Online prescription: June 2006

Friday, June 16, 2006

lack of insurance difficults access to prescriptions

Children in Large Families May Get Smaller Share of Health Care
Health Behavior News Service - USA
... Effects of family structure on children’s use of ambulatory visits and prescription medications. Health Services Research (online), 2006.

Children living with many siblings or with adults in addition to their parents visit the doctor less often and use fewer prescriptions than children in more typical families, according to a new analysis.

The findings are not due to demographic or socioeconomic factors, parental education, child-rearing experience or children’s health status, say authors Alex Chen, M.D., at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and José Escarce, M.D., at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The authors attribute the results to finite parental resources. “As there are more demands on a parent’s time and money … each child may receive less,” said Chen.

“Policies that provide support for working parents … may enable them to take their children for care,” concludes the study in the current issue of Health Services Research.

The authors analyzed data from a nationally representative survey on the use of medical care. The survey included 26,401 American youngsters under 18 living in two-parent families or single-mother families. There were not enough single-father families to include in the study.

The data indicate that children of single mothers receive less care than those in two-parent families; however, these differences can be explained by other family traits such as poverty and lack of health insurance.

In contrast, children in families with four or more other children make only about four-fifths as many visits to doctor’s offices or emergency rooms as otherwise similar single-parent families. The effect of a large family on a child’s prescription drug use rivaled the effect of being uninsured and was larger than that of poverty.

The presence of nonparental adults — such as grandparents or a single-mother’s boyfriend — is also linked to less health care for children in the household.

The study notes that the data did not shed light on the health consequences of the difficult choices that many parents face. Nevertheless, said Chen, it’s clear that “today’s health care is very complicated, and it takes a lot of time and energy to get what you need.”

More family leave days may enable working parents to take their children for needed care, suggest the authors. They also say that health care providers should also monitor children with many siblings and those in cohabiting households more closely.

Simplified application and income certification processes for Medicaid would also go a long way toward helping overloaded parents, says Matthew Davis, M.D., a University of Michigan pediatrician and internist with additional expertise in public policy. “That’s an arena in which some states have really innovated with regard to online applications and other means of keeping children enrolled,” he said.

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online bird flu remedies

Beware of online bird-flu remedies
Consumer Reports (subscription) - USA
Online sellers of prescription drugs and supplements are trying to cash in on bird-flu fears by promoting treatments that are unnecessary, ineffective, or ...

Online sellers of prescription drugs and supplements are trying to cash in on bird-flu fears by promoting treatments that are unnecessary, ineffective, or potentially harmful. Beware of the following types of sales pitches:


"Stock up on antivirals before supplies run out!" Hoarding supplies of the prescription flu drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) is a bad idea. Private hoarding could worsen current worldwide shortages and hamper efforts to make emergency supplies available to those who need them the most in case of an emerging pandemic. And having a private supply at home could tempt you or your family to take the medicine when it's not needed--when you merely have a bad cold, for example. That exposes you to possible side effects and may help increase resistance to the drug.

"Best Tamiflu prices online, no prescription required!" The chance of buying counterfeit drugs is another reason to avoid Internet pharmacies promoting flu prescriptions. The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency have intercepted shipments of "generic" Tamiflu containing just vitamin C and other ineffective substances.

"Natural virus shield prevents bird flu!" We could not find any published scientific evidence to support claims that herbs or supplements prevent bird flu. The FDA has taken action to stop the manufacturers of more than a dozen products from making misleading and unsubstantiated claims about bird-flu protection. One substance heavily marketed for flu, colloidal silver, has no proven use against any illness, and even low doses can eventually build up to toxic levels in the body. Scanty evidence suggests that black elderberry syrup may ease the symptoms of seasonal flu. Whether it would help with bird flu is not known. And there's no guarantee that herbs or supplements contain what their label says, since these products are virtually unregulated by the government.

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Wednesday, June 14, 2006

online pharmacies

Schumer pushes bill to crack down on illegal online pharmacies ...
Mid-Hudson News - Newburgh,NY,USA
... a new three-point plan that he says will crack down on illegal online pharmacies and combat the growing epidemic of teenagers using prescription drugs to get ...


In light of new reports of rampant prescription drug abuse by teenagers, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer Wednesday announced a new three-point plan that he says will crack down on illegal online pharmacies and combat the growing epidemic of teenagers using prescription drugs to get high. While overall drug use is down, abuse of prescription drugs among kids between the ages of 12 and 19 remains more common than regular use of cocaine, methamphetamine, or ecstasy. Schumer released a report estimating that more than 150,000 upstate New York teenagers have abused prescription drugs.
Of the 236,172 teens living in the Hudson Valley, an estimated 44,873 have used prescription drugs to get high.
According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, one in five teenagers between the ages of 12 and 19 have used prescription drugs to get high. The prescription drugs most frequently abused by teenagers include stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall, and painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin. Vicodin use in particular is up, with 10 percent of 12th-graders reporting they had used the drug within the last year. While prescription drugs can be very helpful under the care and monitoring of a doctor, non-medical use of these substances can lead to serious health risks, addiction, or death.
In response to this growing epidemic, Schumer announced a three-point plan to crack down on these online pharmacies and improve government drug awareness programs. He is co-sponsoring the Internet Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act (S.399) which counters the growing sale of prescription drugs over the Internet without a valid prescription.
He urged the Office of National Drug Control Policy to launch a new media campaign that would be specifically targeted toward informing teens and adults about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. And he called for $50 million in additional funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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Shopping Medical Guide

Consumer Reports Medical Guide Informs Consumers Shopping for ...
U.S. Newswire (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
... herbs, vitamins and nutritional supplements, and other ingredients that are widely available to consumers without a prescription in stores and online. ...


To provide consumers with the critical information they need when considering natural supplements in a marketplace with little consumer protection, Consumer Reports Medical Guide (http://www.consumerreportsmedicalguide.org) has prepared answers to frequently asked questions about nutritional supplements. With over 50,000 supplements currently on the market and close to 1,000 new supplements introduced each year (1), it can be difficult for consumers to differentiate which products are safe and effective from those that either don't work at all –- or can cause serious harm. These are available free to non-subscribers at consumer reports

Health editors and researchers at Consumer Reports broke down the need-to-know facts on the regulation, ingredients and possible side effects of natural supplements, as well as proven safe and unsafe supplements. Plus consumers will find tips for finding trustworthy brands and easy-to-understand objective answers, helping them face the health-food aisle informed and with confidence. Some take-away tips to keep in mind:

-- Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, most supplements get less scrutiny from the FDA than a pack of cough drops;

-- Some supplements are anything but 'all natural', with contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides and bacteria; a few have even been found to contain prescription drugs;

-- No supplement has consistently demonstrated through clinical studies that it can help people lose weight;

-- Many supplements can interfere with prescription or over- the-counter medications or cause dangerous side effects –- be sure to let your doctor know what supplements you're taking -– even if you think they're harmless;

-- Certain supplements may prolong the effects of anesthesia, cause excessive bleeding or raise blood pressure; patients undergoing surgery should discontinue use at least two weeks before a procedure;

-- With the exception of prenatal vitamins, there's simply not enough evidence to predict how dietary supplements could affect a pregnancy. The same kind of logic follows for children. Unless there's a good reason for a pregnant woman or child to take a supplement –- then don't;

-- Consumers may benefit from choosing supplements from a well-known manufacturer or a product with a quality control seal from an organization such as the U.S. Pharmacopeia.

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prescription drug costs

Aetna, CIGNA Telling Their Members More About Doctors Hartford Courant - United States
... and some other states will be able to find information online about doctors ... consumers to pay a percentage of the doctor's charges or prescription drug costs. ...


Aetna's members in Connecticut and some other states will be able to find information online about doctors' prices and quality, starting this summer, as the company expands a program it piloted in Cincinnati.
Aetna and other health insurers, including CIGNA, are moving to get more data to consumers as newer health plans put more decision-making responsibility - and sometimes more of the costs - in their hands.
Effective Aug. 18, Hartford-based Aetna will provide the prices that primary care and specialist physicians in Connecticut have agreed to charge for Aetna members' care. Prices will be given for as many as 30 of the most widely used services by specialty.
Aetna will also give some basic information about care by physicians to help members compare them.
Aetna, which has about 293,000 Connecticut members, said it will have price information here on 8,700 physicians, and clinical quality and efficiency information on 2,400 doctors in the state.
Knowing prices is important because many health plans require consumers to pay a percentage of the doctor's charges or prescription drug costs. The data are especially key for "consumer-directed" plans, which often combine an employer-funded account for the employee with a high-deductible insurance plan.
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vending machine for prescription medicines

Vic town to trial medicine vending machine ABC Online - Australia
The small south-east Victorian town of Minyip will be the first site in Australia to have a remote dispensing machine for prescription medicines. ...


