Even as drug makers promise to support Washington’s health care overhaul by shaving $8 billion a year off the nation’s drug costs after the legislation takes effect, the industry has been raising its prices at the fastest rate in years.
In the last year, the industry has raised the wholesale prices of brand-name prescription drugs by about 9 percent, according to industry analysts. That will add more than $10 billion to the nation’s drug bill, which is on track to exceed $300 billion this year. By at least one analysis, it is the highest annual rate of inflation for drug prices since 1992.
The drug trend is distinctly at odds with the direction of the Consumer Price Index, which has fallen by 1.3 percent in the last year.
Drug makers say they have valid business reasons for the price increases. Critics say the industry is trying to establish a higher price base before Congress passes legislation that tries to curb drug spending in coming years.
“When we have major legislation anticipated, we see a run-up in price increases,” says Stephen W. Schondelmeyer, a professor of pharmaceutical economics at the University of Minnesota. He has analyzed drug pricing for AARP, the advocacy group for seniors that supports the House health care legislation that the drug industry opposes.
A Harvard health economist, Joseph P. Newhouse, said he found a similar pattern of unusual price increases after Congress added drug benefits to Medicare a few years ago, giving tens of millions of older Americans federally subsidized drug insurance. Just as the program was taking effect in 2006, the drug industry raised prices by the widest margin in a half-dozen years.
“They try to maximize their profits,” Mr. Newhouse said.
But drug companies say they are having to raise prices to maintain the profits necessary to invest in research and development of new drugs as the patents on many of their most popular drugs are set to expire over the next few years.
“Price adjustments for our products have no connection to health care reform,” said Ron Rogers, a spokesman for Merck, which raised its prices about 8.9 percent in the last year, according to a stock analyst’s report.
This year’s increases mean the average annual cost for a brand-name prescription drug that is taken daily would be more than $2,000 — $200 higher than last year, Professor Schondelmeyer said.
And this means that the cost of many popular drugs has risen even faster. Merck, for example, now sells daily 10-milligram pills of Singulair, the blockbuster asthma drug, at a wholesale price of $1,330 a year — $147 more than last year. Singulair is now selling at retail, on drugstore.com, for nearly $1,478 a year.
Read the rest of the story: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/business/16drugprices.html
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
On this day in 1991: 1st TV condom ad aired (FOX- TV)
| Start: | Nov 17, '09 |
| Location: | U.S.A. |
The award-winning police drama CAGNEY & LACEY/CBS/1982-88 was the first show to ever incorporate a condom scene. During one episode, when Detective Mary Beth Lacey (Tyne Daly) young son Harvey Jr. (Tony La Torre) learns her son is going on his first date, she opened a drawer, pulled out a condom, and gave it to her son.
In a later episode, Mary Beth's partner Christine Cagney (Sharon Gless) reunited with her boyfriend but warns him that she will not have sex unless he uses a condom.
In January 1987, San Francisco station KRON-TV becomes the first major market TV station in the U.S. to air a condom commercial.
On a February, 1987 episode entitled "Bad Timing" on the sitcom THE HOGAN FAMILY/NBC/CBS/1986-90 the word "condom" was used for the first time in a sitcom script.
In the summer of 1989 four San Antonio TV stations ran six weeks of trial commercials featuring an oral contraceptive manufactured by a Texas Company called Lexis Pharmaceuticals. John Bryer, Chief Executive of Lexis said in a TV Guide interview "It was the first time ever, anywhere, that an oral contraceptive was advertised on television."
During the 11/13/91 installment of THE TONIGHT SHOW host Johnny Carson remarked in his opening monologue that the FOX Network announced they would broadcast condom commercials in the near future. Carson questioned their decision wondering if it was "wise to advertise something that could eliminate your next generation of viewers."
In 2005, the WB and NBC networks made history by agreeing to air condom commercial during prime time viewing hours.
And to think we have Rupert Murdoch and Fox to thank!
U.S. Army tells young mother to put her child in foster care
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hbwXU5GGu5ZhF8SdvhXS1em7u1tgD9C0V6NO0
An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her infant son while she was overseas.
Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems.
Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson's superiors told her she would have to deploy anyway and place the child in foster care.
