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Sixteen States, DOJ Join Whistle-Blower Lawsuits Alleging Wyeth Defrauded Medicaid Programs
The U.S. Department of Justice and 16 states have joined two whistle-blower lawsuits filed in federal District Court in Massachusetts alleging that Wyeth defrauded the government by not offering the same discounts on two medications to Medicaid that it offered to hospitals, the Wall Street Journal reports. The lawsuits were initiated following a grand-jury investigation by the U.S. Attorney"s Office in Massachusetts (Johnson, Wall Street Journal, 5/19). The other states included in the lawsuits are California, Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Michigan, Nevada, New Hampshire, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia (Barrett, AP/Austin American-Statesman, 5/18).According to the lawsuits, Wyeth from 2000 to 2006 sold hospitals a bundled package called the Protonix Performance Agreement, which included its acid-reflux drugs Protonix Oral and Protonix IV. The suits allege that Wyeth gave hospitals up to a 94% discount for the oral version under the deal, with the understanding that when patients were released from hospitals they would be switched from the intravenous version of the drug to the oral version. According to the complaint, Wyeth hoped to gain an edge in a competitive market for acid-reflux pills by taking advantage of its standing as the only company offering an IV acid-reflux drug. The Journal reports that Wyeth charged hospitals $20 per vial for the IV version of Protonix and $3 for the oral version.Medicaid rules stipulate that the program is entitled to the lowest price on prescription drugs, and drugmakers are required to pay states rebates if they offer discounts to any other entities. The lawsuits state that Wyeth avoided paying hundreds of millions of dollars to state Medicaid programs because it did not offer the programs the same discounts or provide rebates (Wall Street Journal, 5/19).The lawsuits are seeking financial penalties against Wyeth of up to three times the amount lost by Medicaid. Assistant Attorney General Tony West said, "By offering massive discounts to hospitals, but then hiding that information from the Medicaid program, we believe Wyeth caused Medicaid programs throughout the country to pay much more for these drugs than they should have." Wyeth spokesperson Doug Petkus said that Wyeth "believes that its pricing calculations were correct and intends to defend itself vigorously in these actions" (AP/Austin American-Statesman, 5/18).
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GlaxoSmithKline Pledges $97M Investment In AIDS Drugs For Africa, Allows South African Drugmaker To Produce Generic Second-Line Treatment
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) on Tuesday announced plans to invest $97 million over 10 years "to improve research, development and access to AIDS drugs in Africa," Reuters reports. GSK also put forth "a new free voluntary licensing agreement for AIDS drug abacavir, or Ziagen with South African generic drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare." According to Reuters, Aspen will be able to "manufacture a cheaper generic version of the drug."
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Possible Genetic Link To Cause Of Pregnancy Loss And Disorders
Scientists at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) have published new findings about a cause of a condition at the root of genetic disorders such as Down Syndrome, pregnancy loss and infertility.
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Integrative Medicine Critical To Healthcare Reform - American College for Advancement in Medicine

The American College for Advancement in Medicine (ACAM) has released its position regarding HB 3200, the health care reform bill proposed by the Obama administration. While ACAM believes healthcare reform is vital and necessary for America, it is our position that integrative medicine principles be included to yield the desired result of creating a more efficient, wellness-centered approach to healthcare. ACAM believes that true healthcare reform comes from a shift in thought regarding individual attitudes toward health and wellness as well as a systematic overhaul of the conventional primary care model. To ensure the success of the healthcare reform initiative, ACAM believes that primary-care physicians must be given more time and res to devote to each patient; that government sponsored healthcare should include coverage for evidence-based integrative medicine treatments, and that individuals should be empowered with the tools, res and information necessary to live in wellness. Inclusion of these principles would ensure that preventable chronic diseases and conditions are reduced within the population and that individuals, in conjunction with physicians, are afforded the freedom to choose treatment options that are best suited to individual needs. Integrative medicine incorporates practical elements from wellness programs, nutrition, and alternatives to allopathic treatments with the best of conventional care. ACAM believes that an integrative-medicine based healthcare system would be most effective in creating true healthcare reform. By increasing the promotion, information dissemination, and awareness of preventive medicine and nutritional wellness programs, government healthcare spending would yield greater efficiency as lifestyle-related conditions decrease and quality of health in America increases. This win-win system not only reduces excess government spending on preventable conditions but allows everyone as a nation to thrive. American College for Advancement in Medicine


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