The small south-east Victorian town of Minyip will be the first site in Australia to have a remote dispensing machine for prescription medicines.
The vending-style machine accepts a script and links the patient with a pharmacist in Warracknabeal, via videolink.
When a script is ready the patient can collect the medicine from the machine, which is activated by the pharmacist 30 kilometres away.
Warracknabeal pharmacist John Aitken says the system's trial is due to begin in August.
"We see the most significant advantage is providing the prescription in real time," he said.
"The main problem with the depot is the turn-around time is usually about two to three to four hours depending on the schedule we're working on and the time of day, and sometimes people have travelled perhaps into Minyip 30 or 40 kilometres already and they have to then wait around."
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Tuesday, June 13, 2006

comparison shop for health savings

Patients get new tools to price health care
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
... That information was posted online in early June, at hospitalpricing.sd.gov ... prices at individual pharmacies for the 50 most-commonly used prescription drugs in ...

Consumers are finally getting some of the tools they need to comparison-shop for health care the way they do for cars or personal computers, though it's too early to tell whether people will use these new services.


Aetna Inc., which last year in the Cincinnati area became the first major insurer to reveal rates it negotiates with local physicians, is expanding that program to eight more areas. Other major insurers, including Cigna Corp., Humana Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc., are adding or expanding their own online pricing tools. And Medicare early this month posted online the ranges of what it pays hospitals for 30 common procedures and treatments, the first in a series of disclosures the agency says it will make. Several state governments and hospital associations, including in Florida, New Hampshire, Utah and New Mexico, are launching Web services that list hospital charges.


The information provided by these new tools comes with caveats, but the services do show that, in principle at least, comparison shopping can make a difference: While prices of simple services in doctors' offices are fairly consistent according to some online data, hospital costs often vary widely. For example, a Web-based pricing tool offered by Humana shows that at hospitals in a Humana network in southeast Wisconsin, a knee replacement ranges from a minimum of $16,900 at one hospital to a maximum of $34,050 at another, reflecting in part discounted rates that the insurer has negotiated with health-care providers.
The new pricing services are popping up as consumers are being asked to shoulder an ever-greater proportion of their health-care costs. Employer-sponsored and other health plans are shifting more of the cost of health care to consumers by raising co-payments and cutting benefits. That dovetails with efforts by the Bush administration to promote so-called consumer-driven health care, mainly through high-deductible insurance policies paired with health savings accounts that offer financial incentives to shop wisely for care.
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Pharm parties pharming

'Pharm parties' rising among teensUnited Press International - USA
... They also have started sharing "recipes" online, causing more young adults ... of US teenagers or about 4.5 million, reported taking prescription painkillers or ...


Drug counselors across the United States warn the so-called pharm parties among youngsters are on the rise, creating a new culture of pill-popping.
Counselors say the trend is part of a rapidly developing underground movement for abusing prescription drugs by teens and young adults, reports USA Today.

"When you start to see a pattern, you know it's becoming pretty widespread," one counselor told the newspaper. "I expect it to get worse before it gets better."
The drug abusers in the new culture have created their own terminology on Internet sites, such as "pharming" to mean collecting pills from the family medicine chest. They also have started sharing "recipes" online, causing more young adults showing up in hospital emergency rooms overdosed on bizarre and potentially lethal combinations of pills.

A survey last year by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America showed 19 percent of U.S. teenagers or about 4.5 million, reported taking prescription painkillers or stimulants to get high, the newspaper reported.
One expert said pharm parties are "simply everyone pooling whatever pills they have together and having a good time on a Saturday night. Kids ... don't think about the consequences." link

Monday, June 12, 2006

low carb diet no link to bone loss

Small study on bone loss finds no link to low-carb diet
Arizona Republic - Phoenix,AZ,USA
... study was funded by Procter & Gamble, which produces a prescription drug to treat the bone loss of osteoporosis. Find this study in the May 23 online issue of ...


The question: Following a diet that's low in carbohydrates and high in protein and animal fats tends to make people excrete more calcium and absorb less of it, leading some to surmise that the bones will suffer. Does this contention hold true?
This study assigned 30 overweight adults, mostly women, to adhere to a strict low-carb diet or a normal American diet that had no food restrictions. The low-carb group consumed fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day for a month and then no more than 40 grams daily. After three months, the low-carb group lost an average of 14 pounds, and the others lost two pounds. Based on blood tests that revealed biochemical indicators of bone makeup, the participants had, in essence, the same rate of bone turnover, meaning their bodies continued to lose and replace bone at a normal pace.
Who may be affected by these findings? People who opt to follow a low-carb diet, such as Atkins, South Beach or Sugar Busters.Caveats: The study involved a small number of participants and was of short duration; whether a low-carb diet would affect bones differently over a longer period remains unclear. The study was funded by Procter & Gamble, which produces a prescription drug to treat the bone loss of osteoporosis. link

prescription drug plan

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
onlineprescriptionrx.us/

Some Can Still Enroll in New Prescription Drug Program without ...
ParamusPost.com - Pampus,NJ,USA
... you might qualify for the extra help, you can complete an online application at ... For more information about the prescription drug program itself, you can go to ...


If you qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs, you can still sign up for a Medicare Prescription Drug plan and pay no penalty for 2006. The special enrollment period for beneficiaries who are also eligible for extra help runs through December 31 of this year. Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for the extra help if they have limited income and resources. The extra help can pay for part of the monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments under the new prescription drug program, and it could be worth an average of $3,700 per year.

You may qualify for the extra help if your annual income is below $14,700 for an individual ($19,800 for a married couple living together), and you have resources totaling no more than $10,000 ($20,000 for a married couple living together). Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds, but do not include your house and car. And resources can be slightly higher (an additional $1,500 per person) if you will use some of your money for burial expenses.
If you think that you might qualify for the extra help, you can complete an online application at www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and a representative will assist you in filing an application over the phone. For more information about the prescription drug program itself, you can go to www.medicare.gov. link

contact physician and track health

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
www.onlineprescriptionrx.us/

Convenient Online Health Care Now Offered to Kaiser Permanente ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... These services are in addition to those already offered online, including appointment scheduling, prescription refills, health encyclopedias, and healthy ...


Kaiser Permanente patients now are able to e-mail their doctor and look up portions of their medical record online. By launching these new features, Kaiser Permanente extends online convenience to one in seven insured people in the Denver/Boulder area.

"Everyone is accustomed to shopping and banking online. It's only natural that we be able to contact our physician and track our health online," said Jack Cochran, MD, executive medical director for Kaiser Permanente. "Our patients now can see parts of their medical record and send a message to their physician's team when they want."

Through Your Health Record on kp.org, members will be able to e-mail their physician's office and get a response within one business day. They also will have 24/7 access to portions of their personal medical record including:



* Lab results

* Allergies

* Immunizations

* Past office visit information

These services are in addition to those already offered online, including appointment scheduling, prescription refills, health encyclopedias, and healthy lifestyle programs.

To access many of these features, Kaiser Permanente members first must establish a secure log-in at kp.org. This ensures that only the patient has access to his or her personal health information. To establish the secure log-in, members should go to members.kp.org, and click on "sign in" on the top navigation bar. Because it takes a few days to confirm this secure access, members are urged to establish their log-in right away, so they will be able to use the new online features when they need them.
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Drug Savings

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
www.onlineprescriptionrx.us

Personalized Drug Savings Just a Click Away with Savings Advisor ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA ... PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In just a few clicks, a new online resource from ... searching for cost savings opportunities covered under their prescription drug program ...


In just a few clicks, a new online resource from Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS - News) cuts through the confusing clutter for patients searching for cost savings opportunities covered under their prescription drug program.

One in five Americans now have access to Savings Advisor, the newest advancement offered by Medco, the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager. Available through http://www.medco.com, this tool provides users with a simplified and personalized menu of medication choices starting with the lowest-cost medication alternative including generics and preferred brand-name drugs, based upon their personal drug benefit coverage.

