Will the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) be able to optimize patient care with regard to both on-label and off-label drugs? CMS', at this time, has not shown itself to be either in favor or against new technology or the introduction of new uses for drugs. They still seem interested in promoting access [...]
Historically, I have been critical of the FDA, especially around the delay of the approval of Provenge. Now, it is time to take a look at the FDA and what I believe the future will be for this agency. I do first need to make it clear that I do believe that the FDA plays [...]
The good news is here, the House voted 296-121 Friday to pass a $915-billion spending package to fund the federal government for the rest of the fiscal year, likely staving off a threatened midnight government shutdown. Now we have to hear from the Senate to be sure that the Prostate Cancer Research Program in the [...]
I woke up this morning to some potentially good news. Last night the congressional committee finalized their reconciliation report and filed the final FY12 Omnibus Report. I am over joyed to report that the Report included the Peer Reviewed Compressional Directed Medical Research Programs that had become the target of budget cutters. Many of us [...]
We have just reached a red letter moment in the area of medical insurance. The provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires medical insurers to spend 80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they collect—85% for large group insurers—on actual medical care rather than overhead, marketing expenses and profit just kicked in to effect. This [...]