MASSDEVICE ON CALL — Federal dollars may pay for STD tests on elderly. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) officials are considering including tests for venereal diseases, such as syphilis and hepatitis B, in coverage for the elderly and disabled, according to Reuters.
Tobacco companies sues FDA. Lorillard Inc. and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company filed a lawsuit against the Food & Drug Administration alleging that three members of an advisory committee had conflicts of interest that would affect their recommendations to the watchdog agency, according to The New York Times.
Medical testing on humans exposed. At one point in time, medical doctors regularly experimented on disabled people and prison inmates. Though the information is 40 to 80 years old, it is the backdrop for a meeting in Washington D.C. this week by a presidential bioethics commission, reports The Associated Press.
Media overhyped genome project, say scientists. On the tenth anniversary of the human genome’s first draft, a look back at the journalism on the scientific milestone: "Did journalists overstate the promise of the human genome project?" asks Boston Health News.
How to prevent injuries to infants during phototherapy. When using the Giraffe Spot PT Lite Phototherapy System with a radiant warmer, make sure the lens head is not directly in the path of the radiant heat rays since this will block heat to the infant and may damage the lens head, writes the FDA.
