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 'false'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:54:25 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181895&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F09%2F02%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-september-2-2011%2F It starts at a young age. Schools encourage it. Our families help define it. We begin our lives with the labels they give us like big brother, baby sister, only child. And as we get older, they just get more serious. Sometimes the way we’re perceived such as the “good one,” the “bad one,” the “troubled one,” the “drama queen,” inevitably follow us throughout the rest of our life. Sometimes these seemingly harmless labels take on a life of their own. If we don’t achieve our own sense of self, they begin to define who we are. And we grasp on tight. These lyrics from the Barenaked Ladies song What a Good Boy reminds me of the pressures they can have on us: “When I was born they looked at me and said What a good boy, what a sma... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181895 Fri, 02 Sep 2011 12:04:52 +0100 5181895 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5181899&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F31%2F3-fascinating-facts-about-our-brilliant-brains%2F Our brains do a lot of work behind the scenes to help us function and thrive. But we largely know this already. What might surprise you are the details of this work. For instance, as neuroscientist David Eagleman writes in his book Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain: Your brain is built of cells called neurons and glia—hundreds of billions of them. Each one of these cells is as complicated as a city. And each one contains the entire human genome and traffics billions of molecules in intricate economies. Each cell sends electrical pulses to other cells, up to hundred of times per second. If you represented each of these trillions and trillions of pulses in your brain by a single photon of light, the combined output would be blinding. The cells are connected to one another in a netw... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5181899 Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:57:59 +0100 5181899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077689&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-case-for-mammograms-friends-and-family-might-be-a-greater-influence-than-doctors%2F2011.07.28 Most women in their 40′s believe they should have annual mammograms, regardless of what screening regimen their doctor might recommend. So say researchers in Massachusetts who surveyed women (primarily white, highly educated) ages 39-49 presenting for annual checkups. They gave the women a fact sheet about the new USPSTF guidelines on mammogram screening in their age group, and asked them to read one of two articles either supporting or opposing the guidelines. The researchers then asked women about their beliefs, concerns and attitudes about breast cancer and mammogram screening. Here’s what they found - Women overwhelmingly want annual mammograms – Close to 90% of women surveyed felt they should have annual mammograms, regardless of what their doctor might recommend. Women... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077689 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 21:00:16 +0100 5077689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5062497&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FeTMnwRl80K0%2F Last month, a federal court ruled that a drug or device maker remains liable under the False Claims Act even when a pharmacy or hospital was unaware that a kickback was made to a doctor to induce the sale of a product for which reimbursement was sought from Medicare and Medicaid. The decision was seen as a game changer, because dismissing whistleblower lawsuits would likely become more difficult. Until then, courts had ruled the False Claims Act could not have been violated if a pharmacy does not know that a prescription was only written because a drugmaker gave a kickback to a doctor. Whistleblowers have argued, however, that a violation occurs once reimbursement is sought from Medicaid or Medicare. But the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit disagreed. Not surprisingly, the same co... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5062497 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 22:24:53 +0100 5062497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921421&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fannual-ovarian-cancer-screening-does-more-harm-than-good%2F2011.06.10 In a large multicenter study enrolling over 70,000 women, annual screening with transvaginal pelvic ultrasound and ca125 blood testing did not reduce deaths from ovarian cancer, and in fact led to an increase in complications due to screening. Investigators in the NCI-sponsored Prostate, Lung and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening trial randomly assigned over 78,000 women age 55-64 years of age to either annual screening with transvaginal pelvic sonograms for 4 years plus CA125 testing for 6 years or usual care at 10 study sites across the US., and followed the groups for up to 13 years. Over that time period, ovarian cancer rates in the screened group were 5.7 per 10,000 person-years vs 4.7 per 10,000 persons-years in the usual care group, with 3.1 deaths vs 2.6 deaths per 10,000 person year... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921421 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:00:39 +0100 4921421 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921749&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FG-5n30HMlGE%2F The Danish drugmaker has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit to settle charges of off-label marketing its NovoSeven treatment to stop bleeding. As part of the settlement, Novo Nordisk has entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement and will have to beef up its compliance procedures, according to a statement from the drugmaker. The lawsuit - which was filed jointly by a Oscar Montiel, a former Novo Nordisk medical liasion, and Ian Black, a former US Armed Forces physician in federal court in Maryland - alleges the medication was promoted improperly for treating unapproved uses such as blood trauma, intercranial hemorrhage and various surgeries, according to a source familiar with the case. The charges included improper payments made to Army personnel (here... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921749 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:52:08 +0100 4921749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921754&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkjRXkJtSLLo%2F Yet another drugmaker has been tagged for illegal marketing. This time, the US subsidiary of Belgium’s UCB has agreed to pay more than $34 million to resolve civil and criminal charges surrounding off-label promotion of its Keppra epilepsy drug, the US Department of Justice disclosed. Under the terms of the plea agreement in the US Court for the District of Columbia, UCB pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in connection with misbranding of Keppra, which was approved for treating seizures in adults and children. But Keppra is not approved for the treatment of migraine, headache, psychiatric conditions or pain conditions. And guess what UCB promoted Keppra for treating? That’s right. The feds alleged that UCB promoted off label by creating and distributing posters indicating the drug... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921754 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:57:19 +0100 4921754 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4883681&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F26028713%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EVivid-Print-Ads-Change-Your-Memory.htm Remember that fresh, buttery popcorn you had a few weeks ago? Maybe you didn’t really have it at all, and the memory was created by a magazine ad. Impossible, you say? Actually, new research shows that some print ads can be impactful enough to create a false memory of having tried a product that doesn’t [...] CommentsLyena, I would guess that the higher the fidelity of the ad, ... by Roger DooleyRoger, What an interesting study! I wonder, if the same ... by Lyena SolomonFor those who prefer to read about this in german: ... by Elisabeth StachuraRelated StoriesDoes Paper Outweigh Digital?Critical Thinking About NeuromarketingCloser to the Buy Button? (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4883681 Tue, 31 May 2011 12:33:09 +0100 4883681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862632&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F24%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-may-24-2011%2F Saturday’s end of the world scare probably didn’t send you in a panic. Or maybe it did. Just a little? I know it wasn’t on my mind until two baristas decided to turn a boring day into an exciting one by counting down the last ten seconds to the end of the world. I started to think about how sad it would be if it were to all end here… before I had the chance to write that book I’ve always wanted to write, travel the world or own a home. A few days later, I began to think about the people in my life that I was unintentionally taking for granted (including me!). It turned a false alarm into an opportunity to revisit my priorities and rethink the way I was treating loved ones in my life. This week’s top posts reminded me of that. I think you will find new co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862632 Tue, 24 May 2011 10:42:40 +0100 4862632 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4828887&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedia-bias-favors-mammography-against-the-evidence%2F2011.05.15 A new analysis in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, “The Public’s Response to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s 2009 Recommendations on Mammography Screening,” included a content analysis of news stories and social media posts around the time of the USPSTF announcement. The authors report: “Of the 233 newspaper articles, blog posts, and tweets coded, 51.9% were unsupportive, and only 17.6% were supportive. Most newspaper articles and blog posts expressed negative sentiment (55.0% and 66.2%, respectively)….The most common reasons mentioned for being unsupportive of the new recommendations were the belief that delaying screening would lead to later detection of more advanced breast cancer and subsequently more breast cancer-related death... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4828887 Sun, 15 May 2011 21:00:47 +0100 4828887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753889&cid=t_108294_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Fs_Kdf_GhkWI%2F Oscar-nominated filmmaker Morgan Spurlock, whose previous documentaries include a McDonald’s smack down and Osama Bin Laden bounty hunt, now explores the world of product placement, marketing, and advertising in POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, a film that was fully financed through product placement by various brands, all of which are integrated transparently into the film. The documentary seeks to unmask the marketing process which ultimately informs our everyday entertainment decisions. Humorously told with tongue firmly in cheek, Spurlock uncovers closely-guarded secrets in the movie advertising industry that are not only shocking, but scary. You might think this is nothing new; you might even be sure that product placement in movies has been documented to th... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753889 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 19:59:26 +0100 4753889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753757&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F04%2F26%2F7-tips-for-coping-with-finals%2F It’s that time again if you’re a college or graduate student — time for finals. It’s also time to self-sabotage, to get in your own way in terms of effective studying. We stress out more than usual, even when we’re on top of the material, because of the anxiety surrounding test-taking. But you don’t have to stress out about final exams. You can actually do better (and feel better about your performance) if you keep the stress at bay and focus on simple study skills over the next few weeks. Here’s a few tips for coping with finals to get you started. None of these are going to be eye-opening or stuff you don’t already know… But sometimes we need to be reminded of the things we already know, to drive home their importance. 1. Schedule yo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753757 Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:45:49 +0100 4753757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4734096&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhomeopathy-why-is-fraud-legal%2F2011.04.21 Imagine hearing a commercial on the radio: Send us money, and we won’t send you anything in return. No one would do that, right? How about this: Send us your money and we’ll send you an empty box. Better? Not much. Now how is that different from: Send us money and we’ll send you stuff we’ll call medicine that we claim will help you, but there’s no actual active ingredients in it at all. I don’t think there’s one bit of difference. Wouldn’t you agree that that commercial is fraud, pure and simple? The problem is that the general public doesn’t understand that the word “homeopathic” means “diluted beyond the point where it contains any active ingredients.” I’ve recently heard commercials for homeopathic vertigo treatments, eye drops for allergies, irritable bowel,... