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Antidepressants 'may harm sperm'
Drugs taken by millions of men to alleviate depression may affect their fertility, say US scientists.
A small number of healthy men given the antidepressant paroxetine for four weeks had far higher levels of sperm with damaged DNA.
The results, reported in New Scientist magazine, do not necessarily mean these men would have serious problems becoming a father.
However, a UK fertility specialist said they were a "cause for concern". Drugs taken by millions of men to alleviate depression may affect their fertility, say US scientists. ... more -
Prescription drugs easier to obtain than beer
"Years ago, the main concern parent's had was that their teens might raid their liquor cabinet," states Mary Rieser, Executive Director for Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia. "Now they have another cabinet to worry about: the medicine cabinet."
A recent survey among 12-to-17-year-olds by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA) showed some startling results:
Getting prescription drugs was easier than getting cigarettes or beer.
Of those teens abusing prescription medications:
· 31 percent said they got these from friends or classmates;
· 34 percent said they got these from home, parents or the medicine cabinet;
· 16 percent said other;
· Nine percent said from a drug dealer.
"Parents need to be aware that they may be unwittingly contributing to drug addiction by not locking their medicine cabinet," comments Ms. Rieser. "It is one thing for a teen to drink, which is bad enough. It is another to be hooked on OxyContin, Xanax, Percocet, or any other drug that may be in the medicine cabinet. These are not drugs to play around with. Withdrawal is very painful, and in the case of Xanax, can be deadly. The addicted teen will do anything to stop the withdrawal symptoms. Anything."
Narconon Drug Rehab in Georgia advises that there are things that can be done:
Lock the medicine cabinet. Properly dispose of any unused prescription medications.
Be aware that even such seemingly benign over-the-counter drugs containing DXM, such as cough syrup, can be chugged to get a high.
Monitor your child's behavior- The CASA survey showed that 50 percent of those children staying out after 10 PM drank, smoked or got high.
Educate your children on the dangers of drug abuse, even medical drugs.
"Kids think that because these are prescribed by a doctor, they are safe," comments Ms. Rieser. "There is only one problem. The difference between the amount they take for a high and the amount that causes an overdose is very little.
"One small thing that the survey showed is very simple: Have dinner with your children. The CASA survey noted that 23 percent of teens who ate fewer than three dinners a week with their family had used marijuana, compared with 10 percent when the family ate together five or more times a week."
For more information on drug addiction rehabilitation, over the counter drug abuse, or drug education, call Narconon of Georgia at 1-877-413-3073. "Years ago, the main concern parent's had was that their teens might raid their liquor cabinet," states Mary Rieser, Ex... more -
Controlled drugs dumped uncontrolled into water
MINNEAPOLIS -- In a frustrating quirk in government policy, the most tightly controlled drugs _ like painkilling narcotics prone to abuse _ are the ones that most often elude environmental regulation when they become waste.
Federal narcotics regulators impose strict rules meant to keep controlled pharmaceuticals out of the wrong hands. Yet those rules also make these drugs nearly impossible to handle safely as waste, say hospital environmental administrators.
Many would like to send controlled substances to landfills or incinerators to keep them out of waterways as much as possible. Instead, they are nearly always dropped into sinks and toilets by hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.
The problem is huge, because more than 365 medicines are controlled by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration _ almost 12 percent of all prescriptions, the agency says. They include widely used narcotics, stimulants, depressants and steroids _ drugs like codeine, morphine, oxycodone, diazepam (often sold as Valium) and methylphenidate (often sold as Ritalin).
At Abbott Northwestern Hospital here, nurse Keri Osborne recently was opening a locked room at a spine surgery unit, where a machine must check her fingerprints before she pours unused controlled drugs into the sink.
"Back pain, so there's a lot of narcotics here," she explains. Much of the waste consists of liquid in syringes that aren't completely emptied when used to treat patients.
Though a leader in incinerating drug waste, this hospital still puts four gallons of controlled substances down the drain each year, says hazardous waste manager Steven Waderich.
It would be very expensive to do otherwise. "Managing controlled substances, the cost goes up just through the roof," he says.