"We believe a wise consumer is an informed consumer, and the Savings Advisor tool allows our employees and retirees to become more informed and involved in the management of their prescription medications," said Steve Hoffman, human resources/multi-media, Campbell Soup Company, a Medco client. "Knowing and understanding the alternatives available can result in substantial savings for our employees and for Campbell's."

Savings Advisor joins the suite of industry-leading resources available to Medco members - including Medicare Part D customers and members with a consumer-directed pharmacy plan - through medco.com®. In 2005, medco.com processed approximately 19 million prescription orders, and currently has more than 4 million active registered users.

"Medco helped define online pharmacy with our thorough understanding of member goals - and we are bringing that knowledge to bear," said Tom Feitel, Medco's chief web officer. "While many online pharmacies require a lengthy process for customers to compare drug prices that are often only estimates, Savings Advisor has simplified and personalized the system to the point where, quite simply, there is no better tool on the Web for obtaining accurate and actionable results."

Savings Advisor leverages the popularity of the Internet to answer consumers' need for simple, easy-to-use, plan-specific cost information - a need driven by the growing trend in health care consumerism. According to a 2005 Harris Interactive survey, the number of U.S. adults who have gone online to research health or medical information increased to approximately 117 million from 111 million the prior year.

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dry mouth mydrymouth.com

New Online Resource Now Available to the Millions of Women ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... treatment option. EVOXAC is a prescription product that works to help your salivary glands secrete more saliva in the mouth. EVOXAC ...


Dry mouth and dry eye are common complaints expressed by patients diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome. Up to four million people, 90 percent of them women, may suffer from these unexplained symptoms for up to 10 years before finding out that they have Sjogren's syndrome. Now, there is a new web site, http://www.mydrymouth.com, designed to educate about the dryness associated with Sjogren's syndrome, including dry mouth and dry eyes. This web site offers tools to help those that may be suffering from the disease recognize symptoms and speak with their doctors. The web site is sponsored by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

"Sjogren's syndrome is one of the most common autoimmune diseases; however, it remains unknown and misunderstood to many," explains Robert Lahita, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Chairman of Medicine, Vice President and Senior Attending Physician, Jersey City Medical Center. "For most people, receiving a proper diagnosis and treatment is a difficult and lengthy process, often taking up to 10 years. A resource like mydrymouth.com will help shed light on this mysterious disease and encourage people to speak with their doctors if they are experiencing symptoms."

Mydrymouth.com features easy-to-read sections, including:

-- Living with Dry Mouth Symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome, a section
offering tips for relief and information on how to recognize signs and
symptoms of the disease.

-- Is Dryness a Problem for You?, which includes a brief questionnaire
that can be completed and shared with your healthcare provider.

-- Resources, a section that provides additional outlets to visit to
learn more about Sjogren's syndrome.

-- Join the Moisture Network, which allows visitors to sign up to receive
supplementary information about Sjogren's syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents the body's exocrine (moisture-producing) glands from creating enough moisture. Sjogren's syndrome sufferers most often experience painfully dry eyes and dry mouth, and diminished salivary function which can affect basic daily activities such as eating, swallowing, sleeping and speaking. Patients with Sjogren's syndrome may also experience fatigue and joint pain, as well as problems involving the lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. The majority of patients are women in their 40s and 50s. Symptoms of the disease may overlap or mimic other conditions, such as other autoimmune diseases or the dryness symptoms of menopause, and therefore may go undiagnosed and untreated for years.
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online consultation RelayHealth

McKesson Acquires RelayHealth, Launches Personal Health Solutions ... Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA ... pioneered the webVisit(R), a secure, insurer-reimbursed online consultation between ... own personal health records at home, view prescription medication lists and ...

McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) today announced the acquisition of RelayHealth Corporation, a leading provider of online physician-patient communication services. McKesson is the world's largest healthcare IT and automation supplier, with products in 65 percent of U.S. health systems. McKesson also provides solutions to payor organizations reaching more than 80 percent of U.S. covered lives. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The acquisition of RelayHealth follows a strategic investment made in 2005 by McKesson with the goal of expanding its commitment in the personal health management space.

McKesson also announced a new Personal Health Solutions group within its Provider Technologies segment. Personal Health Solutions will serve the growing market for interactive technologies that empower consumers and patients through secure electronic access to healthcare providers, personal health records, healthcare financial management systems and other tools. The group will leverage McKesson's broad-based strengths in disease management services across the entire continuum of care, from hospitals and outpatient facilities to physician offices and into the home. In addition to RelayHealth, McKesson's personal health solutions include in-home patient monitoring, Web portal technology, triage software and personal emergency response systems, to name a few. The full solution suite will include products and services from recently acquired HealthCom Partners, LLC, which provides patient billing solutions designed to simplify and enhance financial interactions between healthcare providers and their patients.

"Changes in healthcare insurance models and unmet needs in chronic condition management have placed a greater burden than ever on consumers and providers," said John Hammergren, McKesson chairman and chief executive officer. "Consumers are expected, and want, to play a more active role in decisions related to their health. However, until now many of the tools to equip them have simply been unavailable. McKesson will become the standard-bearer in solutions that empower consumers, patients and their providers to be active players in a safer, more convenient and more connected system of care."

RelayHealth is a fundamental building block in McKesson's physician connectivity strategy, as well as its consumer and personal health management strategies. Founded in 1999, RelayHealth pioneered the webVisit(R), a secure, insurer-reimbursed online consultation between physicians and patients. Today, RelayHealth's network includes more than 18,000 health professionals, 600,000 patients and more than a dozen reimbursing health plans, including many of the largest national and regional insurers in the United States. In addition to the webVisit, RelayHealth services enable patients to maintain their own personal health records at home, view prescription medication lists and request renewals, set appointments, receive test results and securely communicate with their healthcare providers. link

no prescription drug shortage

Online prescription Rx.
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www.onlineprescriptionrx.us/

Drug shortages common, adding to patients’ misery
Columbus Dispatch - Columbus,OH,USA
... from pharmacy to pharmacy, or back to their doctor to seek a new prescription. ... Several online lists, including one posted by the US Food and Drug Administration ...


The last thing patients think about when their doctors hand them a prescription is that the pharmacy might not have the drug.
But on any given day, about 30 drugs are in limited supply across the country.
When people think about a drug shortage, they remember the lack of flu shots in 2004. But this year alone, there have been shortages of the antidepressant drug Paxil, the diabetes drug Avadamet and the motion-sickness patch Transderm Scop.
Shortages can send patients from pharmacy to pharmacy, or back to their doctor to seek a new prescription. They might have to switch to a generic drug.
The reasons vary: production problems at a plant, quality issues raised by the government, a drug that is too old or a limited supply of materi- als to make it.
"Sometimes the companies actually make a decision to switch production from one product to another product based on demand," said Don Bennett, past president of the Ohio Pharmacists Association.
Fewer drugs are in short supply than a decade ago, but experts say shortages tend to last longer now.
"Like two to three months that they’re out instead of two, three weeks," said Lesley Maloney, director of public health and quality for American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which maintains a list of drugs in short supply. link

fast, affordable and convenient

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
www.onlineprescriptionrx.us/

'McClinics' serve up fast health care
Austin American-Statesman (subscription) - Austin,TX,USA
... When the nurse writes a prescription, many patients walk only a few steps to the HEB pharmacy ... Those who go online and fill out a questionnaire get a $10 coupon ...


More Americans want their health care delivered fast, like their burgers, and clinics that promise quick care are popping up across the country, including one inside Round Rock's H-E-B plus that has been operating for more than three months.
Retail clinics in grocery stores, pharmacies and Wal-Marts tap into the "big box" phenomenon that many consumers can't resist: one-stop shopping at a chain store that's fast, affordable and convenient. No appointment is necessary. There's no insurance paperwork and, often, no waiting. link

prescription drug benefit

SSA Launches Push To Enroll More Low-Income, Hard-to-Reach ... Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USA ... claims that payments from pharmacy benefit managers under the Medicare prescription drug benefit are ... The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.

The Bush administration is undertaking a new effort to locate and enroll many of the estimated four million Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet signed up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit, USA Today reports. Beneficiaries with annual incomes below about $15,000 and assets below $11,500, not including homes, qualify for government-subsidized premiums and copayments under the drug benefit.

About 38.7 million of the 42.5 million Medicare beneficiaries have some form of prescription drug coverage, but the majority of those without coverage -- about three million beneficiaries -- are eligible for the low-income subsidy, according to the Bush administration.