"For her it was like, 'I couldn't abandon my child,'" Sussman said. "She was really afraid of what would happen, that if she showed up they would send her to Afghanistan anyway and put her son with child protective services."
Hutchinson, who is from Oakland, Calif., remained confined Monday to the boundaries of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, 10 days after military police arrested her for skipping her unit's flight. No charges have been filed, but a spokesman for the Army post said commanders were investigating.
As a single parent, what would you have done?
An Army cook and single mom may face criminal charges after she skipped her deployment flight to Afghanistan because, she said, no one was available to care for her infant son while she was overseas.Spc. Alexis Hutchinson, 21, claims she had no choice but to refuse deployment orders because the only family she had to care for her 10-month-old son — her mother — was overwhelmed by the task, already caring for three other relatives with health problems.
Her civilian attorney, Rai Sue Sussman, said Monday that one of Hutchinson's superiors told her she would have to deploy anyway and place the child in foster care.
"For her it was like, 'I couldn't abandon my child,'" Sussman said. "She was really afraid of what would happen, that if she showed up they would send her to Afghanistan anyway and put her son with child protective services."
Hutchinson, who is from Oakland, Calif., remained confined Monday to the boundaries of Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, 10 days after military police arrested her for skipping her unit's flight. No charges have been filed, but a spokesman for the Army post said commanders were investigating.
As a single parent, what would you have done?
Disagreement Over Goals at U.N. Meeting on Hunger - NYTimes.com
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/17/world/17food.html
Can world hunger be eradicated and is it the concern of U.S. citizens?
"A United Nations summit meeting on combating hunger that opened in Rome on Monday underscored the split between rich and poor countries on the issue, with the industrialized nations balking at concrete targets.
Sixty leaders attended the meeting, but apart from Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy there were no leaders from the wealthiest nations. Some of those who attended, including Pope Benedict XVI, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya, lashed out at what they called unfair agricultural policies by more developed nations.
In the hard-fought negotiations over a draft declaration from the three-day talks, richer nations succeeded in removing a goal to end world hunger by 2025 and declined to commit to increasing agricultural aid to nearly 20 percent of all international development aid, where it peaked in 1980 before gradually falling..."
Can world hunger be eradicated and is it the concern of U.S. citizens?
"A United Nations summit meeting on combating hunger that opened in Rome on Monday underscored the split between rich and poor countries on the issue, with the industrialized nations balking at concrete targets.
Sixty leaders attended the meeting, but apart from Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy there were no leaders from the wealthiest nations. Some of those who attended, including Pope Benedict XVI, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi of Libya, lashed out at what they called unfair agricultural policies by more developed nations.
In the hard-fought negotiations over a draft declaration from the three-day talks, richer nations succeeded in removing a goal to end world hunger by 2025 and declined to commit to increasing agricultural aid to nearly 20 percent of all international development aid, where it peaked in 1980 before gradually falling..."
H1N1 vaccine: New warnings, side effects to consider - Phoenix Arizona news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News | ABC15.com
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/swineflu/story/H1N1-vaccine-New-warnings-side-effects-to-consider/jfABiLjgl0iE3ZO44gJ_Pg.cspx
Is the government leveling with the public in regards to any side effects of the vaccine?
"PHOENIX -- The Centers for Disease Control has issued new warnings you'll want to consider if you or your family is thinking about getting the H1N1 vaccine.
Janey Pearl, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Health Services, said they are working with the Centers for Disease Control to track everyone receiving the H1N1 vaccine.
Each Tuesday the CDC distributes a form to be given to each adult and child receiving the vaccine.
The form allows the patient to document if they are experiencing a reaction to the vaccine and explains who the patient should contact to make a report.
The idea is to carefully catalogue any and all side effects that people may be experiencing as the vaccine is being administered.
So far in Arizona out of the tens of thousands of H1N1 vaccines administered Pearl said they have not received any complaints deemed "serious."
Pearl said of the roughly 90,000 vaccines administered to children, side effects were reported in about 30 kids..."
Is the government leveling with the public in regards to any side effects of the vaccine?
"PHOENIX -- The Centers for Disease Control has issued new warnings you'll want to consider if you or your family is thinking about getting the H1N1 vaccine.