In nearby Robbinsdale, North Memorial Medical Center pours 50 gallons of controlled substances into its drains annually rather than pay $25,000 to handle and haul it away for safer disposal, says regulated waste coordinator Jerry Fink.
Part of the cost is due to federal rules that state anyone who handles controlled substances, other than a user, must be certified as a police officer or registered with the DEA. That goes for pharmacists, distributors, even waste handlers.
State waste regulators take their cue from federal law and regulations.
Thus, typical assisted-living centers, which are not registered with the DEA, cannot collect unused controlled drugs of residents for offsite disposal.
Even the destruction of controlled drugs must be meticulously documented, so they aren't diverted to addicts. Medical facilities typically send a second staffer to bear witness when controlled substances are poured into sinks or toilets.
Many waste experts now want to rewrite the rules so a broader range of professionals can handle leftover controlled drugs. "And DEA _ truth be told _ has not been very cooperative and responsive in that regard," says waste consultant Catherine Zimmer at the University of Minnesota.
That could change. The DEA declined requests for an on-the-record interview, but in a statement, spokeswoman Rogene Waite said: "DEA is currently developing regulations to allow for the safe and effective destruction of controlled substances."
Ben Grumbles, the Environmental Protection Agency's water administrator, confirmed his agency has participated in these discussions. He would not provide details, but called the talks productive. MINNEAPOLIS -- In a frustrating quirk in government policy, the most tightly controlled drugs _ like painkilling narcotics prone to ab... more -
Tragic Comedy of the Drug War - Volume 1: Big Pharma
A collection of clips about prescription pharmaceuticals, marijuana, and the hypocrisy of the War on Drugs.
Featuring comedy from (in order of appearance) Chris Rock, Ed Helms, Bill Maher, Dave Reinitz, Marko Elgart, George Carlin, Doug Stanhope, Katt Williams, John Stewart, and more. A collection of clips about prescription pharmaceuticals, marijuana, and the hypocrisy of the War on Drugs. ... more -
Pill popping in Silicon Valley
The latest prescription drug craze isn’t haunting the halls of the nation’s high schools, but the corner offices of executive suites. Workers in professions where staying sharp and staying awake are the keys to success, are using drugs such as Ritalin, Provigil and beta blockers to keep their edge into the wee hours. Rumor of the use of the sleep drug Provigil in Silicon Valley was broken by blogger, Michael Arrington, whose article “How many Silicon Valley startup executives are hopped up on Provigil?” triggered a flood of commendations and condemnations of the practice. Medical ethicists worry bosses could coerce employees into using the drug to boost performance despite side effects and possible dependence. Way to set a good example, folks. The latest prescription drug craze isn’t haunting the halls of the nation’s high schools, but the corner offices of executive suites. ... more
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Valium makes a comeback during heroin shortage
The "mother's little helper" prescription pill popular among British suburban housewives in the 1960s and 1970s is back. This time, though, the little pills, aka diazepam, are being used by class A drug users as a cheap alternative to heroin.
According to the 2008 Druglink magazine street drug trends survey published today, the rise in popularity of diazepam in the last year "reflects a drop in the quality and availability of street heroin in some parts of the country." The crackdown on opium crops is having an effect on heroin supply, and apparently good quality heroin is harder to come by. The "mother's little helper" prescription pill popular among British suburban housewives in the 1960s and 1970s is back... more -
Legal Drugs Kill Far More Than Illegal, Florida Says
MIAMI — From “Scarface” to “Miami Vice,” Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a single narcotic: cocaine. But for Floridians, prescription drugs are increasingly a far more lethal habit.
An analysis of autopsies in 2007 released this week by the Florida Medical Examiners Commission found that the rate of deaths caused by prescription drugs was three times the rate of deaths caused by all illicit drugs combined.
Law enforcement officials said that the shift toward prescription-drug abuse, which began here about eight years ago, showed no sign of letting up and that the state must do more to control it.
