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	<title>AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</title>
	
	<link>http://www.accessrx.com/blog</link>
	<description>Current Health News To Keep You Informed</description>
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		<atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/AccessrxBlog" /><feedburner:info uri="accessrxblog" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" /><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:subtitle>Current Health News To Keep You Informed</itunes:subtitle><item>
		<title>Students Return From Science Meet With Bed Bugs</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/feo9Dy2XqAg/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/bed-bugs-l0518/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 19 May 2013 02:07:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Health News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=9240</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>A group of high school students visiting Penn State for a science competition say they came home with bed bugs. According to Fox News, the school did have a bed bug problem in one of the dorms. While the school &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/bed-bugs-l0518/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/bed-bugs-l0518/">Students Return From Science Meet With Bed Bugs</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A group of high school students visiting Penn State for a science competition say they came home with bed bugs. According to <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/17/students-visiting-psu-come-home-with-bedbug-bites/">Fox News</a>, the school did have a bed bug problem in one of the dorms. While the school has called in an exterminator, about 40 students from Pittsburgh were exposed to bed bugs. The students came home with their clothes in garbage bags and information about how to prevent the spread of the insects.</p>
<p><strong>Infestation problems</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_1875" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/quilters-bed-bugs-l0421/attachment/bedbug/" rel="attachment wp-att-1875"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1875" alt="Students were exposed to bed bugs in Penn State's Curtin Hall." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/bedbug-150x149.jpg" width="150" height="149" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Students were exposed to bed bugs in Penn State&#8217;s Curtin Hall.</p></div>
<p>Bed bugs made comeback in the U.S. in 2010. Hotels in New York City were battling a big problem that year, and many homeowners had to use pesticides to kill the incredibly small bugs.</p>
<p>Since then, the small little insects have turned up in offices, homes and bedrooms across the nation and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people are getting sick from the pesticides used to kill them.</p>
<p>“From 2003 to 2010, 111 people were sickened and one died from bed bug insecticide, the government agency reported in a study that is the first of its kind in the country,” a report stated.  Nearly three quarters of the illnesses occurred from 2008 to 2010 as the bed bug population in the United States increased.</p>
<p><strong>Experts advise caution when using pesticides</strong></p>
<p>While the agency is keeping an eye on the situation, it isn’t a big enough problem for a warning to be issued or an order to restrict the use of pesticides.</p>
<div id="attachment_1683" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/bed-bug-101-jd0406/attachment/bed-bug-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-1683"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1683" alt="Bedbug mattress, Bedbug waste, finding bedbugs, killing bedbugs," src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Bed-Bug-2-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">If you suspect bed bugs are in your home or office, call an exterminator immediately.</p></div>
<p>Those dealing with a pesticide illness often experience headaches, dizziness, nausea and vomiting and should seek medical attention right away.</p>
<p>At this point the CDC recommends using both non-chemical and chemical approaches to fight bed bugs, including hiring an expert to heat infested rooms to 118 degrees Fahrenheit or cool them to 3 degrees for an hour to kill the bugs.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/bed-bugs-l0518/">Students Return From Science Meet With Bed Bugs</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Hospital Removes Sugary Drinks to Encourage Healthy Living and Fight Obesity.</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/9FkO24if2hM/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/hospital-removes-sugary-drinks-to-encourage-healthy-living-and-fight-obesity-l0516/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 May 2013 04:43:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Weight Loss]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=9237</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>A hospital in Indiana has decided to remove all sugary drinks from its cafeteria and vending machines. In an effort to offer more healthy choices, Indiana University Health hopes to do its part to encourage healthy living and fight obesity. &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/hospital-removes-sugary-drinks-to-encourage-healthy-living-and-fight-obesity-l0516/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/hospital-removes-sugary-drinks-to-encourage-healthy-living-and-fight-obesity-l0516/">Hospital Removes Sugary Drinks to Encourage Healthy Living and Fight Obesity.</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A hospital in Indiana has decided to remove all sugary drinks from its cafeteria and vending machines. In an effort to offer more healthy choices, Indiana University Health hopes to do its part to encourage healthy living and fight obesity.</p>
<p><strong>Going Healthy</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_3619" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/drinking-and-weightloss-jd1119/attachment/soda/" rel="attachment wp-att-3619"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-3619" alt="Sugar, weight, fat, diabetes, soda, health" src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/soda-150x132.jpg" width="150" height="132" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Hospital bans sugary drinks in its cafeteria, vending machines and gift shops.</p></div>
<p>Antonio Housley, who works at the facility, says he supports the decision.</p>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s a good thing. It&#8217;s healthy,&#8221; Housley told <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/16/hospitals-no-sugary-drinks/2192673/">USA Today</a> on Thursday as he filled a cup with Light Minute Maid Lemonade. &#8220;My mother, for one, she always tells me to stay off the pop.&#8221;</p>
<p>The hospital’s administration says they’re just doing what they feel is right.</p>
<p>&#8220;We&#8217;re trying to make healthier choices the easier choices to make,&#8221; said Kate Juergens, a dietitian with Indiana University Health.</p>
<p><strong>Soda drinkers can still get their fix</strong></p>
<p>While the hospital kicked sugar to the curb, some of its outside vendors didn’t. The hospital asked vendors to follow their lead in the anti-sugar campaign. Au Bon Pain and Sonny&#8217;s Pizza &amp; Deli did follow suit, but McDonald’s declined to participate in the initiative.</p>
