Health Insurance Fraud in the News May 17, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: Andrew M. Cuomo, Health Insurance Fraud, New York State attorney general
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Inquiry Set on Health Care Billing
Andrew M. Cuomo, New York State attorney general, announced an inquiry into health insurance
New York Times-By REED ABELSON
It is a common medical puzzler. The benefits statement arrives from the insurance company, saying that although the doctor has charged, say, $200 for that recent office visit, only $80 is covered — and the consumer is obliged to pick up the balance.
That gap may be too big, according to critics of the health insurance industry, whose ranks were joined Wednesday by the New York State attorney general, Andrew M. Cuomo.
Mr. Cuomo announced a sweeping investigation into whether health insurance companies have systematically forced patients to pay more than they should when using doctors and hospitals outside their insurer’s networks.
….. (Read the rest of this article)
Substance found in chewing gum could be labeled toxic May 17, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: Acetic acid ethenyl ester, chewing gum, toxic chewing gum, vinyl acetate
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Amy Husser
Canwest News Service
OTTAWA -A substance used to make chewing gum could soon be declared toxic by the federal government after an international agency found that it might cause cancer in lab rats.
On May 17, the government will publish a list of 17 substances that may be labeled as toxic in a draft report on risk assessment. Acetic acid ethenyl ester, or vinyl acetate – commonly used as a base in some chewing gums – could be on that list, Health Canada said Monday.
The substance is a colourless liquid with a strong, sweet scent that can be used as a flavouring agent. When made into a polymer, it becomes useful in the production of chewing gum.
However, tests completed by the International Agency for Research on Cancer found evidence that vinyl acetate could be linked to instances of cancer in rats. No similar results have been found in humans.
For this reason, the substance is classified as a “potentially high hazard substance” by Health Canada.
“The problem with cancer-causing things is we don’t always know that there is a safe dose. Certainly, less is better,” says Dr. Kapil Khatter, an adviser with Enivironmental Defence. His organization will likely push for the government to encourage alternatives, which Khatter says are available.
The federal government is conducting the study on vinyl acetate as part of a larger review of 200 substances called the Chemicals Management Plan to determine what actions, if any, are necessary to protect human health. Vinyl acetate is classified as a “potentially high hazard substance” because of the findings related to its carcinogenic nature.
Following the publication of the report, the public will have 60 days to comment before a final report is issued, at which point Ottawa is required to implement control measures. This could include further study.
Last month, retailers across Canada voluntarily pulled baby bottles containing bisphenol A off the shelves when that substance was part of a similar assessment.
Vinyl acetate is also used in the production of perfumes, deodorizers and paints and sealants, among other things.
Cardinal Health Mouthwash Recalled May 11, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: B. cepacia, Cardinal Health alcohol-free mouthwash, recall
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Hydrox Labs of Elgin, Ill., and Cardinal Health of Dublin, Ohio, have recalled their Cardinal Health alcohol-free mouthwash because it has tested positive for infection-causing bacteria.
The mouthwash has tested positive for Burkholderia cepacia (B. cepacia), according to a press release from the companies.
“B. cepacia poses little medical risk to healthy people,” the release stated. “However, people who have certain health problems such as weakened immune systems or chronic lung diseases, particularly cystic fibrosis (CF), may be more susceptible to infections with B. cepacia.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed hospital illnesses in one state associated with the use of the mouthwash.
The product was distributed to hospitals, medical centers, and long-term care facilities nationwide.
Osteoporosis Drugs Linked to Jaw Infection, Study Shows May 10, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: Actonel, bisphosphonates, Boniva, Fosamax, jawbones, Microbial biofilms, osteoporosis
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ScienceDaily — A group of University of Southern California School of Dentistry researchers says it has identified the slimy culprits killing the jawbones of some people taking drugs that treat osteoporosis.
Microbial biofilms, a mix of bacteria and sticky extracellular material, are causing jaw tissue infections in patients taking bisphosphonate drugs, said Parish Sedghizadeh, lead researcher and assistant clinical professor at the USC School of Dentistry.
Sold under brand names such as Fosamax, Boniva and Actonel, bisphosphonates are prescribed to millions of patients to combat osteoporosis, a bone-wasting disease that increases the risk of fractures.
Sedghizadeh said there have been increasing reports of osteonecrosis (bone death) of the jaw in patients who have been taking the drugs for osteoporosis or for treatment from the bone-wasting effects of cancer. He said he decided to investigate further after seeing patients in USC dentistry clinics who had the unusual jaw infection.
“This is the first study that identifies microbial biofilms in the bone of bisphosphonate patients who have osteonecrosis of the jaw,” Sedghizadeh said.