“You have health care providers involved, you have doctor shoppers, and then there are crimes like robbing drug shipments,” said Jeff Beasley, a drug intelligence inspector for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which co-sponsored the study. “There is a multitude of ways to get these drugs, and that’s what makes things complicated.”[more] MIAMI — From “Scarface” to “Miami Vice,” Florida’s drug problem has been portrayed as the story of a single narcotic: cocaine. But for... more -
Is there a correlation between psychiatric drug use and school massacres?
In September 2005, following confirmation that Red Lake Indian Reservation school shooter, Jeff Weise, was under the influence of the antidepressant Prozac, the National Foundation of Women Legislators, together with American Indian tribal leaders, called for a Congressional investigation into the correlation between psychiatric drug use and school massacres.
Congress has yet to investigate the role of psychiatric drugs relating to school shootings despite international drug regulators warning these drugs can cause mania, psychosis, hallucinations, suicide and homicidal ideation.
At least eight of the recent school shooters were under the influence of such drugs, and according to media reports, investigators working on the Virginia Tech school shootings, Cho Seung-Hui may also have been taking drugs for "depression."
Filmmaker Michael Moore has also called for a federal investigation into school shooters and psychiatric drugs In September 2005, following confirmation that Red Lake Indian Reservation school shooter, Jeff Weise, was under the influence of the ... more -
6 people on diabetes drug fall ill; 2 die
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday reported that six people with type 2 diabetes, who were taking Amylin Pharmaceuticals' drug Byetta to control their blood sugar, developed a severe inflammation of the pancreas.
Two of the six people died.
Although the regulatory agency did not make a link between the drug and pancreatitis, investors sent shares of San Diego-based Amylin down more than 13 percent, or $4.45, to close at $29.76.
Analysts speculated that sales of Byetta, the company's lead product, could drop and Amylin could have a tougher time getting a once-weekly version of the drug approved for market.
Amylin, which markets Byetta in partnership with Eli Lilly & Co., pointed out that people with type 2 diabetes are at higher risk for pancreatitis than the general population.
“The proportion of cases reporting complications or fatal outcome is similar to that observed in the general population with pancreatitis,” Amylin said in a statement.
Nonetheless, the company said it would work with the FDA to “ensure that our Byetta product label continues to provide physicians and patients with information about the risk of pancreatitis.”
“In accordance with our strict internal processes, we continuously monitor and notify regulatory authorities of adverse events reported during the use of any of our drugs,” the company's statement said.
The FDA's note is the second in 10 months about people taking Byetta developing pancreatitis. In October 2007, the FDA said 30 patients who had been prescribed Byetta had reported less severe cases.
Byetta, on the market since 2005, is the top seller of Amylin's two diabetes drugs. Its sales rose 17 percent in the second quarter over the same quarter last year. Although analysts were initially skeptical about Byetta's appeal in the marketplace because it requires twice-a-day injections, the company has said more than 1 million people have been prescribed the drug.
And a once-a-week version of the drug is in development.
Since this long-acting version of the drug stays in the body longer after one dose and can't be “turned off” if pancreatitis develops, the FDA may have concerns about the condition when it considers the drug for approval, Tim Anderson, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. in New York, said in a note to investors.
But he said he still expects its approval in 2010 and U.S. sales of $1.5 billion by 2015.
A local diabetes expert said yesterday he is not convinced that Byetta played a role in the people developing pancreatitis.
“People who are type 2 diabetics have a high triglyceride level, a leading cause of pancreatitis,” said Steven Edelman, a doctor and professor of endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism internal medicine at the University of California San Diego Medical School.
Edelman said he has prescribed Byetta to hundreds of patients. Its advantage over other drugs is that it helps patients lose weight, he said. Other type 2 diabetes medications make patients gain weight, a problem in a disease linked to obesity.
Edelman further suggested that data from Byetta's clinical trial may even support the theory that it might prevent pancreatitis: of thousands of people who took Byetta in the clinical trial, three developed pancreatitis while six people taking a placebo developed pancreatitis.