As part of the new enrollment effort, the Social Security Administration will mail 500,000 applications to several different groups of seniors ages 79 and older, including low-income seniors, beneficiaries with disabilities, those in low-income neighborhoods, Hispanics and those who do not handle their own financial affairs.

The enrollment deadline for most beneficiaries was May 15, but the government is allowing low-income beneficiaries to sign up for the drug benefit at any time. The new enrollment drive is "the latest in a series of attempts by the government and private groups to lure those seniors who stand to benefit the most" from the program, "but who are most likely to have missed out on the coverage," USA Today reports. link

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Boston new web site

Web site would let consumers compare costs of operations
Boston Globe - United States
... A search for the cost of the same prescription for Flonase allergy nasal spray ... Lischko said she hopes to have the additional information online as soon as the ...


Internet shoppers in Massachusetts could soon add chest X-rays, ultrasounds and tonsillectomies to their virtual shopping carts under a key provision of the state's ambitious new health care reform law.
One of the goals of the new law is to drive down the cost of health care in part by arming consumers with the ability to compare prices on everything from asthma inhalers to Caesarean sections.

The law requires the state to set up a Web site that not only allows consumers to compare the quality of hospitals and clinics, but would also include the average payment each charges for a range of services, including office visits, diagnostic tests, surgeries and other therapies.

"Most consumers who go in for a mammography or testing or radiology have no information on the quality or price," said Amy Lischko, commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy. "If you have to pay a 20 percent co-payment you are going to be very interested in looking at those prices."

The state already runs a Web site that includes some information -- with major loopholes.
Instead of listing an actual average dollar amount for an operation or procedure, the site only lists whether a hospital is among the most expensive, middle or least expensive when compared to others.

The new Web site will have prices, not only for hospitals, but for the cost of prescriptions at individual pharmacies. That should be helpful those who want to compare prices, especially in non-emergency situations. link

online consultations

Insurers, doctors starting to embrace online consultations
Columbus Dispatch - Columbus,OH,USA
... But seven months after he began offering Web-based communication to his patients, including prescription refills and online consultations, Batson is a believer ...


When Tamara McCartney’s chronic sinusitis flared up this year, she knew she needed a prescription antibiotic.

But instead of a long drive to the doctor’s office in St. Cloud, Fla., missing as much as a halfday of work, she spent less than 15 minutes at home completing an online questionnaire from her doctor. The next day, her Avelox prescription was waiting at a nearby pharmacy.
"When I get sinus infections, I don’t have to go to the doctor’s office. It’s a lot more convenient," said McCartney, a 32-year-old office manager in Orlando, Fla.

The online consultation with her physician cost her $40, an out-of-pocket fee she said was well worth it. Her next online consultation will cost far less, however: Her insurance company now reimburses doctors in Florida and California for online consultations with patients.
A growing number of health insurers are starting to pay doctors for the time they spend dealing with patients’ medical problems via the Internet.

McCartney’s company, Aetna, is one of the largest health insurers in the country. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, the state’s largest health insurer, began such reimbursements in January 2005. Cigna, another big national company, will begin making payments in January.
"If you ask patients, the vast majority want to communicate with their doctors via the Internet," said Dr. Charles Cutler, Aetna’s national medical director for quality. "Once physicians become enthusiastic, there will be a tipping point."

Cutler said the encrypted, Web-based messaging system should give doctors confidence that their online communications with patients will be secure. Beyond that, "given the convenience and efficiency for both patient and physician, I think it will rapidly expand." link

Saturday, June 10, 2006

Maine health care advisers tour

For anyone convinced that federal policymakers don't listen to the people of Maine, the next few days may provide a welcome turnabout, when the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services convenes in Camden.

The three-day meeting, which runs from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning, will enable providers, researchers and others with expertise in meeting the health care and human service needs of Maine's rural population to communicate face to face with the national advisory group. Specific topics to be addressed will include substance abuse, Head Start and the Medicare Advantage plan. There also will be several opportunities for the general public to comment.

The 21-member committee is charged with making policy recommendations affecting rural populations to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Medicare and Medicaid programs. In Maine, which is one of the oldest and the poorest populations in the country, these two programs pay a huge portion of health care and human service costs.

Health care advisers to tour Maine
Bangor Daily News - Bangor,ME,USA
... increase in the number of young people addicted to prescription drugs and ... Beasley by phone on Friday were unsuccessful, but the online encyclopedia Wikipedia ...
link

Friday, June 09, 2006

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana online services

The technology revolution is certainly hitting Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana customers can now view their immunization, preventive screening and pharmacy records online at the company’s secure member self-service website.

The reports are the latest addition to the company’s popular online services, which also include claims-based health records for most customers. “These health records belong to our customers, and we’re determined to present it to them in an easy-to-use format,” said Ob Soonthornsima, senior vice president and chief information officer at Blue Cross. “It’s about the good health of our customers. The more information customers have and the easier it is to understand, the more they can take control of their health care.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is one of the first insurers in the nation to make claims-based health records available to its customers. The record is a three-year look back at all of the claims submitted to Blue Cross on a customer’s behalf. “Our claims-based health records are unique because they are organized by clinical episode,” said Soonthornsima. “What that means is that a customer can see for each illness what treatment was given and what prescriptions they filled.”

online pharmacy system

Newfoundland and Labrador is investing millions of dollars to develop the country's first real-time online pharmacy network.
The Provincial Pharmacy Network, which will take four years to complete, will electronically track every prescription written by every physician and filled at every pharmacy.
The database will be updated continuously, and will be accessible to practitioners ranging from family doctors to staff at hospital emergency rooms.

The province will invest $8 million in the system, which Health Minister Tom Osborne said will improve patient health and aid health-care providers. It is also intended to end "double-doctoring," the illegal practice by which addicts obtain the same prescription from multiple physicians.

"It will bring all of that information together and ensure patient safety; it will reduce costs on the health-care system by reducing hospital visits as a result of negative drug interactions, [and] it will improve the health of individuals by eliminating negative interactions between different drugs," Osborne said.

NL pioneering online pharmacy system
CBC News - Canada
... time online pharmacy network. The Provincial Pharmacy Network, which will take four years to complete, will electronically track every prescription written by ...
link

Erectile dysfunction and high blood pressure

A new national survey of U.S. men ages 35 and older showed that approximately 8 of every 10 men who have high blood pressure (hypertension or HTN) (82%) were not aware of its connection to ED, and many were unaware of the connection between ED and other medical conditions that commonly affect men, such as high cholesterol (86%) and diabetes (73%).

"These are important findings for the millions of men in the U.S. who suffer from hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, as any of these medical conditions can lead to erectile dysfunction. In my clinical experience, men often feel more comfortable visiting the doctor for a condition like hypertension. If more men understood the link between these medical conditions, which are treatable, they might have an easier time talking to their doctor," said Dr. Matt Rosenberg, medical director at Mid- Michigan Health Centers in Jackson, MI.

The survey found that nearly half (44%) of men 35 and older said they would be more likely to talk to their doctors about erectile dysfunction if they were informed about its connection to other conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol or diabetes. Results from the national survey further showed that men and physicians might not always be speaking the same language when discussing men's health. In fact, although a majority of physicians were aware that diabetes (100%), hypertension (88%) and high cholesterol (66%) may lead to ED, most men said they were unaware of the link at the time of diagnosis with the respective conditions.

Most US Men Unaware of Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... These online samples are not probability samples. Schering-Plough is a global science-based health care company with leading prescription, consumer and animal ...
link

Thursday, June 08, 2006

buying prescription Viagra online

Where to buy viagra ?
LiveArticles.org - Inglewood,CA,USA
... Prescription Viagra can now be purchased from online pharmacies, at significantly lower costs than what you’d get in regular pharmacies. ...

If you are someone using Viagra or planning to start using Viagra, you must be concerned about the rising prices of prescription drugs. You probably buy your Viagra from the same neighborhood pharmacy where you go for all your medical requirements. And, grimace at the bills every month. While it is completely true that all the money and savings in the world do not replace your health, it doesn’t hurt to look for a cheaper or cost saving option, without compromising on the quality of drugs you use.

One of the greatest landmarks in the world of computers is the Internet and its increased availability to the layperson. Over the years, the Internet has become a platform for education, entertainment, commerce, information, communication, and so on. No single medium has made such an impact on our lives. The proliferation of online commerce is an important change in the way we do business and make our purchases. There has never before been a way to compare prices of a single product from different sellers, read user review, make your purchase and have it home delivered, all from the comfort of your home. And, when you add the money you save to all these conveniences, it becomes an unbeatable deal.