Jaw osteonecrosis occurs when bacteria-laden biofilms infect the jaw after the bone is exposed, typically because of a tooth extraction or injury.
The USC research team includes renowned biofilm expert J. William Costerton, director of the Center for Biofilms at the USC School of Dentistry.
Salivary Diagnostics, The ‘Magic Mirror’ To Your Health … At Your Personal Computer May 10, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: oral cancer, saliva, Salivaomics Knowledge Base (SKB), salivary diagnostsics
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ScienceDaily — Accuracy, convenience, and non-invasiveness are the most critical characteristics for any diagnostic tool. A new concept, Salivaomics Knowledge Base (SKB), an in silico (i.e., performed on computer or via computer simulation) saliva diagnostic atlas, is launching during the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research in Dallas, Texas.
With people increasingly adopting a ‘digital life’, the SKB will serve as a catalyst for future development and expansion of salivary diagnostics. For over three years, saliva has shown genuine promise as a diagnostic tool for oral cancer detection. As a result, the scientific community and general public have developed a keen interest in its value.
Central to the SKB is the recent creation of two diagnostic alphabets in saliva, the proteome and the transcriptome. In the SKB, the salivary proteome and transcriptome are mapped to 23 human chromosomes, totaling1166 distinct proteins and 851 unique mRNA transcripts in saliva. The available information presently includes profiles from healthy males and females, as well as oral cancer patients.
These profiles can be used to determine distinct differences between groups of interest. For example, if one wants to know the differences in the salivary protein or transcriptome profiles of males and females, the user-friendly interface can be utilized to retrieve information from the database. First, an overview of the biomarker distribution on the 23 human chromosomes can be determined. Then, one can zoom in on specific gene segments to extract more detailed information, all done on one’s personal computer.
This is the first step of this SKB initiative. The database is expanding and will soon include information for pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, diabetes,and Alzheimer’s disease. The short-term goal of the SKB is to share information with scientists globally in an effort to reduce redundancy and enhance the appeal of salivary diagnostics.
This is a summary of abstract #1179, “Salivaomics Knowledge Base (SKB)”, by W. Yan et al., of UCLA, USA, presented April 5, 2008 during the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research.
Overweight Kids Have Fewer Cavities, New Study Shows May 4, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: overweight children, cavities
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Contrary to conventional wisdom, overweight children have fewer cavities and healthier teeth compared to their normal weight peers, according to a study published in this month’s issue of Community Dentistry & Oral Epidemiology.
Surprised researchers at the Eastman Dental Center, part of the University of Rochester Medical Center, conducted a secondary analysis of nearly 18,000 children who participated in two separate National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES III and NHANES 99-02).
The study found no differences in rates of caries (tooth decay) among children ages 2-5 in all weight ranges, while children ages 6-18 who were considered overweight and at risk for becoming overweight showed a decreased risk of caries compared to their normal weight peers.
“We expected to find more oral disease in overweight children of all ages, given the similar causal factors that are generally associated with obesity and caries, said Eastman Dental Center’s Dorota Kopycka-Kedzierawski, DDS, MPH, the lead author. “Our findings raise more questions than answers. For example, are overweight children eating foods higher in fat rather than cavity-causing sugars? Are their diets similar to normal weight peers but lead more sedentary lifestyles? Research to analyze both diet and lifestyle is needed to better understand the results.”
The study defined overweight children as being at the 95th or higher percentile for their age and sex; children at the 85th or higher percentile and less than 95th percentile for their age and sex were defined as at risk for becoming overweight.
Winemaking Waste Proves Effective Against Disease-Causing Bacteria in Early Studies May 4, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: grape polyphenols, winemaking
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A class of chemicals in red wine grapes may significantly reduce the ability of bacteria to cause cavities, according to a study published recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The findings suggest that specific polyphenols, present in large amounts in fermented seeds and skins cast away after grapes are pressed, interfere with the ability of bacteria to contribute to tooth decay. Beyond cavities, the action of the wine grape-based chemicals may also hold clues for new ways to lessen the ability of bacteria to cause life-threatening, systemic infections.
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| Hydroxyaratite disc act as tooth surogates to study how to block strep germs from forming dental plaque at Dr. Hyun Koo’s lab at the University of Rochester Medical Center. (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli) |
Even better, the compounds embody an emerging philosophy in design of drugs against bacteria: take away their ability to cause disease without killing them. Current antibiotics often kill a strain of bacteria responsible for disease, only to create a vacuum quickly filled by related strains. The widespread overprescribing of antibiotics and the speed of bacterial evolution have greatly increased the likelihood that the strains most able to resist antibiotics will thrive and spread. This trend is evident in recent reports that one strain of bacteria has become resistant to all 18 antibiotics approved for use in childhood ear infections, while another now causes more U.S. deaths than AIDS. New approaches seek to take away bacterial capabilities that cause disease (virulence factors) without “selecting for” resistance or killing beneficial bacteria.
