Clinical Psychiatry News articles from May 2006

Clinical Psychiatry News archives from May 2006

Trauma takes toll on young refugees.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... MIAMI BEACH -- Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms are emerging as a common and often unrecognized result of the immigration experience, Dr. Eugenio M. Rothe reported at the annual meeting of the American Society for Adolescent Psychiatry....

Top 10 diagnoses by psychiatrists in 2005.(table of diagnoses)(Table)
May 1, 2006... Top 10 Diagnoses by Psychiatrists in 2005 Major depressive disorder, single episode 11.5% Depressive disorder 10.8% Anxiety states 10.6% Bipolar I disorder ...

New patch for kids may broaden use of ADHD therapy: transdermal methylphenidate approved.(care and treatment )
May 1, 2006... The Food and Drug Administration's approval of a transdermal methylphenidate patch for the treatment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in children could broaden use of the drug for patients who need it. "Some patients may have...

CMS to cut physician pay by 4.6% in 2007.(centers for medicare)
May 1, 2006... In a not unexpected but definitely unwelcome move, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has announced that it will cut physician pay by 4.6% for 2007. The federal health program said the scheduled decrease in physician fees is...

Misdiagnosis common at readmission.(variance in diagnoses)
May 1, 2006... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Psychiatric patients who were readmitted to the same hospital within 30 days frequently received different diagnoses and often diagnoses that were incompatible with one another, a new study shows. Less than half of...

Antidementia drugs withstand U.K. challenge.(ban on usage of certain drugs)
May 1, 2006... Health officials in the United Kingdom have backed off a draft recommendation that would have cut off Alzheimer's disease patients from three antidementia drugs, but they are still recommending limiting the drugs' use to patients with...

Patients need advice on safe drug disposal.(surveys)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... QUEBEC CITY -- Physicians need to do more to educate their patients on safe and environmentally sound methods for disposing of unwanted medications. That was the message from a study showing that less than 20% of patients had ever been...

Iraq duty spurs high rate of mental illness.(care and treatment )
May 1, 2006... Veterans who have seen combat in Iraq use mental health services at a high rate in their first year after returning home, compared with veterans returning from other deployments, reported Dr. Charles W. Hoge of the Walter Reed Army Institute of...

FDA panel nixes black boxes for ADHD drugs: pediatric advisory unit favors use of highlights box on label for stronger warnings about adverse events.(Food and Drug Administration )(attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder )(adverse effects of drug use)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- The recommendation of a Food and Drug Administration panel that the labeling on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder drugs be strengthened--but short of a black box warning--is on target, an expert says. Dr. David...

Advocacy: why wait?(narratives)
May 1, 2006... Psychiatric residents must take a leadership role in helping to implement federal legislation aimed at assisting patients with mental and medical illness. My recently completed stint in the Jeanne Spurlock M.D. Congressional Fellowship program...

Pain relievers.(Opinion)(Cartoon)
May 1, 2006... "I'm afraid we don't yet have a medical term for the fear of business downsizing."

Is diagnosis necessary?(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... Neither the authors of the Psychodynamic Diagnostic Manual discussed in your report ("Manual's Breadth May Aid Diagnosis," March 2006, p. 1) nor those hoping to produce the DSM-V have apparently thought deeply about the article by Dr. Robert...

Be skeptical of drug industry defense.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... The relationship between physicians and the pharmaceutical industry is important and needs further consideration. ("Defending the Drug Man," Guest Editorial, February 2006, p. 9). The issue is important because of its effect on the ethical...

'Snickers' weight gain theory flawed.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... William Blank, Psy.D., describes the insidious nature of weight gain and explores the psychological underpinnings--a helpful and compassionate undertaking ("Food and the Brain," November 2005, p. 15). But the author's "Snickers bar" theory...

Dividing the house of medicine.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I am outraged that the American Medical Association has conducted secret negotiations with members of Congress, which end up being "on behalf" of all U.S. physicians ("Pay-for-Performance Pact Ruffles Some Feathers," April 2006, p. 76). I...

Give American students a chance.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
May 1, 2006... I disagree with the assertion that international graduates are critical to maintaining graduate medical education and health care ("Match Day Reveals Slip in Psychiatry Fill Rate," April 2006, p. 1). I am a graduate of an American medical...

Police and PTSD.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... Because of the nature of their work, police officers would seem to be prime candidates for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder. What is it about some police officers that makes them more likely to develop PTSD? What treatment...