Janey Pearl, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Health Services, said they are working with the Centers for Disease Control to track everyone receiving the H1N1 vaccine.
Each Tuesday the CDC distributes a form to be given to each adult and child receiving the vaccine.
The form allows the patient to document if they are experiencing a reaction to the vaccine and explains who the patient should contact to make a report.
The idea is to carefully catalogue any and all side effects that people may be experiencing as the vaccine is being administered.
So far in Arizona out of the tens of thousands of H1N1 vaccines administered Pearl said they have not received any complaints deemed "serious."
Pearl said of the roughly 90,000 vaccines administered to children, side effects were reported in about 30 kids..."
Dollar Trades Near 15-Month Low on View Rates to Stay Near Zero - Bloomberg.com
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=ajQ3ngEa9YlI&pos=3
While a weak dollar means it is a good time to refinance your home if you can afford it, it also means that it will be more expensive to repay our loans to foreign countries.
" Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar traded near a 15-month low against the currencies of major U.S. trading partners on speculation Federal Reserve officials will today reiterate the central bank’s pledge to keep interest rates near zero.
The yen strengthened against 10 of its 16 most-traded counterparts as a rally in stocks lost momentum, damping demand for higher-yielding assets. Australia’s currency weakened from near the strongest level in 15 months after minutes from the central bank’s most recent meeting cast doubt on a third- straight increase in key lending rates.
“The dollar will continue to be used as a funding currency amid rising risk appetite,” said Yoh Nihei, trading group manager at Tokai Tokyo Securities Co. in Tokyo. “The mainstream trend remains intact. The Fed will keep low rates for a while.”
The dollar was at $1.4952 per euro as of 1:05 p.m. in Tokyo from $1.4970 yesterday in New York. The yen rose to 133.19 per euro from 133.33. The greenback traded at 89.06 yen from 89.05 yen, after falling to 88.76 yesterday, the lowest since Oct. 9..."
While a weak dollar means it is a good time to refinance your home if you can afford it, it also means that it will be more expensive to repay our loans to foreign countries.
" Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- The dollar traded near a 15-month low against the currencies of major U.S. trading partners on speculation Federal Reserve officials will today reiterate the central bank’s pledge to keep interest rates near zero.
The yen strengthened against 10 of its 16 most-traded counterparts as a rally in stocks lost momentum, damping demand for higher-yielding assets. Australia’s currency weakened from near the strongest level in 15 months after minutes from the central bank’s most recent meeting cast doubt on a third- straight increase in key lending rates.
“The dollar will continue to be used as a funding currency amid rising risk appetite,” said Yoh Nihei, trading group manager at Tokai Tokyo Securities Co. in Tokyo. “The mainstream trend remains intact. The Fed will keep low rates for a while.”
The dollar was at $1.4952 per euro as of 1:05 p.m. in Tokyo from $1.4970 yesterday in New York. The yen rose to 133.19 per euro from 133.33. The greenback traded at 89.06 yen from 89.05 yen, after falling to 88.76 yesterday, the lowest since Oct. 9..."
YouTube - New Mammogram Advice
I have lost two sisters to breast cancer and have a third sibling currently battling the disease yet I have to fight with my HMO to get regularly scheduled exams.
Here is an interesting article where various theories are put forth for the reasons of this announcement.
"...Here are some of their concerns.
* Dr Carol Lee, chairwoman of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Commission, said she fears insurers -- both private and public -- will use them to pare back health costs.
"These new recommendations seem to reflect a conscious decision to ration care," Lee said in a statement.
She said since the onset of regular mammogram screening in 1990, the death rate from breast cancer, which had been unchanged for the preceding 50 years, has decreased by 30 percent.
* Dr Len Lichtenfeld, deputy chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society, said the influential group will not change recommendations for routine mammograms for women starting at age 40.
But he is worried that women will become so confused by the conflicting recommendations they will stop getting mammograms altogether. "Frankly, from our point of view that would be the worst possible outcome," Lichtenfeld said in a telephone interview.
* Lichtenfeld and other doctors are worried that insurance companies and government insurers will seize on the recommendations as a way to control rising health costs..."
You can read the rest of the article at http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE5AF5OS20091116.
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