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4734096 Thu, 21 Apr 2011 15:00:16 +0100 4734096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653309&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FTKbMzZrj4kI%2F By Tim LynchCongress has made it a crime for persons to falsely claim, verbally or in writing, that they earned military medals.  Some federal courts have declared that law, the Stolen Valor Act, unconstitutional because it violates free speech.  Judge Alex Kozinski warns of the danger of having prosecutors decide which tall tales warrant eye rolls, disgust, or jail time.  Here's an excerpt from the Kozinski opinion: Saints may always tell the truth, but for mortals living means lying. We lie to protect our privacy (“No, I don’t live around here”); to avoid hurt feelings (“Friday is my study night”); to make others feel better (“Gee you’ve gotten skinny”); to avoid recriminations (“I only lost $10 at poker”); to prevent grief (“The doc says you’re gettin... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653309 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 20:35:47 +0100 4653309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653605&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Figh8X5xxjNM%2F A provision of the False Claims Act that prevents whistleblower lawsuits from being unsealed does not violate the First Amendment and, therefore, the public’s right to access the documents, a federal appeals court has ruled. In a 2-to-1 vote, the US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit upheld an earlier decision that shot down the argument whistleblower lawsuits should be unsealed after a 60-day period because this would allow the public to learn as soon as possible about corporate wrongdoing. The rationale for requiring these lawsuits to remain sealed for at least 60 days is to allow the feds, who are permitted to seek extensions beyond that initial period, to investigate the allegations. During the seal period, the whistleblower is not supposed to discuss the suit or its contents. ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653605 Tue, 29 Mar 2011 11:55:34 +0100 4653605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4554651&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F06%2Fpsychiatry-doesnt-do-psychotherapy-anymore%2F Despite a trend that started as early as the late 1980s, Gardiner Harris writing in The New York Times yesterday seems to bemoan the fact that most psychiatrists don’t practice psychotherapy any longer. Perhaps Harris should have interviewed Dr. Danny Carlat, who nearly a year ago wrote about his experiences as a modern psychiatrist (in the The New York Times Magazine, no less). Psychiatrists nowadays are generally poorly trained in psychotherapy, so they spend most of their time prescribing psychiatric medications. (Dr. Carlat’s book, Unhinged is well worth the read for further background about modern psychiatry.) So I wasn’t sure why I was reading this in the “Money and Policy” section of the Times. Surely it’s not news that psychiatry is no longer pra... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4554651 Sun, 06 Mar 2011 17:16:39 +0100 4554651 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540739&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fy-ozTQgTevA%2F Five former Amgen execs have ‘taken the Fifth’ in depositions that were conducted as part of a False Claims Act lawsuit scheduled to go to trial in federal court in Boston later this year. And the former Amgen sales rep and product manager who brought the lawsuit is fighting to have the depositions filed in court and made public. At issue are allegations that Amgen provided free ‘overfills’ of its Aranesp anemia medication and encouraged doctors to bill Medicare and Medicaid for the extra amounts. The lawsuit, which was filed by Kassie Westmoreland, also charges the biotech offered kickbacks to doctors in the form of fictitious consulting arrangements and weekend getaways in order to steal market share from Johnson & Johnson, which sells the rival Procrit treat... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540739 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 03:02:31 +0100 4540739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532195&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FZFDFqdsy4_A%2F By Ilya ShapiroRecognizing an opportunity to make quick and easy money, private attorneys have been suing companies under the False Marking Statute, 35 U.S.C. § 292.  This law allows any person to sue to enforce a federal criminal statute that prohibits anyone from labeling an unpatented product with a patent number or to advertise a product with a patent number that is not actually patented.  The penalty for violating this law is $500 per offense, which has been interpreted to mean each and every product falsely marked.  For instance, if a business is charged with falsely marking 100,000 products, it could be liable for $50 million.  Private attorneys suing under this statute seek massive amounts in damages and then try to settle with the defendant for a fraction of that cost (still ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532195 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:21:20 +0100 4532195 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4532213&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-experienced-is-the-radiologist-who-reads-your-mammogram%2F2011.02.28 There’s a new study out on mammography with important implications for breast cancer screening. The main result is that when radiologists review more mammograms per year, the rate of false positives declines. The stated purpose of the research*, published in the journal Radiology, was to see how radiologists’ interpretive volume — essentially the number of mammograms read per year — affects their performance in breast cancer screening. The investigators collected data from six registries participating in the NCI’s Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, involving 120 radiologists who interpreted 783,965 screening mammograms from 2002 to 2006. So it was a big study, at least in terms of the number of images and outcomes assessed. First — and before reaching any concl... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4532213 Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:00:57 +0100 4532213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4525054&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F26%2F3-top-sources-of-psychology-myths%2F In a recent interview I asked Scott Lilienfeld, the author of 50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology, about the sources of psychology myths.  Here’s what he has to say about where psychology myths come from: The primary source is the huge, burgeoning pop psychology industry: self-help books, the internet, films, TV shows, magazines, and the like. But many of these myths also spring from the allure of our everyday experience; many of these myths seem persuasive because they accord with our common sense intuitions. But these intuitions are often erroneous. The public can defend themselves against shams by becoming armed with accurate knowledge. Many other fields — not just psychology — are subject to myths disseminated by the media. So what are some of the top sources of psy... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4525054 Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:19:26 +0100 4525054 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4522289&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FgDRs3Vo3RaA%2F A former Johnson & Johnson sales manager accused the health care giant of concocting various schemes to defraud federal and state Medicaid programs in a lawsuit that was filed in 2005, but only recently unsealed amid a transfer of the litigation from a federal court in Pennsylvania to another in Massachusetts. The lawsuit was filed by Scott Bartz, a New Jersey resident who worked as a sales compensation manager from 1999 until 2007, when he alleges he was terminated in retaliation for repeatedly complaining about illegal marketing practices. His lawsuit also names the Omnicare nursing home operator and McKesson, the pharmaceutical wholesaler. In his complaint, Bartz charged J&J manipulated sales data; reported false prices to various government health programs, and paid kickback... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4522289 Fri, 25 Feb 2011 13:13:03 +0100 4522289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512613&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fc--MjGyqugU%2F Earlier this month, a Medicaid managed care provider in Ohio agreed to pay $26 million to settle a whistleblower lawsuit brought by former employees, who alleged that assessments of adults and children with special needs were never conducted, but data was submitted anyway to the state Medicaid program for reimbursement. What has this episode to do with drugmakers? Well, the state of Ohio collected $10 million of the total $26 million paid by CareSource, the managed care provider. And Ohio attorney general Mike DeWine then bemoaned publicly that the state would have received more money if there was a False Claims Act statute on its books (look here). In general, such a law would allow Ohio to collect a bigger payday each time it participates in a whistleblower settlement. And in an era of i... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512613 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:28:43 +0100 4512613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411723&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FCJkmCAQ7CCQ%2F Earlier this week, the US Department of Health & Human Services trumpted its track record in recovering $4 billion from investigations of healthcare fraud, some of which was made possible thanks to qui tam, or whistleblower lawsuits alleging violations of the False Claims Act (you can read the report here). Many drugmakers were targets and paid big fines, (back story) and the implication offered was that more such settlements are in the offing. But how many investigations are actually under way? The answer came just a couple of days later courtesy of US Senator Chuck Grassley, who referenced some data the HHS provided him in a Jan. 24 letter that was written in response to a request he made last month for a breakdown of the fraud probes. And so we now learn that, as of Jan. 4, there w... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411723 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:20:11 +0100 4411723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331058&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F10%2F9-ways-to-ward-off-your-worries%2F Worrying is like a magnifying glass: It enlarges everything. It empowers anxiety. It gives anxiety legs, fuel and a superhero costume. You get the picture: Worrying gives us a false sense of control. I’m a worrywart, who feels like she has to worry. (Don’t all worrywarts?) Because if I’m not concerned about one thing or another, that means I have no choice but to relax. And relaxing feels strange — not always, but most of the time. Relaxing means that the grip on control is loosened. For many people, worrying is living. You can’t help but worry. You have an endless list of “what ifs?” What if I lose my job? What if I get into a car accident right now? What if dinner is disgusting? What if the weather is bad? What if I miss my flight? Concern after concern pop... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331058 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 14:11:05 +0100 4331058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4304875&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffalse-positives-in-medical-tests-how-they-can-kill-patients%2F2011.01.03 I’ve written in the past that more medicine and tests do not necessarily reflect better care. There is no test that is 100 percent specific or sensitive. That means tests may be positive, when, in fact, there is no disease (“false positive”), or tests may be negative in the presence of disease (“false negative”). It’s the latter that often gets the most media attention, often trumpeted as missed diagnoses. But false positives can be just as dangerous. Consider this frightening case report from the Archives of Internal Medicine: A 52-year-old woman presented to a community hospital with atypical chest pain. Her low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were not elevated. She underwent cardiac computed tomography angiography, which showed... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4304875 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 18:00:49 +0100 4304875 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294633&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fabout-scar-prevention-and-treatment%2F2010.12.27 I saw a Scarguard product on sale at a drugstore locally. The claims on the packaging were over the top as usual: 1. “Guards against new scars forming” – Difficult to prove. 2. “Flattens and shrinks old scars” – Not really. 3. “Scarguard is the #1 choice of plastic surgeons” – Really? Nobody asked me. Scar treatment is pretty simple. Avoid wounding if you can. If you have plastic surgery, seek a skilled surgeon who will spend the time to do the best. After surgery avoid sunlight and smoking, and consider scar massage as directed by your surgeon. This “Scarguard” product is not going to make a bad scar much better unless it is applied early, and even then the results are debatable. - John Di Saia, M.D. *This blog post was originally published at Trut... