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Steroid Shots No Better for Back Pain Than Placebo http://mobile.nytimes.com/blogs/well/2015/08/24/steroid-shots-no-better-for-back-pain-than-placebo/ Steroid shots are commonly used for back pain, but evidence that they work no better than placebos is mounting. In a review published Monday in Annals of Internal Medicine, researchers combined data from 30 placebo-controlled studies of epidural steroid injections for radiculopathy (back pain that […]
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ARLENE VIOLET – Ho, hum. Business as usual http://www.valleybreeze.com/2016-11-21/north-providence/arlene-violet-ho-hum-business-usual Another state election has come and gone and the status quo remains with the Democratic Party firmly in control of the Statehouse and with a spending bond binge having been approved by the voters. In other words expect nothing to change in our national rankings. As […]
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Another PBM ‘Bait and Switch’? Three members of the House of Representatives have asked Medicare to look into “what appear to be deceptive practices being used by Symphonix Health Insurance in their preferred provider agreements to mislead patients and direct business away from independent and community pharmacies across America.” Reps. Doug Collins (R-Ga.), Peter Welch […]
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A Sick Calculation About Prescription Drugs www.investors.com/politics/commentary/a-sick-calculation-about-prescription-drugs/ When Christie Tucker’s son Preston was diagnosed with diabetes, his insulin prescription cost just $40. Now, two years later, Christie is paying $650 for a six-week supply of the medicine. Many people reflexively blame drug companies for Christie’s dilemma. But the firms producing Preston’s insulin aren’t making […]
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Costco directors charged with misconduct https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/11/22/costco-directors-charged-with-misconduct.html This type of activity happens daily with our PBM (Prescription Benefit Managers) in the USA… but because those in the insurance industry are exempt from The Sherman Antitrust Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sherman_Antitrust_Act by the McCarran Ferguson Act https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCarranFerguson_Act and it has been reported that those kickbacks/rebates/discount can be UP TO 70% […]
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Trump’s Wall and the Opioid Crisis http://www.acsh.org/news/2016/11/22/trumps-wall-and-opioid-crisis-10450 Will Trump’s wall between the U.S. and Mexico ever be built? Who knows? What are the political and economic ramifications of the wall? I haven’t the wildest. Not my job. But, this is: the plague of opioid overdose deaths that we are now seeing, and our hopelessly misguided policy for […]
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The question is, how do we get these people to listen and answer? I’ve sent numerous letters and emails to my congressfolks. They’re either ignored, or I get a bot-generated email that tells me they’re glad I wrote to them about the opioid epidemic and how they’re so proud of doing everything they can to […]
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Drug side effects have led to increased ER visits in older Americans www.statnews.com/pharmalot/2016/11/22/side-effects-emergency-room/ Side effects from medication are causing more older Americans to visit emergency rooms and leading to more hospitalizations, according to an analysis of ER data from 2005-2006 and 2013-2014. And across all age groups, the drugs most often causing side effects that […]
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Oops! Target, Walmart and CVS may sell aloe vera gel that doesn’t contain aloe vera http://wgno.com/2016/11/22/oops-target-walmart-and-cvs-may-sell-aloe-vera-gel-that-doesnt-contain-aloe-vera/ WGNO) – Even though it’s winter, that’s no excuse for not wearing sunblock. But for those of us who forget during these colder months, over the counter Aloe Vera gels can soothe those unwanted sunburns because, after all, they contain aloe […]
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