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Government mediation on price of medications

28 Jun 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"Your abundance at the present time should supply their needs," the apostle Paul exhorts the church at Corinth in the second reading this Sunday. Applying a similar principle, the Obama administration on Monday announced that the pharmaceutical industry had pledged about $80 billion over the next decade to help close a gap in Medicare drug coverage and reduce costs for senior citizens. The move on Medicare will help correct an anomaly in the prescription drug benefit available through the government health care program for the elderly and disabled. The drug companies will pay part of the cost of brand-name drugs for lower- and middle-income older people in the "doughnut hole," a feature of the current program that requires beneficiaries to pay the entire cost of prescriptions after initial coverage is exhausted but before catastrophic coverage begins. On a parallel track, the White House and U.S. Senate Democrats have been holding private, separate talks with representatives of doctors, hospitals, insurers, and medical device manufacturers in hopes of finding specific savings those groups would be willing to produce. None of those negotiations have yet to yield an agreement. Source: An article by Jennifer Loven for the Associated Press

medicare pharmaceutical companies obama administration medications prescription drug benefit doughnut hole

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Pushers push back in Mexico’s drug war

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday's reading from the Book of Jeremiah, the Lord warns bad shepherds he will punish their evil deeds. Mexican President Felipe Calderon's efforts to capture and punish drug dealers for their deeds is leading to increased militarization in troubled regions and concern among human rights observers. Calderon launched the military offensive 10 days after assuming office in December 2006, saying it was necessary to restore government authority in parts of the country. But the longer and harder the war is prosecuted, say observers, the more complex and daunting it becomes. Recent setbacks such as prison breakouts, kidnappings, and killings of federal officials have led to questions about whether Calderon was prepared for the breadth and depth of the problem. By disrupting the cartels' operations, the offensive intensified turf struggles among the traffickers. About 11,000 people, some of them bystanders, have died in the violence. "They hit a wasp nest, and the wasps are stinging," said Jose Luis Pineyro, an expert on national security at Mexico City's Autonomous Metropolitan University. "There definitely wasn't a well-structured plan to know what kind of threat they were confronting." Government forces have scored victories, almost all credited to the military: They've arrested more than 66,000 suspects, seized tons of cocaine and marijuana, and intercepted guns, grenades, airplanes, and even drug-laden, submarine-like vessels. But every success is offset quickly by a fresh surge of violence. Critics also worry that the military's expanded role could undermine the country's fragile democracy. Others fear that the military, one of Mexico's most respected institutions, will fall prey to the corruption that has corroded so many police departments and local governments. Source: Articles by Ken Ellingwood and Tracy Wilkinson for the Los Angeles Times and Gusavo Ruiz for Associated Press

Violence corruption mexico felipe calderon drug war drug dealers jose luis pineyro

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Pushers push back in Mexico’s drug war

19 Jul 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In this Sunday's reading from the Book of Jeremiah, the Lord warns bad shepherds he will punish their evil deeds. Mexican President Felipe Calderon's efforts to capture and punish drug dealers for their deeds is leading to increased militarization in troubled regions and concern among human rights observers. Calderon launched the military offensive 10 days after assuming office in December 2006, saying it was necessary to restore government authority in parts of the country. But the longer and harder the war is prosecuted, say observers, the more complex and daunting it becomes. Recent setbacks such as prison breakouts, kidnappings, and killings of federal officials have led to questions about whether Calderon was prepared for the breadth and depth of the problem. By disrupting the cartels' operations, the offensive intensified turf struggles among the traffickers. About 11,000 people, some of them bystanders, have died in the violence. "They hit a wasp nest, and the wasps are stinging," said Jose Luis Pineyro, an expert on national security at Mexico City's Autonomous Metropolitan University. "There definitely wasn't a well-structured plan to know what kind of threat they were confronting." Government forces have scored victories, almost all credited to the military: They've arrested more than 66,000 suspects, seized tons of cocaine and marijuana, and intercepted guns, grenades, airplanes, and even drug-laden, submarine-like vessels. But every success is offset quickly by a fresh surge of violence. Critics also worry that the military's expanded role could undermine the country's fragile democracy. Others fear that the military, one of Mexico's most respected institutions, will fall prey to the corruption that has corroded so many police departments and local governments. Source: Articles by Ken Ellingwood and Tracy Wilkinson for the Los Angeles Times and Gusavo Ruiz for Associated Press

Violence corruption mexico felipe calderon drug war drug dealers jose luis pineyro

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Neighborly disagreement at NAFTA-partner summit