“However, I think it is super important that the company and FDA monitor this thing closely to be sure,” Edelman said. The Food and Drug Administration yesterday reported that six people with type 2 diabetes, who were taking Amylin Pharmaceuticals'... more -
Medical marijuana: Can't smoke it, but FDA approved scientifically regulated ...
Medical marijuana already exists. It's called Marinol.
The FDA has not approved smoking marijuana for medicinal purposes, but has approved the active ingredient-THC-in the form of scientifically regulated Marinol.
A pharmaceutical product, Marinol, is widely available through prescription. It comes in the form of a pill and is also being studied by researchers for suitability via other delivery methods, such as an inhaler or patch. The active ingredient of Marinol is synthetic THC, which has been found to relieve the nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy for cancer patients and to assist with loss of appetite with AIDS patients.
Unlike smoked marijuana--which contains more than 400 different chemicals, including most of the hazardous chemicals found in tobacco smoke-Marinol has been studied and approved by the medical community and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the nation's watchdog over unsafe and harmful food and drug products. Since the passage of the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, any drug that is marketed in the United States must undergo rigorous scientific testing. The approval process mandated by this act ensures that claims of safety and therapeutic value are supported by clinical evidence and keeps unsafe, ineffective and dangerous drugs off the market.
There are no FDA-approved medications that are smoked. For one thing, smoking is generally a poor way to deliver medicine. It is difficult to administer safe, regulated dosages of medicines in smoked form. Secondly, the harmful chemicals and carcinogens that are byproducts of smoking create entirely new health problems. There are four times the level of tar in a marijuana cigarette, for example, than in a tobacco cigarette
The DEA recognizes the importance of listening to science. That's why the DEA has registered seven research initiatives to continue researching the effects of smoked marijuana as medicine. For example, under one program established by the State of California, researchers are studying the potential use of marijuana and its ingredients on conditions such as multiple sclerosis and pain. At this time, however, neither the medical community nor the scientific community has found sufficient data to conclude that smoked marijuana is the best approach to dealing with these important medical issues.
The most comprehensive, scientifically rigorous review of studies of smoked marijuana was conducted by the Institute of Medicine, an organization chartered by the National Academy of Sciences. In a report released in 1999, the Institute did not recommend the use of smoked marijuana, but did conclude that active ingredients in marijuana could be isolated and developed into a variety of pharmaceuticals, such as Marinol.
In the meantime, the DEA is working with pain management groups, such as Last Acts, to make sure that those who need access to safe, effective pain medication can get the best medication available. Medical marijuana already exists. It's called Marinol. ... more -
Sleepwalker McCain
I found this video on americandrugwar.com "We're all gonna die if McCain gets elected" ah...such a catchy tune.
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Teenagers’ Access to Drugs, Alcohol, Marijuana Easier Than Ever
The latest survey of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University should trigger sign alarms among parents, as it shows that more youngsters find it easier to get their hands on prescription drugs, much easier than acquiring a bottle of beer. Their percentage rises to 90 percent in contract with 13 percent last year.
The main source of drugs such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin and Ritalin is “the medicine cabinet,” (34 percent) according to Elizabeth Planet, director of special projects for CASA who coordinated the survey. However, “another source of these drugs is their friends.”
These prescription drugs are often detrimental to the brain of teenagers, which is still in the development stage (Vicodin). However, they may also cause accidents, sexual activities and pushes teenagers to addiction.
But this is not the only negative issue found by the survey. Almost 50 percent of the respondents said they leave their house on school nights to hang out with friends. Of those coming home after 8 p.m., 29 percent said they occasionally drink alcohol, smoke marijuana or use other drugs. Of those coming home after 10 p.m., 50 percent said they usually consume alcohol, marijuana and other drugs. Surprisingly was the fact that only 14 percent of the 312 parents surveyed said their kids usually leave the house on school nights.
“It’s inexcusable that so many parents fail to appropriately monitor their children. Problem parents are a big part of why so many teens smoke, drink, get drunk and abuse illegal and prescription drugs. When parents are not part of the solution, they become part of the problem,” Joseph A. Califano Jr., CASA’s chairman and former US Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare said about the findings.
