Pressing Issues in Health Care
Q: What’s the difference between comparative medicine and traditional laboratory animal research?
A: Traditional laboratory medicine typically creates models of human disease in animals. But another important source of knowledge comes from the hundreds of billions of animals in the wild, on farms and in our homes who sometimes get sick, just as we do.
The Merger Push
Hospitals are bulking up again, using acquisitions to try to become more efficient. But will consolidation improve care, or hurt it?
Using Baby's Blood
Storing newborns' blood for research creates a valuable resource—but some parents are trying to put a stop to the practice.
Data Sharing: The New Gene Pool
Sage Bionetworks, a nonprofit research organization, encourages collaboration and the exchange of ideas among scientists.
Larry Summers: The Case for Research
Economist Larry Summers argues that, despite the need to limit government spending overall, health research must remain a top priority.
Avian Flu: Playing Chicken
New avian flu work has sparked debate among researchers and security experts.
Protecting Children’s Hearts
A cholesterol test for 10-year-olds could show early signs of cardiovascular disease, yet critics foresee unnecessary treatment.
A Premium on Gender
Insurers attribute higher premiums for women than men of the same age because of the increased cost of women’s care.
Why Drugs Run Out
According to data compiled by the University of Utah Drug Information Service, these are the most common reasons for drug shortages.
Drug Distributors: On The Gray Market
Though pharmaceutical products are tightly regulated, distributors aren’t, and that has led to a netherworld of dealers ready to exploit—or create—drug shortages.
With the aid of the internet and supercomputers, a virtual version of this procedure may reduce incidences of colorectal cancer.
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green chemistry [grēn 'ke-mə-strē] n: the design of chemical products and processes that reduces the use or generation of hazardous substances, a move pharmaceutical companies are finding can save them millions.