The obesity disparity: a Latino view.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... Ever wonder why it is that so many people are obese in this country? As the epidemic grows, it is clear that there are many factors that affect it, not the least of which are our exercise and eating habits. While the epidemic involves all...

The perils of pay for performance.(quality management and performance)
May 1, 2006... The concept of quality improvement in medical practice is laudable, but the pay-for-performance method--in which physicians are financially rewarded for reaching certain goals set by panels of experts--is particularly offensive to our...

Werner Herzog's vicarious malady.(Disease/Disorder overview)
May 1, 2006... Grizzly Man," Werner Herzog's 2005 film about ill-fated adventurer Timothy Treadwell, is the latest example of the filmmaker's enduring attraction to dangerous people and circumstances. Treadwell shared many traits in common with Herzog's...

Prazosin reduces PTSD-related nightmares.(drug therapy)
May 1, 2006... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Prazosin, an [[alpha].sub.1]-adrenergic blocker, substantially reduces veterans' posttraumatic stress disorder-related nightmares and sleep disturbances. The drug is a safe and inexpensive treatment for night symptoms and...

Chronic PTSD linked to smaller hippocampus.(analysis)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- People with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder have a smaller hippocampus, compared with traumatized and nontraumatized controls, a metaanalysis shows. Stress decreases the size of the hippocampus, a brain region...

PTSD predisposition seen in combat-exposed Vietnam vets.(care and treatment)(posttraumatic stress disorder )
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder probably had a predisposition--a subtle neurologic abnormality that elevated their risk upon exposure to combat, according to an identical twin study presented at the annual...

PTSD in the ED: same severity whether trauma is direct or indirect.(posttraumatic stress disorder)(Emergency department)
May 1, 2006... MIAMI -- Posttraumatic stress severity and outcomes are the same for emergency personnel regardless of whether their most distressing work-related event is witnessed or experienced directly, according to a study. Routine exposure to...

The art of Anita Dallar.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... Anita Dallar uses her artistic talent to make collages that bring a form of cohesion and meaning to her fragmented memories. The artist was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder and dissociative identity disorder as a result of being...

Clozapine 'wins again' in phase II of CATIE.(drug usage)(clinical trials)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Clozapine fared better than other antipsychotics in terms of discontinuation rates and survival for people with schizophrenia in the second phase of a large trial sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health. "And...

CATIE results may affirm current psychiatric practices.(Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Interventions Effectiveness)
May 1, 2006... Results supporting the use of clozapine as second-line treatment in patients who have failed a prior atypical antipsychotic are not surprising, an expert says. "I think [these results] will affirm what [psychiatrists] are already doing,...

Pregnancy proves not protective against relapse of depression.(depression - care and treatment)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Women who discontinue antidepressant medication when they become pregnant have nearly a 70% rate of depression relapse during the course of the pregnancy, reported Dr. Lee S. Cohen of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and his associates....

Fathers can get postpartum depression, too.(care and treatment)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Mothers aren't the only ones who suffer from postpartum depression, according to a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine. James F. Paulson, Ph.D., found that almost as many dads as...

Screening for postpartum depression rare.(care and treatment)(surveys)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Only 9% of 276 physicians surveyed use standardized screening measures to assess patients for postpartum depression, reported Randy Fingerhut, Ph.D., in a poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavioral...

Bipolar depression data emerging from STEP-BD.(research)(Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- New data, especially on bipolar depression, are starting to emerge from randomized studies conducted within a bipolar disorder observational treatment study, according to an update presented at the annual meeting of the...

Risperidone add-on for anxiety.(drug use)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Adjunctive low-dose risperidone significantly reduced symptoms in patients with refractory anxiety disorders, Dr. Naomi M. Simon and her associates have reported. Dr. Simon, of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and her colleagues...

Gene variant doubles risk of OCD.(obsessive-compulsive disorder)(care and treatment)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... A genetic variant located on the serotonin transporter gene occurs twice as often in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, researchers have reported. The variant appears to affect functional coupling between the amygdala and regions...

Topiramate cuts borderline symptoms.(care and treatment)(drug use)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Topiramate appears to be a safe and effective treatment for women with borderline personality disorder, Dr. Thomas H. Loew and his associates reported. Compared with placebo, the drug significantly reduces many of the disorder's symptoms,...

Quitting smoking during pregnancy.(research)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Pregnant women who are not heavy smokers may be more likely to successfully quit, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco in Orlando. Lower amounts of smoking, adequate...