<p>&#8220;Everybody should have their own options, their own opinion as to what they put in their mouth,&#8221; Christina Schermerhorn said as she waited in the McDonalds&#8217; line with two children in a stroller.</p>
<p><strong>Other efforts to ban soda</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_1124" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/marijuana-pot-cookie-children-hospital-b0126/attachment/marijuana-cookies-canna-cola/" rel="attachment wp-att-1124"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-1124" alt="Canna Cola - A new marijuana soda laced with pot will be available legally in colorado, and perhaps california soon." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Marijuana-Cookies-Canna-Cola-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sugary drinks can contain hundreds of calories per bottle.</p></div>
<p>New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/nyc-soda-l0508/">failed to ban fountain sodas</a> bigger than 16oz. Like the hospital, the mayor said the city was making a bold move to curb weight gain in America.</p>
<p>The fountain drink debate made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court before being struck down by a judge. The mayor says he plans to fight the decision.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/hospital-removes-sugary-drinks-to-encourage-healthy-living-and-fight-obesity-l0516/">Hospital Removes Sugary Drinks to Encourage Healthy Living and Fight Obesity.</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Can You Trust Your Pharmacist to Be Discreet?</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/00kBGapJW-4/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 15:56:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mary Hiers</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Health News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[HIPAA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[patient privacy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pharmacist]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pharmacy]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=9172</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and addresses the security and privacy of personal health information. Use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/">Can You Trust Your Pharmacist to Be Discreet?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and addresses the security and privacy of personal health information.</p>
<div id="attachment_9173" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/attachment/pharmacy-symbol-with-capsules/" rel="attachment wp-att-9173"><img class="size-full wp-image-9173" alt="Pharmacies are covered entities under HIPAA and must make all reasonable attempts to keep your information private." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pharmacy-symbol-with-capsules.jpg" width="400" height="250" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Pharmacies are covered entities under HIPAA and must make all reasonable attempts to keep your information private.</p></div>
<p>Use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by covered entities &#8212; including pharmacies &#8212; is strictly regulated under HIPAA. Covered entities may disclose PHI to facilitate treatment or payment without the patient&#8217;s authorization, but any other disclosure of PHI requires covered entities to obtain written authorization from the individual before disclosure. Furthermore, the covered entity must try to disclose only the minimum necessary information.</p>
<p>But just because HIPAA exists doesn&#8217;t mean private information isn&#8217;t shared, whether on purpose, or inadvertently. One of the most public places where personal medical information is communicated is at pharmacies, and patient privacy at pharmacies is far from ideal.</p>
<p><b>De-Identification of Protected Health Information Is Becoming More Difficult</b></p>
<p>In 2010, Americans filled 3.7 billion prescriptions at pharmacies. De-identified PHI is regularly shared by pharmacies with third parties for purposes of data mining and marketing. De-identified data is supposedly stripped of any identifying information that could match the information up with a particular person.</p>
<p>However, complete de-identification is, if anything, <a href="http://lawreview.vermontlaw.edu/files/2012/09/16-Smith.pdf">becoming more difficult</a> due to increasingly sophisticated reverse engineering methods. There&#8217;s already anecdotal evidence that algorithms exist to re-identify PHI after it has supposedly been stripped of identifying information. Many entities seek out de-identified PHI, including pharmaceutical companies, clinical drug trial researchers, government officials, and employers.</p>
<p><b>Pharmacy Technicians Are Human</b></p>
<p>In 1998, a pharmacy technician working at a pharmacy in Mount Clemens, Michigan <a href="http://www.studymode.com/essays/Pharmacy-Law-1186595.html">violated patient confidentiality</a> by sharing information with her son about a pharmacy customer. In this case, the pharmacy tech was filling a prescription for HIV medication and realized the patient was the parent of one of her son&#8217;s classmates. The son then spread the information at school. The technician was in clear violation of HIPAA and Michigan state laws, and the patient sued her and the pharmacy for breach of privacy, eventually settling out of court. While situations like this one are extreme and rare, it does show that people employed by covered entities under HIPAA are human and sometimes engage in highly unprofessional behavior.</p>
<div id="attachment_9174" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/attachment/man-woman-gossip/" rel="attachment wp-att-9174"><img class="size-full wp-image-9174" alt="Sharing of protected medical information is not just idle gossip, but can have profound implications and is also illegal." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/man-woman-gossip.jpg" width="400" height="265" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sharing of protected medical information is not just idle gossip, but can have profound implications and is also illegal.</p></div>
<p><b>Pharmacies Are Public Places</b></p>
<p>In 2010 chain drugstore <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/07/20100727a.html">Rite Aid</a> paid $1 million to settle HIPAA violation allegations and agreed to correct policies to better safeguard customer data after extensive privacy violations. The pharmacies were shown to have disposed of prescriptions and labeled bottles containing identifiable patient information in industrial trash containers that were accessible to the public. Such violations were reported at Rite Aid stores in many cities throughout the US. Not only did this expose customer information to the possibility of identity theft, it left private health information about specific individuals where it could be accessed by anyone willing to go through the trash containers.</p>
<p><b>AccessRx Privacy Policy and You</b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/">AccessRx.com</a> is a covered entity under HIPAA and is committed to strict HIPAA compliance by taking physical, electronic, and procedural steps to safeguard and secure customer information. Furthermore, AccessRx meets the highest standards for electronic security, with Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology that guarantees that personal data is encrypted when transmitted. Finally, AccessRx is the sole collector of customer personal identifying information and does not sell, rent, or otherwise share any of this information with third parties for marketing, data mining, or other purposes.</p>
