The public consciousness of risk vs. benefit was raised considerably with the media’s discussion of the benefits of taking a Cox II inhibitor (Celebrex and Vioxx) vs. the potential risks (Cox II inhibitors are linked to the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding as well to an increased risk of heart attack).
Month: October 2009
47 Members of Congress Support Consumers’ Right to Choose Their Health Practitioners
The legislators have sent House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., a letter proposing a ban on discrimination against integrative MDs, DOs, chiropractors and other well-trained and credentialed healthcare providers who have not previously been discriminated against under federal law. If discrimination is not forbidden, conventional licensed practitioners will try to use federal law, as they have… Continue reading 47 Members of Congress Support Consumers’ Right to Choose Their Health Practitioners
Does the Safeway Amendment Address Workplace Wellness in a Financially Responsible Manner?
As the debate for healthcare reform continues inside the beltway, on the airwaves, and around many a dinner table and water cooler, how can we — a nation known for ingenuity and entrepreneurship — deliver quality care for a reasonable price? Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, in his book Saving Lives, Saving Money, is but… Continue reading Does the Safeway Amendment Address Workplace Wellness in a Financially Responsible Manner?
Do Mandatory Vaccinations Achieve Higher Rates of Immunization?
Tami Wahl, ANH-USA’s legislative director, attended the 4th International Public Conference on Vaccination, held in Reston, Va., October 2-4, 2009. The conference was hosted by the National Vaccine Information Center, a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1982. The oldest and largest consumer organization advocating for the institution of vaccine safety and the protection of informed… Continue reading Do Mandatory Vaccinations Achieve Higher Rates of Immunization?
Doctors and Nurses in Ten States Test Positive for Toxic Chemicals
It is widely accepted that Americans live in a sea of 80,000 chemicals and that these are stored in our bodies, but the long-term consequences remain unknown.
Plaintiffs Win Suit to Keep Their Social Security Benefits Even if They Reject Medicare
Constitutional attorney Kent Masterson Brown has won an important legal victory on behalf of three plaintiffs — former Congressman Dick Armey, Brian Hall and John Kraus — who sued to keep their Social Security benefits after they withdrew from Medicare Part A, preferring to keep their private healthcare coverage. The Department of Health and Human… Continue reading Plaintiffs Win Suit to Keep Their Social Security Benefits Even if They Reject Medicare
Health Insurance Lobby Claims Legislation From Senate Democrats Would Raise Premiums
As the battle for healthcare reform heats up inside the beltway, the insurance industry has launched a blistering attack on legislation drafted by Senate Democrats. According to the New York Times, the health insurance lobby, America’s Health Insurance Plans, claims that the new Senate bill drafted by Democrats would significantly raise the cost of coverage.… Continue reading Health Insurance Lobby Claims Legislation From Senate Democrats Would Raise Premiums
Urge HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to Make ABC Codes an Option Under HIPAA
Although the United States trails the other industrialized nations in measures of longevity and quality of life, we currently pay more than double for healthcare per person compared with Canada, the country closest to us in rankings of healthcare costs.
Weigh in on Transparency at the FDA
Seize the opportunity to share your suggestions on how the FDA can improve its currently opaque “transparency policy.“ A second public meeting will be held November 3, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the National Transportation Safety Board Conference Center at 429 L’Enfant Plaza, SW, Washington, DC (https://secure3.convio.net/aahf/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=431). The three discussion groups are:
Citing Steroids in Supplements, Congress Considers Tweaking Dietary Regulations
According to the New York Times, federal agents have recently raided several companies suspected of making bodybuilding products that illegally contain steroids and selling them as over-the-counter dietary supplements. On September 29, 2009, Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., chair of the Senate sub-committee on Judiciary, Crime and Drugs, convened a hearing on the topic. The forum… Continue reading Citing Steroids in Supplements, Congress Considers Tweaking Dietary Regulations