Quality of life, not life or death.(narratives)(Column)
May 1, 2006... We read in newspapers, hear on the radio, and see on television, over and over again, that there are ways we can make our lives better. From exercising to dieting to improving sleep habits and lowering stress levels, we are told that following...

Online interaction up among socially anxious college students.
May 1, 2006... MIAMI -- College students who report high levels of social anxiety are nine times more likely to use a Web cam for online communication compared with peers without social anxiety. In addition, those with dating anxiety are 13 times more likely...

Compulsive hoarding found common in GAD.(general anxiety disorder)(side effects)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... MIAMI -- Compulsive hoarding is manifest in more than just a subset of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. A percentage of patients with general anxiety disorder and social phobia also reported hoarding symptoms in a study presented at...

Expanded criteria proposed for compulsive hoarding diagnosis.(diagnosis)(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... MIAMI -- New diagnostic criteria are needed because the DSM-IV definition of compulsive hoarding does not take common comorbidities into account, Randy O. Frost, Ph.D., said at the annual conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of...

Tailor treatment to meet athletes' needs: physiologic performance demands and maintaining competitive edge top this population's concerns.(research)
May 1, 2006... Exercise may be good for the mind as well as the body, with demonstrated anxiolytic and antidepressant effects, but athletes are not exempt from psychiatric problems. The youth league soccer star, the college baseball player, even the...

Augmentation effective after initial SSRI failure in depression.(selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor)(care and treatment)(usage of bupropine and buspirone)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Augmentation therapy with either bupropion or buspirone is effective in about 30% of depressed patients who either do not remit after initial selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment or do not tolerate it, reported Dr. Madhukar H....

CBT program promising for borderline disorder.(cognitive behavioral therapy)(care and treatment)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- Borderline personality disorder is notoriously difficult to treat, but its course and outcome are far more positive than people might think, Dr. Donald W. Black said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Clinical...

Token economy interventions.
May 1, 2006... The Problem You work in a state hospital-like setting, and token economy interventions are developed for the treatment of patients with schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses. The Question Are the principles of token...

Amino acids tested in children at risk for behavioral disorders.(causes of)
May 1, 2006... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Targeted amino acid therapy shows promise as an intervention for children with behavioral disorders, a group of researchers led by Karyn Purvis, Ph.D., reported in a poster session at a meeting on natural supplements in...

Study reinterpreted: OCD responds to skilled therapy.(obsessive-compulsive disorder)(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... NEW YORK -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy, when provided by a skilled therapist, can be just as effective as an SSRI or combined treatment for children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, Dr. Daniel S. Pine said at a psychopharmacology update...

Borderline traits tracked in teens.(care and treatment)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Borderline personality disorder appears to encompass a much broader range of psychopathology in adolescent inpatients than in hospitalized adults, reported Dr. Daniel F. Becker of the University of California, San Francisco, and his colleagues....

Methylphenidate and cell abnormalities.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... Methylphenidate is associated with significant increases in cell abnormalities when given to children at therapeutic levels, reported Dr. Randa A. El-Zein of the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, and colleagues. ...

Psychosocial support, pregnant teens.(research)(reduction in pregnancy recurrence)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Pregnant adolescents who receive interdisciplinary prenatal and postpartum care and psychosocial support have lower rates of rapid pregnancy recurrence, Amanda Melhado reported at the annual meeting of the Society for Adolescent Medicine. ...

Autism 'epidemic' denied, ascribed to diagnosis shift.(care and treatment)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Claims of an autism "epidemic" are not backed by the data, which show evidence that diagnostic substitution accounts for reported increases in the disorder and that those increases are still short of epidemiologic estimates, according to one...

Methylphenidate may reduce hyperactivity in autistic kids.(care and treatment)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Two new studies support the use of methylphenidate in treating hyperactivity in children with autism. The results contradict much of the historical data showing that psychostimulants are not helpful in this population but...

Percentage of children with emotional, developmental, or behavioral problems who require and receive treatment or counseling.(table)(Table)
May 1, 2006... Percentage of Children With Emotional, Developmental, or Behavioral Problems Who Require and Receive Treatment or Counseling Age 0-5 years 39% Age 6-11 years 59% Age 12-17 years 64% Note: Based on 102,353 parental...

