Who hasn't experienced that sinking feeling during a visit to the pharmacy , or the face-reddening trauma of a teenage trip to the dermatologist ? If a new law is successful, those excruciating moments are a thing of the past. As of April 14th, we're all protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act — a law designed to shield medical information from the prying eyes of individuals and companies. It sounds like a ...

President Obama has declared a national emergency to deal with the "rapid increase in illness" from the H1N1 influenza virus.The officials didn't want their names used because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Obama's action allows Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements" to help health care facilities enact emergency plans to deal with the pandemic. Those requirements are contained in Medicare, Medicaid and state Children's Health Insurance programs, and ...

Katherine Jackson's battle for control of her pop star son's estate is about to take a "new direction" based on "new evidence" uncovered by the family, a Jackson family lawyer said.The officials didn't want their names used because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Obama's action allows Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements" to help health care facilities enact emergency plans to deal with the pandemic. Those requirements are ...

A major earthquake vibrated deep in Indonesia's Banda Sea on Saturday night, but the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center predicted the quake would not be destructive.The officials didn't want their names used because they were not authorized to speak on the record. Obama's action allows Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius "to temporarily waive or modify certain requirements" to help health care facilities enact emergency plans to deal with the pandemic. Those requirements are contained in Medicare, Medicaid and state ...


Food Safety: Improvements Needed in FDA Oversight of Fresh Produce
By the U.S. Government Accountability Office
71 pp.
 The Gist:
 
Amid increasing reports of food-borne illness, the GAO is calling out the Food and Drug Administration for failing in its duty to ensure the safety of the nation's food, particularly its fresh fruits and vegetables. Thousands of people have been sickened; the produce industry has lost millions of dollars. After studying farms and facilities and reviewing the FDA's practices for preventing contamination, ...