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HealthCare Insight(R) Launches StopHealthCareFraud.com
HealthCare Insight® (HCI), a Verisk Health company and a provider of clinically validated fraud, abuse, and overpayment prevention solutions for private and public-sector payors, announced today that the company launched StopHealthCareFraud.com to help consumers identify and report health care fraud.
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Yeast 'DNA Damage Sensor' Provides Chemotherapy Resistance Clue
Cancer Research UK scientists have been part of an international collaboration that has revealed the structure of a protein found in simple yeast cells and shown how it flags up damaged DNA for repair. The results of their study are published in Nature*. The finding may provide clues as to how some cancer cells become resistant to certain chemotherapy drugs.
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Senate HELP Panel Begins Mark Up Of Bill Placing Tobacco Under FDA Oversight
The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday began marking up a bill (S 982) that would allow FDA to regulate tobacco products, CongressDaily reports. The bill would allow FDA to place larger, color warning labels about the health risks of smoking on cigarette packs, as well as to regulate the marketing of tobacco products and advertising to children. The agency could not ban tobacco products or eliminate nicotine from cigarettes, but it could regulate their production and ban flavored cigarettes other than menthol. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) said, "Over the years, this bill has been reviewed; it has been vetted; it has been debated, over and over and over again. The time has come to act." The House in April passed its version of the bill, 298-112 (Hunt, CongressDaily, 5/20). The committee by voice vote approved an amendment proposed by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) that would give FDA priority to review products that contain nicotine, such as candies. Committee ranking member Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) proposed two amendments, one that would have given regulatory authority over tobacco to CDC and another that would have ordered FDA to study which flavors to ban, instead of a current provision that bans specific flavors. Both amendments were defeated. Enzi said, "I think the FDA is the wrong regulator. It approves cures, not poisons." The only Democrat who opposed the bill was Sen. Kay Hagan (N.C.), who said the measure would harm the tobacco industry in her home state (Armstrong, CQ HealthBeat, 5/19). The panel"s other member from North Carolina, Sen. Richard Burr (R), said he would filibuster the bill. He said, "I put my fellow senators on notice: This is something that will be a much longer time on the floor than it will be in this hearing" (CongressDaily, 5/20). The committee plans to continue marking up the bill Wednesday and possibly Thursday.The Obama administration has expressed its support for the bill (CQ HealthBeat, 5/19). FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg also has said her agency should regulate tobacco (Armstrong, CQ HealthBeat, 5/18).
Endocrinology

Eastern Equine Encephalitis Again Detected In Baldwin County, USA

The Baldwin County Health Department announced that a sentinel chicken from the Lillian area has tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis, or EEE. In June, EEE was detected in a sentinel chicken in the Orange Beach area. Ongoing public health surveillance has detected no mosquito-borne virus activity in humans in Baldwin County this year. "With summer in full swing and many people enjoying outdoor activities, it is imperative that residents take every effort to reduce their exposure to mosquitoes," said Baldwin County Health Department Environmentalist Rachel Beck. "Keep your mosquito repellent with you at all times when you are working or recreating outdoors." EEE, West Nile virus and other mosquito-borne viruses are transmitted from bird to mosquito to bird. Occasionally, when bird hosts are scarce, the same mosquitoes will take blood from mammals, including humans and horses. Humans and horses can sometimes become ill from the infection. The likelihood of transmission to humans and horses can be decreased by personal mosquito avoidance and the use of EEE and WNV vaccine in horses. There is no vaccine available for humans, health officials said. Baldwin County Health Department established a mosquito control program in 2003 that includes surveillance activities such as mosquito trapping and testing and sentinel chicken surveillance. These activities are conducted to monitor for mosquito-borne diseases and track mosquito populations. Serum samples taken each week from the 16 sentinel chicken flocks are tested for the presence of EEE, WNV and St. Louis Encephalitis. In addition to surveillance activities, the department also works to eliminate mosquito breeding sites and conducts larvicide and adulticide applications. Larvicide is also available free to the public for application in low-lying areas that retain water and in ornamental ponds. "It is reasonable to assume that mosquito-borne viruses are likely circulating between mosquitoes and birds in all parts of Baldwin County," Beck said. "Everyone should try to avoid exposure to mosquitoes." Mosquitoes that can spread these viruses among birds are commonly found in urban and suburban communities as well as rural, freshwater swamp areas. They will breed readily in storm sewers, ditches, waste lagoons and in artificial containers around one"s home. Health officials said it is imperative that homeowners make a careful inspection around their homes to be sure nothing holds water for longer than three days. Mosquito-borne virus surveillance has been conducted statewide for the past five years. During that time, EEE, WNV, St. Louis Encephalitis virus, and La Crosse Encephalitis virus have been detected. Epidemiologists point out that EEE can be more dangerous to people and other mammals than other mosquito-borne viruses, but that the same mosquito prevention measures reduce exposures to both. The health department will continue to notify local officials of test results and recommend methods of prevention. Since mosquitoes are commonly found throughout much of Alabama, health officials offer practical strategies for the mosquito season: Personal Protection; Clothing And Aromatics Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothes to help prevent mosquitoes from reaching the skin and to retain less heat, making yourself less "attractive" to mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are more attracted to dark colors. When possible, wear long sleeves and long pants. Avoid perfumes, colognes, fragrant hair sprays, lotions and soaps, which attract mosquitoes. Personal Protection; Repellents Follow the label instructions when applying repellents. Permethrin repellents are only for clothes - not for application on the skin. When using repellents avoid contact with the eyes, lips and nasal membranes. Use concentrations of less than 10 percent when applying DEET-containing products on children Apply DEET repellent on arms, legs and other exposed areas but never under clothing. After returning indoors, wash treated skin with soap and water. Citronella candles and repellents containing citronella can help, but their range is limited. Herbals such as cedar, geranium, pennyroyal, lavender, cinnamon and garlic are not very effective. Personal Protection; Around The Home Mosquito activity peaks at dusk and again at dawn; restrict outdoor activity during these hours. Keep windows and door screens in good condition. Replace porch lights with yellow light bulbs that will attract fewer insects. Mosquitoes breed in standing water; empty all water from old tires, cans, jars, buckets, drums, plastic wading pools, toys and other containers. Clean clogged gutters. Remove the rim from potted plants and replace water in plant/flower vases weekly. Replenish pet watering dishes daily and rinse bird baths twice weekly. Fill tree holes and depressions left by fallen trees with dirt or sand. Stock ornamental ponds with mosquito fish (fish which eat mosquitoes in their larval and pupal stages) or use larvicidal "doughnuts" which gradually kill mosquitoes. Alabama Department of Public Health


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