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294633 Mon, 27 Dec 2010 15:00:30 +0100 4294633 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266261&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F2Iy2JFsVBl4%2F Once upon a time, defense contractors were considered the biggest hucksters. You know, the US Defense Department would pay $10 for a pencil. Now, though, drugmakers have surpassed every other industry when it comes to defrauding the US government, according to a new analysis by Public Citizen, which calls for stiffer penalies and increased criminal prosecution of pharma execs. The findings: Of 165 settlements comprising $19.8 billion in penalties during the past 20 years, 73 percent of the settlements and 75 percent of the penalties - representing $14.8 billion - have occurred in just the past five years. And four drugmakers - GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Merck’s Schering-Plough -accounted for 53 percent, or $10.5 billion, of all financial penalties. The chart below shows ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266261 Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:44:48 +0100 4266261 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225662&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMV9CjtpNix8%2F Last December, a federal appeals court issued a controversial ruling that patent holders could face fines of up to $500 for every product sold with a so-called false patent mark, such as an expired patent date. In making its decision, the court acknowledged this would create a “cottage industry of false marking litigation.” Why? A company that sells a billion boxes or cans of a product, each with an outdated patent mark, could face a $500 fine for each item, rather than face a penalty for each offense. After all, penalizing a false patent based on a single sweeping decision would probably not offer enough financial incentive to members of the public to help weed out false markings. Predictably, numerous lawsuits have been filed since against drugmakers, among others. We spoke with Raym... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225662 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 14:22:08 +0100 4225662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197068&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-low-can-oprah-winfrey-go-promoting-faith-healer-john-of-god-to-the-masses%2F2010.11.23 Several of the bloggers on Science-Based Medicine have been — shall we say? — rather critical of Oprah Winfrey. The reason, of course, is quite obvious. Oprah is so famous that if you mention her first name nearly everyone will know exactly of whom you speak. For the last quarter century, Oprah’s daytime TV talk show has been a ratings juggernaut, leading to the building of a media behemoth and making her one of the richest and most famous women in the world. Unfortunately, part of Oprah’s equation for success has involved the promotion of quackery and New Age woo, so much so that last year I lamented about the Oprah-fication of medicine, which scored me a writing gig in the Toronto Star. Whether it be promoting bio-identical hormones, The Secret (complete with a testimonial ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197068 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4197068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4155268&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F11%2Fthe-norfolk-four-and-the-situation-of-false-confessions%2F From Frontline: Why would four innocent men confess to a brutal crime they didn’t commit? FRONTLINE producer Ofra Bikel (Innocence Lost, An Ordinary Crime) investigates the conviction of four Navy sailors for the rape and murder of a Norfolk, Va., woman in 1997. In interviews with the sailors, Bikel learns of some of the high-pressure police interrogation techniques — including the threat of the death penalty, sleep deprivation, and intimidation — that led each of the “Norfolk Four” to confess, despite a lack of evidence linking them to the crime. All four sailors are now out of prison — one served his sentence and the other three were granted conditional pardons last summer — but the men were not exonerated as felons or sex offenders. The case raises disturb... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4155268 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 04:01:37 +0100 4155268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4139336&cid=t_108294_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Foig.hhs.gov%2Foei%2Freports%2FOEI-01-10-00140.pdf The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) has issued a resource and educational guide for new physicians to help them better understand the key Federal fraud and abuse laws.As a health care attorney who often deals with physicians on fraud and abuse related matters, I applaud the OIG's effort to provide educational information to help raise the level of understanding on these issues and increase the transparency of these federal laws. This guide won't just be useful for "new" physician but for all physicians to gain a better understanding of the very complex legal/regulatory structure of fraud and abuse laws in the United States.The new OIG document is titled, "Roadmap for New Physicians: Avoiding Medicare and Medicaid Fraud and Abuse." The physici... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4139336 Fri, 05 Nov 2010 15:31:01 +0100 4139336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4134255&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrFuvnfgIfB4%2F After months of reviews and meetings, the US Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed a whistleblower program that was mandated by Congress as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. And the agency describes its approach as “a simple, straightforward procedure for would-be whistleblowers” to provide information. To be considered for an award, the SEC says that a whistleblower must “voluntarily provide the agency with original info about a violation of federal securities laws that leads to the successful enforcement by the SEC of a federal court or administrative action in which the SEC obtains monetary sanctions totaling more than $1 million.” The issue is of concern to the pharmaceutical industry, given that many drugmakers hav... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4134255 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 13:41:59 +0100 4134255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4106063&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FKtFErbiCVU8%2F There have been numerous headlines lately about healthcare fraud and whistleblowers whose lawsuits eventually prompted huge settlements with the federal government. The latest tally, however, shows that the US Department of Justice recovered over $3.1 billion in fraudulent claims in the 2010 fiscal year that can be traced to lawsuits filed under the federal False Claims Act. Specifically, there were 145 FCA cases settled in the 2010 fiscal year and the 10 largest settlements involved health care fraud, with eight involving drugmakers, according to Taxpayers Against Fraud, a non-profit that supports whistleblower lawsuits. The 10 largest cases accounted for $2.7 billion recovered. Although fiscal year 2009 actually recovered a larger pot of money - $5.6 billion. It also worth that health ca... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4106063 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:32:03 +0100 4106063 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4027355&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fxjmjpk1it7w%2F Hello, everyone. Nice to see you again. We hope the weekend was refreshing and restful. Now, of course, the time has come to resume the routine as those meetings and deadlines await. So please join us as we reach for the mandatory cups of stimulation (yes, we are two-fisted drinkers here at the Pharmalot corporate campus) and scan the news of the world. Have a good day and stay in touch… Sanofi Begins Hostile Bid For Genzyme (Associated Press) Reata Pharmaceuticals Adds Jobs After Abbott Deal (Dallas Business Journal) J&J Warns Concerta Sales Reps About Layoffs (The Wall Street Journal) Will Lilly Bid For MannKind? (The Indianapolis Star) Sihuan Pharma Sets $700M IPO (Reuters) South Africa Researches Plant That Lifts Moods (Associated Press) Antipsychotics, Illegal Marketing And... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4027355 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 11:49:48 +0100 4027355 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003434&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpYWhwlZl3PU%2F Earlier this year, a former Pfizer exec amended his whistleblower lawsuit accusing the drugmaker of illegally scheming to boost Lipitor sales by misrepresenting product labeling and federal cholesterol guidelines; using misleading educational programs for doctors, and unlawful sampling kickback schemes that resulted in off-label marketing that allegedly defrauded Medicaid and Medicare. Jesse Polansky, who was director of outcomes management from April 2001 until July 2003, claims “thousands of physicians have prescribed Lipitor to millions of patients for whom drug therapy is not recommended, and for whom the medication could be dangerous. Millions of those improper prescriptions were ultimately paid for by various government healthcare plans, the suit charges. And in a newly filed brie... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003434 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:28:45 +0100 4003434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976709&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FKdHrZGFxZoY%2F After several years of legal sparring, a federal judge has dismissed the whistleblower lawsuit that Peter Rost filed against Pfizer. For those who do not recall, Rost is the controversial former Pfizer exec who allegated that Genotropin, a human growth hormone, was marketed for unapproved uses, such as combating aging in adults and treating short stature in children. The drug was initially marketed by Pharmacia, which is where Rost worked before the company was bought by Pfizer. The US Justice Department failed to join his lawsuit, but Rost last year succeeded in winning the right to proceed on a narrower basis by attempting to cite numerous instances in Indiana and Kentucky in which Genotropin marketing may have violated the federal False Claims Act. Specifically, he argued Pfizer engaged... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976709 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:22:11 +0100 3976709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3959926&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcoffee-grounds-to-combat-cellulite%2F2010.09.11 Last week a popular TV talk show featuring a bunch of doctors (I’m not naming names) discussed how coffee grounds can improve cellulite. They explained how rubbing coffee grounds into your skin imparts caffeine into the cellulite thereby improving the circulation and drawing the toxins out. This is a great tip, except that rubbing coffee grounds on your skin does not impart any caffeine into it, and there are no toxins in cellulite. Cellulite is a normal secondary sex characteristic of women. It is the result of thin connective tissue in women’s skin. Massaging the cellulite (with coffee, tea, grapes, cream cheese, or chocolate frosting) pushes the fat back into the skin, temporarly improving the appearance. There is no science behind using coffee to treat this normal condition. Scient... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3959926 Sat, 11 Sep 2010 20:00:26 +0100 3959926 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895936&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F23%2Fobama-kanazawa-endogamy-and-religion%2F A recent blog entry by Satoshi Kanazawa, an evolutionary psychologist, recently came across my desk that made the outrageous claim that one cannot chose one’s religion. If one’s family is a Muslim, you will be too, no matter what you actually practice — genetically speaking. He relates this piece of news by suggesting that Obama cannot choose to be a Christian, because his family was a Muslim. He suggests that, genetically, Obama is a Muslim no matter what he practices. If this doesn’t pass the basic logic smell test for you, then you’re not alone. Like other world religions, Islam not only is a religion but also comprises largely endogamous ethnic groups. When a group of individuals remain largely or entirely endogamous (marry only other members of the group ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895936 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:27:31 +0100 3895936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3805876&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F30%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-july-30-2010%2F Boy where did July go? It’s hard to believe there’s just one more month left in summer. Being that we’re more than half way through 2010, it’s a great time to reflect. Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions and life goals lately? I have. In fact, it’s all I have been thinking about recently. I’ve been wrestling with the battle between accepting the present while working on improving myself for the future. What stirred up this sudden focus on self-reflection? I’m enrolled in an online writing course and something the instructor said really hit home. She said that our unconscious drives our behavior and this includes how we treat others, ourselves and even how we write. In fact, if we are not aware of it, it can sabotage our life. T... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3805876 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:29:46 +0100 3805876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718695&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FRnVigrnX3FU%2F Since the passage of the False Claims Act in 1986, the federal government has recovered about $22 billion through qui tam, or whistleblower lawsuits and a fair number of these have emanated from the pharmaceutical industry. An untold number of such lawsuits are always in the wings, as people who work with or for drugmakers attempt to expose alleged wrongdoing. There have been accusations that some whistleblowers are only in it for the money (see this), but life as a whistleblower has its challenges (see here). And so concerned that the pharmaceutical industry may not be doing enough to educate employees about whistleblowing protection, US Senator Chuck Grassley has written 16 big drugmakers to provide information about their programs. The letters went to Abbott Labs, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Br... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718695 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:34:30 +0100 3718695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3687360&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9usn_RX90Yk%2F The US Supreme Court rejected an appeal by Johnson & Johnson’s Ortho-McNeil unit, which sought to stop a whistleblower lawsuit brought by Mark Duxbury, a former sales rep, who claimed the drugmaker gave kickbacks to docs and hospitals to induce them to prescribe the Procrit anemia med. These alleged kickbacks included free samples; off-invoice discounts; rebates; consulting fees; educational grants; payments to participate in studies, and advisory board fees. He also charged Ortho-Biotech inflated Procrit’s average wholesale price; promoted higher dosing than what was approved by the FDA, which generated larger government reimbursements to health care providers; and ran “sham drug trials” to falsify Medicare reimbursement for off-label use (background here and here). The l... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3687360 Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:02:45 +0100 3687360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772291&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F14909340%2F1lsbjl%2Fneuromarketing%7EThe-Invisible-Gorilla.htm Review: The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us, by Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons Before reading farther, watch this video if you haven’t already seen it:The Invisible Gorilla provides an interesting counterpoint to Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink. While Gladwell sought to show that our minds can perform remarkable feats of judgment, often without [...] (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772291 Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:54:57 +0100 3772291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3534101&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJchNP4f8488%2F Two units of the big drugmaker - Novartis Vaccines & Diagnostics and Novartis Pharmaceuticals - agreed to pay the $72.5 million fine in order to resolve civil False Claims Act charges over the marketing of the TOBI cystic fibrosis medicine that took place between January 2001 and July 2006. The US Justice Department charged Novartis and Chiron, which Novartis purchased in 2006, caused false claims to be submitted to federal health care programs for off-label uses and for patients who shouldn’t have received the drug (here is the settlement). The federal government will get $43.5 million and various states will receive $29 million. Meanwhile, three former Chiron employees – Robert Lalley, Courtney Davis and William Manos – who filed whistleblower, or qui tam lawsuits, will re... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3534101 Wed, 05 May 2010 12:19:10 +0100 3534101 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3534093&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=34768&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpharmagossip.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fqui-tam-states-in-yellow.html http://www.taf.org/statefca.htmGo to the link - the map there is interactive. (Source: PharmaGossip) PharmaGossip blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3534093 Wed, 05 May 2010 08:16:00 +0100 3534093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3530028&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fk9HNoSpWCpM%2F Three years ago, a federal law was enacted that provided incentives to states to pass their own versions of the False Claims Act, which allows people who are not affiliated with the government to file lawsuits against federal contractors claiming fraud against the government. There have been a spate of these whistleblower, or qui tam, lawsuits in the pharma world lately (see here, here and here). The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice were chartered with overseeing whether the states are meeting the qualifications that would allow them to receive a share of any proceeds recovered. And so last week, Senator Chuck Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, who regularly probes drugmakers, wrote the agencies because only 14 states are... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3530028 Tue, 04 May 2010 15:44:30 +0100 3530028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3526822&cid=t_108294_111_f&fid=34834&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FMentalNurse%2F%7E3%2FGSx8lCUBzSU%2F It’s still not entirely clear who authored the leaked document, The United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy’s Critique of HPC’s Fitness To Practise System. As mentioned in my previous post, the document describes itself as “co-ordinated by Professor Andrew Samuels, Chair, UKCP”. However, the properties of the Word file list the author as Nick Totton, a Reichian therapist who is not registered with the UKCP. Totton insists that his name being in the file properties is an “artefact of the system”. He admits to being “coordinator for one group of people, out of many, who contributed ideas”, but denies being the actual author. To be honest, I’m not sure this makes me feel much better. I’d felt slightly reassured by the idea that th... Mental Nurse blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3526822 Mon, 03 May 2010 07:45:21 +0100 3526822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519712&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FZl8_IqGwlEA%2F The health care giant’s Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical and Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals subsidiaries are ponying up $81 million in order to resolve criminal and civil lawsuits charging the units with illegally promoting the Topamax epilepsy drug. This is one of three such agreements the Justice Department announced this week. Also today, Schwarz Pharma will pay $22 million for failing to tell the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that two unapproved drugs didn’t qualify for coverage under federal health care programs. And earlier this week, AstraZeneca agreed to pay $520 million for off-label promotion of the Seroquel antipsychotic (see here). Unlike the J&J charges, these two oher cases didn’t involve criminal charges. One thing all three settlements h... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519712 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 18:12:55 +0100 3519712 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3502989&cid=t_108294_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FGm0il1Jqc9k%2F Recovery, for me, was not just getting sober. Recovery also involved finding a new spiritual philosophy. I was often reminded of the slogan; ‘The man I was, was a drinker. The man I was would drink again.’ I had to change. And false humility was my primary character defect. I had shortcomings in the following areas of my attitudes. If one places ‘Principles Before Personalities’ and deals with ‘First Things First’, one approaches genuine humility, where there is enormous inner power. Actions to approach humility; Free yourself from the demands of your ego, and there is no limit to where you can go. Let go of your desire to control others, and you vastly improve the ability to control, focus and direct your own actions. Let go of the illusion that you already know it all, a... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3502989 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 11:48:14 +0100 3502989 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3420540&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F29%2Fnarcissists-who-cry-the-other-side-of-the-ego%2F Have you ever noticed that when you have gotten very sick or hospitalized the person you thought was your friend never asked or called? When the same situation had previously happened to them, you were there for them. Many of you have been in a relationship or been a friend with someone who was an extreme narcissist. These types of relationships are filled with drama unless you totally please the narcissist, which is impossible. The typical extreme narcissists are full of themselves and are overtly pompous. I would like to focus on a kind of extreme narcissist that most people fail to recognize. First, let me explain what extreme narcissism is all about. Extreme narcissism is an egotistical preoccupation with self. It focuses on personal preferences, aspirations, needs, success, and how o... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3420540 Mon, 29 Mar 2010 19:18:17 +0100 3420540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3271200&cid=t_108294_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2FeEHq2bRQJNI%2F To be humble is to be balanced in our opinion of ourselves. Humility does not swagger with false pride nor grovel in self-depreciation. Humility is accepting the truth about ourselves. The good news for co-dependents and adult children of alcoholics / addicts is that we are blessed with many fine qualities that we have negated. We need to stand tall and be grateful for these gifts. “Thank you” should become a part of our emotional vocabulary. False pride is often a stance taken to cover up terrible feelings of inadequacy. But the truth is we have our own unique worth. Today I will accept my good qualities and acknowledge my defects. I have the courage to change my behavior and the wisdom to change my false beliefs. From the book; Gentle Reminders – Daily Affirmations for... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3271200 Sat, 13 Feb 2010 18:38:22 +0100 3271200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3236105&cid=t_108294_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FRecoveryIsSexycom%2F%7E3%2Ff5wzgOPj86A%2F Ms Marty Mann A FEW THOUGHTS FROM MARTY MANN ON STIGMA Marty Mann was the first women to join Alcoholics Anonymous. After several years of sobriety she started a major influential advocacy agency. “Few among you consider alcoholism a proper subject for open discussion, few among you would willingly label yourself, or a friend or colleague, an alcoholic, and even fewer would be able to recognize alcoholism early, when there is the best chance for recovery. All of this is the result of stigma, a state of mind which we inherited from our Puritan and also our Victorian forebears; a state of mind which is essentially mindless since it overlooks all the things which have been learned; a state of mind which produces public attitudes that are anti-therapeutic to say the least. In bald languag... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3236105 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 11:43:25 +0100 3236105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3182221&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F18%2F13-myths-of-schizophrenia%2F Schizophrenia is one of those mental disorders that many people seem to confuse with something else, such as multiple personality disorder. It’s a very simple yet very terrifying condition, characterized by usually having a combination of hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations can involve any of your five senses, but in schizophrenia, usually involves seeing or hearing things that aren’t really there (like hearing other people’s voices inside your head telling you to do something you don’t want to). Delusions are a false belief in something, such as the CIA is out to get you. Many of us hear voices in our heads, but usually it’s our own voice acting as our conscious (”You really shouldn’t eat that second piece of cake!”). That’s n... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3182221 Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:31:17 +0100 3182221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3175938&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F15%2Ftwitter-falsehoods-fly-after-haiti-tragedy%2F Demonstrating the intrinsic nature of twitter as a stream of group consciousness more than anything else, the Haiti tragedy has brought out the rumor mill. And with it, it demonstrates one of the underlying weaknesses of relying on a group stream of consciousness — it’s not always the most accurate thing in the world. The rumors were, thankfully, limited to things that didn’t cause any real harm or damage. Except to the companies who were the subject of the rumors. Their reputations were inadvertently tarnished by being included in the rumors, which they then had to publicly deny. The denial makes them seem a little heartless, so they followup with a public declaration of what they are doing to support the Haitians in their time of need (usually generous monetary donation... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3175938 Fri, 15 Jan 2010 12:52:56 +0100 3175938 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3126667&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F29%2Fthe-situation-of-false-confessions%2F Ian Herbert, one of the very best translators of mind science research for popular audiences, has written an informative and disconcerting article, “The Psychology and Power of False Confessions” for the latest issue of The Observer.”  Here are some excerpts. * * * We know that false confessions do happen on a fairly regular basis. Because of advances in DNA evidence, the Innocence Project has been able to exonerate more than 200 people who had been wrongly convicted, 49 of whom had confessed to the crime we now know they didn’t commit. In a survey of 1,000 college students, four percent of those who had been interrogated by police said they gave a false confession. But Why? Why do people confess to crimes they didn’t commit? . . . . In the November 2004 issue of Psy... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3126667 Tue, 29 Dec 2009 04:01:17 +0100 3126667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3119060&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F9PxBnlm0vaY%2F For those who may not remember, Peter Rost is the controversial gadfly and former Pfizer exec who is locked in a whistleblower lawsuit with the big drugmaker over his allegations that Genotropin, a human growth hormone, was marketed for unapproved uses, such as combating aging in adults and treating short stature in children. Rost worked for Pharmacia, which was bought by Pfizer. Although the US Justice Department failed to join his lawsuit, Rost is pressing on and his case is being closely watched. Last year, he cited numerous instances in Indiana and Kentucky in which Genotropin marketing may have violated the False Claims Act. Providing such detail was needed for the case to proceed and his efforts may serve as a template for other whistleblowers who are stymied by federal judges seekin... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3119060 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 13:46:39 +0100 3119060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3101066&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FErvcBYlFz9k%2F The deal resolves allegations the drugmaker “deliberately inflated” the price of its Albuterol asthma med and other drugs, causing California’s Medicaid (Medi-Cal) program to overpay millions of dollars in pharmacy reimbursement, according to California attorney general Jerry Brown. “With healthcare costs spiraling out of control, it’s unconscionable that a Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company deliberately inflated its drug prices to cheat California’s public healthcare system out of millions of dollars,” Brown says in a statement. “This is a company that made more than $12 billion in profits last year, yet still raided the pockets of California taxpayers.” The case began with a lawsuit filed by a whistleblower against several drugmakers... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3101066 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:37:18 +0100 3101066 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3063472&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXa2P72eCFck%2F A new court ruling may have a significant impact on whisteblower lawsuits that focus on off-label marketing. Last Friday, the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta upheld a dismissal of a 2004 lawsuit filed by two Solvay Pharmaceuticals sales reps, who alleged the drugmaker caused the federal government to overpay by promoting off-label use of its Marinol treatment for chemotherapy patients (background). Specifically, the court ruled the reps’ lawsuit was lacking because they failed to offer specific examples showing Solvay actually caused the federal government’s Medicaid program to overpay by millions of dollars based on an alleged off-label marketing. Instead, the reps argued there was an obvious increase in Marinol scrips and a subsequent rise in federal g... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3063472 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:43:46 +0100 3063472 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2970418&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FH3evCBwKRAw%2F As they say: another day, another probe into a drugmaker. The latest - the US Department of Justice is investigating Abbott’s sales and marketing activities of the pill, which is used to treat bipolar disorder, seizures and migraines, according to its quarterly filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for Depakote. The government wants to know whether the drugmaker violated civil and/or criminal laws, including the Federal False Claims Act, the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act, and the Anti-Kickback Statute in connection with Medicare and/or Medicaid reimbursement to third parties. An Abbott spokeswoman tells Dow Jones that the drugmaker is cooperating, but declined further comment. And a spokesman for the US Attorney in the Western District of Virginia, which is handling the prob... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2970418 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:58:32 +0100 2970418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807312&cid=t_108294_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fsleep-reduces-false-memories.html A new study shows that sleep may improve the accuracy of your memory. Lead author Kimberly Fenn said that this is the first study to examine sleep and memory errors.The research involved college students who studied lists of words; 12 hours later they were tested. From a list with new words mixed in, they had to identify words that they had studied 12 hours earlier.Some students studied the original word list at 10 a.m.; they were tested at 10 p.m. after spending the day awake. Other students studied the words at night; they were tested in the morning after at least six hours of sleep.Results show that false recognition of non-studied words was reduced after sleep; there was no change in correct recognition of studied words.“It’s easy to muddle things in your mind,” Fenn said in a Mi... Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807312 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:41:00 +0100 2807312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691540&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F12%2F7755%2F From Chautauqua Institution, here’s a worthwhile video in which renowned social psychologist, Elizabeth Loftus, Distinguished Professor at the University of California, Irvine, discusses her remarkable research on human memory and the prevalence of false memories.  She also explains how her findings are relevant for everything from law to dieting. * * * For related Situationist posts “Emotional Content of True and False Memories – Abstract,” “Mood & Memory,” “The Situation of Confabulation,” “Emotional Content of True and False Memories – Abstract,” “The Situation of Memory,” and “Mistakes Were Made (but not by me).” (Source: The Situationist) The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691540 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 04:01:20 +0100 2691540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2621853&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F20%2F10-tips-for-getting-it-done-today%2F Procrastination is something most people have had to deal with at some point in their lives. We put things off, especially things that are boring, lengthy, drudgery, or might challenge us in some unexpected or unforseen way. It’s not that we don’t think we can do it (although for some people, that’s indeed a thought that enters their mind); it’s more often the case that we know we can do it, we just don’t want to. Procrastination can be beaten through some simple tips — by becoming more aware of the self-defeating thoughts you’re telling yourself about doing the task, and by becoming better organized. Although the tips are easy, putting them into use takes practice and repetition. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed at first; ju... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2621853 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:38:07 +0100 2621853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473211&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2F1w2H0Azqqr8%2F As discussed in a recent Bloomberg piece, several U.S. senators from both parties are pushing to almost double the recently enacted $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers to $15,000. The same senators are also pushing to remove the current income restrictions — $75,000 for individuals and $150,000 for couples — while also removing the first-time buyer requirement. The intent of the increase, and the original credit, is to increase the demand for housing and to create a “bottom” to the housing market. The flaw of this approach is that it creates a false bottom, one characterized by government-inflated prices and not fundamentals. It was excessive government subsidies into housing that helped create the housing bubble, additional subsidies to re-inflate the bubble will only pr... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473211 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:07:25 +0100 2473211 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3416371&cid=t_108294_155_f&fid=38410&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FOncopathology%2F%7E3%2FjIY30RdRAdI%2Ffalse-positive-diagnosis-in-breast-fnac.html Some common lesion leading to false positive diagnosis in FNA of breast are listed with Keys to differentiate them.Artifactual AtypiaMost common of these is disruption of cell aggregates by too vigorous smearing, which can mimic the loss of cohesion characteristic of malignant epithelial cells .Excessive smearing pressure can also cause smudging of nuclei, giving a false impression of nuclear enlargement and pleomorphism.Dying artifacts in alcohol-fixed Pap smears have a similar effect.Hormonal Stimulation and Physiologic :Hyperplasia in Pregnancy and LactationPhysiologic hyperplasia of acinar epithelial cells in late pregnancy and lactation can look worrying in FNA smears.Key: The recognition of milky secretion is the main clue to a correct diagnosis to be correlated with clinical informa... Oncopathology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3416371 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:09:00 +0100 3416371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2163433&cid=t_108294_86_f&fid=34445&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomenshealthnews.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F05%2Fobos-lack-of-evidence-for-bioidentical-hormones%2F Yesterday at Our Bodies Our Blog, I posted about the lack of evidence of safety or efficacy for so-called “bioidentical” hormones, and a recent press release from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists expressing their concern about these products. There are links in the post to other coverage of the topic and the FDA’s page of myths and facts about “bioidenticals,” which is definitely worth checking out. “Bioidentical” hormones are often marketed to menopausal women as a “safer” alternative to traditional hormone replacement therapy. However, I picked up our local LGBT paper, Out & About last night, and discovered an ad featuring a gay couple and marketing the products to to those “wondering about your pass... Women's Health News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2163433 Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:17:23 +0100 2163433 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2061699&cid=t_108294_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fzimney%2Fholiday-myths-debunked%2F Are the following claims true or false? Excess sugar causes hyperactive children Poinsettias are poisonous Suicides increase over the holidays Eating at night makes you fat Going hatless causes excess heat loss According to Drs. Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll, both of the Indiana University School of Medicine, none of these commonly held beliefs has any scientific basis and must therefore be considered false. Writing in the British Medical Journal, http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/337/dec17_2/a2769 the two pediatricians searched both the published medical literature and the internet for support of the claims but found hard evidence lacking. Since everyone knows that sugar gives us energy, it seems logical to think that excess sugar would result in excess energy. Not true according t... