News health 2008-05-21 Andanh.com

Reform in meat process Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
USDA to prevent slaughterers' use of 'downer' cattle

The government plans to close a loophole in meat inspection rules that led to the record recall of 143 million pounds of ground beef this year, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer said yesterday.

Erickson, hospitals to create patient information exchange Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
In a bid to improve treatment and reduce errors, Erickson Retirement Communities and three Baltimore-area hospital systems said yesterday that they plan to create a pioneering health information exchange that would give emergency room physicians quick access to patients' medication histories.

State to share in Vioxx accord Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Merck to pay out $58 million over television ads

Merck & Co. has agreed to pay $58 million to multiple states, including Maryland, to settle allegations that its ads for the once-popular painkiller Vioxx deceptively played down the health risks.

20 Md. hospitals are in federal ad campaign Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Twenty Maryland hospitals, including Johns Hopkins Bayview and the University of Maryland Medical Center, are featured in a print ad campaign by the federal government, which wants consumers to look at the hospitals' quality ratings.

Arundel health report card shows racial divide Wed, 21 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Anne Arundel County residents are better about getting seasonal flu vaccinations; having colorectal cancer screening; eating fruits and vegetables; and maintaining a smoke-free lifestyle than others in Maryland or nationwide, according to the Department of Health's 11th annual Report Card of Community Health Indicators.

Doctors move to limit gifts from drug firms Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Dr. Barry Meisenberg of the University of Maryland Medical School is among a growing number of doctors and researchers who have stopped taking money and gifts from medical companies. "The data show that we are being influenced, even by small gifts," says Meisenberg , who believes such gifts cloud medical judgment.

U.S. court: Paper money discriminates against blind Tue, 20 May 2008 19:26:00 -0400
Close your eyes, reach into your wallet and try to distinguish between a $1 bill and a $5 bill. Impossible? It's also discriminatory, a federal appeals court says.

Lyme disease more than doubles in state Tue, 20 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Reported cases of Lyme disease in Maryland doubled last year and more than tripled in Howard County, leading the county health officer to join state officials yesterday in warning citizens and recommending prevention measures.

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