You can buy your medications online, as well. Prescription Viagra can now be purchased from online pharmacies, at significantly lower costs than what you’d get in regular pharmacies. You could buy from purely online pharmacies, or online sites for regular pharmacies like CVS and Walgreen’s, or from the web sites of the drug in question or its manufacturer. Whichever you choose, the money you save will be significant. When you buy Viagra from online web sites, you may save as much as 10-15% of the price in regular pharmacies. It is not that these online pharmacies sell inferior drugs. The quality and the drugs remain unaltered. But, they do save a lot of money on overhead expenses and store space. And, they are only too happy to pass the savings on to their customers.

Canadian Pharmacies Prescription Drugs

Canadian Pharmacies Receive 30 Calls Daily for Nevada Prescription ...
Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USAThe four Canadian online pharmacies licensed to sell prescription drugs to Nevada residents under a new state program each received an average of 30 telephone ...

The four Canadian online pharmacies licensed to sell prescription drugs to Nevada residents under a new state program each received an average of 30 telephone calls daily in the first month, and about one-third of the calls resulted in purchases, the Las Vegas Sun reports (Hansel, Las Vegas Sun, 6/6).

Under the program, which was established under a state law enacted last year, Canadian pharmacists licensed by the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy can mail to state residents prescription drugs that appear in the Orange Book and HC-DPD, which list medications approved in the U.S. and Canada, respectively.

Prescription drugs sold under the program must meet the manufacturing requirements of FDA and the Therapeutic Products Directorate of Health Canada; have a dosage that appears in the Orange Book and HC-DPD; and come from the onsite inventory systems of online Canadian pharmacies. In addition, Canadian pharmacists cannot mail prescription drugs in liquid, injectable or intravenous forms or medications that require refrigeration or other special handling during shipment.

The state pharmacy board has inspected and approved four Canadian online pharmacies to participate in the program, and a Web site established by the state includes links to those pharmacies (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/8). The Web site has received about 100,000 hits in the past month, the Sun reports.

traveling with medication

Think ahead when taking a trip with your medications
Casa Grande Valley Newspapers - Casa Grande,AZ,USA
... form, a handy reference for you to list all the medicines, including prescription, over-the ... You can also download a copy or make an online record at http://www.aarp.org/ ...

In a study of AARP members, three out of four (72%) have taken a trip at least 50 miles or more from their home involving an overnight stay. According to AARP Board Member Dr. Byron Thames, who provides occupational health consulting for companies that send many employees overseas, such as Lockheed Martin and Seimens Westinghouse, "Medications are a lifeline when traveling.

But safely transporting them is most often last on peoples' packing lists." Dr. Thames has some simple tips for traveling safely with medications:
Pack your medicine in a carry-on bag, getting separated from your luggage can be a drag, but it can turn into a matter of life or death when critical medications are in that lost suitcase.
Carry an extra week's supply of your medications in the event your travel arrangements change.

Keep your medication in their original containers. This will make it easier for customs officials to inspect. And if you have a medical emergency, it is easier to determine what medications you have been taking.

health-care and pharmaceutical

100 hot growth companies
MSN Money - USA
... This drug, Lidoderm, is a prescription patch that delivers a powerful analgesic through the skin ... Much of today's boom is driven by a rise in online advertising ...


As the population ages, it's no surprise that 11 Hot Growth companies are clustered in the health-care and pharmaceutical industries. Palomar Medical Technologies (PMTI, news, msgs), which at No. 3 is making its second consecutive appearance in the Hot Growth top 10, sells machines that use light-based technology to erase wrinkles, varicose veins, unwanted hair and other unpleasant consequences of growing older.

No. 35 Endo Pharmaceuticals Holdings (ENDP, news, msgs) has been chasing the gray set by developing pain relievers, one of which has attracted a cult-like following. This drug, Lidoderm, is a prescription patch that delivers a powerful analgesic through the skin to sore muscles and joints. It was approved by the Food & Drug Administration in 1999 to treat just 200,000 patients with pain related to shingles. But doctors started doling it out off-label for everything from sore back muscles to arthritis.

Endo expects Lidoderm sales to grow 26%, to at least $530 million, this year. The Chadds Ford, Pa., company is conducting clinical trials that may allow it to expand the label for Lidoderm, and it is working on several other pain drugs. "The data show that two-thirds of adults over 65 have some type of pain that really interferes with their daily life," says Endo CEO Peter A. Lankau.

online sales of prescription lenses

A South Wales company has developed software which enables customers to virtually try on spectacle frames.

FocusFix has led the way in online sales of prescription lenses in designer and budget frames since it launched its Specs on the Net service in December 2003.
Now the Cardiff business is breaking new ground with technology which enables users to upload a picture of themselves and see what they look like in any of the frames available, before they order.

"We believe there is no similar software this sophisticated anywhere in the world," said managing director Jonathan Birch.
"Even in the USA nobody has developed a service this advanced."

Put your face in the frame on your home computer
ic Wales - United Kingdom
FocusFix has led the way in online sales of prescription lenses in designer and budget frames since it launched its Specs on the Net service in December 2003. ...

The costs associated with hospital care is an issue that has many Americans seeing red. An online survey which appears on the home page of www.healthsiteguide.com, a free healthcare information portal, indicated that more than 40% of the first 100+ responders had “cost” as their main problem, followed by the “level of care” and “long waits,” both at around 18%. “Sanitary conditions” and “paperwork” came in at about 9%, with “noise” at a relatively small 3%.

“The issue of hospital costs is a great concern that doesn’t seem to be going away anytime,” stated Bob Lipp, one of the co-creators of Health Site Guide. “Families see their healthcare costs escalating and they are worried that hospitalization costs are a contributing factor. They are also extremely worried that they will not be able to afford healthcare and hospital costs in the near future. The survey was created to build a reliable database for those legislators who want to respond to these real healthcare concerns.”

Online Survey Finds Americans Concerned About Hospital Costs
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... An online survey which appears on the home page of www.healthsiteguide ... features with pre-searched links to medical encyclopedias, prescription drug information ...


free prescription drug card

Last month, a new free prescription drug card became available to all Americans. The free prescription drug card is available by filling out a short online form at www.YourRxCard.com, and the card can be printed instantly. Besides the instant activation, the free prescription drug card has no deductibles, waiting periods, or pre-existing exclusions. The prescription drug card was released by YourRxCard.com in response to American’s rising prescription drug costs, and the downfalls of the new Medicare Part D plans.

It’s estimated that prescription drug spending will likely increase at a greater rate than patients’ earnings, at a rate of 8.2% each year until 2015, according to a report issued in February by the National Health Statistics Group at CMS (Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services). Medicare Part D was launched in January, and made available to current Medicare recipients in varying plans, but those plans have several downfalls. For example, not every American is eligible to take advantage of Medicare Part D, unlike with the new free prescription drug card at www.YourRxCard.com. Other problems with Medicare Part D include the fact that multiple plans are participating (therefore causing plans to be somewhat profit-based), a monthly premium is required to stay in the program, some of the plans require a $250 deductible, and there is a gap in coverage after a certain level where patients pay all costs on their own until the plan kicks in again.

Free Prescription Drug Card Now Available to All Americans
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... The free prescription drug card is available by filling out a short online form at
www.YourRxCard.com, and the card can be printed instantly. ...

online consultation

The doctor will see you now -- on your laptop
Contra Costa Times - CA,USA
... seven months after he began offering Web-based communication to his patients -- including scheduling, prescription refills and online consultations -- Batson ...


When Tamara McCartney's chronic sinusitis flared up this year, she knew she needed a prescription antibiotic.

But instead of embarking on a long drive to the doctor's office in St. Cloud, Fla., and missing as much as a half-day of work, she spent less than 15 minutes at home completing an online questionnaire from her doctor. The next day, her Avelox prescription was waiting at a nearby pharmacy.

"When I get sinus infections, I don't have to go to the doctor's office. It's a lot more convenient," said McCartney, a 32-year-old Orlando office manager.
The online consultation with her physician cost her $40, an out-of-pocket fee she said was well worth the expense. Her next online consultation will cost far less, however: Her insurance company now reimburses doctors in Florida and California for online consultation with patients.

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

weight loss products advertising from a pharmacy website

A raunchy fax sent to advertise weight loss products from a pharmacy website has been branded offensive by the Advertising Standards Authority.