“Most foods contain compounds that are both good and bad for dental health, so the message is not ‘drink more wine to fight bacteria,’” said Hyun Koo, DDS, Ph.D., assistant professor of Dentistry within the Eastman Department of Dentistry and Center for Oral Biology at the Medical Center. “We hope to isolate the key compounds within the winemaking waste that render bad bacteria harmless, perhaps in the mouth with a new kind of rinse,” said Koo, an author of the current study.
Stuart Florida Voters OK Fluoridation May 3, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: city water system, fluoridation
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Stuart, Fla.— The city of Stuart will get the chance to put the fluoridation equipment it already owns to good use, as voters OK’d a ballot measure Jan. 29 to fluoridate its water.
After a coalition of health care professionals, community groups and concerned citizens conducted a year-long education campaign, 52 percent of Stuart’s voters approved the fluoridation measure.
The city’s water system has had more than $100,000 of fluoridation equipment on standby for several years, said Dr. David Boden. The equipment was purchased with a grant from the state.
A member of the ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs, Dr. Boden is a periodontist with offices in Port St. Lucie and Stuart.
The debate began countywide in 2003, when the Martin County Commission voted to fluoridate the county’s water. But in December 2006, three of five Martin County commissioners voted against fluoridation—effectively putting Stuart’s plans to fluoridate on hold.
This Stuart vote will bring fluoridation to about 18,000 residents. Fluoridated water will begin to flow within 90 to 120 days, the time needed to obtain materials and conduct the necessary start-up testing, Dr. Boden added.
“Our coalition was organized for the long haul,” said Dr. Boden. “Our goal was to keep our campaign positive and get people to come out and vote—not because of fear, but because they knew it was right for the community.”
AAPD teams up with Head Start May 3, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in NEWS.Tags: AAPD, Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Add new tag, Head Start
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The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Head Start are teaming up to help establish dental homes for young children enrolled in Head Start.
The AAPD Head Start Dental Home Initiative will be publicly announced Feb. 28 with a press conference in Washington. The initiative will create a national network of dentists to provide dental homes for Head Start and Early Head Start children, said Dr. John S. Rutkauskas, AAPD executive director.
“AAPD and Head Start are partnering at the national, regional, state and local levels to develop a national network of dentists to link Head Start children with dental homes,” said Dr. Rutkauskas. “Dental homes mean that children’s oral health care is delivered by dentists to children through an ongoing relationship that is comprehensive, continuously accessible, coordinated and family-centered.”
The five-year project includes five key components:
- providing project leadership administration and organizational support;
- providing oral health expertise and technical advice;
- developing networks of dentists to provide access to dental homes;
- training dentists to enhance their capability to meet the oral health needs of young children and their understanding of Head Start and Early Head Start programs;
- enhancing HS/EHS oral health staff training and parent education programs.
FDA Public Health Notification: Denture Cleanser Allergic Reactions and Misuse May 3, 2008
Posted by Dentist.Com in -GEN. INFO, NEWS.Tags: allergic reactions, denture cleansers, FDA
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Dear Healthcare Provider:
This is to alert you to the risk of allergic reactions in users of denture cleansers, and the risks of misusing these products. The FDA has received at least 73 reports of adverse events, including at least one death, related to the use of denture cleansers. These adverse events have occurred both when the product has been used properly as well as from improper use. The allergic reactions can occur soon after the patient begins using the product, or after years of use.
Nature of the Problem
The literature and research suggest that the ingredient in denture cleansers responsible for these reactions is persulfate, a known allergen. Persulfates are used in most denture cleansers to help clean and bleach the dentures.
In addition to reports of allergic reactions, FDA has also received reports of severe adverse events, including at least one death, resulting from misuse of the product. Some patients have gargled or swallowed it, resulting in abdominal pain, vomiting, seizures, hypotension and difficulty breathing.
Recommendations
- Be aware that patients who wear dentures may present with symptoms of an allergic reaction, and that the denture cleanser may be the cause of the reaction.
- Educate your patients and their caregivers about the symptoms of an allergic reaction to persulfates in the denture cleanser. These symptoms can include irritation, tissue damage, gum tenderness, rash, urticaria, respiratory conditions and hypotension.
- Educate your patients and their caregivers about the proper use of denture cleansers. Even though the product labeling may mention mouthwash as an ingredient, the product should NEVER be ingested. Ingestion can result in esophageal ulcers, abdominal pain, vomiting, burns, irritation, breathing problems, hypotension, seizures, gum tenderness, bleaching of tissue, and blood in the urine.