He further encouraged families to have dinner as often as they can saying that 23 percent of teens who ate fewer than three dinners a week with their family had used marijuana, compared with 10 percent when the family ate together five times or more times a week.
Another worrisome finding of the survey was that many teenagers can easily obtain marijuana, with 23 percent saying they can buy it within an hour and 42 percent saying it would only take a day.
But things get even crazier when it comes to marijuana. Fifty percent of the teenagers said smoking marijuana is more common today than smoking cigarettes.
Given these findings, it seems like parenting is no easy task nowadays. But researchers involved in the survey said this is not an excuse for not being there when your kids need you. Sometimes, spending more time with them or even listening to what they’re saying is more than enough. Be open to your kids and try to make them realize what is dangerous to their health even if this requires rules they disapprove of. Surely, they will thank you later for being there when needed.
Moreover, CASA Web site, the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Youth Anti-Drug media campaign are offering a helping hand to all parents who feel like they’re overwhelmed.
The survey was based on the answers of 1,002 teenagers 12 to 17-year olds and 312 of their parents. The latest survey of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University should trigger sign alarms amo... more -
Save money on drugs; split them
Splitting pills makes perfect sense for seniors on fixed incomes because they can receive the same benefit for half the cost
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say no to the Mothers act!!!!!!
This act is supported by Obama
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Pharmies raise price of certain prescription drugs over 100%
That's quite a lot now ain't it?
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More honest Lipitor advertisment:"Caused permanent liver and kidney damage to...
834 Patient comments for the drug: LIPITOR in the Askapatient database.
The average rating for LIPITOR is 2.1 out of 5
MORE COMMENTS HERE:
http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20702&am......
LIPITOR PATIENT COMMENT 1
It brought my husband's chol. down from 310 to 175. He had to stop taking it because it has damaged his liver. He has an ultra sound scheduled for this month. I DO NOT recommend this medication.
LIPITOR PATIENT COMMENT 2
My doctor never even suggested diet first!
LIPITOR PATIENT COMMENT 3
Liver count went to over 600. Stopped taking & liver count went back to normal. Then I had a series of tests for pains across my midsection.Have Fatty strands in my Liver. Now I have Rheumatoid Arthtitis.I think it could be the result of taking Lipitor. Do not take - Watch your diet
LIPITOR PATIENT COMMENT 4.
.every joint in my body is in pain some times the muscle and joints in my angles hurt so much I cant walk in four years time I have gone from an active agile person to an artritic old woman I have to take codine/4 every night just so I can go to sleep. I quit taking this medication 3 months ago and still have not gotten any better. 834 Patient comments for the drug: LIPITOR in the Askapatient database. The average rating for LIPITOR is 2.1 out of 5 ... more -
Cancer Patients Denied Treatment
Patients with advanced kidney cancer are to be denied four life-extending treatments because the NHS says they are too expensive.
Withdrawing the drugs is 'an early death sentence'
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) has withdrawn the drugs, saying they are not a cost effective use of NHS resources.
Charities expressed outrage at the decision, saying it left patients only one treatment option - interferon - to which many do not respond.
Professor John Wagstaff, from the South Wales Cancer Institute, said there was "no point" in him accepting referrals for people with advanced kidney cancer as around 75% of them "do not gain any real benefit" from interferon.
Broadcaster James Whale, who lost a kidney to cancer in 2000, said the guidance would "mean an early death sentence for many" if it were not revised.
This is a reckless decision by people who have no idea of the consequences of what they are doing.
Broadcaster James Whales tells Sky News
The medicines do not cure the cancer but extend a person's life by a matter of months.
Patients already on the therapies should continue until they and their doctors consider it appropriate to stop, the guidance said.
Every year, up to 7,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with kidney cancer.
Professor Peter Littlejohns, clinical and public health director at Nice, said: "The decisions Nice has to make are some of the hardest in public life.
"NHS resources are not limitless and Nice has to decide what treatments represent best value to the patient as well as the NHS.
"Although these treatments are clinically effective, regrettably, the cost to
the NHS is such that they are not a cost-effective use of NHS resources."