The fax from Wigan-based Planet Pharmaceuticals advertising the Medbargain website was found to have broken the CAP Code on responsibility, legality, truthfulness, identification and database practice.

Online pharmacy rapped over raunchy ad
VNUNet.com - UK
... "We were also concerned that Medbargain was marketing prescription-only medicines to small business employees in their capacities as private individuals. ...

get prescription drugs at reduced prices

Until Tuesday, health care was a constant worry for 32-year-old Joseph Morin.

As a part-time packager at Cinram Manufacturing, Mr. Morin doesn’t receive health insurance, so he has been paying more than $100 a month out-of-pocket for his asthma medications.
“We’ve just kind of been like this,” said Mr. Morin’s mother, Paula Morin, holding up crossed fingers on both hands. “We’re always hoping nothing happens.”

Tuesday morning, the Morins were two of about 40 people to climb aboard the bright orange “Help is Here Express” bus parked outside the Lackawanna County Courthouse on Washington Avenue as part of a nationwide tour by the Partnership for Prescription Assistance.

More News Scranton Times-Tribune - PA, USA... Others, like Ms. Morin, have seen ads for prescription help programs, but didn’t feel ... The partnership’s free assistance is available online at www.pparx.org

Whenever Dr. Victor M. Rivera diagnoses a patient with multiple sclerosis, one of the first things he does is arrange a home visit by a registered nurse such as Alecia Parks. Certified in MS treatment, Parks spends up to two hours teaching a new patient how to give self-injections and explaining the possible side effects of Rebif, a drug co-marketed by Serono Inc. (SRA ) and Pfizer Inc. (PFE ). She'll then call periodically to make sure patients are still giving themselves the prescription three times a week as prescribed. Rivera, medical director of the Maxine Mesinger MS Clinic in Houston, says more patients stay on the drug thanks to the personal attention.

Big Pharma's Nurse Will See You Now
BusinessWeek - USA
... That includes promoting drugs for complaints that can often be treated without prescription medicines. ... Track all ad sources to calculate ROI --online and off. ...


While Rivera refers patients to Parks, she does not work for his clinic or a public-health agency. Her employer? Serono and Pfizer. Through an outfit called MS LifeLines, the drugmakers field full-time nurses in the nation's 30 largest metro markets to help patients start and stick with their product, which has a wholesale price of $19,200 a year, by giving them free medical advice.

buying Counterfeit drugs

Is RFID, radio frequency identification technology, the solution to the counterfeit drug problem? A member of our chatroom brought up a report about counterfeit drugs which she had seen on Dateline NBC. I missed the show but went to look for the story online, since many others in our group wanted to read it. The Dateline story, "Inside The World Of Counterfeit Drugs" may surprise you.

RFID - Would It Keep Counterfeit Drugs Out Of Local Pharmacies?
About - News & Issues - New York,NY,USA
We've all heard warnings about buying drugs online or across the borders. ... drugs but the information is pertinent to anyone who takes any prescription medication ...


We've all heard warnings about buying drugs online or across the borders. We've been warned about the quality of such drugs and possibility some may even be counterfeit. The Dateline story revealed that some drugs have made their way to the shelves of local pharmacies in the United States. None of the drugs named were arthritis drugs but the information is pertinent to anyone who takes any prescription medication. The report is unsettling and it leaves you wondering what you can do.

Tuesday, June 06, 2006

North Carolina Waives Generic Drug

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) today announced it is stepping up efforts to help its members save money on prescription drugs. The state's largest health insurer is extending its zero-copayment program for generic prescription drug through the end of 2006.
The 2006 copayment waiver program, which began Feb. 1, was initially scheduled to end on July 31.

"We've demonstrated that waiving drug copayments is a strong incentive for our members to discuss generic alternatives with their doctors," said Bob Greczyn, BCBSNC president and CEO. "Extending our copayment waiver program through the end of the year gives our members more opportunities to save on out-of-pocket prescription costs."

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina Waives Generic Drug ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... 31, 2006. The copayment will automatically be waived when the prescription is filled. In ... Association. Access BCBSNC online at
www.bcbsnc.com.

A recent competitiveintelligence study conducted by Keynote(R) Systems -- a leader in servicesthat improve online business performance and communications technologies --detailed consumers' experiences while researching medical conditions andleading prescription drugs online. The study determined which sites andonline features are most effective at driving patients to their doctors todiscuss medications. Cadient Group, the premier strategic interactivemarketing agency serving the healthcare industry, developed Ortho-McNeil'sDitropan XL Web site -- which received the highest success rate across allconditions and Web sites studied.

The Keynote Best Practices Study of Pharmaceutical Web Sites examinedthe online experience of 2,000 consumers and their interaction with 20 leading prescription drug Web sites. It measured more than 100 metrics foreach site and captured both consumer attitudes and behaviors to determinewhich sites are most effective at driving patients to action, particularlyto talk to their doctors about branded medications and/or request a prescription.


Pharma Industry Study Finds Cadient Developed Web Site Most ...
PR Newswire (press release) - New York,NY,USA
... performance and communications technologies -- detailed consumers' experiences while researching medical conditions and leading prescription drugs online.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/06-06-2006/0004375143&EDATE=

weight loss oral prescription

Majority of the population today, is considered as overweight and is at the edge of inheriting cardiovascular diseases. A few extra pounds of your body weight count you up as obese. Obesity can put you in many embarrassing situations. You have odd working hours and find it almost impossible to join a fitness center. Tried many medications, but in vain. If this mounting obesity is becoming like a disgrace, do no loose sleep. Try the weight reducing drug Xenical and cure your heftiness.

Though fats are important components of a balanced diet, still over-consumption of fatty foods and calories lead to excessive body weight. Excess body weight contributes to many health diseases. Some of them are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart diseases. This unhealthy trend is now urging people to take radical measures to reduce weight.

Xenical is the brand name for orlistat. It is an oral prescription weight loss medication used by obese people to reduce weight. It is a highly effective means to block the absorption of fats into the bloodstream. The undigested fats are eliminated from your body through the bowel system. Combined with a low-calorie diet, xenical is used to encourage weight management. It thus shelves down the return of those unwanted pounds from your body.

Shelve Those Unwanted Pounds From Your Body With Xenical
LiveArticles.org - Inglewood,CA,USA
... It is an oral prescription weight loss medication used by obese people to reduce ... pet subject.To find Weight Loss Drug,Cheap Diet Pills,Xenical Online
http://www.livearticles.org/article.php?articleID=1432

Plan B emergency contraception

The Killer Cure: ; Deaths Tied to Methadone Escalate Across State ...
International News Service - Sydney,Australia
... "I don't think they should have to go online and educate ... try really, really low dosages and see how a person reacts before they even write a prescription for it

Dana L. is a lawyer in Virginia and the mother of two children. Earlier this year she made what she calls a “very painful decision” and she wrote in Sunday’s Outlook section about how her inability to obtain Plan B emergency contraception led her to the last place she wanted to be at age 42-- Planned Parenthood, seeking an abortion.

Dana, whose last name the Post didn’t print out to respect her family’s privacy, wrote with candor—a candor that earned her a lot of gratitude and derision in cyberspace.
Doug Bandow, writing in the American Spectator’s blog, takes a mocking tone toward the detailed sequence of events that led to Dana’s decision, but he does allow that “no one should minimize the burden of an unwanted pregnancy…Involving the government in the sort of intensely personal decisions surrounding pregnancy is not a pleasant choice. And I'm not sure the morning after pill is a slam-dunk "no" for pro-lifers: absent implantation, even a fertilized egg is not yet part of the natural continuum of life.”

Monday, June 05, 2006

Walgreen's pharmacy buys Happy Harry's drugstore

Walgreen Co., the nation's largest drugstore company, has agreed to buy Happy Harry's Inc., a privately held regional drugstore chain based in Delaware, the companies announced Monday. Financial terms weren't disclosed.

The deal, Walgreen's largest acquisition since 1986, includes all 76 Happy Harry's stores in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey, as well as its corporate office and distribution center in Newark.
Happy Harry's chairman and CEO Alan Levin, whose father, Harry, founded the pharmacy chain in 1962, said the merger presents opportunities for both employees and customers.

Walgreens buys Delaware drug store chain
BusinessWeek - USA
... Walgreens expects to continue accepting all prescription insurance plans currently taken by ... Chevron invites you to join an online discussion about some of the ...