<p>If you have questions for our pharmacists, you can call from the privacy of your home rather than standing in the corner of a crowded pharmacy. At AccessRx, we know you safeguard your medical privacy carefully, and we respect that by making the security and privacy of customer medical, payment, and other personal information a top priority.</p>
<p><i>Photo Credits: <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Pills_and_Drugs_g279-Medical_Logo_p13140.html">renjith krishnan / freedigitalphotos.net</a>, <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Business_People_g201-Beautiful_Woman_Telling_Something_To_Man_p118082.html">imagerymajestic / freedigitalphotos.net</a></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/">Can You Trust Your Pharmacist to Be Discreet?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<enclosure url="http://lawreview.vermontlaw.edu/files/2012/09/16-Smith.pdf" length="530301" type="application/pdf" /><media:content url="http://lawreview.vermontlaw.edu/files/2012/09/16-Smith.pdf" fileSize="530301" type="application/pdf" /><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:subtitle> Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and addresses the security and privacy of personal health information. Use and disclosure of Protected </itunes:subtitle><itunes:summary> Title II of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requires national standards for electronic healthcare transactions and addresses the security and privacy of personal health information. Use and disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) held by &amp;#8230; Continue reading &amp;#8594; The post Can You Trust Your Pharmacist to Be Discreet? appeared first on AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online.</itunes:summary><itunes:keywords>Current Health News, HIPAA, patient privacy, pharmacist, pharmacy</itunes:keywords><feedburner:origLink>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/can-you-trust-your-pharmacist-to-be-discreet-m0515/</feedburner:origLink></item>
		<item>
		<title>6 Ways You Can Save Time on Doctor Visits</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/86rvg8I4jEQ/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/5-ways-you-can-save-time-on-doctor-visits-m0515/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 16 May 2013 15:31:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mary Hiers</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Health News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[doctor visits]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[save time]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=9178</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Scheduling a doctor visit on a work day involves taking a leap of faith. While theoretically you could be back at your desk in an hour and a half, everyone knows that wait times are unpredictable at doctors&#8217; offices. Sometimes &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/5-ways-you-can-save-time-on-doctor-visits-m0515/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/5-ways-you-can-save-time-on-doctor-visits-m0515/">6 Ways You Can Save Time on Doctor Visits</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Scheduling a doctor visit on a work day involves taking a leap of faith. While theoretically you could be back at your desk in an hour and a half, everyone knows that wait times are unpredictable at doctors&#8217; offices.</p>
<div id="attachment_9179" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/5-ways-you-can-save-time-on-doctor-visits-m0515/attachment/waiting-room-woman/" rel="attachment wp-att-9179"><img class="size-full wp-image-9179" alt="The average doctor's office wait time is 20 to 25 minutes." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/waiting-room-woman.jpg" width="400" height="266" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The average doctor&#8217;s office wait time is 20 to 25 minutes.</p></div>
<p>Sometimes doctors run behind because they are dealing with an emergency, or because they find that 15 minutes isn&#8217;t enough time to deal with a patient. Other times, practices are poorly managed. Whatever the cause, waiting in a stiff chair in a room full of sick people (who are probably just as frustrated over waiting as you are) is nobody&#8217;s idea of a good time. Here are 5 ways to save time on your doctor visits.</p>
<p><b>1. Choose a Practice That Lets You Submit Paperwork Securely Online</b></p>
<p>When you choose a practice that lets you submit registration and insurance information securely online in advance of your appointment, you&#8217;re helping them run a more efficient practice. Not only does nobody have to transcribe handwritten forms (an error-prone task), your information is already at the office when you arrive. While this doesn&#8217;t guarantee a shorter wait, it generally indicates the practice is at least making an effort to be efficient.</p>
<p><b>2. Have Your Health History at Your Fingertips</b></p>
<p>Today, you can find secure smartphone apps that let you enter your medical history so you have it with you at all times. These apps store information about chronic health conditions, drug allergies, and other information that could be useful during your appointment. You&#8217;ll have to invest time up front in filling in the information, but afterward it&#8217;s right there for you to refer to. Seeing a doctor for a cut that looks infected? When she asks about your last tetanus booster, you can look it up then and there so she&#8217;ll know whether to administer one.</p>
<p><b>3. Find a Tech-Savvy Practice</b></p>
<p>Doctors are increasingly adopting technological solutions that improve office efficiency. Online scheduling apps help prevent overbooking, and some practices even offer pagers so you can go around the corner and grab a coffee or newspaper without worrying about missing your name being called. Doctors who have adopted electronic information entry ultimately save time because everything is legible and it&#8217;s easy to share relevant information with practice personnel who need it.</p>
<div id="attachment_9180" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/5-ways-you-can-save-time-on-doctor-visits-m0515/attachment/doc-typing-on-laptop/" rel="attachment wp-att-9180"><img class="size-full wp-image-9180" alt="Doctors who invest time up front by entering patient information on a laptop or tablet save time in the long term." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/doc-typing-on-laptop.jpg" width="400" height="265" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Doctors who invest time up front by entering patient information on a laptop or tablet save time in the long term.</p></div>
<p><b>4. Take a Look in the Mirror</b></p>
<p>Are you chronically late? Do you skip appointments and not give them another thought? Then you&#8217;re part of the problem. Late patients and no-shows can seriously throw off scheduling. A practice may have repeated no-shows, so they start overbooking. But some days, overbooking backfires because everyone shows up. Cancel appointments you have no intention of keeping and be on time to those you do. If everyone did this, wait times would improve.</p>
<p><b>5. Schedule Strategically and Consider Alternatives</b></p>
<p>While there are no guarantees, booking the first appointment of the morning, or the first appointment after lunch can mean a shorter wait because the doctor hasn&#8217;t had time to get behind schedule. Another choice to consider for minor problems is using a walk-in clinic like the ones found in many pharmacies and grocery stores. If you know, for example, that you have yet another sinus infection like you always get after a cold, you can usually get in and out of one of these clinics faster than you can a traditional practice.</p>
