Tuesday, May 18, 2004

Scientific Conflict of Interest Probe Grows From NIH to FDA
Reuters Health story at Medscape - "A U.S. House subcommittee is expanding its probe of alleged conflicts of interest by scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to include the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well. At its second hearing on the propriety of government scientists taking money from pharmaceutical and biotechnology private firms, Republican and Democratic leaders of the Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations subcommittee announced they are asking the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate a case in which scientists from the NIH and the FDA entered into a formal research partnership with one private firm, then took on a consulting job for one of that firm's competitors..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Medscape Journal Scan - Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, April 2004
"The effects of parental substance abuse, treating PTSD, and the trends in antidepressant use are among the studies covered in this month's Journal Scan" - Articles from the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Journal of Psychiatry, Psychiatric Services and Archives of General Psychiatry. [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Autism surge mystifies
USA Today story at PsycPORT - " Autism, once a rare and mysterious disorder, is no longer so rare. A generation ago, only two to four of every 10,000 children were labeled autistic. Today, it's more like 60 per 10,000 by some estimates. But no one knows why. Experts cite a much greater awareness of autism and related conditions, grouped as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), and a broader definition that has allowed children who might otherwise have been overlooked to receive a diagnosis. But they also say there has been an actual increase, and the reasons for that are not entirely clear -- though there are plenty of theories..."  
  

Spending Soars for Behavior Drugs for Kids
AP story at Yahoo - "As more children pop pills for attention deficit and other behavior disorders, new figures show spending on those drugs has for the first time edged out the cost of antibiotics and asthma medications for kids. A 49 percent rise in the use of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder drugs by children under 5 in the last three years contributed to a 23 percent increase in usage for all children, according to an annual analysis of drug use trends by Medco Health Solutions Inc. ..."  
  

Health Policy Experts Say Bills To Address Issue of Uninsured Are Not Real Solutions
Item in the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report - "Health policy experts said the handful of bills proposed by Congress during 'Cover the Uninsured Week' were 'notable mostly for their modesty' and were 'not real solutions,' despite claims by politicians from both parties that reducing the number of uninsured is a 'top priority,' CongressDaily reports..."  
  

North Carolina spending committee hears options on HHS reductions
Winston-Salem Journal story - "Advocate groups cringed Tuesday as a joint House and Senate appropriations subcommittee unveiled options for potentially deep cuts to the Department of Health and Human Services. House budget-writers have been ordered by legislative leaders to find an additional $92 million in savings within HHS beyond the 2004-05 budget proposal presented last week by Gov. Mike Easley. ... Other options discussed include a $17.5 million reduction to community mental health programs ..."  
  

Spring budget must thaw frozen mental health funds (Canada)
May 17 CNW story - "Tomorrow's provincial budget must make mental health care a priority, according to three of the leading organizations in the Ontario's mental health and addiction field. After twelve years of frozen core budgets for community mental health services, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario and the Ontario Federation for Mental Health and Addictions Programs are looking for a spring thaw from the McGuinty government."  
  

Mental health program a window to freedom (Oregon)
Statesman-Journal story on a new residential treatment home on the grounds of the state mental hospital in Salem,"...the first of three to open in Marion County — is meant to provide transitional housing for clients who are languishing at the Oregon State Hospital because their mental health has improved too much for them to benefit from being there, but are not yet ready for completely unsupervised life on the outside."