National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research Long-Range Planning Process
"The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) generates, disseminates, and promotes use of knowledge that will improve the ability of individuals with disabilities to perform activities in the community, and increase the capacity of society to provide full opportunities and supports for participation. NIDRR is in the process of updating its long-range plan which describes how that mission is to be implemented. NIDRR is seeking meaningful, creative input to its next plan from people with disabilities, interested family or friends, service providers, disability and rehabilitation researchers and others to guide its future activities." Included here are an e-mail address for input, a link to a web-based form and information on a July 16 videoconference.  
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A Program to Convert Patients From Trade-Name to Generic Clozapine
A Pharmacotherapy article at Medscape - "In spring 2000, the Missouri Department of Mental Health mandated that its psychiatric inpatient facilities convert patients from trade-name to generic clozapine. The pharmacy department at our facility was encouraged to develop a conversion program to oversee and assess the efficacy and tolerability of the change. A protocol to monitor the conversion of patients to generic clozapine hospitalwide was developed. The primary objective was to determine whether therapeutic response and level of tolerability were the same with generic versus trade-name clozapine. ..." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].  
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Does industry funding deserve a bad rap?
Article in the July APA Monitor - "A growing number of scientists receive all or part of their paychecks from industry. And psychologists--particularly those working with pharmaceuticals, testing and medical-devices--are among them. Some are employed by the businesses themselves, while others are academicians who receive research contracts from private companies, much as they do grants from government agencies. ... Seen through one lens, this trend is neutral or even positive--part of a general economic shift toward privatizing research and encouraging entrepreneurial creativity. But as many recent media reports have noted, the relationship holds the potential to narrow the research agenda."  
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Putting consumers in the driver's seat
Article in the July issue of the APA Monitor - "A new idea in health-care plans--consumer-driven care--is gaining popularity with employers. How might it affect psychology?"  
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Public Opinion on Health Care Costs
A Kaiser Health Poll Report - "Given recent concerns about the economy and the fact that health insurance premium costs have risen by double digits over the past few years, it is perhaps not surprising that being able to afford health care and insurance ranks among the public's top concerns when it comes to health, both personally, and in what they see as important issues for the government to address." Poll details are available from a side navigation bar - for example, see the sections on Priorities: Cost, Coverage, or Quality?, Experiences with Rising Cost of Health Care and Views of Health Care Industry and Managed Care.  
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