<p><b>6. Use an Online Medical Facilitator<br />
</b></p>
<p>This is another alternative to the traditional office visit that increasing numbers of people are using. Online facilitators generally address &#8220;lifestyle&#8221; issues, like erectile dysfunction, hair loss, and acne. They contract with licensed physicians and pharmacists to prescribe and dispense prescription medications securely, privately, and quickly, which is far better than spending the entire afternoon on an office visit that was supposed to take an hour.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/">AccessRx.com</a> is an online facilitator that contracts with US-licensed physicians and pharmacists to empower patients to address certain medical concerns efficiently and effectively. We dispense brand name medications for a variety of lifestyle concerns and are completely committed to patient privacy and security.</p>
<p><i>Photo Credits: <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Younger_Women_g57-Woman_Waiting_p44065.html">Ambro / freedigitalphotos.net</a>, <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Computing_g368-Male_Surgeon_Working_On_Laptop_p90025.html">imagerymajestic / freedigitalphotos.net</a></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/5-ways-you-can-save-time-on-doctor-visits-m0515/">6 Ways You Can Save Time on Doctor Visits</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Why AccessRx Supports Pfizer in Their New Online Efforts</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/TJkNWpb3QHc/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/why-accessrx-supports-pfizer-in-their-new-online-efforts-m0512/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 14:36:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mary Hiers</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Viagra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pfizer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=8948</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>As of May 6, 2013, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has been selling Viagra directly to patients online. Through an arrangement with CVS, patients in the US who have valid prescriptions for Viagra can now fill their order directly with Pfizer through &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/why-accessrx-supports-pfizer-in-their-new-online-efforts-m0512/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/why-accessrx-supports-pfizer-in-their-new-online-efforts-m0512/">Why AccessRx Supports Pfizer in Their New Online Efforts</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As of May 6, 2013, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has been selling Viagra directly to patients online.</p>
<div id="attachment_8742" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 276px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/how-much-should-you-expect-to-pay-for-finasteride-m0320/attachment/man-on-floor-laptop/" rel="attachment wp-att-8742"><img class="size-full wp-image-8742" alt="Pfizer is one of the first pharmaceutical makers to sell directly to customers." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/man-on-floor-laptop.jpg" width="266" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Pfizer is one of the first pharmaceutical makers to sell directly to customers.</p></div>
<p>Through an arrangement with CVS, patients in the US who have valid prescriptions for Viagra can now fill their order directly with Pfizer through their website. While patients purchasing Viagra from Pfizer still need a doctor&#8217;s prescription, they are spared from having to go to the pharmacy counter to have their prescription filled, a prospect that makes many men uncomfortable.</p>
<p><b>Why Is Pfizer Taking This Action?</b></p>
<p>Viagra is widely considered to be the most counterfeited drug of all time. Soon after it arrived on the market in 1998, doctors&#8217; prescriptions for Viagra skyrocketed. At the same time, a black market grew just as rapidly. As internet adoption increased, legitimate online pharmacies began selling Viagra, and so did illegitimate pharmacies. Though Viagra brings in billions of dollars a year to Pfizer, the company loses out on hundreds of millions of dollars in sales each year to black market sources of real or counterfeit Viagra. These financial losses, the very real dangers of counterfeit drugs, and the realization that a lot of men are uncomfortable handing over a prescription for Viagra to their local pharmacist helped lead Pfizer to their recent decision about selling Viagra directly to consumers.</p>
<p><b>Possible Implications for Other Drug Manufacturers</b></p>
<p>If Pfizer&#8217;s new sales paradigm is successful, and there is every reason to expect it will be, it&#8217;s possible that other drug manufacturers may develop similar programs, particularly for prescription drugs associated with social stigmas, like weight loss drugs. Currently, erectile dysfunction medications for men and weight loss drugs for women are the top drugs that people seek out online.</p>
<p>Pfizer wasn&#8217;t the first big pharma player to sell directly to consumers, however. Though it hasn&#8217;t received nearly as much media attention, drug giant AstraZenica already has an arrangement with a third party pharmacy to sell the breast cancer drug Arimidex directly to patients. If successful, Pfizer&#8217;s move could represent a tipping point in direct sales to consumers from drug manufacturers.</p>
<div id="attachment_8949" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 276px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/why-accessrx-supports-pfizer-in-their-new-online-efforts-m0512/attachment/top-view-female-doc-2/" rel="attachment wp-att-8949"><img class="size-full wp-image-8949" alt="If Pfizer is successful, it could change how millions obtain prescription drugs." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/top-view-female-doc1.jpg" width="266" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">If Pfizer is successful, it could change how millions obtain prescription drugs.</p></div>
<p><b>Why AccessRx Supports Pfizer</b></p>
<p>AccessRx sells only genuine Viagra made by Pfizer, by prescription only. While Pfizer&#8217;s move could be taken as a threat to AccessRx&#8217;s bottom line, AccessRx supports Pfizer in its new endeavor.</p>
<p>Every year, the word &#8220;Viagra&#8221; appears in tens of millions of internet searches, often in search phrases like &#8220;buy Viagra,&#8221; or &#8220;buy Viagra online.&#8221; People who search on these terms are usually bombarded with results that divert them to the counterfeit Viagra market, which is huge and dangerous. Shady Viagra peddlers have also found ways to game internet search engines, often pushing legitimate online sources off the first page of results.</p>
<p>Though Google has taken steps to mitigate this problem, it&#8217;s a constant battle. Victor Clavelli, a Pfizer marketing executive told The New York Times, &#8220;Our goal is to just make sure those patients actually get the real Viagra.&#8221; AccessRx couldn&#8217;t agree more.</p>
<p><b>Patient Safety Is the Bottom Line</b></p>