Prof Littlejohns said there were no treatments that reliably cured advanced kidney cancer. Patients with advanced kidney cancer are to be denied four life-extending treatments because the NHS says they are too expensive. ... more -
Don't mix you RX drugs and booze!
"he mixing of street drugs and alcohol with prescription medications has contributed to a fivefold increase in the number of deaths ascribed to medication errors since the 1980s, according to a study.
The combination of a person taking medications at home with alcohol or street drugs, or with both, accounted for 17 percent of the fatal errors in 2004, up from 2.3 percent in 1983, according to a University of California, San Diego study that examined U.S. death certificates. The study was published today in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The rise in accidental deaths linked to medication errors has occurred as drug consumption has increasingly shifted to homes from hospitals and clinics, said David P. Phillips, the study's author and a professor of sociology at the university, in telephone interview today.
``More and more often the patient is put in charge of quality control rather than medical staff, and some patients aren't up to it,'' Phillips said. ``We haven't been sufficiently aware that some patients cannot follow directions as scrupulously as nurses or physicians.'' "he mixing of street drugs and alcohol with prescription medications has contributed to a fivefold increase in the number of deat... more -
Is the lady in your life a moody mare?Then dose her up with anti-depressants
Disturbing reports show that increasing numbers of women are being prescribed anti-depressants for PMS when they should be offered as a last resort, and may even be dangerous.
Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) affects up to one in three women, and symptoms can include feelings of hopelessness, irritability, mood swings, aggression, loss of confidence, poor concentration, tiredness, breast tenderness, headaches, cramps and a desperate longing for chocolate. Ok, not really a desperate longing for chocolate, but those who procure said chocolate will be richly rewarded, Im sure...
Seriously though, PMS can be so severe that it seriously affects people lives, at work, at home and with partners,
"When I'm asked to fill in a list of symptoms for PMS and I get to 'irritability' it makes me laugh," says Laura, 42. "When I have PMS I'm not irritable. I'm ready to kill someone. My last boyfriend said there was no way he could be with me because of my PMS. It makes me abusive. Nothing triggers it, I just wake up incredibly angry. Then when my period comes, it stops."
It's a serious health problem, and one that needs careful treatment and sensitive support, but where they should first be advising lifestyle changes (improving diet, exercising and reducing stress), therapies like CBT, and hormone treatments like the pill and patches, GPs are reaching right for their prescription pads and instead offering anti-depressants to legions of women.
Are we back to the days of simply medicating the mad woman in the attic? Why are doctors offering such drastic treatment without consideration of the other options first? Have you had decent treatment for PMS, or were you seen as just another crazy lady? Disturbing reports show that increasing numbers of women are being prescribed anti-depressants for PMS when they should be offered as ... more -
Drug Enforcement Administration To Propose Rule To Allow E-Prescribing Of Controll...
The Drug Enforcement Administration as early as next week plans to announce a proposed rule that would allow electronic prescribing of medications classified as controlled substances, according to an individual familiar with the situation, the Wall Street Journal reports. The rule, which would require a public comment period, likely will include security requirements to ensure the legitimacy of prescriptions for controlled substances, which account for about 10% to 13% of all U.S. prescriptions.
The rule would apply to "Schedule IV" medications -- such as the insomnia treatments Lunesta and Ambien, as well as the anti-anxiety medication Xanax -- and "Schedule V" medications, such as the pain treatment Lyrica. According to an individual familiar with the situation, the rule also would apply to "Schedule II" medications, the most restricted category, which includes the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treatments Concerta, Adderall and Ritalin and the pain medication OxyContin.
The rule, in conjunction with a Medicare bill that would encourage physicians to use e-prescribing, might "finally lead to widespread adoption" of the practice, as many physicians to date "have been reluctant to purchase the technology because of concerns including cost and DEA restrictions," the Journal reports. Fewer than 10% of U.S. physicians currently use e-prescribing (Fields/Wilde Mathews, Wall Street Journal, 6/20).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. The Drug Enforcement Administration as early as next week plans to announce a proposed rule that would allow electronic prescribing of... more
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Prescription Drugs
