Sarah Latson covers topics including medical education and research for MedCity News. She is a lecturer in journalism at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s College at Florham in Madison, N.J. Previously, she worked as a medical reporter at The Plain Dealer.
Sarah has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree in history from Colgate University.
The H1N1 flu vaccine is not yet available, but federal officials already are planning a public-relations response to the deaths and illnesses that inevitably will be reported, according to The New York Times. The officials are figuring out how best to reassure people that the vaccine is not necessarily responsible for events such as heart attacks, strokes, seizures or miscarriages.
For the first time, an AIDS vaccine shows some promise. The vaccine, tested on more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand, protected "a significant minority" against infection, The New York Times reported. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, which was involved in the study, said the vaccine was 31 percent effective.
At the Abarca Forward conference earlier this year, George Van Antwerp, managing director at Deloitte, discussed how social determinants of health and a personalized member experience can improve medication adherence and health outcomes.
The question of how much charity care a nonprofit hospital should provide was the basis for "spirited" arguments before the Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday, The Chicago Tribune reported. The state attorney general's office maintained that when a hospital's charity care is less than 1 percent of its revenue, it does not deserve a property tax exemption. The case involves Provena Covenant Medical Center in Urbana.
The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday began its work on a revised version of the health care reform bill proposed last week by its chairman. Sen. Max Baucus, a Montana Democrat, said in a statement that he modified his proposal to incorporate ideas from both Democrats and Republicans, to make it more affordable for low- and middle-income Americans and to ensure it reduces the federal deficit.
President Barack Obama has held up the Mayo Clinic – with its high-quality care and low costs – as an example for health systems throughout the country, but some experts aren't convinced it's the right model, according to The Washington Post.
From 2000 to 2009, family health care premiums in Ohio rose about seven times faster than workers' earnings. A report released Thursday notes that the average annual health insurance premium rose from $6,596 to $12,145 – an increase of 84.1 percent. Meanwhile, median earnings rose from $25,017 to $27,936 – an increase of just 11.7 percent.
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Ohio voters are split down the middle in their support of President Barack Obama's health care reform plan, according to a poll released Wednesday by Quinnipiac University in Connecticut.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved four vaccines to guard against the H1N1 flu virus – and there will be enough doses to go around. The federal government has ordered 195 million doses but may order more if necessary.
The first swine flu shots may be available by the first week of October, as opposed to the middle of the month, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told ABC on Sunday. Early doses of the vaccine are intended for health care workers and other high-priority groups.
The percentage of Americans without health insurance remained steady at 15.4 percent in 2008, even as the actual number of people without coverage rose from 45.7 million in 2007 to 46.3 million, according to a report released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
This eBook, in collaboration with Care Logistics, details how hospitals and health systems can facilitate more effective decision-making by operationalizing elevated awareness.
In a speech punctuated by applause and even heckling, President Barack Obama on Wednesday presented a detailed outline of a plan for health-care reform to a joint session of Congress. Obama said his plan would provide more security and stability to Americans who already have insurance, as well as cover those who do not. It is estimated to cost about $900 billion over 10 years. Following a period of explosive public meetings on health care, reactions to the plan were divided along party lines.
President Barack Obama told ABC News that the speech he is scheduled to deliver tonight will offer "a lot of clarity" about his vision for health-care reform. While noting that "we do intend to get something done this year," Obama said that his administration is "open to new ideas." The president is expected to address a joint session of Congress at 8 p.m.
When President Barack Obama discusses health-care reform during a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, he will offer specifics about the plan he favors. Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday that the prime-time speech will lay out what the Obama administration "wants to happen with regard to health care."
Drug maker Pfizer Inc. and its subsidiary Pharmacia & Upjohn Company Inc. will pay a record $2.3 billion in a settlement of criminal and civil charges relating to the illegal promotion of certain medicines, including the painkiller Bextra, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.
President Barack Obama on Tuesday urged Americans to be prepared for the second wave of swine flu this fall, recommending both a vaccine for the virus, known as novel H1N1, and "common-sense steps" to stay healthy.