16 Aug 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In the reading from the Book of Proverbs this Sunday, Wisdom encourages us to "advance in the way of understanding." Hoping to do the same, leaders of Canada, the United States, and Mexico met in Guadalajara, Mexico this week for their fourth annual summit, an effort to bring the signers of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) closer together. But the meeting also served to highlight differences on issues such as migration and drug trafficking. President Barack Obama said at the conclusion of the summit Monday that his administration will seek a comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. immigration system this year but that no action on legislation will happen before 2010. The issue of immigration has also generated controversy between Canada and Mexico. Canada announced last month it would begin requiring Mexican citizens to secure visas before entering the country, a decision that angered many in Mexico. The Canadian government claimed too many Mexicans are fraudulently claiming political asylum in Canada, overwhelming the system. The Mexican government struck back with an announcement that Canadian diplomats and government officials would now be required to obtain visas to enter Mexico. Mexico also raised a trade dispute that began when the U.S. Congress canceled a program, in violation of NAFTA, that allowed Mexican trucks to operate in the United States. Mexico responded by imposing billions of dollars in tariffs on American products. Another sore point is the "buy American" clause in the Obama administration's economic stimulus plan, which both Canada and Mexico oppose. There is also some discord on the issue of combating Mexico's drug violence. The American aid package for Mexico says that 15 percent of the funds can be disbursed only if the U.S. State Department decides that the Mexican government meets certain human rights conditions. Recently reports of abuse have emerged. Mexican President Felipe Calderón's government has characterized any abuses as isolated. And aides to Obama said he strongly favors releasing the aid. Source: Articles by Cheryl W. Thompson and William Booth for the Washington Post and Ginger Thompson and Marc Lacey for the New York Times

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Trusted truckers step out of line at the border

29 Nov 2009 - Preaching the News for Sunday

"Be vigilant at all times," Jesus counsels his disciples in this Sunday's gospel. Guards at the U.S.-Mexico border vigilantly search for contraband but worry that a program that offers trusted trucking companies speedy passage across U.S. borders is being hijacked by Mexican drug smugglers. Large shipments of illegal drugs have been discovered in recent months. Most trucks enrolled in the program pause at the border for only 20 seconds before entering the United States. And nine out of ten of them do so without anyone looking at their cargo. But among the small fraction of trucks that are inspected, authorities have found multiple loads of contraband, including nearly 13 tons of marijuana seized in a three-week period last spring. Some experts now question whether the program makes sense in an environment where drug traffickers are willing to do almost anything to smuggle their shipments into the U.S. The trusted-shipper system "just tells the bad guys who to target," said Dave McIntyre, former director of the Integrative Center for Homeland Security at Texas A&M University. The government keeps the list of participants hidden, citing national security and trade secrets. But some of the 9,500 companies who are part of the system advertise their membership to drum up business, making them targets for smugglers who can then threaten drivers or offer them bribes. More than half of all U.S. imports now come from companies in the program, called the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, or C-TPAT. Mexican trucking companies make up only 6 percent of global membership in the system but they account for half of its 71 security violations during the past two years. Stephen Flynn, senior fellow for Counterterrorism and National Security Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said truckers do not feel safe rejecting bribes, no matter what agreements their companies have made with the U.S. government. "The basic vulnerability for a truck driver remains the 'plata-or-plomo' dilemma," Flynn said, using Spanish shorthand for taking a bribe or a bullet. Source: An article by Christopher Sherman for the Associated Press

united states c-tpat customs-trade partnership against terrorism trusted-shipper dave mcintyre trucking contraband us-mexico border smuggling drug trafficking mexico stephen flynn

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Food safety gets a boost

05 Dec 2010 - Preaching the News for Sunday

The Sunday reading from the Book of Isaiah promises that the long-awaited redeemer who will come from the lineage of Jesse will judge wisely and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. The desire for right judgment is behind the U.S. Senate’s long-awaited legislation on Tuesday giving the FDA greatly increased powers to judge whether food is safe for consumption, welcome news for anyone afflicted by food poisoning. The redeemer will not judge by mere hearsay or appearance, the prophet assures the people in this Sunday’s reading. Outdated food safety procedures, however, involve little more than “scratch and sniff inspections,” says one observer. The new bill requires more rigorous scientific testing of food and places greater responsibility on manufacturers and farmers to prevent contamination--a departure from the current system which relies on government inspectors to catch contamination after the fact. The bill also sets standards for imported foods. Public health experts say that provision is urgently needed given the increase in imported foods. The FDA currently inspects only about one percent of imported food products. The legislation was initiated following a recent spate of outbreaks of food poisoning involving products as varied as eggs, peanuts, and spinach in which thousands of people became sick and more than a dozen died. Food illnesses affect one in four Americans and kill 5,000 of them each year, according to government statistics. Despite unusual bipartisan support on Capitol Hill and a strong push from the Obama administration, the bill could still die because there might not be enough time for the usual haggling between the Senate and the House, which passed its own version last year. Source: Articles by Gardiner Harris and William Neuman for the New York Times, Lyndsey Layton for the Washington Post, and Chuck Jolley for CattleNetwork.com

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Can “super drug” do double-duty?