<p>In 2011 Pfizer ordered &#8220;Viagra&#8221; from 22 websites that appeared at the top of the search results for &#8220;buy Viagra&#8221; and found that 80% of the products received were counterfeit. Fake drugs that contained any of the drug&#8217;s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, only contained 30 to 50% as much as real Viagra. Furthermore, counterfeit Viagra has been found to contain fillers, including paint, printer ink, and wallboard. The FDA regularly goes after counterfeit drug sites and shuts them down, but new sites always pop back up. Pfizer and AccessRx hope that Pfizer&#8217;s decision to sell Viagra directly to patients will make these counterfeit sites less lucrative and less common online.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/">AccessRx.com</a> is an online medical facilitator that sells genuine Viagra as well as other name brand drugs for erectile dysfunction. AccessRx always has and always will only dispense real prescription drugs, and gives patients the tools they need to confirm that what they are receiving is the real product.</p>
<p><i>Photo Credits: <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Computing_g368-Man_Using_Laptop_p63606.html">Ambro / freedigitalphotos.net</a>, <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Healthcare_g355-Top_Angle_Of_The_Young_Doctor_At_Her_Room_p35344.html">photostock / freedigitalphotos.net</a></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/why-accessrx-supports-pfizer-in-their-new-online-efforts-m0512/">Why AccessRx Supports Pfizer in Their New Online Efforts</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Pfizer to Sell Viagra to Patients Online, Among the First to Sell Directly to Consumers</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/PgRzq_DlXjI/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/pfizer-to-sell-viagra-to-patients-online-among-the-first-to-sell-directly-to-customers-m0512/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 13 May 2013 14:33:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mary Hiers</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Viagra]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[direct to consumer sales]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pfizer]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=8953</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer recently started selling its blockbuster drug Viagra directly to patients with prescriptions through its website. Patients within the United States can now purchase the drug directly from the manufacturer rather than taking prescriptions to pharmacy counters, something &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/pfizer-to-sell-viagra-to-patients-online-among-the-first-to-sell-directly-to-customers-m0512/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/pfizer-to-sell-viagra-to-patients-online-among-the-first-to-sell-directly-to-customers-m0512/">Pfizer to Sell Viagra to Patients Online, Among the First to Sell Directly to Consumers</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Pharmaceutical manufacturer Pfizer recently started selling its blockbuster drug Viagra directly to patients with prescriptions through its website.</p>
<div id="attachment_8954" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/pfizer-to-sell-viagra-to-patients-online-among-the-first-to-sell-directly-to-customers-m0512/attachment/pink-shirt-guy-using-laptop/" rel="attachment wp-att-8954"><img class="size-full wp-image-8954" alt="If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Pfizer is now selling Viagra directly to patients online." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pink-shirt-guy-using-laptop.jpg" width="400" height="266" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">If you can&#8217;t beat &#8216;em, join &#8216;em. Pfizer is now selling Viagra directly to patients online.</p></div>
<p>Patients within the United States can now purchase the drug directly from the manufacturer rather than taking prescriptions to pharmacy counters, something that can be a sensitive issue for some men.</p>
<p>The reason Pfizer cites for this step is the continued threat of rogue online pharmacies that sell counterfeit Viagra. Counterfeit versions of Viagra are almost indistinguishable from real Viagra by sight alone, and often contain inactive or harmful ingredients. Rarely do these counterfeits contain adequate amounts of Viagra&#8217;s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate.</p>
<p><b>Pfizer Is Not the First</b></p>
<p>Though Pfizer&#8217;s recent action put the company in the headlines, it is not the first drug company to sell directly to patients. In 2012, <a href="http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/az-sells-discounted-cancer-drug-directly-patients/2012-02-17">AstraZeneca launched a direct-to-patient sales program</a> for the breast cancer drug Arimidex. The program, titled &#8220;Arimidex Direct&#8221; is a partnership with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts, and offers one-month supplies of the drug for $40. Before Arimidex went off-patent in 2010, a month&#8217;s supply was $450. While the drop in price has been significant, AstraZeneca hopes the direct-to-patient sales will keep patients from using generics from competing manufacturers, like Mylan.</p>
<p><b>Pfizer Will Likely Not Be the Last</b></p>
<p>If Pfizer&#8217;s direct-to-patient sales program proves successful, it could prompt other manufacturers of drugs that patients are uneasy about buying in public to sell directly to patients over the internet. Drugs most likely to be brought into direct-to-patient sales are other erectile dysfunction drugs, weight loss drugs, and drugs for hair loss. Manufacturers of drugs going off-patent may find that direct-to-patient sales can stem losses after big price drops, as AstraZeneca did with Arimidex.</p>
<p><b>Buying Viagra Directly from Pfizer</b></p>
<p>Pfizer is currently sweetening its direct-to-patients Viagra deal by rewarding buyers of its $25-per-pill product with three free pills on the first order. Second orders receive a 30% discount. Pfizer isn&#8217;t saying how long this offer will last or whether third and subsequent orders will be eligible for discounts, but Pfizer is more worried about rogue manufacturers diluting the brand&#8217;s quality than having the best prices. Richard Evans, drug industry analyst with SSR Health, recently told <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/05/06/181577694/pfizer-goes-direct-with-viagra-sales-to-men">NPR</a>, &#8220;You&#8217;re always going to get a better offer from someone other than Pfizer. The question is whether it&#8217;s legitimate or not.&#8221;</p>
<div id="attachment_8955" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 276px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/pfizer-to-sell-viagra-to-patients-online-among-the-first-to-sell-directly-to-customers-m0512/attachment/older-male-doctor/" rel="attachment wp-att-8955"><img class="size-full wp-image-8955" alt="Pfizer reported $2.05 billion in Viagra sales for 2012." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/older-male-doctor.jpg" width="266" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Pfizer reported $2.05 billion in Viagra sales for 2012.</p></div>
<p><b>Buying Viagra from AccessRx</b></p>
<p><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/">AccessRx.com</a> is an online medical facilitator that dispenses Viagra and other brand name drugs by prescription. Because AccessRx charges the same for Viagra in its 100 mg dosage as for the 50 mg dosage, most men find that the most cost-effective way to purchase Viagra is in 100 mg tablets which can then be split with a pill splitter. Men have been doing this for years with 100 mg Viagra tablets purchased from bricks-and-mortar pharmacies, but by purchasing from AccessRx they maintain a greater level of privacy when obtaining Viagra.</p>
