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Health Inc. : Shots - Health News As spending on care rises, the business of health keeps getting more important. We feature news on and analysis of drugmakers, health insurers, hospitals, doctors and others in the business of providing health care.

Shots

Health News From NPR

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Tuesday February 22, 2011

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Supreme Court Upholds Liability Shield For Vaccine Makers

February 22, 2011 • In a closely watched case, the high court ruled 6-2 that federal law shields vaccine makers from suits filed in state courts seeking compensation for injuries or deaths allegedly due to design problems with the vaccines.

Tuesday February 15, 2011

Opinion

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Should FDA Hold 'Me-Too' Drugs To A Higher Standard?

February 15, 2011 • An editorial in a leading medical journal argues that society loses when drugmakers make too many medicines that treat illness in nearly the same way. The authors suggest higher standards later drugs.

Thursday February 10, 2011

Is It Time To Dial Back The Drug Ad Arms Race?

A woman talks about the erectile dysfunction drug Levitra in a photo made from a 2004 TV ad that's no longer aired. Anonymous/AP hide caption

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Anonymous/AP

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Is It Time To Dial Back The Drug Ad Arms Race?

February 10, 2011 • A former executive at Merck argues the time has come for drugmakers to slow down on TV ads. Congress could help by making it possible for companies to cooperate on ads that don't feature specific drugs, he says.

Monday February 7, 2011

Avandia Gets Tougher Label, As Glaxo Reportedly Settles Lawsuits

European regulators decided to take Avandia off the market. FDA allowed further sales, with heavy restrictions. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

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Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

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Avandia Gets Tougher Label, As Glaxo Reportedly Settles Lawsuits

February 7, 2011 • New instructions say Avandia, a diabetes drug, should only be used by patients already taking it or new patients who can't get their blood sugar under control with other medicines.

Thursday February 3, 2011

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Female Docs Fall Further Behind On Pay

February 3, 2011 • While more women are choosing medicine as a career, there's a pretty big gender gap in starting salaries, researchers have found. The explanation used to be that women entered less lucrative specialties, but that's not the case anymore.

Tuesday February 1, 2011

Mediation Could Help Remedy Medical Malpractice Mess

A mediator can help prevent a dispute over health care from winding up in court. iStockphoto.com hide caption

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iStockphoto.com

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Mediation Could Help Remedy Medical Malpractice Mess

KFF Health News

February 1, 2011 • Mediation often lasts the better part of a day, and whatever is said is confidential and not admissible in court. Even if parties agree to mediate, they can abandon the process and take the case to trial if they're not making headway.

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FDA Rejects Experimental Diet Pill

February 1, 2011 • In a move that contradicted the advice of a panel of outside experts, the Food and Drug Administration will not consider approving the diet pill Contrave without a large study to determine its heart risks.

Friday January 28, 2011

Administration Says Health Law Will Lower Premiums, But Critics Disagree

President Barack Obama said he was open to improvements to the health overhaul law during his State of the Union speech earlier this week. Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images hide caption

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Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images

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Administration Says Health Law Will Lower Premiums, But Critics Disagree

January 28, 2011 • An analysis from the administration shows that health insurance premiums are expected to be lower than they otherwise would be without the overhaul law. But opponents say the numbers don't add up.

Thursday January 27, 2011

Doctors Were Big Spenders On Health Lobbying in 2010

The AMA spent nearly $22 million in 2010. Scott Hales/iStockphoto.com hide caption

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Scott Hales/iStockphoto.com

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Doctors Were Big Spenders On Health Lobbying in 2010

KFF Health News

January 27, 2011 • Amid last year's debate over the federal health overhaul, the American Medical Association was the biggest spender for lobbying operations among health care groups. Overall, though, the top 10 health care players spent 9 percent less than they did the year before.

Monday January 24, 2011

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Glaxo Exec Concedes Industry 'Lost Its Way'

January 24, 2011 • GlaxoSmithKline's U.S. President Deirdre Connelly acknowledged huge fines paid by drugmakers and the low esteem consumers have for the companies these days. She said Glaxo will no longer pay bonuses for U.S. sales representatives based on prescriptions.

Friday January 14, 2011

Snooping Tucson Hospital Workers Fired In Records Breach

The flag of the state of Arizona flies at half-staff outside University Medical Center in Tucson, Ariz., on Jan. 8. Chris Morrison/AP hide caption

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Chris Morrison/AP

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Snooping Tucson Hospital Workers Fired In Records Breach

January 14, 2011 • Management at University Medical Center fired three employees and let go a nurse working for a contractor because they accessed confidential computerized medical files of patients injured in the Tuscon, Ariz., shooting rampage.

Thursday January 13, 2011

FDA: Lower Acetaminophen In Prescription Drugs

Vicodin and other popular prescription painkillers also contain acetaminophen, which can damage livers in high doses. Amayzun/Flickr hide caption

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FDA: Lower Acetaminophen In Prescription Drugs

January 13, 2011 • The painkiller, sold separately under the brand name Tylenol, can cause serious liver damage in high doses. Many popular prescription medicines for pain contain both acetaminophen and narcotics. People can inadvertently overdose.

Thursday January 6, 2011

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Chemist Laments Illicit Drugmakers' Use Of His Discoveries

January 6, 2011 • In an emotional essay published in a top scientific journal, an esteemed pharmacologist says he's stunned and saddened that underground chemists have used his inventions to make street drugs that kill people.

Tuesday January 4, 2011

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Study: Implantable Heart Devices Often Overused

January 4, 2011 • Some 23 percent of implanted cardioverter defibrillators don't meet guidelines, researchers found. Some patients who received implants were recovering from a heart attack or heart bypass surgery.

Monday January 3, 2011

J&J, Mass General Team Up On Cancer Blood Test

Metastatic breast cancer cells found in a lymph node. National Cancer Institute hide caption

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National Cancer Institute

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J&J, Mass General Team Up On Cancer Blood Test

January 3, 2011 • An experimental plastic chip could be used to find even a few cancer cells floating in the blood. Now the health products giant Johnson & Johnson is investing in the technology being developed at a Boston hospital.

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