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While the avenue to broader access to emergency contraception (EC) has hit a roadblock with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)s initial rejection of over-the-counter (OTC) status for the levonorgestrel-only drug Plan B, the drugs manufacturer is eyeing two alternative approaches for seeking OTC approval of the drug.
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Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette (PPCW) in Portland, OR, is using its Internet site, www.ppcw.org, to provide birth control pills, the Ortho Evra contraceptive patch (Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Raritan, NJ), and the NuvaRing contraceptive vaginal ring (Organon, West Orange, NJ) to women across the state. The pilot Contraception Online program, the first of its kind among Planned Parenthood of America affiliates, is allowing women to undergo an on-line assessment and place orders for these three forms of birth control without having to visit a providers office.
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What is the role of estrogen in protecting post-menopausal womens hearts? While recent research indicates that the hormone may not benefit cardiovascular health in older women,1-3 a group of privately funded researchers is re-examining the role of the hormone in women ages 40-55.
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With the growing popularity of a new approach to sterilization in the form of the Essure device (Conceptus, San Carlos, CA), family planning providers need to update their counseling information in presenting the option to women considering permanent contraception.
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While family planning clinicians counsel on the permanency of vasectomy, more men are seeking reversals of the sterilization method. In the United States, approximately 500,000 vasectomies are performed each year. It is estimated that up to 6% of men who undergo voluntary sterilization eventually will request reversal.
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Jury awards for medical malpractice have remained level for the past three years, according to an analysis released recently by Jury Verdict Research, a company in Horsham, PA, that maintains a national database of verdicts and settlements.
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News: A newborn boy exhibited extremely low blood-sugar levels and was diagnosed with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Neither a CT scan nor an MRI were ordered, and the baby was discharged within 24 hours of his birth. Three days later, the parents realized something was wrong with their child. A CT scan and MRI showed that the baby had intercranial bleeding and brain damage.
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The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI), which advises the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) on issues related to administrative simplification under HIPAA, says the agency should show continued patience as covered entities continue to make progress in implementation of the HIPAA transactions and code sets (TCS) requirements.
