Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Governor Bush to take on Medicaid reform (Florida)
Sun Sentinel story - "Under pressure to stem soaring costs for treating poor and sick Floridians, Gov. Jeb Bush will ask state legislators and federal officials early next year to authorize the biggest changes ever made to the state's $14 billion Medicaid program. Bush will begin his final two years in the Governor's Mansion taking on the politically ambitious task of rewriting hundreds of pages of rules on how Florida pays for and delivers tax-funded health care to the state's most vulnerable residents."  
  

Reform of Postmarketing Drug Surveillance System Needed, Experts Say
Medscape Medical News story - "Early approval of new drugs in the U.S. is a double-edged sword, allowing the public rapid access to the health benefits of new drugs, yet potentially exposing them to serious adverse effects recognized after the drug launch. Much of the burden of early detection falls on the U.S. postmarketing systems. Recent congressional testimony by a reviewer from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and a study and several articles published in the Dec. 1 issue of JAMA and released online Nov. 22, have fueled the controversy over whether conflicts of interest could influence evaluation of suspected adverse drug reactions." [Viewing Medscape resources requires registration, which is free].