Current medical news and unique business news for anyone who cares about healthcare.
What the U.S. debt ceiling vote has to do with healthcare. The pressure is on as Aug. 2 approaches and lawmakers duke it out over the U.S. debt ceiling vote. In an address to the nation last night, President Obama said that if the debt ceiling isn’t raised, he can’t guarantee that Social Security and other government checks will go out.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
That includes payments to Medicaid, which serves more than 60 million Americans, and Medicare. Those payments are scheduled to equal some $50 billion in August and would likely be prioritized if the limit isn’t raised. Democrats in the Senate plan to vote today on a plan that includes spending reductions but spares Medicare and Medicaid — a sharp contrast to the plan being prepared by House Republicans.
But even if a compromise is reached in time to avoid a default, it will likely be a short-term solution. A long-term solution would need to specifically address, among a slew of other issues, the ever-growing cost of healthcare in this country.
An interesting read: History of the debt ceiling.
A Personalized Approach to Medication Nonadherence
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
Vaccine controversy goes worldwide. Anti-vaccine groups like the ones that have stirred up controversy about a vaccine-autism connection in the U.S. are emerging as powerful forces in developing countries, too. NPR reports on how the Internet and social networking has spread the fear and distrust of vaccines to the developing world.
FDA outlines agenda. In a 28-page report released Monday, the FDA outlined new science and research needs including improving access to post-market data, improving clinical trial design and analysis, and evaluating links between manufacturing processes and product performance.
Inefficient cancer testing. Researchers at the CDC surveyed physicians and specialists across the country and found that doctors may be recommending critical screenings for breast cancer and ovarian cancer not enough in women who are at a high risk for cancer and too much for women who are at an average risk. The researchers recommend developing tools and promoting education about genetic testing to help doctors better assess patient risk.
New hope for muscular dystrophy treatment. Long-term clinical trials are in the works for a new Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatment that allows the body to work around the genetic mutation that causes the disease. A small study showed that use of the drug, eteplirsen, led to increases in muscle fibers and increased production of a missing protein.
