a talk by Professor  Andrew Papachristos entitled “Why Do Criminals Obey the Law: The Influence of Law and Social Networks on Active Gun Users.” * * * Our findings suggest that while criminals as a whole have negative opinions of the law and legal authority, the sample of gun offenders (just like non-criminals) are more likely to comply with the law when they believe in (a) the substance of the law, and (b) the legitimacy of legal actors, especially the police. Moreover, we find that opinions of compliance to the law are not uniformly distributed across the sample population. In other words, not all criminals are alike in their opinions of the law. Gang members – but especially ga... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858673 Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:01:52 +0100 2858673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855775&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F9rhxCxynxj0%2F More on Sylvia Tagle, the special ed teacher convicted of putting hot sauce in soda and allowing a child to drink it: Did she do it? Tagle has defenders who describe her as a caring and committed teacher. Was she? I am having a hard time getting a complete picture because the coverage of this story was so skimpy. I can understand why there wasn’t much space devoted to it. It just doesn’t seem like that big a story. Photo courtesy of yaybiscuits123 (flickr.com) Unless it’s your kid, of course, or like us you are interested in stories of abuse in the world of special needs. I can’t help thinking that reduced newsroom staff is having an effect on reporting stories like this one as well as other stories. The Miami Herald had a 17 % staff cut in June 2008. In March, the... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855775 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:45:53 +0100 2855775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851718&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fintermune-executive-convicted-of-fraud.html From today's New York Times comes word of an unusual legal case,In a verdict that could strike fear into pharmaceutical industry executive suites, the former head of a drug company was convicted of wire fraud Tuesday for issuing what federal prosecutors called a misleading press release that contributed to off-label sales of his company’s drug.But the executive, W. Scott Harkonen, the former chief executive of InterMune, was acquitted by the federal jury in San Francisco of a related charge of off-label marketing itself, known as 'misbranding,' the Justice Department said.The case was unusual because off-label marketing cases are often settled with the company paying a fine. It is rare for prosecutors to press charges against individual executives.'Today’s verdict demonstrates that pha... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851718 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:53:00 +0100 2851718 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832348&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F-Rh0-42z8z0%2F As sometimes happens, the comments posted about a news item are as eye-opening as the event itself. A Miami special education teacher, Sylvia Tagle, will be sentenced Oct. 7 for spiking an autistic student’s soda with hot sauce. I read several reports in an attempt to untangle what happened; best as I can figure out, the soda was on Tagle’s desk and the student took it. Whose soda was it? Tagle’s defense attorney says it was her own. (Because so many people love hot sauce in soda.) Prosecutors say she did it knowing the student would take the soda, and she put the hot sauce in to teach him a lesson. Photo courtesy of jhritz (flickr.com) But any hot-sauce-in-soda-loving teacher would never leave such a drink accessible. Alex roots around in other people’s bags whenev... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832348 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:06:29 +0100 2832348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828408&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FZBtBzUP6poc%2F The U.K.’s NHS Information Centre, citing autism rates among British adults as 1:100 and identical to the rate in children in that country, has said that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism. If it did, the centre maintains, rates among children would be higher since the MMR has only been available since the early 1990s. Stipulating that the sample size was small and any conclusions “need to be tempered with caution,” the report suggests that despite popular perceptions prevalence of ASD remains broadly level across all age bands. According to the findings, while 1% of adults had an ASD, the rate for men was higher (1.8%) than for women (0.2%), which was in line with studies among child populations. The study also found many of these adults are failing to get the diagnos... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828408 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:00:47 +0100 2828408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814625&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FSYXcRX_vjj4%2F Pay Now Or Pay Later: Some 2,000 people attended a rally yesterday in O’Fallon, Mo., supporting legislation requiring insurance companies to cover therapy for children with autism, a lawmaking leap already taken in 14 states. Last legislative session, a bill mandating coverage passed in the Missouri Senate but failed to come up for a vote in the House. (Among proponents this time are state lawmakers whose own children have the disorder.) Not having enough on its plate right now in American history, the insurance industry opposes the mandate, arguing that everyone’s premiums will rise about 3 percent. Such legislation has also been bandied about in the healthcare reform debate. Photo courtesy of Kopper (flickr.com) Getting people to agree to open their wallets wider in a crappy... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814625 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:45:46 +0100 2814625 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2812539&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Fcrimes-against-autism-2009-september%2F The following crimes against people with Autism was sent on an email list I’m part of.  I thought I would share it with you.  Remember this is just one month, and only 1 in 150 people have autism – most are undiagnosed. 16 September 2009 – Fresno, CA, USA A ten-year-old boy with autism who was [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2812539 Sun, 20 Sep 2009 16:07:17 +0100 2812539 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2800320&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fbiovail-settles-and-judge-explains-why.html Last year, we posted about the guilty plea by the US arm of the Canadian firm Biovail to charges that it paid physicians kickbacks to prescribe a long-acting version of the drug diltiazam. This week, the plea was formalized, per Reuters,A U.S. unit of Canadian drugmaker Biovail Corp (BVF.TO) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy and kickback charges, ending a case over its Cardizem hypertension drug, the U.S. Justice Department said on Monday.Prosecutors said Biovail has been sentenced to pay $22.2 million in fines, formalizing an agreement reached last year. It also agreed to pay $2.4 million to settle civil claims. Both involved charges it improperly paid doctors and other prescribers up to $1,000 to recommend Cardizem.When we originally posted about this case, we focused on the unprofessiona... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2800320 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:44:00 +0100 2800320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793365&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FdIEGaC-npC4%2F A new study on the siblings of children with autism is showing that signs associated with the behavioral disorder appear in babies in their first weeks of life. Preliminary research, at Australia-based Flinders University, studied the Photo courtesy Eccentric Scholar (flickr.com) behavior of infants who have an increased risk of developing autism from as young as 10 days, and preliminary results show children in an at-risk group (with an older sibling with an ASD, including Asperger’s) were developing different behavioral patterns from children from families with no history of autism. Autism affects up to 16 children per 10,000 in Australia. More is here. •   •   • The University of Central Florida’s College Internship Program in Melbourne, Fla., is yet another campu... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793365 Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:05:19 +0100 2793365 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2790379&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FOibbLGZSZaA%2F An autistic 18-year-old has been judged not competent to stand trial in the fatal beating of his mother in Ravena, Ohio. The judge said he probably would rule next week on whether the young man will stand trial and, if not, whether to send him to a treatment facility; less than two weeks after the mental evaluations were completed in March, the man was moved from jail to a state-run center in Toledo. The defense had argued that Walker cannot carry on a conversation and would be unable to assist in his defense. He was disruptive at his first court appearance and was kept in a restraint chair and had a mask to keep him from spitting at deputies. Prior to the attack at the center of the case, the man’s 60-year-old mother had mentioned increased aggression from her son. Photo courtesy o... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2790379 Sat, 12 Sep 2009 19:13:05 +0100 2790379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774584&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fpfour-legal-settlements-for-pfizer-why.html We recently posted about Pfizer's $2.3 billion dollar settlement with the US government (here), which we first mentioned six months ago (here). It is worth reviewing what we know about this settlement. We will start with quoted from the article by Gardiner Harris writing in the New York Times. We will also use quotes from other articles listed below:A Big Settlement(from the NYT)The pharmaceutical giant Pfizer agreed to pay $2.3 billion to settle civil and criminal allegations that it had illegally marketed its painkiller Bextra, which has been withdrawn.It was the largest health care fraud settlement and the largest criminal fine of any kind ever. The penalties include a very large criminal fine, an even larger civil fine, and a corporate integrity agreement (from the NYT).Under the agree... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774584 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 17:08:00 +0100 2774584 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2770215&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F1IsEGScRvTA%2F Bow Wow oh Wow: Thieves broke into a home late last week in Prospect, N.Y. The homeowners said the crooks didn’t take jewelry or electronics, but only the five-month-old golden retriever puppy trained as a service dog for children with autism. Image: Bob1217 at flickr.com Both young boys in the home have autism, and the mom says finding the right dog for her boys took two years, and paid quick dividends: the dog recently broke his chain to get to one boy who headed for the road. The dog cost $800, so you can’t really blame the crooks: Look how many canes, wheelchairs, and walkers they’d have to swipe to make $800. Seriously, Hell has no fire hot enough for these guys, but it does sound like they knew just what they were after. Are autism service dogs a hot new target? * * * ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2770215 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:41:09 +0100 2770215 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2768618&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fcaptains-outrageous-for-cape-annes.html While on a brief vacation on lovely Cape Anne, Massachusetts, one of my daily automated Google searches provided an article of local interest. The person nominated to be CEO of the local hospital system had been at the center of controversy while in his previous position as leader of a hospital system in Cincinnatti, Ohio. When I got back, I put some relevant terms into Google, and lo and behold, came up with one of the more complicated and colorful, if unhappy stories about problems with health care leadership and goverance I have seen lately. So, to the tune of "lions and tigers and bears, oh my...."Let me start with some background, and then to try to tell this story chronologically, noting issues as they came into public view. Northeast Health System is a regional hospital system in no... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2768618 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:13:00 +0100 2768618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766277&cid=t_100567_136_f&fid=37852&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdonnatrussell.com%2F2009%2F09%2F03%2Flily-burk-sweet-17-and-dead%2F Lily Burk My new Politics Daily / Woman Up post: Her name was Lily Burk, and her friends have gathered on Facebook, which seems to be joining curbside memorials and candlelight vigils as the way we grieve our losses in modern times. Burk, a 17-year-old Los Angeles girl, was in the Wilshire Place neighborhood picking up paperwork for her mother, who taught at the Southwestern University School of Law. About 3 in the afternoon on a quiet street, Burk was approaching her car when she was confronted by a 50-year-old transient staying in a nearby drug treatment center… Read the rest on AOL: Lily Burk: Sweet 17. and Dead. Posted in Woman Up Tagged: "denise amber lee", "eve marie carson", crime, crime victim, lily burk, violence against women (Source: Donna Trussell) Donna Trussell blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766277 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:30:33 +0100 2766277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2751888&cid=t_100567_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fh-lqT1MWHCU%2F In a novel approach to punishing men who attempt to hire prostitutes, Nashville and other cities are sending first-time offenders to a one-day class where they learn from former prostitutes, health experts, psychologists and law enforcement officers about “the risks of hiring a prostitute.” This is a waste of time. Prostitution is “the oldest profession” for a reason: sex is a biological imperative. A day of anti-sex school will have no effect on the demand for prostitution. The better approach is to legalize. Under legalization, the vast majority of men would patronize legal establishments. This would also allow quality control, since competition would encourage prostitution services to certify their employees as free from STDs and above the age of consent. Legaliz... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2751888 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:51:11 +0100 2751888 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2745596&cid=t_100567_133_f&fid=37107&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aspieweb.net%2Fcrime-blogger-has-autism-chicago%2F A 16 year old only known as “Timmy” by the followers on his blog has been blogging throughout his summer break for 15 hours a day – 9AM until midnight updating the people of his neighborhood in Chicago on the latest criminal dealings live as they happen.  What is also not known about Timmy is [...] (Source: AspieWeb.net) AspieWeb.net blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2745596 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 11:27:24 +0100 2745596