Uninsured RX

Praxis, a company specializing in centralized patient recruitment for clinical research studies, recently provided patient recruitment services to a major pharmaceutical company for a study to test an investigational medication for a women's health indication. The recruitment program saved over 13 months off the enrollment period and delivered a 370% return on investment for the sponsor. Praxis' centralized recruitment program directly delivered 58% of all patients randomized into the study.

Aerocrine AB (STO:AEROB) announced that its handheld airway inflammation monitor, NIOX MINO®, has been registered for marketing and sale in China. Aerocrine's method of measuring airway inflammation, using exhaled nitric oxide (NO) tests, has also been incorporated into China's national guidelines for asthma management. Tests for airway inflammation have received a reimbursement code.

A bipartisan group of five senators has written a letter asking Senate leaders to oppose a House-approved bill (HR 6331) to delay implementation of the Medicare competitive bidding program for durable medical equipment, CQ HealthBeat reports. The letter -- addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.

Inadequate funding to the annual budget for the Indian Health Service's Contract Health Service program is restricting access to essential health care services for American Indian patients, lawmakers and witnesses said on Thursday at a Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing, CQ HealthBeat reports.

The Senate on Thursday voted 92-6 to approve a supplemental war funding package that includes a domestic spending amendment that would delay the implementation of six new Bush administration Medicaid regulations, CongressDaily reports. President Bush is expected to sign the measure, which passed the House last week. The supplemental package is made up of two amendments -- the first of which provides about $162 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Moving Away From Employer-Based Coverage: Don't Forget Public Opinion,"

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a $153.1 billion spending bill that would fund the Labor, HHS and Education departments for fiscal year 2009, CQ Today reports. Committee members voted 26-3 to approve the bill (Wayne, CQ Today, 6/27).The bill includes a 25% reduction in funding for community-based abstinence-only education programs to $84.8 million for FY 2009.

The Senate on Thursday voted 92-6 to approve a $257.5 billion supplemental war appropriations bill (HR 2642) with a provision that would delay for one year six new Medicaid regulations proposed by the Bush administration, CongressDaily reports (Sanchez, CongressDaily, 6/27). The House

OBS Medical's predictive patient safety technology, Visensia®, was the focus of a large study and peer-reviewed paper that was published in the June 23rd issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, published by the American Medical Association. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) conducted this independent evaluation and published "Defining the Incidence of Cardiorespiratory Instability in Patients in Step-down Units Using an Electronic Integrated Monitoring System.

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.