A judge just invalidated the patents on two human genes whose mutations have been linked to breast and ovarian cancer. The genes were isolated by a biotech firm called Myriad Genetics, which argued that because it figured out how to isolate the genes outside of the human body then they were patentable. The judge called that “a ‘lawyer’s trick’ that circumvents the prohibition on the direct patenting of the DNA in our bodies.” The company sells a $3,000 cancer screening kit and has maintained a monopoly on the test because of the patents. [More]
health
Sorry, No Jet Lag Drug For You
By 3.30.10
The FDA has declined to approve an application for use of an alertness drug, Nuvigil, to treat jet lag. [More]
Keep Your Hands On Your Urine If You Go To LabCorp
By 3.29.10
Mike was sent to LabCorp for some routine medical tests last week, and what he found was an understaffed, overcrowded dump where patients were arguing that their urine samples were missing, or in one instance stolen while the patient watched. This could just be one badly managed lab, but the Internet is swimming in LabCorp complaints around the country that all repeat the same problems. [More]
How To Find Affordable Therapy
By 3.24.10
I know of two great ways to deal with issues in one’s life: drinking heavily, or seeing a therapist. I’ve tried both, and I have to say that the therapy route is more efficient, because if done correctly it can help you figure out why you do what you do, so that you can properly enjoy your liquor without all the tears.
The problem is that therapy sounds expensive, but there are actually affordable options out there if you know where to look. Here are some tips.
Interactive Chart Helps You Vet Health Supplements
By 3.23.10
Are you tired of forgetting whether you should add creatine or cinnamon to your kale smoothie? Do you worry that the milk thistle you’ve rubbed on your genitals isn’t helping? The “Snake Oil?” graphic at informationisbeautiful.net can help you out–it provides a graphical overview of 166 different health supplements and arranges them according to how much evidence there is that they actually work. [More]
Insurance Company Intentionally Targeted, Dropped HIV Patients
By 3.17.10
If you’re not familiar with the concept of rescission, it’s a lovely business practice of health insurance companies in which they examine patients records to find a reason to “rescind” coverage after finding out that a customer has a life-threatening illness. This saves them money. That’s not news. What is news is that according to new documents revealed in a court case, one insurer “Fortis” (now known as Assurant Health) specifically targeted people who were newly diagnosed with HIV. [More]
Publix Giving Away Free Diabetes Drug
By 3.16.10
Publix wants people with diabetes to become their longterm customers, so they’re giving away 30-day supplies of generic metformin in 500 mg, 800 mg, and 1000 mg dosages, with unlimited refills. Although Publix would love it if you subsequently get all your prescriptions filled there, it’s not a requirement for the free drug. [More]
CDC And Celebrity Cruises Can't Figure Out Why Passengers Keep Getting Sick
By 3.16.10
Remember the diarrhea nightmare vessel that sickened 450 passengers a few weeks back? Once it got back home, Celebrity Cruises delayed the next trip by a day so that it could perform a “full cleaning.” It didn’t help much, though: CNN says that about 10% of passengers on the next sailing got sick, and about 19% of passengers on the current sailing are now sick. [More]
Ask The Administration Your Health Reform Questions
By 3.12.10
Consumer Reports is going to the White House to ask them what’s up with health reform, and they need your questions press to them. The Health Blog is going to interview Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, the crackerjack former state insurance commissioner of Kansas. What does health reform mean? How much will it cost? Are we going to get savings or will private doctors get run out of business? Leave your questions in the comments here or over on the Consumer Reports Health Blog or email it to tips@consumerist.com, subject “health reform.”
Ask a top administration official your questions about health reform [Consumer Reports Health Blog]
How Bags Of Oranges Costs More Than Coke
By 3.12.10
This is also why you’re fat. A graph of inflation-adjusted data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows how the prices of different food and beverages has changed over the past three decades. The price of crap food over the past 30 years has dropped. At the same time, the food you used to try to hide in your glass of milk has gotten steadily more expensive. No wonder the average man in his 60’s is 25 lbs heavier than he was in the late 70’s. Hey, govmnt, how about shifting some of those corn and soybean subsidies over to produce growers? [More]
Kroger Band-Aid Causes Flesh Wound
By 3.12.10
Band-Aids are supposed to heal wounds, not cause them. But Derek’s run-in with a Kroger brand Band-Aid left him bloodier than when he started. [More]
Fat Is A Flavor
By 3.11.10
Australian researchers have confirmed what any McDonald’s lover already knows instinctively: fat is a flavor. [More]
Making The Most Of Medical Expense Tax Deductions
By 3.10.10
Kiplinger has advice on on how to maximize your medical expense deductions at tax time. You can only deduct out-of-pocket expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, so you should try to bundle medical procedures in the same year if possible. [More]
Zero Nutritional Difference Between Campbell's "Healthy" Tomato Soups And Regular, Just Higher Price
By 3.5.10
A new ABC7 investigation shows Campbell’s “Healthy Request” and “Low Sodium” tomato soups contain the same nutrients and exact same amount of sodium as regular tomato soups, but they cost more. “Eek! Waiter! There’s a scam in my soup!” [More]
Why A Salad Costs More Than A Big Mac
By 3.4.10
This is why you’re fat.
Health vs. Pork: Congress Debates the Farm Bill [Good Medicine]
Economist Dan Ariely Sad He Can't Use Airborne For Placebo Effect Anymore
By 3.1.10
Everybody needs a good placebo to get them through the day. For Behavioral economist and Predictably Irrational author Dan Ariely, it used to be Airborne. Even though he was mainly sure it didn’t work, that faint glimmer was enough to keep him taking it and cold-free. Then he read new studies that said it was totally placebo. His placebo stopped working thereafter. Luckily, his mom has sent him a new placebo! And he feels right as rain. What’s your favorite placebo? [via BoingBoing] [More]
Please Donate Blood Despite The Fact That You Are Covered In Snow
By 2.26.10
The New York Blood Center just sent out a notice asking people to donate blood despite the nasty weather — because people still have surgery and whatnot even when it snows. Apparently, drives have been cancelled and people have been staying away because of the awful weather and the shelf life of platelets is only 5 days. So, if you’re in a place that has been having nasty weather, why not call your local blood bank and help them out? [More]
39% Of Bagged Salad Is Gross, Some Has Poop
By 2.25.10
As we told you earlier this month, sister pub Consumer Reports tested 208 bagged salads and found 39% had excessive bacteria, including fecal contamination. That means there’s poop in the greens. And now there’s something you can do about it. [More]
