Forty percent of those who qualify for free healthcare don’t take it. Millions of Americans qualify for free health coverage under Medicare, but 40 percent don’t sign up, according to the New England Journal of Medicine. Darshak Sanghavi of Slate tries to tell us why this is the case.
Doctors encourage screening for the condition that took U.S. envoy’s life. Like most people who suffer from aortic irregularities, U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke was most likely unaware that his aorta had ballooned into an aneurysm and eventually lead to his untimely death. Three-thousand people die from the condition, known as aortic dissection, and doctors want to make screening for it part of routine checkups, reports USA Today.
Mayo clinic founder’s 80 year old prediction for 2011: People will live to 70. The New York Times in 1931 asked several luminaries such as Mayo Clinic founder Dr. W.J. Mayo what 2011 would be like and based on medicine’s progress at the time, he foretold of a "biblical" longevity of 70 years. Notable anthropologist Arthur Keith warned Times readers of the coming perils of overspecialization in medicine, according to Abnormal Use: The Unreasonably Dangerous Products Liability Blog.
Grinch or Sanity Clause? The U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause states that Congress has the power to “regulate Commerce ’ among the several States.” To supporters of health reform, the Commerce Clause is the Grinch that stole healthcare reform, writes the Health Care Blog. To opponents, it might seem like a Sanity Clause.
Stryker sues Zimmer over surgical device. Stryker Corp., a maker of artificial knees and hips, has filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Zimmer Holdings Inc. to block sales of a device that removes damaged tissue and cleans bones during joint surgery, Bloomberg reports.
Minnesota nurses respond to ‘blistering attack.’ The Minnesota Nurses Association has responded to a “blistering attack on state employee unions, including state-employed nurses” by soon-to-be-former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Everyday Health buys MedPage Today. One month after canceling its $20 million IPO, Everyday Health is expanding beyond the consumer market with the purchase of MedPage Today, an online news site designed to keep doctors up to date on breaking medical news their patients may be reading, according to paidContent.org.
Novartis sweetens Alcon pot. Novartis’ drawn-out efforts to buy out the 23 percent stake of eye care specialist Alcon seem to have borne fruit after the Swiss major sweetened the deal to minority shareholders, according to Pharma Times.
Eli Lilly stops cancer trial because of deaths. Indianapolis drug maker Eli Lilly & Co. has stopped a late-stage clinical trial of its investigational skin cancer drug tasisulam after 12 study participants died, reports Pharma Times.
Hospitals say cost-savings report ‘completely unbelievable.’ A group of large hospital systems has sent a letter to the Medical Device Manufacturers Association disputing as “completely unbelievable” the association’s recent findings that up to $37.5 billion in healthcare cost savings could be realized if Congress repeals the safe harbor law, according to ModernHealthcare.com.
Material from MedCity News was used in this report.
