Tag: ProPublica

American Pain Foundation shuts down as senators launch investigation of prescription narcotics

American Pain Foundation shuts down as senators launch investigation of prescription narcotics

The group received 90 percent of its $5 million in funding in 2010 from the drug and medical-device industry, and its guides for patients, journalists and policymakers had played down the risks associated with opioid painkillers while exaggerating the benefits.

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May 12, 2012 | By | Reply More
VA nurses scrutinized after patient deaths in two states

VA nurses scrutinized after patient deaths in two states

A review of records at 29 Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals found that only half the nurses had documented proper skills to care for patients.

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May 1, 2012 | By | Reply More
Best reporting on our health-care system — ProPublica’s Picks

Best reporting on our health-care system — ProPublica’s Picks

Why does U.S. health care costs so much? How do insurance companies decide to refuse you coverage? How do Medicare scams work? ProPublica rounds up the best articles looking for answers to these and other questions.

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March 30, 2012 | By | Reply More
Nursing homes giving powerful antipsychotics to elderly unnecessarily, government report

Nursing homes giving powerful antipsychotics to elderly unnecessarily, government report

HHS Inspector General faults drug companies for aggressively—and illegally—marketing these products to doctors for treatment of dementia and other off-label uses.

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May 10, 2011 | By | Reply More
Financial ties bind medical societies to drug and device makers

Financial ties bind medical societies to drug and device makers

Professional groups like the Heart Rhythm Society write guidelines on treatments and the use of medical devices, but researchers say their acceptance of sponsorships and grants from drug and device makers poses a conflict of interest that many patients never consider.

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May 5, 2011 | By | Reply More
Critical shortage of army neurologists for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan

Critical shortage of army neurologists for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan

The Army is facing a “critical” shortage of neurologists, partly because of recent policy changes designed to improve diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injuries, according to a new military medical memorandum.

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April 13, 2011 | By | Reply More
Drug companies paid $4.38M to Washington state doctors–Puget Sound Business Journal

Drug companies paid $4.38M to Washington state doctors–Puget Sound Business Journal

With so much money paid to physicians — typically in exchange for public speaking events or professional education seminars for other doctors — medical ethics experts say doctors essentially push drugs or medical devices developed by the drug makers from which they are accepting cash.

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November 19, 2010 | By | Reply More
When needles dislodge, dialysis can turn deadly

When needles dislodge, dialysis can turn deadly

Dialysis patients die or are hospitalized every year as a result of catastrophic hemorrhages.

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November 10, 2010 | By | Reply More
How one senator has delayed action on formaldehyde

How one senator has delayed action on formaldehyde

Louisiana GOP Sen. David Vitter has pushed the EPA to slow its process of updating a 20-year-old health assessment of formaldehyde.

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April 15, 2010 | By | Reply More
What health care reform means for: ‘Young Invincibles’

What health care reform means for: ‘Young Invincibles’

Last year, 47% of people between age 19 and 34 went without insurance at some point: 1-in-3 is uninsured now.

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December 23, 2009 | By | Reply More
What Health Care Reform Means for: Medicaid Recipients

What Health Care Reform Means for: Medicaid Recipients

Sarah Goodwin, 25, has chronic fatigue syndrome and relies on Medicaid for coverage.

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December 8, 2009 | By | Reply More
What does health reform mean if you have insurance?

What does health reform mean if you have insurance?

The reforms being proposed could put some upward pressure on premiums . . .

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December 6, 2009 | By | Reply More