HIV-positive teens must be reached early.(human immunodeficiency virus)
May 1, 2006... SAN FRANCISCO -- In assessing an adolescent newly diagnosed with HIV, establishing a productive doctor-patient relationship can be every bit as important as determining viral loads, Dr. Andrew T. Pavia said at a meeting on HIV management...

In study, most adolescent suicide attempts were rash and emotional, not premeditated.(research and analysis)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- Only 4% of 164 adolescents who tried to kill themselves left a suicide note, according to a retrospective, single-institution study reported at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. "This...

For teen girls, depression manifests uniquely.(care and treatment)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... MIAMI BEACH -- Studies increasingly suggest that adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable to many of the risk factors for major depression, and that depression in this population manifests in several unique ways. For example, depressed...

Shame plays key role in psychopathology of youth.
May 1, 2006... MIAMI BEACH -- Pathologic defenses against shame often lie at the heart of adolescent psychopathology. That's why helping patients understand and accept shame as a universal experience can promote healing, Dr. Alan Wofsey said at the annual...

Risk factors for depression identified in adolescent IBD.(inflammatory bowel disease)(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... SALT LAKE CITY -- Watch for signs of depression in adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease, especially if they are older, have more severe disease, are on steroids, or report family conflict, Dr. Eva Szigethy said. A study of 141...

Latency test costly, but best in daytime sleepiness.(care and treatment)(Multiple sleep latency test)
May 1, 2006... RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- In diagnosing a child with an extreme case of daytime sleepiness, there's no good substitute for the multiple sleep latency test, Dr. Timothy F. Hoban said at a conference on sleep disorders in infancy and childhood...

Adverse events linked to antipsychotic switches: for dementia patients, history of conventional and atypical antipsychotic use compounds adverse effects.(complications and side effects)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... ORLANDO -- Dementia patients who have taken atypical and conventional antipsychotic medications have more adverse events than do patients with a history of only one medication, new research shows. "It's hard to say there is a strong causal...

New drug slows decline in mild Alzheimer's cases.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- R-flurbiprofen, one of a new class of selective amyloid-[beta] 42-lowering drugs, shows some promise at higher doses in delaying cognitive and functional declines associated with Alzheimer's disease, according to phase II...

Aripiprazole found effective in prolonged, comorbid delirium.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... SANTA ANA PUEBLO, N.M. -- Aripiprazole should be considered for treatment of prolonged delirium, especially in patients with significant medical comorbidity, Dr. David Straker said at the annual meeting of the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine....

Primary docs often overlook depressive symptoms in elderly.(physician errors)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... ORLANDO -- Depression in elderly patients is easily missed by primary care physicians, according to a new study. "Sometimes family doctors don't have time to screen for depression, and patients don't put it out on the table," said Dr....

Monitoring patients for driving safety is critical: drivers with dementia have a twofold increased risk of crashing, vs. their age-matched counterparts.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Not all older patients with dementia are dangerous drivers, making individual assessments of fitness to drive crucial for road safety, Dr. John C. Morris said at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric...

Caution urged in using experimental tools to evaluate MCI.(mild cognitive impairment )(clinical trials)
May 1, 2006... ROSEMONT, IL. -- Experimental technologies for evaluating patients with suspected mild cognitive impairment hold great promise, but until their clinical relevance is well understood, they should not be used in routine practice, Dr. Paul B....

Observational tool may aid pain assessment.(usage of too for assessing pain)
May 1, 2006... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Pain assessment is moving beyond listening for a patient to say "ouch." One possible way to estimate pain in all patients is to apply an observational scale that was first used on patients with advanced dementia. ...

Atypicals for dementia a modest help with behavior problems.(Geriatric Psychiatry)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Atypical antipsychotics appear to have a modest effect on behavioral symptoms in elderly patients with dementia, but the effectiveness of nonpharmacologic treatments is less clear, according to a metaanalysis presented at the...

Perspective.(care and treatment for sexual behavior)
May 1, 2006... Sex offenders are very driven to perform their inappropriate sexual behavior, and it is very hard to stop them from doing so. The media, with their "once a sex offender, always a sex offender" headlines, would have us believe that it's...

Treating sex offenders can be effective.(health aspects)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Statistics belie the general presumption that most convicted sex offenders will repeat their crimes. "Sex offenders" are a heterogeneous group. Some have committed violent sexual assaults on strangers; others have molested children,...

Selegiline safe, effective as adjunct for Parkinson's.(care and treatment)(drug use)
May 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- An orally disintegrating formulation of selegiline appears to be a safe and effective adjunct for patients with Parkinson's disease who are experiencing a deterioration of levodopa response, according to data presented in a poster...