Much was accomplished at the Dawson County Commissioners' meeting Thursday. The bulk of the business came with the approval to renew the county medical insurance coverage. Ray Meyer and Eric Templin, representatives from Performax, gave the recommendation to renew with Hartford.The commissioners agreed.

The new plan, which begins July 1, increased only by 1.79 percent. This increase is drastically low compared to the national rate of 9.7 percent Meyer said. "We worked very hard to get you a good renewal," Templin said.The good news is attributed to the low medical claims, which were down by $20,500 from the previous year Templin reported.

Commissioners renew insurance policy with more benefits
Lexington Clipper Herald - Lexington,NE,USA
... work on county employees and the results are available online 48 hours ... option gives county employees the choice of buying generic prescription drugs instead of ...

Other beneficial options included in the plan are: Interactive Health Solutions and generic alternatives to prescriptions. The first option is a way for the doctor's office to come to the employees. Certified nurses conduct blood work on county employees and the results are available online 48 hours later and mailed out soon after. Several county employees experienced the test in North Platte. Pam Ackerman reported her results saying she was very pleased with the quick process, 10-15 minutes for the blood test and within two days she received her results.
"It's a good value for all of those tests," Ackerman said. However, she noted two concerns. She had hoped tests for prostrate and ovarian cancer would be included. Both Meyer and Templin said they would look into her concern.The second option gives county employees the choice of buying generic prescription drugs instead of the more costly medications. According to commissioner Butch Hagan, using this part of the plan will require educating employees.

A personal health manager software is being offered free of charge by Thomas Jefferson University Hospital of Philadelphia that allows consumers to track their personal and family information in the same way they use products like Quicken to organize finances.

Keeping track of health records including medications, dosages and conditions can be a task unto itself, not to mention pulling up physicians' names and telephone numbers when needed.
Organizing pertinent medical information can be particularly tricky for parents tracking immunizations and screenings for their children, for caregivers logging doctor's appointments, treatments, tests and prescription information for the aging and for people with chronic medical conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.

Software keeps records in order
The Gloucester County Times - Woodbury,NJ,USA
... caregivers logging doctor's appointments, treatments, tests and prescription information for ... menu options that link to Jefferson's online resources, including ...

weight loss

“Doctor, how do I lose weight?” was the question asked Dr. Baldev Sandhu, a prominent New York plastic surgeon, when he would tell a patient that they really needed to lose weight and that liposuction was not the answer for them. Dr. Sandhu, already the author of the best selling “Doctor is Liposuction Right for ME?” turned his patient’s question into the title of his new book to be published this fall by iuniverse.

Leanaplex, a New and Better Weight Loss Program, Now Available to ...
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... a new and better weight loss program, is now available to consumers online at www ... is not classified as a drug patients can get Leanaplex without a prescription. ...

Writing “Doctor, How Do I Lose Weight?” forced Dr. Sandhu to review all the known weight loss techniques and eventually to come up with Leanaplex, a new, simple, easy to use weight loss program. “What I found was that success in weight loss programs was directly related to how long the patients were able to stick with the treatment program.” said Dr. Sandhu. “We all know that Slim-Fast, Medi-Fast and Opti-Fast have success rates related to how long the patients can stick with the plan. However, most patients discontinue these high fiber drinks because of their taste, insolubility of the psyllium fiber that constitutes the base of these drinks and the need to refrigerate the pre-mixed drink cans.”

Sunday, June 04, 2006

lost Medicare card

My mother has lost her Medicare card. I work, so it would be difficult for me to take her to the office. Is there another way to get a new Medicare card?

You can help her request a Medicare card online. Social Security's Web site — http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ — has a variety of online services that let people access information and conduct business with Social Security from the convenience of their computers. Plus, the online services are available seven days a week at expanded hours to fit your busy schedule.
Here are some of the online services that are available:

Social Security and You: New Medicare card only a few mouse clicks ... San Antonio Express (subscription) - San Antonio,TX,USA... beneficiaries with limited income and limited resources who need assistance paying for their Medicare prescription drug costs can apply online for extra help. ...

Exercise: happier and less stressed

Exercise isn't always the first thing that comes to mind when we're feeling stressed or anxious. However, recent studies have found that people who exercise regularly aren't just more physically fit than those who don't -- they're generally happier and less stressed, too.

Exercising for just 30 minutes several times a week can relieve general anxiety and stress, and can be an effective treatment for more serious conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. A recent study conducted at the University of Colorado suggested that physical activity also could prevent stress to our immune systems, leaving us less susceptible to some bacterial and viral infections.

Stress buster: Exercise regularly if you want to be happier
Quad-Cities Online - Rock Island,IL,USA
... The jury is still out, but all signs indicate that a little exercise goes a long way. "We still do not know the exact prescription," Petruzzello says, "but ...

New Phentermine site on the web

A new site on the web enables obesity sufferers - and all others dissatisfied with their current weight - to learn about healthy weight loss, Phentermine as a tool, and join a free support group. PhenForum.com found at, found at http://www.phenforum.com/, provides more than 16,000 pages of Phentermine information and resources that can help obesity sufferers and yo-yo dieters lose weight permanently using healthy methods.

The site provides resources not only for information on Phentermine diet pills, (including tolerance issues, manufacturer guide, brand photos, prescription guide) but also offers a large weight loss support group which is free to join and allows users to partner with a “weight loss buddy” to increase their chances of success. “PhenForum.com offers obesity sufferers a place where they can feel comfortable discussing weight loss, and even taking the necessary steps to lose it. We have many success stories among out members," said the site's creator, Ian Mason, a 20-year-old web entrepreneur from Nashville, TN.

Nashville Entrepreneur Helps Obesity Sufferers Understand ...
PR Web (press release) - Ferndale,WA,USA
... pills, (including tolerance issues, manufacturer guide, brand photos, prescription guide) but ... doesn't just provide link to buy phentermine online; it provides ...

Methadone killing more than any other prescription

One increasingly popular painkiller is helping to kill more people than any other prescription narcotic, a Sunday Gazette-Mail investigation has found.
Patients could die if they take the “usual adult dosage” on methadone’s package insert — information that comes with the prescription and was approved by the federal government.

Despite knowing about methadone’s dangers, federal officials have not strengthened the warnings most doctors and patients receive about methadone, Sunday Gazette-Mail reporters discovered.

The Killer Cure: Deaths tied to methadone escalate across state ...
Charleston Gazette - Charleston,WV,USA
... Less than 36 hours after he filled the prescription, he was dead ... methadone advocate, is editor and principal researcher/writer of two online newsletters funded ...

Caps on prescription drug

Medicare beneficiaries with caps on prescription drug coverage spend 31% less on medications than those without caps but are more likely than those without caps to skip doses of treatments, visit hospital emergency departments and die, according to a study published on Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, the Washington Post reports (Washington Post, 6/1).

Caps On Rx Drug Benefits Do Not Lower Insurers' Costs, Can Result ...
Medical News Today (press release) - UK
... restrictions," the Journal reports ( Wall Street Journal , 6/1). Under the Medicare prescription drug benefit ... An abstract of the study is available online.

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Getting prescription lenses online

Reading glasses have come a long way since the half-moon grannies sold in the back of drug stores. Spiffier models grace the aisles of supermarkets, department stores, discount stores, book stores, museum stores and high-end boutiques. They come in sundry shapes and styles, from boho chic to boardroom savvy. Some fold for easy portability; some hang around your neck and fasten with magnets.

Reading glasses available in more designs, prices and locales
The Journal News.com - Westchester,NY,USA
... Want to order online? ... Some get prescription lenses for their main pair but don't want to pay hundreds for duplicate prescription lenses. ...

Want to order online? A Google search for "reading glasses" yields 38.4 million hits.
The search includes 81,100 references to EyeMagine eyewear, sold in upscale stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus and discount retailers like Kmart and Target. President Frank Maglietta, a Bronxville resident who founded the Manhattan-based company five years ago, said his business has grown from selling in 350 stores in the first year to 15,000 today.

Santa Clarita Advanced Medical Care

Though less than a month has passed since it opened, Santa Clarita Advanced Medical Care is already living up to its name. In an effort to increase speed, ease of use and patient security, the urgent care and family practice center has transformed its new location in Valencia into a streamlined, nearly paperless doctors office. Everything is electronic. From the digital X-ray machine to the electronic medical records, the office exemplifies the “digital age,” said Michael Pin, medical director.