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2061699 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 18:01:01 +0100 2061699 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2056345&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F490574990%2F A federal court in Chicago has dismissed a federal False Claims Act, or qui tam, lawsuit filed by former Aventis sales rep, who charged the drugmaker with off-label promotion of its Lovenox blood thinner and, in doing so, induced and doctors and hospitals to submit fraudulent Medicare claims. In their 2003 suit, Katy Kennedy, who also filed a retaliation claim, and Frank Matos, allege Aventis, now owned by Sanofi, prompted docs to prescribe Lovenox for atrial fribillation, acute myocardial infarction, mechanical heart valve replacement and other conditions for which the FDA had not approved use. They also charged Aventis paid $34,000 to one pharmacist for speaking engagements and hiring him to keep Lovenox on hospital formularies under his control. In addition, Aventis allegedly gave vari... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2056345 Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:08:35 +0100 2056345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2039985&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F12%2Fehr-national-health-database.html It has been quite some time since I have made an entry to this blog. My only excuse is that I have been writing and ranting elsewhere and neglecting my self-imposed responsibilities here. I have several concerns with such things as the EHR and its apparent imposition upon us by "bigger" business, the creation of a national health database, the security of anything posted to or transmitted on the web, conflicts between "national security" and net neutrality, and more. I have collected information on these topics, but never quite gotten around to compiling it into coherent posts. In all liklihood these subjects, though interrelated, will be dealt with separately or will intertwine without full explanation as a series of posts.Until I am able to begin this series, I will leave you with a poem... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2039985 Tue, 16 Dec 2008 22:00:00 +0100 2039985 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2021916&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F12%2F08%2Femotional-content-of-true-and-false-memories-abstract%2F Cara Laney and Elizabeth Loftus recently published their interesting article, Emotional Content of True and False Memories (16  Psychol. Press 500-516 (2008) on SSRN.  Here’s the abstract. * * * Many people believe that emotional memories (including those that arise in therapy) are particularly likely to represent true events because of their emotional content. But is emotional content a reliable indicator of memory accuracy? The current research assessed the emotional content of participants’ pre-existing (true) and manipulated (false) memories for childhood events. False memories for one of three emotional childhood events were planted using a suggestive manipulation and then compared, a long several subjective dimensions, with other participants’ true memories. On m... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2021916 Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:14:11 +0100 2021916 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1870672&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34742&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdeception.crimepsychblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D303 No time to blog properly, but just wanted to draw your attention to a new paper (download via SSRN) on separating true from false memories. Here’s the abstract: Many people believe that emotional memories (including those that arise in therapy) are particularly likely to represent true events because of their emotional content. But is emotional content a reliable indicator of memory accuracy? The current research assessed the emotional content of participants’ pre-existing (true) and manipulated (false) memories for childhood events. False memories for one of three emotional childhood events were planted using a suggestive manipulation and then compared, a long several subjective dimensions, with other participants’ true memories. On most emotional dimensions (e.g., how ... Deception Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1870672 Sun, 12 Oct 2008 07:27:40 +0100 1870672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1852734&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F410538397%2F Last February, the controversial gadfly and former Pfizer exec cleared a hurdle in his ongoing whistleblower lawsuit against Pfizer. In a filing, Rost cited approximately 200 instances in Indiana in which Genotropin, a human growth hormone, was marketed by Pharmacia (which was bought by Pfizer) for unapproved uses, such as combating aging in adults and treating short stature in children. Providing such detail was needed for the case to proceed. And the move signaled two potentially significant developments. One is the long-term implication for Pfizer, should Rost ultimately prevail. The other is that his efforts may serve as a template for other whistleblowers who are similarly stymied by federal judges seeking details that are, otherwise, very hard to come by. Interestingly, the Departme... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1852734 Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:35:15 +0100 1852734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1815385&cid=t_108294_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F78ie9ynEdCE%2F As reported today by ABC15-Scripps Howard News Service : More than 135,000 kindergarten students nationwide are attending school without being vaccinated for potentially deadly diseases like measles, mumps and rubella. In a review of the recently published book, Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure, Rahul Parikh, a physician who writes the sWell blog for Salon, starts by noting that the hate mail and, indeed, death threats, the book’s author, Dr. Paul Offit, has received are reminiscent of “pro-choice physicians on the front lines of the abortion debate.” Dr. Parikh—-who has also written about junk science and autism and mitochondrial disorders—lauds Autism’s False Prophets for its cogent “examinati... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1815385 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 19:27:07 +0100 1815385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1770623&cid=t_108294_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F_yPKt4LO14w%2F It’s late late Friday night (/early early Monday morning) as I’m writing this and feeling. I think we made it through another summer. Monday will be Charlie’s first day back to school, after an extra-long summer vacation: Due to school construction in our school district, summer vacation started extra early and is ending extra late. “That’s his world,” someone at work said to me when I noted how chaotically Wednesday started in our house. Looking back, I’ve realized that Charlie may have woken up early because he sensed that, Labor Day having passed, it was time for him to be back in the classroom—-and then he realized that he wasn’t going and panicked. Now there’s only a weekend to get through. Charlie is starting middle school. ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1770623 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 12:53:46 +0100 1770623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1686527&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F357360853%2F A federal magistrate judge has recommended that a federal court dismiss a whistleblower lawsuit brought by two former Solvay reps, who contended the drugmaker concocted an illegal scheme to promote a drug for off-label use and, consequently, caused the federal government’s Medicaid program to overpay by millions of dollars. The drug in question was Marinol, which was originally approved to treat nausea and vomiting for chemo patients who failed to respond to standard meds and, later, anorexia for AIDS patients who suffer considerable weight loss. But Jim Hopper and Colin Hutto alleged Solvay improperly promoted Marinol off-label as an appetite stimulant, because the FDA-approved market was too small. However, in a 27-page report, Magistrate Judge Thomas Wilson of the US District Cou... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1686527 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:27:46 +0100 1686527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1593732&cid=t_108294_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2F3m-now-owns-imtec%2F Wednesday, July 2nd, 3M announced that it has fully acquitted IMTEC, the dental implant and cone beam technology manufacturer. 3M ESPE, according to media, will now offer a total restorative approach including IMTEC implants, Lava crowns, and digital practice management software. SOURCE: http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1733029/ (Source: dental blog for dentists about dentistry) dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1593732 Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:18:55 +0100 1593732 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1575643&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F325745675%2F More than 900 cases alleging that government contractors and drugmakers have defrauded taxpayers out of billions of dollars are languishing in a backlog that has built up over the past decade because the Justice Department cannot keep pace with the surge in charges brought by whistleblowers, The Washington Post reports. The issue is drawing renewed interest among lawmakers and nonprofit groups because many of the cases involve the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, rising health care payouts, and privatization of government functions - all of which offer rich new opportunities to swindle taxpayers, the Post writes. Since 2001, 300 to 400 civil cases have been filed each year by employees charging their companies defrauded the government. But under the cumbersome process that governs these cas... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1575643 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:14:26 +0100 1575643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1556510&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F323223098%2F That’s the question raised in a motion filed by the drugmaker’s lawyers in a whistleblower lawsuit in federal court in New Jersey. The case, which has actually been kicking around a few years, was recently unsealed and centers on the fatal side effects associated with a neuromuscular blocking agent known as Raplon that Organon withdrew in 2001. (Here’s the background). A former Organon employee alleges that Organon failed to disclose to the FDA concerns about serious bronchospasm that were cited by Raplon clinical trial investigators prior to the drug’s launch in 1999. And the employee, Jeff Feldstein, has added Schering-Plough as a defendant since the drugmaker recently paid $14.3 billion to acquire Organon. Here is the Schering-Plough motion. In arguing the suit shoul... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1556510 Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:54:36 +0100 1556510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1531231&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F06%2Fus-government-protects-us-from.html You people know I just can’t pass up a chance like this to sing the praises of our government agencies’ efforts to protect us from terrorism. Furthermore, simply tie this article and the privacy and security of Electronic Health Records together and think about it. The following is the text and links directly from the June 18 article in Boing Boing: “US seizes Danish dress-shop's payment to Pakistan in the name of "terrorism" Posted: 18 Jun 2008 05:23 AM CDT Carsten sez, "The owner of a small dress shop in Maribo, Denmark, orders six dresses in Pakistan for a value of $205 and pays by bank transfer - only to find that the transfer is intercepted by the US authorities and the money seized because the seller (fashio.biz) might conceivably support 'terrorism'." "Christa Møllgaard-Hanse... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1531231 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:27:00 +0100 1531231 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1458531&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F05%2Fair-force-aims-for-full-control-of-any_21.html Initially, this post was written for a different audience, but I believe it is something that should be of interest to mental health professionals. Although I have a love for computers, I also have a great distrust that anything transmitted from them is secure or private. We need to think of HIPAA requirements, electronic billing, chats with clients online or on the telephone, the elecronic medical record, and so on. Everything on the internet is forever, stored in memory somewhere, and accessible from more and more sources, legal or not A post on this topic geared specifically to the purpose of this blog will be done soon.Does that read too much like a scare headline from the Far Left? It isn't. Wired News online reports that the US Air Force itself has made it. In an April 13, 2008 artic... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458531 Wed, 21 May 2008 08:48:00 +0100 1458531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1440007&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F289484147%2F Last February, the controversial gadfly and former Pfizer exec cleared a hurdle in his ongoing whistleblower lawsuit against Pfizer. In a filing, Rost cited approximately 200 instances in Indiana which Genotropin, a human growth hormone, was marketed by Pharmacia (which was bought by Pfizer) for unapproved uses, such as combating aging in adults and treating short stature in children. Providing such detail was needed for the case to proceed. And the move signaled two potentially significant developments. One is the long-term implication for Pfizer, should Rost ultimately prevail. The other is that his efforts may serve as a template for other whistleblowers who are similarly stymied by federal judges seeking details that are, otherwise, very hard to come by. Pfizer, however, last month tu... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1440007 Tue, 13 May 2008 14:53:49 +0100 1440007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1399359&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F277754849%2F The suit was brought by Laurie Simpson, a former Bayer strategic research analyst who joined the drugmaker just after the controversial cholesterol pill was launched in 1998, and she accuses Bayer of violating the federal and state False Claims Act. The suit was initially filed last year in US District Court in Newark, New Jersey, and was just unsealed. [WHOOPS: We initially wrote the feds joined the suit, but in fact, the US Attorney has declined to do so.] The lawsuit alleges that over a three-year period, prior to its withdrawal from the market, Bayer engaged in illegal and deceptive marketing practices in selling the Baycol cholesterol pill, which was later withdrawn due to side effects, predominantly rhabdomyolysis, a severe weakening of the muscles. Numerous death and 1,600 injuries ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1399359 Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:41:10 +0100 1399359 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1305320&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34742&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdeception.crimepsychblog.com%2F%3Fp%3D278 Sorry for the slow posting recently - real life is getting in the way of blogging at the moment., and is likely to continue to do so for some time yet, so please bear with me. Perhaps some of these items will give you your deception research fix in the meantime. If you’d like something to listen to during the daily commute why not download an interview with John F. Sullivan, author of Gatekeeper: Memoirs of a CIA Polygraph Examiner (h/t Antipolygraph Blog). Alternatively, try a short NPR Morning Edition segment on the neuropsychology of lying (h/t and see also The Frontal Cortex). The ever-interesting BPS Research Digest discusses a study of how toddlers tell a joke from a mistake. According to the researchers, Elena Hoicka and Merideth Gattis: …the ability to recognise humoro... Deception Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1305320 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 14:00:04 +0100 1305320 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268593&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F243446269%2F Two former Wyeth employees accused the drugmaker of making false claims to the government in connection with alleged manufacturing problems with its Prevnar vaccine. Anthony Sokol and Mark Livingston filed a whistleblower lawsuit against Wyeth in November 2006 in federal court in Virginia, according to Wyeth’s annual report (see page 62). The lawsuit alleged false claims were made to the government from 2000 through 2005 in connection with the manufacture of Prevnar, a vaccine given to children to prevent meningitis and other infections. Prevnar had $2.4 billion in sales in 2007. A Wyeth spokesman told Dow Jones that company policy is not to comment on pending litigation. The lawsuit had been filed under a federal law that allows whistleblowers to collect a portion of any settlement ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268593 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:02:27 +0100 1268593 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1261840&cid=t_108294_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fstay-humble-or-stumble%2F   To be humble is to be balanced in our opinion of ourselves. Humility does not swagger with false pride nor grovel in self-depreciation. Humility is accepting the truth about ourselves. The good news for co-dependents and adult children of alcoholics / addicts is that we are blessed with many fine qualities that we have negated. We need to stand tall and be grateful for these gifts. “Thank you” should become a part of our emotional vocabulary. False pride is often a stance taken to cover up terrible feelings of inadequacy.But the truth is we have our own unique worth. Today I will accept my good qualities and acknowledge my defects. I have the courage to change my behavior and the wisdom to change my false beliefs. From the book; Gentle Reminders - Daily Affirmations f... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1261840 Wed, 27 Feb 2008 12:56:21 +0100 1261840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1258405&cid=t_108294_151_f&fid=36047&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FADozenSteps%2F%7E3%2F241440278%2F From The Language of the Heart: Bill W’s Grapevine Writings page 270; “All of us will encounter failures, some retrievable and some not. We shall often meet with defeat - sometimes by accident, sometimes self-inflicted, and at still other times dealt to us by the injustice and violence of other people. Most of us will meet up with some degree of worldly success, and here the problem of the right kind of acceptance will be really difficult. Then there will be illness and death. How indeed shall we be able to accept all these?” For me, through the Twelve Steps and from experience - to learn what I needed to learn to get through without a drink in order to pass that on to the next person who would experience the same pain. Because the oldtimers gave us a legacy - to pass thi... A Dozen Steps blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1258405 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 11:39:37 +0100 1258405 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1223678&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F02%2F11%2Fwhy-do-kids-lie%2F We seem to be in an ongoing analysis of why people lie… First, clients to therapists. And now we bring you a well-written, in-depth article in yesterday’s New York Magazine about why kids lie. The findings from one of the studies are not surprising to any parent: Out of the 36 topics, the average teen was lying to his parents about twelve of them. The teens lied about what they spent their allowances on, and whether they’d started dating, and what clothes they put on away from the house. They lied about what movie they went to, and whom they went with. They lied about alcohol and drug use, and they lied about whether they were hanging out with friends their parents disapproved of. They lied about how they spent their afternoons while their parents were at work. They lied ab... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1223678 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 21:01:27 +0100 1223678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1215492&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F231102471%2F The drugmaker failed to pay the appropriate rebates to Medicaid and other goverment health care programs, and also paid kickbacks to doctors and hospitals to induce them to prescribe various meds. The allegations were brought in two separate lawsuits filed by whistleblowers under the False Claims Act. Merck has also agreed to a Corporate Integrity Agreement, which means good behavior is now required for the next five years. “Not only is the combined recovery in these two cases one of the largest healthcare fraud settlements ever achieved by the Justice Department,” says Attorney General Michael Mukasey, in a statement, “it reflects our continuing effort to hold drug companies accountable for devising pricing schemes that deliberately seek to deny federal health care programs the same... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1215492 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:41:47 +0100 1215492 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1200757&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F228967876%2F Last November, the controversial former Pfizer exec won a significant victory when a federal appeals court ruled that his whistleblower lawsuit against the drugmaker should proceed. A federal judge had previously dismissed the case because Rost “failed to plead his fraud claims with sufficient specificity,” a reference to rule 9b, a provision of the False Claims Act that requires particular info about false claims submitted to the government for payment. This might include amounts charged, drugs prescribed, patient diagnosis and individuals involved in billing. Given the level of detail required, however, winning the reinstatement looked like the easy part, because the info contained in Medicaid databases may compromise patient privacy. Last week, for instance a whistleblower lawsu... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1200757 Mon, 04 Feb 2008 16:08:32 +0100 1200757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1114011&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=35677&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBrainBasedBusiness%2F%7E3%2F205188013%2Fdalai_lama_emailed_it_dont_bel.html A good friend just emailed Dalai Lama’s 2007 message…  called Instructions for Life. It’s actually not Dalai Lama's work - although it's similar. A little web research showed me that these are actually a briefer version of Jackson Brown’s Life Little Instruction Book.  Thanks Jackson. I was especially struck, by how these basic suggestions for progress are also brain based approaches. No wonder each adds to the value of any workplace.  1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. 2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.3. Follow the three R’s:          Respect for self          Respect for others  ... BrainBasedBusiness blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1114011 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:32:59 +0100 1114011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=999551&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F178725568%2F Drugmakers aren’t the only ones, of course. But the Justice Department says it obtained $2 billion in settlements in fraud cases during fiscal year 2007, with most of the recoveries resulting from whistleblower lawsuits, the Associated Press reports. Approximately $1.45 billion of the settlements resulted from whistleblower lawsuits in fiscal year 2007, which ended Sept. 30, the department said. The individuals who filed suit were awarded $177 million. Under the False Claims Act, whistleblowers can sue companies or individuals that they believe have filed fraudulent claims with the federal government and, if successful, they can receive from 15 percent to 30 percent of the proceeds, the AP notes. Health care fraud accounted for most of the settlements, with $1.54 billion stemming fro... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=999551 Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:17:05 +0100 999551 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=878189&cid=t_108294_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F157715186%2F The state and city of New York today filed a lawsuit against the drugmaker for allegedly hiding the heart risks associated with the painkiller. The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, seeks damages, penalties and restitution for “tens of millions of taxpayer dollars wrongfully spent on Vioxx prescriptions,” New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says in a statement. The suit, which was joined by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, claims that many Vioxx scrips never would have been written if docs were properly informed of the risk of heart attack or stroke. Six other states have filed similar complaints. “Merck’s irresponsible and duplicitous conduct endangered the health of New Yorkers and wasted our tax dollars,” Cuomo says. “As a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=878189 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:50:07 +0100 878189 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=852094&cid=t_108294_109_f&fid=34795&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsoloshrink.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F09%2Fsony-does-it-again.html I am including this post from another of my blogs as it may have compromised a clinician's computer or do so in the second round of rootkits. Especially troublesome is the information that one of the products that installs a rootkit is not a CD, but a USB fingerprint security deviceOnce upon a time in the not too far distant past I really liked Sony products. I still do. I have Sony tape deck, receiver, CD/DVD player, pocket recorder, and was drooling over several of their high-end cameras, but I have resolved never to buy another of their offerings because of their corporate behavior.In 2005 there was a Sony BMG scandal in which rootkits were hidden in over 100 of the CD products manufactured and sold by them. When the customer played the "copy protected" "XCP" CD, a rootkit, otherwise kn... Solo Shrink blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=852094 Sat, 08 Sep 2007 03:22:00 +0100 852094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=817600&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F23%2Fwhat-tests-do-we-really-need%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, Lung Cancer, PreventionWouldn't it be great if we could receive full-body scans every year to check for early signs of cancer and other disease? Even if possible and affordable -- right now, scans cost about $900 -- it still wouldn't be such a great idea.Full-body scans often result in false alarms. People with harmless abnormalities may end up facing more tests, more risks, and more worry in order to rule out illness. The scan itself can present health hazards too. It exposes patients to more radiation than a chest X-ray and could slightly increase the risk of cancer, especially for those scanned every year.How do we know, then, if something has gone awry in our bodies? Well, we can do our self-exams -- breast exams, testicular exams, skin exams... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=817600 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 817600 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=809591&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F20%2Fthought-for-the-day-mri-as-a-gold-standard%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Prevention, Thought for the DayJust recently, European researchers announced that MRI scans offer a new way to detect breast cancer in its earliest form. They can even prevent cancer among high-risk women.Better than standard mammograms, MRI can detect a nonmalignant tumor called ductal carcinoma in-situ, or DCIS. Once found, the lesion can be surgically removed before it becomes cancerous.Think about this: It is believed that almost all breast cancer starts out as DCIS. And this: if MRI were the gold standard breast cancer screening tool, we might be able to prevent a lot more breast cancer cases than we do now. It seems researchers agree."MRI should thus no longer be regarded as an adjunct to mammography but as a distinct method to detect breast cancer at its ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=809591 Mon, 20 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 809591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=708798&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F02%2Fthought-for-the-day-screening-the-smart-way%2F Filed under: Prevention, Thought for the DayGetting screened for cancer is smart. Yearly mammograms for women older than 40, prostate exams for men older than 50, and skin cancer screenings for just about everyone are just a few of the recommended measures individuals can take to ensure cancer stays away -- or at least is caught in its earliest forms.But aside from merely submitting to these screenings, there's something we can do to increase our screening smarts. We can stick with the same screening centers and not flip-flop from one location to another.It's a bad idea to report to a different screening center every year. Being able to compare a current mammogram, for example, with prior images can decrease false alarms by as much as 44 percent. As with much of life, consistency is key. T... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=708798 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 708798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=651216&cid=t_108294_133_f&fid=35129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhitterer-autism.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Fsuck-on-that-you-rich-vandal.html We continue our conversation regarding my "unfortunate purchase," of a sound machine as a sleep aid. [translation = extravagant whim]“I still don’t really understand why you bought it in the first place?”“I had only the very best of intentions.”“Maybe, but these impulse buys are always a mistake.” [translation = the road to Hell]“I was under extreme duress at the time.”“Oh you had them all with you then.”“Yup, in Target.”“Well that was your first mistake.”“Target or taking the children?”“Both really now I come to think of it.”“I only went there for two things, milk, a birthday card and the sound machine.” “That’s three!” [translation = clocks the mathematically challenged person]“Well I was only going to look at the sound machines not actua... Whitterer on Autism blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=651216 Fri, 01 Jun 2007 03:35:00 +0100 651216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=637977&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F24%2Fcancer-quiz-how-much-do-you-know%2F Filed under: Prevention, All Cancers, Research Today more than half the people diagnosed with cancer are cured? True or False There are no warning signs for cancer, illness tends to come on suddenly? True or False Most cancers are hereditary? True or False Standard treatments for cancer include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy? True or False People going through cancer treatment have fewer side effects when they eat a well balanced diet? True or False Find out if you answered correctly! True -- In this century, scientists have come to understand what cancer is and how it grows. Thanks to advances in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, people who face a cancer diagnosis have great reason to hope. Some forms of the disease remain difficult to treat, but there are trea... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=637977 Thu, 24 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 637977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612017&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F15%2Fthought-for-the-day-take-tv-shows-depicting-cancer-with-a-grain%2F Filed under: Childhood Cancers, All Cancers, TelevisionA mother who lost her daughter to cancer had something to say on her blog about the depiction of childhood cancer and other cancers for that matter on television. I wanted to share her words. Think about this: I have just finished watching the new episode of "House." It was about a teenager who was facing a bone marrow transplant (his younger brother was to be the donor). So many things were unrealistic -- don't they consult with real doctors to get the facts? I think it was a couple of weeks ago that the episode of "Grey's Anatomy" also dealt with the topic of childhood cancer and a bone marrow transplant. It was even more unrealistic. One of the doctor's, "Izzy", ended up being the little girl's biological mother. The same day that s... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612017 Tue, 15 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 612017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=565111&cid=t_108294_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fvirginia-tech-blame-game.html Thanks to Cyinical-C, there is now a comprehensive list of everything to blame for the Virginia Tech Shootings.In this excerpt, you will note many of the usual suspects, and you are invited to add your own in the comments section.In case you were wondering who’s to blame for the Virginia Tech massacre, I’ve created a list this morning to keep track. Feel free to send in any that I’ve missed. Update:The list keeps on growing and has 45 46 47 49 51 55 56 57 58 different items at the moment. Thanks to everyone who is sending me more links to add to the list. It’s the fault of violent video games. It’s the fault of movies. It’s that no other students were armed. It’s the cowardly students who didn’t rush the shooter. It’s the first victim’s fault. It’s secularism’s fau... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=565111 Mon, 23 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 565111 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=525457&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F06%2Fthought-for-the-day-drug-dispensing-teeth-a-real-possibility%2F Filed under: All Cancers, Clinical Trials, Products, Daily news, Thought for the DayI never would have predicted it -- that a tooth could become a tool for dispensing medication. But the refinement of such a creation is actually in the works and before long, you may be asking not for a gold or decorative tooth but for one capable of doling out your drugs in the exact doses and at the right times.Think about this:Researchers from Europe and Israel are working right now on a tiny dispensing system called IntelliDrug. Their goal is to create parts small enough they can fit into a false tooth placed in the back of the mouth. The device will release a specific amount of medication at certain intervals so patients receive the proper dosage right on schedule.This invention, crafted by an Israeli ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=525457 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 525457 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=509314&cid=t_108294_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F29%2Fbreast-mri-now-officially-recommended%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Daily newsI get mammograms every six months. I get ultrasounds every six months. I get a breast MRI every year. That's my typical screening routine, intended to keep breast cancer from invading my life for a second time. This combination of testing -- primarily the MRI part -- has not been typical for all at-risk women. It's just the plan my doctors have determined is the best insurance policy for me. But as of yesterday, the American Cancer Society began recommending regular use of MRI scans, rather than conventional mammograms, for women facing a breast cancer risk of 15 percent or more.Family history places one to two percent of women at a 20 percent higher risk of developing the disease than women without such a history. Women carrying a BRCA1 or BRCA 2 gene... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=509314 Thu, 29 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 509314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=462963&cid=t_108294_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Ffalse-claims-act-recent-changes.html Discussion and Analysis, administrators at CMS recognized that the best way to cut Medicare and Medicaid spending and maintain the integrity of the programs was to reduce Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse. For example, the Department of Health and Human Services reports that it collected almost $2.3 billion in 2006 from false claims suits. By implementing and actively enforcing anti-fraud compliance laws, the government can recover more money and, thus, curb the amount of Medicare and Medicaid spending. In order to further combat health care fraud and abuse, Congress enacted the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (“DRA”), P.L. 109-171. The DRA contains provisions to slow mandatory spending in Medicare and Medicaid. Furthermore, the DRA includes a provision, § 6032, that requires health... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=462963 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:42:00 +0100 462963 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=495758&cid=t_108294_135_f&fid=35272&url=http%3A%2F%2Fslimconomy.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F02%2Fhow-america-buys-rapid-hiv-tests.html One would think that Americans get the best of pretty much all there is to offer in the latest healthcare products. Not so in rapid HIV tests, and I am sure it relates to other products. But then apathy is as strong in America as it is in Canada and the media is more interested in a big bucks story.Americans might think the CDC is looking out for them? Not necessarily with rapid HIV tests. The Drool Test as I call it, from OraSure, is a classic case of stock price interest over product value. I've talked about saliva vs. blood earlier in my blog, so you'll have to dig back for that - the short is that I think saliva tests are dangerous, and there is science to back that up.But the CDC had hitched their wagon to the OraSure test, and so did Bush when he was quoted in the company's initial l... Slimconomy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=495758 Sat, 03 Feb 2007 00:59:00 +0100 495758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=480170&cid=t_108294_114_f&fid=34963&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.symtym.com%2Findex.php%3F%2Fsite%2Farticle%2Ffalse_claim_act%2F (Source: symtym) symtym blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=480170 Tue, 26 Dec 2006 05:00:00 +0100 480170 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=495767&cid=t_108294_135_f&fid=35272&url=http%3A%2F%2Fslimconomy.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F11%2Feveryone-is-negative-in-latin-america.html Rapid HIV tests have the best quality control in the US and Canada, Europe is almost there with CE Mark, but it doesn't mean much to most common folk. Outside the US and Canada, it's a whole different story. In developing nations, corruption, greed and and lack of money make it near impossible to have reliable rapid testing.So, what does that really matter to anyone in Canada or the USA? So what, its a developing nation. Well, people travel to and from. More so than ever. A chance encounter and "whammy!", you're infected, and you come home. Then pass it to your spouse or partner and so on we go.Here's a true story from about 2 years ago. I'm not going to say the country or give names of products, in part this is because some people in the Business of HIV are very determined. I began talks ... Slimconomy blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=495767 Sat, 18 Nov 2006 22:16:00 +0100 495767