Experimental AD drugs target nicotinic receptors.(Alzheimer's disease)(research)(clinical trials)
May 1, 2006... A new class of drugs under development for Alzheimer's disease has taken a cue from one of the world's oldest drugs--nicotine. The highly selective nicotinic receptor agonists (NRAs) have the potential to mimic, and surpass, the...

Eleven deaths reported in donepezil vascular dementia trial.(Neuropsychiatric Medicine)
May 1, 2006... Eleven of 648 patients died while taking donepezil (Aricept) in a trial of the drug for the treatment of vascular dementia, according to preliminary study results announced by Eisai Co. Ltd., the drug's maker. None of the 326 patients taking...

Teach patients about medication overuse.(adverse effects of excessive medication)
May 1, 2006... HENDERSON, NEV. -- Treating medication overuse headache involves a three-pronged approach of patient education, teaching pain coping skills, and addressing psychological issues that put patients at risk for relapse, Alvin E. Lake III, Ph.D.,...

Comorbid illnesses are common in migraine.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... HENDERSON, NEV. -- The concomitant and comorbid conditions associated with migraine and chronic daily headache offer both therapeutic challenges and opportunities, Dr. Elizabeth W. Loder said at a symposium sponsored by the American Headache...

Chronic pelvic pain linked to illness, abuse.(research on pelvic pain)
May 1, 2006... Pelvic disease, psychological morbidity, and a history of abuse are the factors most strongly associated with chronic pelvic pain in women, according to a metaanalysis including data on more than 90,000 patients. Dr. Pallavi Latthe and...

With age comes wisdom, but also insomnia.(sleep disorders)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- Sleep disorders become more common with increasing age, but effective behavioral and pharmacologic therapies are available, sleep experts said at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. ...

Phobic anxiety found to promote coronary artery disease mortality.(research)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... DENVER -- Phobic anxiety was significantly associated with both ventricular arrhythmia and mortality in coronary artery disease patients during a median 3-year follow-up, said Lana Watkins, Ph.D., at the annual meeting of the American...

Study links cognitive decline with end-stage liver disease.(research)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... DENVER -- End-stage liver disease was associated with significant deficits in memory, abstract thought, sustained attention, and executive function in a study of 104 adult patients, Tina Meyer, Ph.D., reported in a poster presented at the...

Twin study shows anorexia has a genetic component.(care and treatment)(Statistical data)
May 1, 2006... Anorexia nervosa is a heritable psychiatric disorder with warning signs that can be identified decades before the onset of the illness, the largest twin study on the disorder shows. "Genes play a substantial role in the development of this...

Anorexia patients need realistic nutrition goals.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... TUCSON, ARIZ. -- Nutritional rehabilitation may require involuntary hospitalization in patients with eating disorders. "These behaviors can be easily defined as self-harming behaviors, and these patients can and should be committed if they fall...

Methylphenidate reduces fatigue safely in hospice patients.(care and treatment)
May 1, 2006... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Treatment with methylphenidate safely reduced fatigue and depression in hospice patients in a controlled study with 30 patients. "Treatment with methylphenidate may restore coping modalities that are compromised in...

Antidepressants may enhance anti-HIV activity.(drug use)
May 1, 2006... SAN JUAN, P.R. -- A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor can enhance killer lymphocyte activity against HIV infection, according to preliminary study findings. Depression may raise the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with...

Panel favors strict limits on natalizumab's return.(drug bans)
May 1, 2006... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- Clinical vigilance for early signs of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy is a cornerstone of the mandatory risk minimization plan that will be in place for natalizumab's return to the market for treating patients...

Linezolid not linked to increased serotonin syndrome risk.(drug use)
May 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Depressed patients with infections who were treated concomitantly with linezolid and antidepressants showed no evidence of developing serotonin syndrome due to drug interactions, compared with similar patients taking other...

Patient assistance programs can go on, CMS says.(Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)(Medicare Part D benefit)(Brief article)
May 1, 2006... Pharmaceutical companies should not end their patient assistance programs because of the implementation of the Medicare Part D drug program, according to a statement from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Companies can...

Physicians, lawmakers ponder the uninsured.(treatment of uninsured)
May 1, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Physicians are increasingly willing to cross party lines on the issue of the uninsured, but convincing lawmakers may be their biggest hurdle. It's in physicians' best interest to be involved in the debate over health care...