Most Clicked AANP SmartBrief Stories
1. Pediatric immunization recommendations updated for 2009
AANP SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009
The 2009 immunization schedule for children and adolescents, approved by medical groups and a CDC committee, includes three schedules based on age, including a catch-up schedule for children who fall behind. Changes from 2008 include a recommendation for all children ages 6 months to 18 years get a yearly flu shot. Medscape (free registration) (12/31)
2. Study: Cranberry extract can prevent UTIs
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
Supplementing with a cranberry extract is almost as effective as taking low-dose trimethoprim in preventing urinary-tract infections in older women, a study found. The researchers noted that the cranberry extract does not carry trimethoprim's risks of antimicrobial resistance or super-infection. Drug Store News (free registration) (12/29)
3. Drug firms to stop giving promotional items to providers
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 31, 2008
A voluntary ban by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America on giveaways such as pens and mugs for medical providers is set to take effect Thursday. A PhRMA official said the guideline intends to underscore the educational essence of provider-industry ties and is not an acknowledgment that gifts influence prescription practices. New York Times, The (12/30)
4. Economy tops health care issues for 2009
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
The effect of the economic downturn is the top issue facing health care in 2009, according to an annual report by PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Industries Group. The report also says the number of underinsured, the Internet, pay-for-performance, the ICD-9-to-10 conversion and social networking will be among the key health care issues next year. Healthcare IT News (12/29)
5. Experts: U.S. must rethink elder care model
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 30, 2008
The U.S. needs to rethink the way it cares for seniors, experts say, because the number of geriatricians is decreasing as the ranks of the elderly are increasing. Medical providers say new approaches are needed to keep the elderly as healthy and independent as possible, including better care coordination and getting family members involved in the care plan. New York Times, The (12/29)
6. Giant Food to offer free generic antibiotics
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 31, 2008
Giant Food stores will give customers with a prescription free generic antibiotics from Friday through March 21. The program also will take place in Giant's sister chain, Stop & Shop. Washington Post, The (12/31)
7. 24 new medicines obtained FDA clearance in 2008
AANP SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009
The FDA granted clearance for 24 new medications last year, increasing from 18 in 2007 despite delays in some application reviews. The agency aims to evaluate about 90% of proposals on time this year after it added and trained more than 800 workers for its new-drug unit in 2008, an FDA official said. Wall Street Journal, The (subscription required) (01/02)
8. Commentary: Customized medicine could improve health care
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 29, 2008
The adoption of personalized medicine could "help take the guesswork out" of health care, resulting in reduced expenses as well as treatment decisions that are more accurate and effective, write HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt and Harvard Medical School professor Raju Kucherlapati in The Boston Globe. For instance, Leavitt and Kucherlapati argue, the use of an affordable genetic test to determine the right dose of warfarin, a blood-thinning drug, might save up to $1 billion annually while providing better care. Boston Globe, The (12/26)
9. Retail and urgent-care clinics offer convenience
AANP SmartBrief | Dec 31, 2008
The growing number of retail clinics and urgent-care clinics offer consumers easy access to medical care, especially for minor ailments and flu shots. However, experts say a physical or routine checkup should be done by a patient's regular medical provider to ensure a continuity of care. CNNMoney.com (12/30)
10. PTSD can raise risk of heart disease among women
AANP SmartBrief | Jan 02, 2009
A 14-year study found women who had five or more PTSD symptoms were three times as likely to have heart disease, when compared with women who did not have PTSD. "From a public health standpoint, it may be prudent to view individuals with PTSD as an at-risk population, and implement preventive and intervention strategies accordingly," the Harvard and Johns Hopkins researchers said. Boston Globe, The (01/01)
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