Category Archives: General
Drug safety
FDA approves cell-based blood cancer therapy. The Wall Street Journal reports the FDA on Monday cleared a cell-based therapy for blood cancer from Johnson & Johnson for adults among whom other drugs have proven ineffective. The technology was first developed in China, and its US approval suggests a new path forward for drugmakers seeking… Read More »
Fall Downs Among Older Adults
As our population ages, the prevalence of falls among older adults is increasing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than one in four older adults report a fall each year. In 2020, 36,508 older adults aged 65 and older died from preventable falls, and over 2.8 million were treated… Read More »
Study finds health care workers file most COVID work comp claims
Health care workers have the greatest risk of developing COVID-19 infections according to a study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. In a recent study of work comp claims related to Covid,, 83% of the claims were from health care workers. (Business Insurance: 1/19/21
EEOC Say Bosses May Require Workers To Be Vaccinated
The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission issued a statement that employers can require workers to get a Covid-19 vaccine and bar the workers from the work place if they fail to get vaccinated. (USA Today)
Nursing Homes Cost Cutting Hurt Staff and Residents
Easing of rules at nursing homes that required a dedicated infection prevention expert is said to have exacerbated pandemic Cost-cutting measures at nursing homes across the U.S. exacerbated the pandemic. The piece suggested “there are strong indications that nursing homes aren’t just blameless victims and that the industry has, by lobbying against stricter federal… Read More »
Driverless Trucks Continue Their Momentum in Texas
Self-driving vehicle company TuSimple plans on establishing its autonomous truck hub in Fort Worth and may even send out driverless trucks without human safety operators onto routes as soon as next year.
Some physicians, nurses have concerns about receiving coronavirus vaccines that were developed, authorized so quickly
In a front-page article, the Washington Post (11/21) reported physicians and nurses “are expected to get top priority to receive vaccines that could become available as soon as next month,” but it’s unclear “how many will seize their place at the front of the line.” In response, “large health systems, medical societies and the… Read More »
Trump Administration finalizes requirement for insurers to disclose actual prices to consumers
The AP (10/29, Alonso-Zaldivar) reported the Trump Administration “finalized a requirement for insurers to tell consumers up front the actual prices for common tests and procedures.” The AP added that “a related Trump Administration price disclosure requirement applying to hospitals is facing a federal lawsuit from the industry, alleging coercion and interference with business practices.” The Hill (10/29, Weixel,… Read More »
Nursing Home Neglect – Department Fails to Investigate
A month after firing the state’s top nursing home regulator without explanation and disciplining another, the Illinois Department of Public Health acknowledged Friday that the agency did not investigate complaints of neglect and abuse for nearly 3½ months during the coronavirus pandemic. Chicago Tribune
Nursing homes represent more than 1 in 4 COVID-19 deaths
AP (June 18, 2020): Nursing home residents account for nearly 1 in 10 of all the coronavirus cases in the United States and more than a quarter of the deaths, according to an Associated Press analysis of government data released Thursday. As federal data collection becomes more robust, a clearer picture is emerging of… Read More »