<p><b>The Bottom Line: Patient Safety</b></p>
<p>Not only does Pfizer lose money to Viagra counterfeiters, they suffer from collateral damage to the brand when men unknowingly purchase fake Viagra and think that Pfizer is cheating them with an ineffective product. But foremost among Pfizer&#8217;s concerns (and the concerns of other providers of genuine Pfizer Viagra like AccessRx) is patient safety. Counterfeit Viagra has been found to contain potentially harmful ingredients like paint, ink, and the material wallboard is made from. Pfizer hopes that by selling directly to patients, they can allay anxiety about handing over a Viagra prescription to a pharmacist and better protect patient safety &#8212; a strategy that AccessRx has used successfully for over 15 years.</p>
<p><i>Photo Credits: <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Computing_g368-Young_Man_Working_In_Laptop_p70641.html">David Castillo Dominici / freedigitalphotos.net</a>, <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Healthcare_g355-Closeup_Portrait_Of_Senior_Doctor_p33440.html">photostock / freedigitalphotos.net</a></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/viagra/pfizer-to-sell-viagra-to-patients-online-among-the-first-to-sell-directly-to-customers-m0512/">Pfizer to Sell Viagra to Patients Online, Among the First to Sell Directly to Consumers</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Study: Pet Owners Live Longer</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/M4bEc7VGrBk/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/pets-live-longer-l0510/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 May 2013 18:29:35 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Health News]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=8946</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Having a pet doesn’t just provide a companion, your pet may also help you live longer. According to a new study backed by the American Heart Association, having a pet encourages exercise and keeps stress levels low. Dogs keep humans &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/pets-live-longer-l0510/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/pets-live-longer-l0510/">Study: Pet Owners Live Longer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Having a pet doesn’t just provide a companion, your pet may also help you live longer. According to a new study backed by the American Heart Association, having a pet encourages exercise and keeps stress levels low.</p>
<p><strong>Dogs keep humans healthy</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_951" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/expert-interviews-and-podcasts/learn-dogs-2013/attachment/brownson-dogs-happy-spaniel/" rel="attachment wp-att-951"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-951" alt="Tim Brownson - There's no reason humans can't be happy like dogs." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Brownson-Dogs-Happy-Spaniel-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Dog owners are more active, according to a study.</p></div>
<p>&#8220;The data is most robust for people who own a dog,&#8221; says Glenn Levine, a cardiologist with Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.</p>
<p>Dogs encourage walking and exercise, but there is evidence that cats provide health benefits as well. According to the <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/09/pets-heart-health/2148495/">USA Today</a>, pet owners were less likely to see blood pressure or heart rates rise in response to stress. Researchers say the study shows some interesting results:</p>
<ul>
<li>Dogs may keep owners active (with all those walks). In one study, dog owners were 54% more likely than other adults to get recommended levels of exercise.</li>
<li>Interacting with a pet can lower stress responses in the body.</li>
<li>Pet ownership is associated with lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and less obesity.</li>
</ul>
<p><strong>A word of caution</strong></p>
<p>While there are health benefits to owning a pet, researchers say it’s not an excuse to run out and adopt one. Pets aren’t for everyone, Levine says. She encourages people to adopt a pet for the right reasons, and understand the emotional and financial obligations before bringing a pet home.</p>
<p><strong>Pet statistics</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_3412" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 143px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/walking-30-minutes-jd1018/attachment/walk-the-dog/" rel="attachment wp-att-3412"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-3412" alt="walking, health, exercise, cardio, heart health" src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/walk-the-dog-133x150.jpg" width="133" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Dogs encourage owners to go for walks.</p></div>
<p>How many people in the U.S. own a pet? According to <a href="https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/Statistics/Pages/Market-research-statistics-US-pet-ownership.aspx">American Veterinary Medical Association</a>, 43 million people own a dog and 36 million Americans own a cat. Dog owners will spend about $600 a year on their pet, between food and vet bills. Cat owners spend a little less, shelling out around $300 a year for chow and medical treatment.</p>
<p><strong>Your thoughts</strong></p>
<p>Do you own a pet? Do you think your pet keeps you more active? Tell us in the comment box below.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/pets-live-longer-l0510/">Study: Pet Owners Live Longer</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Judge Stops NYC’s Large Soda Ban</title>
		<link>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccessrxBlog/~3/r6Fka2CIj30/</link>
		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/nyc-soda-l0508/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 08 May 2013 19:25:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Weight Loss]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=8897</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is creating quite stir with his campaign to ban large sodas. In the latest chapter of the soda battle, a judge struck down the ban days before it was supposed to go into effect. The &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/nyc-soda-l0508/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/nyc-soda-l0508/">Judge Stops NYC&#8217;s Large Soda Ban</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is creating quite stir with his campaign to ban large sodas. In the latest chapter of the soda battle, a judge struck down the ban days before it was supposed to go into effect.</p>
<div id="attachment_8900" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/nyc-soda-l0508/attachment/energydrink/" rel="attachment wp-att-8900"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-8900" alt="A judge stops soda ban in NYC." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/energydrink-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">A judge stops soda ban in NYC.</p></div>
<p>The ban would outlaw soda, fruit smoothies, energy drinks and other sweet beverages served in containers 16 ounces or larger. Bloomberg has said the ban is a necessary step to thwart obesity in the U.S.</p>
<p><strong>Judge Stops Ban</strong></p>
<p>State Supreme Court Justice Milton Tingling stopped the ban in its tracks saying the ban only applies to certain kinds of sugary drinks.</p>
<p>“The loopholes in this rule effectively defeat the stated purpose of this rule,&#8221; Tingling wrote in his ruling.</p>