08 May 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

In the first reading this Sunday from the Acts of the Apostles, Saint Peter reminds the people that Jesus was commended to them by God “with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs.” In recent decades medical science has accomplished a few mighty deeds and wonders of its own. Now studies suggest a new “super drug” could end up fighting both HIV and malaria, which together kill nearly 3 million people annually. HIV “protease inhibitors” are drugs designed to prevent HIV from constructing its proteins correctly and have been used widely in HIV treatment the past decade. “They have completely changed the face of HIV treatment in recent years. People who take these drugs don't die of AIDS anymore," said Photini Sinnis, head of the Medical Parasitology Laboratory at the New York University Langone Medical Center. Over the past few years, however, research groups, including Sinnis', have noticed a surprising positive side effect of the HIV-specific protease inhibitors: "We're finding that the drugs have anti-malaria properties," Sinnis said. Researchers believe that HIV protease inhibitors shut down protease present in the malaria parasite just as they do to protease in HIV. No human trials have been conducted yet, but initial positive results in mice have HIV researchers advocating the exclusive use of protease inhibitors for HIV treatment in Africa. "In Africa, where HIV and malaria overlap a lot, the HIV drugs we use should be the protease inhibitors," Sinnis said. "Then they would have the added benefit of inhibiting malaria infection." At the moment, protease inhibitors are more toxic than many of the drugs used to combat malaria by itself and so wouldn't be given to a person only to treat malaria. But if protease inhibitors can be adjusted to be less toxic, they could be viable as stand-alone malaria medicine. And if that happens it will be a welcome weapon against the disease. Because malaria rapidly evolves immunity to anti-malaria drugs, new ones are desperately needed. Source: An article by Natalie Wolchover for LiveScience

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Colorado farm’s cantaloupe can’t be trusted

02 Oct 2011 - Preaching the News for Sunday

There is trouble in the vineyard of the Lord in this Sunday’s readings. The gospel’s vineyard owner faces a workers’ revolt, while the reading from the Book of Isaiah asks why a carefully cultivated vineyard brings forth only wild grapes. A deadly outbreak of listeriosis linked to a cantaloupe farm has health officials asking what went wrong in the harvesting process on a Colorado farm. So far at least 13 people have died and 72 people have been infected in 18 states. "This is the deadliest outbreak of a food-borne disease that we've indentified in more than a decade," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The outbreak has been tentatively traced to Jensen Farm in Holly, Colorado. The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said consumers who have cantaloupes produced there should throw them out. If they are not sure where the fruit is from, they shouldn’t eat it. Government investigators are continuing to search for the root cause of the outbreak, examining the possibility of animal or water contamination as well as the Jensen farm's harvesting practices. In the meantime the number of people sickened is expected to rise because it can take up to two months for those infected with the bacteria to develop listeriosis. "We do anticipate there will be a rising number of cases in the days and weeks to come," Frieden said. Listeria generally only sickens the elderly, pregnant women, and others with compromised immune systems. The CDC said the median age of those made ill is 78 and that 1 in 5 who contract the disease can die from it. Symptoms include fever and muscle aches, often with other gastrointestinal symptoms. There are four different listeria strains associated with the cantaloupe outbreak, something the FDA considers unusual. "The reasons for that are under investigation," said FDA senior advisor Dr. Sherri McGarry. The FDA said the latest outbreak is yet another reason to fully implement the Food Safety Modernization Act. The act was signed into law on January 4, but when the FDA’s budget was slashed by the U.S. House of Representatives, it became unclear how the agency would pay for a new, modernized food safety inspection process. Sources: Articles by Christina Caron for ABC News and the Associated Press

centers for disease control canteloupes listeria sherri mcgarry jensen farm colorado thomas frieden fda food and drug adminstration food safety cdc food safety modernization act

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Claims of caffeine inhaler’s safety: Too much to swallow?

11 Mar 2012 - Preaching the News for Sunday

“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom,” Saint Paul tells the Christian community at Corinth in this Sunday’s second reading. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is demanding signs from the makers of AeroShot, a new caffeine “inhaler,” that their product is safe to use and based on a wise medical evaluation. The agency also accused the manufacturer of including misleading signs about safe use in its publicity. On their website, AeroShot maker Breathable Foods says their product delivers a "unique blend of 100 mg of caffeine and B vitamins in about 4-6 puffs" and is designed to provide "breathable energy, anytime, anyplace." The product comes in a container about the size of a lipstick container which the user inserts and puffs into the mouth. The FDA said one of the reasons the product labeling is "false or misleading" is because the company's promotional material describes two contradictory ways to use it: One way says it is intended to be ingested by swallowing, the other that it is designed to be inhaled. "A product cannot be intended for both inhalation and ingestion because the functioning of the epiglottis in the throat keeps the processes of inhaling and swallowing separate," said the FDA. Another objection, on safety grounds, is to the use of statements such as "breathable energy," which may confuse consumers into thinking the product should be inhaled into the lungs. "Caffeine is not normally inhaled into the lungs and the safety of doing so has not been well studied," the FDA said. Although the company claims on its website that the product is backed by decades of research, it does not actually refer to any, said the FDA. The agency has instructed the company to correct the violations detailed in the warning letter and come up with references to the research it has cited so the agency can evaluate it. They have 15 days to respond with a plan of how they will comply. Source: An article by Catharine Paddock, Ph.D. for Medical News Today

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