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CMS Mulls Surgery for Diabetes
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering whether to institute a national coverage policy for bariatric surgery to treat diabetes. “Various bariatric surgery procedures, including gastric bypass surgery, have been reported to 'cure diabetes,' possibly by increasing insulin production or altering metabolism in other ways, in patients who are overweight or even of normal body mass index,” CMS noted in announcing its analysis. “The evidence for improved health outcomes is scant, however, and leaders of the American Diabetes Association and academic institutions have urged caution in attributing a benefit to such procedures in the absence of convincing scientific data.” CMS currently covers bariatric surgery under certain circumstances; bariatric surgery for diabetes can be covered at the discretion of local Medicare carriers.
Diabetes Prevention Act Introduced
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.) have introduced the Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act of 2008. The legislation would coordinate prevention, research, treatment, and education efforts across the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The legislation also would require the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a plan to address diabetes among minority populations and increase the number of minority physicians who focus on diabetes care and treatment. The American Diabetes Association applauded the legislation. “Diabetes has emerged as the greatest public health crisis of the 21st century, and among minority communities the footprint of this disease is even greater,” said Dr. John Anderson, chair of the association's national advocacy committee.
Osteoporosis Study Launched
Researchers recently launched a multinational osteoporosis trial of nearly 60,000 postmenopausal women that aims to provide a real-world look at how patients at risk for osteoporotic fractures are treated. The Global Longitudinal Registry of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) is an observational study of women over age 55 years who visited their primary care physician during the 2 years prior to their study enrollment; enrollment is not linked to an osteoporosis diagnosis. Participants were recruited through primary care physicians at 17 sites in North America, Europe, and Australia. Researchers will collect information on osteoporosis risk factors, treatments, patient and physician behavior, and fracture outcomes over a 5-year period. “We want to understand regional differences in physician and patient behavior and how [they affect] patient outcomes,” Dr. Pierre Delmas, cochair of the study's executive committee, said in a statement. The study is being conducted by researchers at the Center for Outcomes Research at the University of Massachusetts, Worcester, and is supported by an unrestricted research grant from the Alliance for Better Bone Health, funded by Sanofi-aventis U.S. and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals. More information is available at
Disciplinary Actions Decline
The number and rate of serious disciplinary actions against physicians has decreased for the third consecutive year, according to Public Citizen's annual ranking of state medical boards. The advocacy group said the analysis indicates that many states are not living up to their obligations to protect patients from bad doctors. Since 2004, the number of serious disciplinary actions against doctors has decreased 17%. Taking into account the increasing number of U.S. physicians since 2004, the rate of serious actions has fallen 22% since then, when calculated per 1,000 physicians, according to Public Citizen. The annual rankings are based on data from the Federation of State Medical Boards.
CMS Mulls Surgery for Diabetes
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering whether to institute a national coverage policy for bariatric surgery to treat diabetes. “Various bariatric surgery procedures, including gastric bypass surgery, have been reported to 'cure diabetes,' possibly by increasing insulin production or altering metabolism in other ways, in patients who are overweight or even of normal body mass index,” CMS noted in announcing its analysis. “The evidence for improved health outcomes is scant, however, and leaders of the American Diabetes Association and academic institutions have urged caution in attributing a benefit to such procedures in the absence of convincing scientific data.” CMS currently covers bariatric surgery under certain circumstances; bariatric surgery for diabetes can be covered at the discretion of local Medicare carriers.
Diabetes Prevention Act Introduced
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.) have introduced the Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act of 2008. The legislation would coordinate prevention, research, treatment, and education efforts across the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The legislation also would require the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a plan to address diabetes among minority populations and increase the number of minority physicians who focus on diabetes care and treatment. The American Diabetes Association applauded the legislation. “Diabetes has emerged as the greatest public health crisis of the 21st century, and among minority communities the footprint of this disease is even greater,” said Dr. John Anderson, chair of the association's national advocacy committee.