<p>Some coffee drinkers say the ban is ridiculous and are glad the judge struck the ban down.</p>
<p>“I think it’s stupid,” Mary Elizabeth Quinn, 58, of Rumson, N.J., told <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2013/03/11/judge-puts-cap-on-super-sized-soda-ban/">ABC News</a> while at a Starbucks near the Lincoln Center on New York City’s Upper West Side. She said she often orders towering iced mochas. “People should be able to drink whatever the hell they want.”</p>
<p><strong>Bloomberg Fires Back</strong></p>
<p>In a news conference following the court ruling, Bloomberg said, “We’re talking about lives versus profits.”</p>
<p>“If we are serious about fighting obesity, we have to be honest about what causes it.”</p>
<div id="attachment_6108" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/erectile-dysfunction/should-you-join-a-viagra-online-forum-m0901/attachment/coffee-maker/" rel="attachment wp-att-6108"><img class="size-thumbnail wp-image-6108" alt="Under than ban, large coffee would also be outlawed." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/coffee-maker-150x150.jpg" width="150" height="150" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Under than ban, large coffee would also be outlawed.</p></div>
<p>“While other people wring their hands … in New York City we’re doing something about it… It would be irresponsible not to try to do everything we can to save lives,” he said.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/soda-ban-ruling-appealed-nyc_n_2974255.html">Huffington Post</a>, the city also issued a statement saying, “The rule is designed to make consumption of large amounts of sugary drinks a conscious and informed choice by the consumer. Thus, although a consumer is free to consume more than 16 ounces by ordering a second drink, getting a refill, or going to another store, he or she will be making an informed choice.&#8221;</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/nyc-soda-l0508/">Judge Stops NYC&#8217;s Large Soda Ban</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Who Decides When a Drug Should Go OTC?</title>
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		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 May 2013 19:14:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mary Hiers</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Current Health News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[FDA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[OTC drugs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prescription drugs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=8886</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>OTC stands for &#8220;over the counter&#8221; and is used to describe medications that ordinary consumers can purchase without a doctor&#8217;s prescription. OTC drugs include pain relievers, heartburn medications, or allergy medications. Some of these OTC drugs have always been sold &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/">Who Decides When a Drug Should Go OTC?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>OTC stands for &#8220;over the counter&#8221; and is used to describe medications that ordinary consumers can purchase without a doctor&#8217;s prescription.</p>
<div id="attachment_8887" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 276px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/attachment/top-view-female-doc/" rel="attachment wp-att-8887"><img class="size-full wp-image-8887" alt="Sometimes prescription medications are later approved to be sold OTC." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/top-view-female-doc.jpg" width="266" height="400" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sometimes prescription medications are later approved to be sold OTC.</p></div>
<p>OTC drugs include pain relievers, heartburn medications, or allergy medications. Some of these OTC drugs have always been sold over the counter, while others started out as prescription drugs before being sold OTC. A few of the more popular OTC drugs that used to require a prescription are heartburn medications like Pepcid, Prilosec OTC, and Zantac, and allergy medications like Allegra, Claritin, and Zyrtec.</p>
<p><b>The FDA and Prescription to Non-Prescription Status</b></p>
<p>Sometimes, prescription drugs amass enough post-marketing information concerning the safety of the medication that the manufacturer of the drug chooses to submit an application to the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/drugs/developmentapprovalprocess/howdrugsaredevelopedandapproved/">US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)</a> to have the medication changed from prescription-only to OTC. When such an application is received by the FDA, the administration reviews the information they already have about the medication and asks the manufacturer for additional information so a decision can be made about making it OTC.</p>
<p><b>Direct OTC Approval for Drugs</b></p>
<p>Some drugs are approved for OTC sales without having been sold as prescription drugs before. In many cases, these products have been approved and used in foreign markets broadly enough that the FDA is satisfied with the safety data and approves it to be sold OTC in the US.</p>
<p>Most non-prescription drugs that weren&#8217;t previously prescription-only are brought to market through the FDA&#8217;s <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/SpecialFeatures/ucm342560.htm">drug monograph system</a>. A drug monograph is a document that states basic information like what ingredients in the drug treat particular conditions or symptoms, appropriate dosage, and usage instructions. The OTC drug monograph is updated if ingredients or labels are changed. When a drug meets OTC monograph requirements, it may be sold over the counter.</p>
<div id="attachment_8888" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/attachment/pretty-pills/" rel="attachment wp-att-8888"><img class="size-full wp-image-8888" alt="OTC drugs must meet FDA standards for effectiveness and safety." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/pretty-pills.jpg" width="400" height="267" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">OTC drugs must meet FDA standards for effectiveness and safety.</p></div>
<p>Whether a drug is directly approved for OTC use under the OTC monograph system or is changed from prescription-only to non-prescription status, the drug must meet the same effectiveness standards as prescription drugs. Safety standards for OTC drugs are generally higher than the safety standards for prescription drugs. After a drug is approved for OTC sales, the FDA conducts further studies to find out if OTC consumers understand the &#8220;Drug Facts&#8221; label carried on the product, and if they can use it according to directions.</p>
<p><b>Possible Changes in the Works</b></p>
<p>Getting medications into the hands of patients has become more challenging in the last several years. Two reasons are the high cost of health care and less generous insurance coverage (including prescription drug coverage). Approximately 20% of patients with prescriptions do not get them filled. The FDA believes that some of the hassle of returning to doctors for prescription refills can be eliminated in many instances and <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/SpecialFeatures/ucm297128.htm">is exploring ways to make drugs for more conditions available without a prescription</a>. Under a proposed new FDA paradigm, the agency would approve some drugs that would otherwise require a prescription for OTC sales as long as certain conditions are met.</p>
