Medicine

Equaling 6.9% of All Spending for Physician and Clinical Services, New Study Finds; Physicians Spend the Equivalent of Nearly Three Work Weeks on Health Plan Interactions

May 14, 2009 -- Bethesda, MD—As policymakers consider ways to cut health costs as a part of health reform, a new national survey of physician practices finds that physicians on average are spending the equivalent of three work weeks annually on administrative tasks required by health plans.    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- “Today, I joined New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg to announce that the New York City Health Department has recommended closing three schools in Queens after documenting unusually high levels of influenza-like illness. The schools will close tomorrow and remain closed for at least five school days.

“We will continue to work closely with New York City officials to monitor the situation at these three schools and schools across the State to ensure that we are taking all necessary precautions to protect our children and families. I continue to urge residents across New York to remain alert, but not alarmed.”

The three schools that closed in Queens include:    » read more »

May 14, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed 9 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents. Eight cases were confirmed by the Connecticut DPH Laboratory and one by the Massachusetts State Laboratory.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were confirmed for Fairfield, Manchester, Ridgefield (2), Southbury, Stamford, Trumbull, Waterbury, and Woodbury.    » read more »

14 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 14 May 2009, 33 countries have officially reported 6497 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 2446 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 60 deaths. The United States has reported 3352 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 389 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 5 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were confirmed today at the department’s Public Health Laboratory for two residents of Ridgefield as well as for residents of Hamden, Redding, and Wilton.

“We are fortunate that the cases that we are seeing in Connecticut continue to be relatively mild and folks are recovering without hospitalization,” Governor Rell said. “However, just like seasonal flu, H1N1 can lead to serious illness and it is important that people take simple precautions to protect themselves. People with flu-like symptoms should call their doctor.”    » read more »

12 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 12 May 2009, 30 countries have officially reported 5251 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 2059 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 56 deaths. The United States has reported 2600 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 330 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.    » read more »

May 12, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 5 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

One of the positive results for H1N1 flu was confirmed today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the other four were confirmed today by the department’s Public Health Laboratory. The confirmed cases are residents of Darien, Greenwich, Pawcatuck, and Fairfield.    » read more »

11 May 2009 -- As of 06:00 GMT, 11 May 2009, 30 countries have officially reported 4694 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 1626 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 48 deaths. The United States has reported 2532 laboratory confirmed human cases, including three deaths. Canada has reported 284 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.    » read more »

11 May 2009 -- An early look at the H1N1 flu outbreak suggests that the World Health Organization was justified in its 29 April decision to raise the global pandemic alert level to phase 5, out of a possible 6.

"The new research, posted Monday 11 May on the Science Express Web site, indicates that the H1N1 virus is more easily transmitted than seasonal flu, and appears to be transmissible at levels comparable to lower estimates for previous flu pandemics.

"Our early analysis would suggest this is going to be an outbreak comparable to that of 20th century pandemics regarding the extent of its spread—it's very difficult to quantify the

human health impact at this stage, however," said study author Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London.    » read more »

Statement of Allison Zieve, Senior Attorney, Public Citizen*

May 11, 2009 -- On Tuesday, the Health Subcommittee of the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce will hold a hearing on the Medical Device Safety Act of 2009 (H.R. 1346) – legislation that would restore important consumer protections eliminated by the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Riegel v. Medtronic.

In the February 2008 Riegel ruling, the court held that the 1976 law that gives the Food and Drug Administration authority to regulate medical devices also immunizes manufacturers of many medical devices from liability for injury caused by their products.    » read more »

Louisiana total rises to 20

May 11, 2009 -- BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals officials announced today that 11 more of the state’s probable cases of H1N1 influenza (swine flu) have been confirmed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This increases the state’s total confirmed case count from nine to 20. The state’s total probable case count now stands at 29, which includes the addition of seven new probable cases: one from Jefferson Parish, three from Plaquemines Parish, two from St. Charles Parish and one from Vermillion Parish. These seven new probable cases had onset of illness on or before May 2 and are currently being investigated by state epidemiologists.    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Department of Public Health has confirmed 11 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were confirmed today at the department’s Public Health Laboratory for three residents of Ridgefield as well as for residents of Danbury, Darien, Derby, Greenwich, Old Saybrook, Waterbury and Wilton.    » read more »

May 11, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 3 new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

Positive results for H1N1 flu were received today by the Department of Public Health for residents of Hartford, Ridgefield, and Stamford. These confirmation results were for probable cases previously identified by the state Public Health Laboratory and sent to the CDC for confirmation testing. The Public Health Laboratory now has the ability to conduct its own confirmation testing.    » read more »

10 May 2009 -- As of 07:30 GMT, 10 May 2009, 29 countries have officially reported 4379 cases of influenza A(H1N1) infection.

Mexico has reported 1626 laboratory confirmed human cases of infection, including 45 deaths. The United States has reported 2254 laboratory confirmed human cases, including two deaths. Canada has reported 280 laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death. Costa Rica has reported eight laboratory confirmed human cases, including one death.    » read more »

All Cases Mild; Individuals Have or Are Recovering

May 8, 2009 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed ten new cases of novel H1N1 flu (swine flu) among Connecticut residents.

Positive confirmation results for H1N1 flu were received by the Department of Public Health from the CDC for six Fairfield residents as well as residents of North Granby, Wethersfield and Glastonbury. A case was also received from the Public Health Laboratory in Massachusetts, which conducted the confirmation test on a Manchester resident who was treated in that state. All of the individuals are recovering and did not require hospitalization.    » read more »