Antipsychotic Use During First Trimester Appears Not To Raise Chance Of Fetal Malformation, Study Suggests. ? .

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Good morning Dr. Velandy Manohar
10 15 2015

Leading the News

Wide-Ranging Suicide Prevention Funding Appears To Have Successfully Prevented Suicide Attempts Among Some US Youths.
HealthDay (10/15, Dotinga) reports, “Wide-ranging suicide prevention funding appears to have successfully prevented suicide attempts among young people in certain areas of the” US, according to a study published online Oct. 14 in JAMA Psychiatry. After comparing “466 counties” that started using funding from the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program “between 2006 and 2009 to more than 1,100 counties – similar overall – that didn’t receive funding,” researchers found that “the suicide prevention funding may have averted as many as 79,000 suicide attempts between 2008 and 2011.”
Medical Daily (10/15, Cara) points out, however, that funding from the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program “didn’t appear to have any influence on the suicide attempt rates of people older than 23; nor was there a sustained longer-term difference in attempt rates.”
How to Avoid Having Your 1500 Forms Returned
People With Schizophrenia May Be at Higher Risk of Developing Dementia
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Psychiatric Treatment/Disorders
Studies Examine Role Played By Dopamine-Stabilizing Chemical In Curbing Cravings For Alcohol.
The Wall Street Journal (10/15, Naik, Subscription Publication) reports that a 56-patient study published Oct. 14 in European Neuropsychopharmacology suggests that OSU6162, a medication that stabilizes levels of dopamine, may help people addicted to alcohol to drink less. In a separate study published Oct. 14 in the journal Addiction, researchers found that OSU6162 given to rats that liked to drink alcohol and whose dopamine levels were low appeared to restore them to normal levels.
Government and Psychiatry
Congress Pressured To Prevent Medicare Premium Hike.
The Wall Street Journal (10/15, Armour, Tergesen, Subscription Publication) reports that congressional lawmakers so far have failed to find a way to prevent a 52-percent premium hike that would affect about 30 percent of the 52 million seniors enrolled in Medicare Part B. As pressure mounts on Congress, HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell has said her agency would try to find ways to mitigate the increase.
The Wall Street Journal (10/15, Tergesen, Subscription Publication) reports in a related article on some of the steps affected seniors can take to avoid the increase, such as participating in a one-time 12-month trial of Medicare Advantage. Overall, however, individuals facing the premium hike have few options. Modern Healthcare (10/15, Muchmore, Subscription Publication) also reports on the story.
FTC Issues Antitrust Guidance For Medical Boards.
Modern Healthcare (10/15, Schencker, Subscription Publication) reports that addressing questions “raised by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision, the Federal Trade Commission issued guidance Wednesday explaining how boards can regulate their own professions without violating antitrust law.” The FTC guidance comes after the Supreme Court “ruled that state licensing boards made up of active members of the professions they regulate, such as practicing doctors, are not immune from antitrust laws unless they are actively supervised by the state.”
Massachusetts Opiate Bill Will Target Prescribing Habits Of Physicians.
The Boston Herald (10/15) reports Massachusetts Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders said Wednesday that “Gov. Charlie Baker’s opiate bill — which will be filed tomorrow — will include a measure aimed at preventing doctors from overprescribing pills to their patients.” Sudders said, “The governor’s recommendations really target prevention, treatment, intervention, and recovery, and a large piece of the intervention is around prescribing practices.”
Ohio Measure Would Exempt Murder Suspects With Severe Mental Illness From The Death Penalty.
The AP (10/15, Welsh-Huggins) reports that under a measure under consideration by legislators in Ohio, “murder suspects with a severe mental illness at the time the crime was committed could be exempted from the death penalty.” The bill “would allow a hearing before trial on an offender’s mental condition and permit a judge to rule out the death penalty if severe mental illness is proven.” People who are current inmates on death row “could also challenge their sentences on the same grounds.” Not affected by the proposed legislation are “defendants who plead not guilty by reason of insanity.”
Pennsylvania Proposed Legislation Aims To Reduce “Surprise” Medical Bills.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (10/15, Twedt) reports that Pennsylvania state Senators Jay Costa and Judith Schwank (D) “plan to introduce legislation designed to protect patients from ‘surprise’ medical bills for out-of-network care.” The proposed bill would, among other things, “require hospitals and physicians to disclose their network status and out-of-network rates.”
Utah Governor, Legislative Leaders Discuss Limited Medicaid Expansion Plan.
The Deseret (UT) News (10/15) reports that “yet another Medicaid expansion plan surfaced” during a meeting between Utah Gov. Gary Herbert (R) and legislative leaders Wednesday, a day after Republican lawmakers rejected the governor’s “second attempt to find a solution.” Senate President Wayne Niederhauser (R) “said the plan outlined Wednesday calls for the state to use Medicaid expansion funds available under President Barack Obama’s health care law to focus initially on the medically frail who don’t have coverage.” Eventually, the program would be expanded to include everyone in the so-called coverage gap. “This is about helping those in need who are in the gap and also creating sustainability for our state budget,” he said.
Meanwhile, The Hill (10/15, Sullivan) and the Washington Examiner (10/15) report on House Republicans’ decision to reject the governor’s Medicaid expansion plan on Tuesday.
Practice Management
Surveys Show Interoperability Increasing, But Not Yet Complete.
Modern Healthcare (10/15, Conn, Subscription Publication) reports that three surveys show that “interoperability is no longer the missing link in electronic health information technology, but the chains binding hospitals, physicians and patients are still incomplete.” Surveys show “the number of hospitals that allow patients to view, download or transmit their own medical records has vastly increased” recently. In 2014, 91% of hospitals offered the ability to “electronically view patient records, chiefly through portals,” up from 24% in 2012. The studies were based on data collected by independent surveys and “were written by researchers from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology at HHS.”
Other News
Alzheimer’s Researcher Sued For Violating Commitment To UCSD.
In continuing coverage, the Wall Street Journal (10/15, B2, Wang, Loftus, Subscription Publication) reports about the lawsuit prompted by Paul Aisen, MD’s departure from the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) to the University of Southern California (USC). The lawsuit alleges that Dr. Aisen violated his commitment to UCSD by attempting to move control of the $100 million Alzheimer’s Disease Collaborative Study to USC. The study is a collaboration with the NIH and corporations, which are not named as parties in the lawsuit.
Wednesday's Lead Stories
? US Prescription Opioid Abuse Declines, But Disorders And Overdose Deaths Rise.
? Half Of Remaining Uninsured Are Eligible For Medicaid Or Subsidized ACA Coverage, Study Finds.
? Psychological Distress May Be Highly Prevalent In Caregivers Of Patients With Advanced Cancer.
? Antipsychotic Use During First Trimester Appears Not To Raise Chance Of Fetal Malformation, Study Suggests.
? CMS Says Physicians Not Taking Advantage Of Medicare Payments For Chronic-Care Management Services.
? FRAX May Underestimate 10-Year Fracture Risk For People With Mental Illness.