<p>If proposed changes are adopted, some drugs may be sold OTC if the consumer consults with a pharmacist first. Another possibility is that patients may need to see a physician to obtain the first prescription, but not to receive medication refills. Informational kiosks in pharmacies or online questionnaires could help consumers understand their symptoms and select a product, while providing consumers with all applicable warnings about specific OTC drugs.</p>
<div id="attachment_8889" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 410px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/attachment/capsules-around-white-bottle/" rel="attachment wp-att-8889"><img class="size-full wp-image-8889" alt="The FDA is currently considering making many more prescription drugs available OTC." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/capsules-around-white-bottle.jpg" width="400" height="266" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">The FDA is currently considering making many more prescription drugs available OTC.</p></div>
<p><b>Benefits of Making More Drugs OTC</b></p>
<p>The benefits to consumers of making more drugs available without a prescription are numerous, and include lower healthcare costs, earlier access to medications, and more consistent treatment of common health conditions. According to the FDA, rules for OTC status came about in an age when widespread information access didn&#8217;t exist. Now, with information resources widely available, consumers may benefit from self-diagnosis tools and access to medications that may have required a doctor&#8217;s visit and prescription before.</p>
<p>The most obvious concern in making more drugs available OTC is patient safety. To that end, the FDA is gathering information about what rules and regulations would need to be implemented in order for patients to take a wider range of OTC drugs safely. Liability and increased burden on already-overworked pharmacists are other concerns. However, according to Executive VP of the American Pharmacists Association <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/SpecialFeatures/ucm297128.htm">Tom Menigham</a>, the pharmaceutical world is &#8220;in the mindset of ‘yes, if’ instead of ‘no, but,’&#8221; and this is encouraging news for many Americans concerned over the financial and time costs of access to healthcare.</p>
<p><i>Photo Credits: <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Healthcare_g355-Top_Angle_Of_The_Young_Doctor_At_Her_Room_p35344.html">photostock / freedigitalphotos.net</a>, <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Pills_and_Drugs_g279-Packs_Of_Colorful_Medicine_Pills_Background_p23031.html">Kittikun Atsawintarangkul / freedigitalphotos.net</a>, <a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/Pills_and_Drugs_g279-Pills_Spilled_Around_A_Pill_Bottle_p128376.html">renjith krishnan / freedigitalphotos.net</a></i></p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/who-decides-when-a-drug-should-go-otc-m0503/">Who Decides When a Drug Should Go OTC?</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Top 3 Little-Known Fat Traps At Restaurants</title>
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		<comments>http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/avoid-fat-eating-out-at-restaurants-l0430/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:42:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Lisa</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Weight Loss]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.accessrx.com/blog/?p=8878</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Trying to eat healthy at restaurants isn’t always easy. While some restaurants have become more transparent about calorie counts, many still keep those stats a secret. Plus, &#8220;everything at a restaurant is 10 times more decadent than what you make &#8230; <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/avoid-fat-eating-out-at-restaurants-l0430/">Continue reading <span class="meta-nav">&#8594;</span></a></p><p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/avoid-fat-eating-out-at-restaurants-l0430/">Top 3 Little-Known Fat Traps At Restaurants</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Trying to eat healthy at restaurants isn’t always easy. While some restaurants have become more transparent about calorie counts, many still keep those stats a secret.</p>
<p>Plus, &#8220;everything at a restaurant is 10 times more decadent than what you make at home,&#8221; says Adam Roberts, author of the book &#8220;Secrets of The Best Chefs.&#8221;</p>
<p>To stay on track and eat out, check out these three fat traps from <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/19/health/restaurant-fat-traps">CNN</a>:</p>
<p><strong>1.) Don’t dip your bread.</strong></p>
<p>A lot of restaurants offer bread and a fancy array of olive oil and herbs to dip it in.</p>
<p>If you think swirling bread around in olive oil is healthy, think again.</p>
<div id="attachment_5647" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/fruits-l0618/attachment/weight/" rel="attachment wp-att-5647"><img class="size-full wp-image-5647" alt="Keep these fat-avoiding tips in mind when eating out." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/weight.jpg" width="150" height="99" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Keep these fat-avoiding tips in mind when eating out.</p></div>
<p>&#8220;It&#8217;s still all fat and it&#8217;s calorie dense, and bread soaks it up like a sponge,&#8221; says Wendy Bazilian, author of the book &#8220;The SuperFoods RxDiet.&#8221; Dip and devour two slices and you&#8217;ll be at around 380 calories or &#8220;75 to 90 percent of what most women should have for the whole meal,&#8221; notes Cynthia Sass, author of the book &#8220;S.A.S.S! Yourself Slim.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>2.) Be wary of salads</strong></p>
<p>Eating leafy greens is a good idea, but some salads have quite a calorie count. Cobb and Caesar salads can be fat traps. You should avoid any salad with goat cheese too. A lot of calories are in the dressing; so if you order a salad, get the dressing on the side.</p>
<p><strong>3.) Watch the veggies</strong></p>
<div id="attachment_5496" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 160px"><a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/current-health-news/researcher-questions-value-of-a-family-meal/attachment/meal/" rel="attachment wp-att-5496"><img class="size-full wp-image-5496" alt="Not every move a chef makes is listed on the menu. Be sure to ask the wait staff if you have questions." src="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/meal.jpg" width="150" height="99" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Not every move a chef makes is listed on the menu. Be sure to ask the wait staff if you have questions.</p></div>
<p>A new cooking trend is to drizzle veggies in butter and saute them in butter, which racks up the calories. Some chefs are even tossing veggies in bacon drippings to kick up some flavor, but that fun fact is often not mentioned on the menu. To avoid this trap, ask for “dry vegetables.” You’ll get steamed veggies, without the additions.</p>
<p>The post <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog/weight-loss/avoid-fat-eating-out-at-restaurants-l0430/">Top 3 Little-Known Fat Traps At Restaurants</a> appeared first on <a href="http://www.accessrx.com/blog">AccessRx.com Current Health News Blog Online</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
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