Osteoporosis Study Launched
Researchers recently launched a multinational osteoporosis trial of nearly 60,000 postmenopausal women that aims to provide a real-world look at how patients at risk for osteoporotic fractures are treated. The Global Longitudinal Registry of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) is an observational study of women over age 55 years who visited their primary care physician during the 2 years prior to their study enrollment; enrollment is not linked to an osteoporosis diagnosis. Participants were recruited through primary care physicians at 17 sites in North America, Europe, and Australia. Researchers will collect information on osteoporosis risk factors, treatments, patient and physician behavior, and fracture outcomes over a 5-year period. “We want to understand regional differences in physician and patient behavior and how [they affect] patient outcomes,” Dr. Pierre Delmas, cochair of the study's executive committee, said in a statement. The study is being conducted by researchers at the Center for Outcomes Research at the University of Massachusetts, Worcester, and is supported by an unrestricted research grant from the Alliance for Better Bone Health, funded by Sanofi-aventis U.S. and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals. More information is available at
Disciplinary Actions Decline
The number and rate of serious disciplinary actions against physicians has decreased for the third consecutive year, according to Public Citizen's annual ranking of state medical boards. The advocacy group said the analysis indicates that many states are not living up to their obligations to protect patients from bad doctors. Since 2004, the number of serious disciplinary actions against doctors has decreased 17%. Taking into account the increasing number of U.S. physicians since 2004, the rate of serious actions has fallen 22% since then, when calculated per 1,000 physicians, according to Public Citizen. The annual rankings are based on data from the Federation of State Medical Boards.
CMS Mulls Surgery for Diabetes
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering whether to institute a national coverage policy for bariatric surgery to treat diabetes. “Various bariatric surgery procedures, including gastric bypass surgery, have been reported to 'cure diabetes,' possibly by increasing insulin production or altering metabolism in other ways, in patients who are overweight or even of normal body mass index,” CMS noted in announcing its analysis. “The evidence for improved health outcomes is scant, however, and leaders of the American Diabetes Association and academic institutions have urged caution in attributing a benefit to such procedures in the absence of convincing scientific data.” CMS currently covers bariatric surgery under certain circumstances; bariatric surgery for diabetes can be covered at the discretion of local Medicare carriers.
Diabetes Prevention Act Introduced
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Sen. Johnny Isakson, (R-Ga.) have introduced the Diabetes Prevention Access and Care Act of 2008. The legislation would coordinate prevention, research, treatment, and education efforts across the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The legislation also would require the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a plan to address diabetes among minority populations and increase the number of minority physicians who focus on diabetes care and treatment. The American Diabetes Association applauded the legislation. “Diabetes has emerged as the greatest public health crisis of the 21st century, and among minority communities the footprint of this disease is even greater,” said Dr. John Anderson, chair of the association's national advocacy committee.
Osteoporosis Study Launched
Researchers recently launched a multinational osteoporosis trial of nearly 60,000 postmenopausal women that aims to provide a real-world look at how patients at risk for osteoporotic fractures are treated. The Global Longitudinal Registry of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) is an observational study of women over age 55 years who visited their primary care physician during the 2 years prior to their study enrollment; enrollment is not linked to an osteoporosis diagnosis. Participants were recruited through primary care physicians at 17 sites in North America, Europe, and Australia. Researchers will collect information on osteoporosis risk factors, treatments, patient and physician behavior, and fracture outcomes over a 5-year period. “We want to understand regional differences in physician and patient behavior and how [they affect] patient outcomes,” Dr. Pierre Delmas, cochair of the study's executive committee, said in a statement. The study is being conducted by researchers at the Center for Outcomes Research at the University of Massachusetts, Worcester, and is supported by an unrestricted research grant from the Alliance for Better Bone Health, funded by Sanofi-aventis U.S. and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals. More information is available at
Disciplinary Actions Decline
The number and rate of serious disciplinary actions against physicians has decreased for the third consecutive year, according to Public Citizen's annual ranking of state medical boards. The advocacy group said the analysis indicates that many states are not living up to their obligations to protect patients from bad doctors. Since 2004, the number of serious disciplinary actions against doctors has decreased 17%. Taking into account the increasing number of U.S. physicians since 2004, the rate of serious actions has fallen 22% since then, when calculated per 1,000 physicians, according to Public Citizen. The annual rankings are based on data from the Federation of State Medical Boards.