Survey: Medicare gets higher marks from enrollees than private insurance
...that the latter two findings indicate the need for prescription drug coverage under Medicare, because beneficiaries without such coverage were more likely to report high out-of-pocket costs.The article can be read at http://www.healthaffairs.org/WebExclusives/Davis_Web_ Excl_100902.htm ....Steep increase in antidepressant use, study shows
...$31.4 million to $543.4 million, with the cost per prescription climbing from $9.85 in 1981 to $37.44 in 2000. Possible reasons for the increase include greater availability of new products with higher acquisition costs, increasing costs across the industry and the growing number of users. The Canadian findings r...UNC study uncovers increasing shortage of pharmacists with growing population
...pt pace with the population's increased demand for prescription drugs," said Erin Fraher, assistant director of th...translates into the average pharmacist filling one prescription every five minutes in the year 2000, compared with one every eight minutes in 1991." Data in the ce...New study documents burden of irritable bowel syndrome for U.S. sufferers
...s.) The use of multiple over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications and alternative therapies was common: 89% reported taking at least 3 three therapies (1 Rx, 1 OTC and 1 alternative.) Over 40% reported taking two or more of each Rx (57%), OTC (47%) and alternative therapies (43%.) Patients spent an a...Costs for surgical treatment of GERD not offset by savings on medications
...urgery, one-half of patients received at least one prescription for acid reduction therapy during the 18 months following surgery. More than 15 million Americans experience daily heartburn symptoms and may suffer from GERD. "To assess the economic implications of medical versus surgical management of GERD, we an...Novelty contact lenses offer great looks great risks
...eye health if they are distributed without a valid prescription and proper fitting by a qualified eye care professional," said FDA Deputy Commissioner Dr. Lester M. Crawford. "FDA will aggressively use the full range of its statutory authorities to prevent the distribution of these potentially dangerous products ...VHA to measure impact of Bridge barcode patient safety system
...escriber order entry (CPOE) systems to help reduce prescription errors. However, Grotting noted, many hospitals are now finding BPOC to be an easier and much less costly starting point for integrating technology into the error-reduction process. Research shows that almost half of all medication errors that reach ...Computerised guidelines are no 'magic bullet'
...ation rates, any aspect of the process of care, or prescription of any category of drugs in patients with asthma or angina. This was probably due to low levels of use of the software, despite the system being optimised as far as was technically possible, say the authors. Certainly in terms of implementing evidenc...Glucocorticoid use increases risk of spinal fractures
...d musculoskeletal diseases. Some of P&G's leading prescription products include Actonel (risedronate sodium tabl...vative pharmaceutical products. Aventis focuses on prescription drugs for important therapeutic areas such as oncology, cardiology, diabetes, respiratory/allergy, a...Increasing BMD could save Medicare $15 million
...vative pharmaceutical products. Aventis focuses on prescription drugs for important therapeutic areas such as onco...dquarters is in Strasbourg, France. The company's prescription drugs business is conducted in the U.S. by Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc., which is headquartered in B...Multiple characteristics of HAART affect adherence
...ions, an acceptable adverse event profile, and one prescription refilled monthly with one co-pay. "The PASPORT Sur...r number of prescriptions/co-pays higher, with one prescription filled monthly with one co-pay being rated the highest. In addition to assessing the relative impact...Study: ER could be front line for stroke prevention
...e warfarin because of other conditions are given a prescription for anti-platelet drugs or aspirin. But the new study, like other recent studies, shows that only about half of AF patients eligible for warfarin therapy are taking it. "Current computer models estimate that we could prevent 40,000 strokes each year ...Computers prove to greatly reduce prescription errors
Have you ever received a drug prescription from a physician that looked like chicken scratch?...ially entered into a computer reduce errors in the prescription by one-third and are five times less likely to require pharmacist clarification than handwritten pre...Scientific task force to examine usefulness of testosterone replacement therapy in older men
... Still, a small percentage of men may be helped by prescription testosterone supplements. These supplements often are prescribed to men whose bodies do not make enough of the hormone--for example, men whose pituitary glands have been destroyed by infections or tumors, or whose testes have been damaged. For these ...Schizophrenia drugs linked to increased risk of heart attack
...e researchers included patients with more than one prescription for oral thioridazine and haloperidol, as well as the antipsychotic drugs risperidone and clozapine, plus at least two instances of a schizophrenia diagnosis. They compared the records of these patients with two control groups - one group of glaucoma...COX-2 inhibitors and the elderly
...e initial users of COX-2 inhibitors did not have a prescription claim for another NSAID in the 4 months preceding their first COX-2 prescription. The authors state that the listing of the COX-2 inhibitors had a "substantial and immediate impact on expenditures on NSAIDs," and accounted for 48% of prescriptions an...New statement proposes ways to stop deadly drug errors among heart, stroke patients
...occur due to poor handwriting. "If you scribble a prescription rather than type it, the chances of medication error are so much greater," she says. "This error should never happen."...Growth hormone, sex steroid combination 'not ready for prime time'
...e than $15,000 a year. They are available only by prescription and should be given by a doctor. But individuals should be wary of this controversial treatment because so little is known about its long-term risks and benefits, Dr. Slater said....Nation's two largest medical specialty groups issue migraine treatment guidelines
...dal, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), followed by prescription drugs called triptans and DHE nasal spray for more severe headaches. The guidelines are published in the Nov. 19, 2002, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. Migraines are severe recurring headaches that can disable sufferers for hours up to several ...Higher cost sharing reduces plans' drug expenditures, but boosts enrollee costs
...ight have on costs and drug use under any Medicare prescription benefit, write authors Cindy Parks Thomas, Stanley...tion, and provider education. The authors studied prescription drug claims made by more than 29,000 retirees age 65 and older enrolled in 96 employer plans managed...