Medical Center Upgrades to Digital
The Signal - Santa Clarita,CA,USA
... Gone are the clipboards, prescription pads and endless stacks of files. ... One of the greatest advantages to patients is the ability to check in online, Lori Pin ...


“It’s a very thorough system,” he said. “Nothing is missed.” Gone are the clipboards, prescription pads and endless stacks of files. Instead, Pin and his medical staff can be seen caring tablet computers that serve as receptacles for all sorts of patient information. Everything about a patient’s physical history, medication, allergies and prescriptions can be recalled at the touch of a button or the tap of a stylus.

health care recommendations

• Public policy that all Americans have affordable health care. The working group found large majorities "willing to make additional financial investments in the service of expanding the protection against the costs of illness and the expansion of access to quality health care."

Universal health care suggested
Deseret News - Salt Lake City,UT,USA
... hearings that included a stop in Salt Lake City and through an online survey. The working group was created by the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and ...


• A core benefits package for all Americans. Those benefits would be selected "through an independent, fair, transparent and scientific process which gives priority to the consumer-healthcare provider relationship." Additional coverage for services beyond the core package could be purchased.

• Guaranteed financial protection against very high health-care costs.

• Development of integrated community health networks.

• More intensive efforts to improve quality and efficiency. At the heart would be "integrated health care systems built around evidence-based best practices," reduction in fraud and waste and use of technology to save money and improve efficiency.

• New ways to provide and finance palliative care, hospice and other services, so that people living with advanced incurable conditions have access to services in the environment they choose.

Friday, June 02, 2006

procedures and other hospital admissions posted by Medicare

In a move aimed at helping consumers, and others who pay the healthcare bills, along with care providers, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday posted online data about what Medicare pays for 30 common elective procedures and other hospital admissions. It is "only a beginning," a CMS spokesperson said, but the information is among the first to shed light on what certain healthcare procedures cost in every county in the USA.

Medicare Posts Hospital Payment Information for All Counties ...
SeniorJournal.com - San Antonio,TX,USA
... Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday posted online data about ... hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, health plans, and prescription drugs -- we ...

To help consumers, providers, and payers make more informed health care decisions, the Department of Health and Human Services through its Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today posted information on what Medicare pays for 30 common elective procedures and other hospital admissions. President Bush directed the data be made publicly available to all Americans as part of the Administration’s commitment to make health care more affordable and accessible.

Fake drugs

I have three basic rules for doing investigative reporting in countries where governments frown on this sort of activity: get in quietly, get out quickly and make sure the video tapes make it back to New York.

In the case of our investigation into the world of counterfeit medicine we were fortunately able to accomplish all three. We had heard from people in federal law enforcement and major drug companies that the production of counterfeit medicine is exploding in places like China, Pakistan and India just to name a few.

Traveling through the world of fake drugs (Chris Hansen, Dateline ...
MSNBC - USA
... Hansen about the "Dateline NBC" investigation into counterfeit prescription drugs. ... began investigating potential predators trying to meet teens online, we had ...

About a year ago, we decided to try to turn our hidden cameras on this subject and now we’re going to take you along as we see first hand how counterfeit medicines can be smuggled into the U.S. without detection and perhaps even more alarming, how they could end up in your neighborhood pharmacy.

New Jersey prescription drug prices online

New Jersey moves closer to being able to find the best prescription drug prices online.
The Assembly Budget Committee released a bill today that would create a state Web site listing pharmacy-by-pharmacy retail prices for the 150 most frequently prescribed drugs.
The site would be designed to easily allow consumers to find the cheapest prescription drugs and is aimed at decreasing prices through enhanced competition.

NJ Prescription Drug Prices Online
6abc.com - Philadelphia,PA,USA
TRENTON, NJ (AP) - June 1, 2006 - New Jerseyans move closer to being able to search the Internet for the best prescription drug prices. ...


For those who don't have Internet access, the registry would be made available in writing to consumers who call a toll-free telephone number.
Governor Corzine has vowed to sign the bill, which has also advanced in Senate committees. New Jersey would follow New York, Maryland, Illinois and Florida in creating such a Web site.

Online prescription drugs

Alan had just turned 50 and was desperate to give up smoking. The accountant from London was diabetic and his health was suffering badly. He had tried everything: patches, hypnosis and willpower. Nothing had worked. He heard from an American friend of a new 'miracle prescription drug', Zyban, that was relieving people's nicotine craving. He had read of possible side-effects, but was determined to beat his habit.

The Observer UK News Deadly cost of the trade in online ...
All you need is a computer and a credit card, and no doctor's prescription or
consultation. Some online pharmacies even boast: 'No prescription? No doctor? ...


Alan was also told there was now a simple way of getting the drug without a trip to his GP. He could buy it online. He turned on his computer and within minutes had ordered Zyban from a website. The drugs arrived in a few days. And that's when his real problems began.

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Gov. Rod Blagojevich is standing up for a woman's right to have valid contraceptive prescriptions filled at Illinois pharmacies without being judged, put off or denied without being offered alternatives.

Information on contraceptives gained
Pioneer Press Online - Glenview,IL,USA
... A pharmacy must dispense prescribed contraception without hassles, lectures or delay consistent with the normal time frame for filling any other prescription. ...

The governor is proposing that pharmacies be required to post signs detailing customers' rights. He has ordered the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to gather testimony on the new contraceptive rules at public hearings throughout the state.

A prescription monitoring program launched three years ago to combat drug abuse in Southwest Virginia is going statewide.
Starting today, hundreds of pharmacies across the commonwealth will be required to collect information on painkiller prescriptions and submit it to a central database, said Ralph Orr, manager of the program.

Drug tracking expands to all Va.
Roanoke Times - Roanoke,VA,USA
... guy got a prescription in Blacksburg yesterday and a prescription in Christiansburg ... When the program first went online in Southwest Virginia, there were some ...


Physicians and police officers can access the database -- which already contains 2.1 million records from its use in Southwest Virginia -- to make sure suspected drug abusers are not receiving medication from multiple sources.

Off label use of drugs

Pfizer is currently engaged in multi-district litigation (MDL). On October 26, 2004, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation consolidated nearly all Neurontin off-label cases in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

Part 3 of 3 parts; Off-label prescribing of prescription drugs ...
Online Journal - Silver Springs,FL,USA
... During an August 18, 2004, interview with Business Week Online, Dr Angell told reporter Amy ... All of which, she says, adds to the high cost of prescription drugs ...

The JPML is a panel of seven federal judges chosen by the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court that decides on the appropriateness of establishing an MDL, and where the MDL should reside. The MDL brings together lawsuits with common claims to determine pretrial matters.

The MDL primarily involves cases of consumers who purchased Neurontin for off-label uses that Pfizer knew showed no efficacy but more lawsuits have been filed on behalf of persons who suffered adverse effects when Neurontin was prescribed for off-label uses. The first Neurontin trial is expected to take place later this year or early 2007.

"IF YOU just swallow them you will not be getting the full effects." Instead, the website tells abusers of a common prescription drug to crush the time-release beads and snort them, or swallow the powder in a piece of tissue paper to get a longer-lasting "hit".

Abuse of prescription drugs fuelled by online recipes
New Scientist (subscription) - UK
"IF YOU just swallow them you will not be getting the full effects." Instead, the website tells abusers of a common prescription drug to crush the time-release ...

These words could kill. Yet tampering with prescription drugs to amplify their effects is a growing health hazard. A study published this month suggests that droves of people are turning to the internet to search for and swap advice on how to tamper with prescription drugs, for instance, by snorting those prescribed for hyperactivity disorders, or chewing skin patches containing potentially lethal painkillers (Drug and Alcohol Dependence, DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2005.11.027). Toxicologists are calling on pharmaceutical companies to wise up to these tricks.

Winner of the "Device that Grandma needs most but could never figure out how to use properly" award, the Rx Master from Excalibur Electronics is designed to keep track of all your prescription meds.

The Rx Master
Medgadget.com - San Francisco,CA,USA
... to keep track of all your prescription meds ... The Rx Master from Excalibur Electronics will tell you ... $30 at excaliburelectronics.com and other online stores) can ...

The more pills you take, the more you need to know about them when you're gadding about. Is it time to take this pill now? Will the dish I'm about to eat cause a bad interaction? If I've missed a pill, should I take one now, double up next time or simply skip it? The Rx Master from Excalibur Electronics will tell you all that and more. The pocket-size device ($30 at excaliburelectronics.com and other online stores) can remind you when doses are due, keep track of what you've taken and even carry your pills in a four-compartment drawer.