The prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of mental and physical well-being through the services offered by the medical and allied health professions.
Work with your health care provider to find out what your personal risk is and how often you should be screened. Have you had your colon cancer screening test? – March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month in US. “Colon cancer can be prevented with screening and removal of any polyps before they develop into cancer” says Sheryl M. Ness, R.N., Mayo Clinic nurse educator.
Medicare patients who use hospice receive better care at a lower cost to the government – Medicare patients who enrolled in hospice received better care at a significantly lower cost to the government than those who did not use the Medicare hospice benefit. The data indicate that annual savings to Medicare could amount to $2.4 million to $6.4 million.
US FDA alerts health care providers of recall of anemia drug Omontys – In US, Omontys Injection is recalled due to reports of anaphylaxis, a serious and life-threatening allergic reaction. Omontys is used to treat anemia in adult dialysis patients. Until further notice, health care providers should stop using Omontys.
US FDA approves new treatment for late-stage breast cancer – Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) – a new therapy for patients with HER2-positive, late-stage (metastatic) breast cancer is approved by US FDA. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among women. Almost 20 percent of breast cancers have increased amounts of the HER2 protein.
FDA approval of generic version of cancer drug Doxil is expected to help resolve shortage – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of the cancer drug Doxil (doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome injection). Doxorubicin hydrochloride liposome injection is currently on the FDA?s drug shortage list.
US FDA approves new seasonal influenza vaccine made using novel technology – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved Flublok, the first trivalent influenza vaccine made using an insect virus (baculovirus) expression system and recombinant DNA technology. Flublok is approved for the prevention of seasonal influenza in people 18 through 49 years of age.
US’ States move forward to implement health care law, build health insurance marketplaces – Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that more states are on track to implement the health care law and establish health insurance marketplaces, or Exchanges, in their states.
FDA approves first drug to treat multi-drug resistant tuberculosis – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Sirturo (bedaquiline) as part of combination therapy to treat adults with multi-drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) when other alternatives are not available.
FDA approves first anti-diarrheal drug for HIV/AIDS patients — Fulyzaq is the second botanical drug approved by the agency – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Fulyzaq (crofelemer) to relieve symptoms of diarrhea in HIV/AIDS patients taking antiretroviral therapy, a combination of medicines used to treat HIV infection.
U.S. Flu Season Off To Early Start, CDC Urges Vaccination — Early Vaccine Coverage Data Shows Millions Unprotected Still – Significant increases in flu activity in the United States have occurred in the last two weeks, indicating that an early flu season is upon us. These increases in activity overlap with National Influenza Vaccination Week (NIVW) being observed December 2-8, 2012.
More than half of young HIV-infected Americans are not aware of their status — Too many young people continue to become infected and few are tested for HIV – Young Americans between the ages of 13 and 24 represent more than a quarter of new HIV infections each year (26 percent) and most of these youth living with HIV (60 percent) are unaware they are infected. The most-affected young people are young gay and bisexual men and African-Americans.
Grapefruit?medication interactions increasing — Grapefruit juice can be dangerous for people on certain medications – Grapefruit juice can be dangerous for people on certain medications. The potential of drug interactions with grapefruit juice has been out there a long time, but most people just aren’t aware of it.
