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The article looks at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). According to FDA's acting commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, the FDA must change the way it examines and approves new drugs and medical devices. The article discusses FDA's failure to act on the application of the morning after emergency contraceptive, the FDA's Critical Path Initiative, legislation in U.S. Congress that would allow more changes in drug-approval process of the FDA, known as the "Access, Compassion, Care, and Ethics for Seriously III Patients Act," and a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office that criticized the FDA's monitoring of postmarket drug safety.

Reports on the National Association of Community Health Centers' lawsuit challenging the federal government's policy of granting waivers that allow states to implement managed care programs for Medicaid patients. Unfairness of managed care programs to the poor and community health center networks; Alleged illegality of Medicaid waivers granted by the government.

The article focuses on a U.S. campaign aimed at reducing the influence of pharmaceutical industry marketing on physicians and doctors-in-training. The Pew Charitable Trust based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has given $6 million to fund the national campaign, called the Prescription Project. Data from a report by the United States Government Accountability Office documenting the pharmaceutical companies' practice of marketing their products directly to doctors and medical centers is presented. Details of conflict-of-interest guidelines proposed in an article appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2006 are discussed.

Interviews Gregory Stock who is an expert in the field of technology in medicine. How he is predicting that some day we will routinely use genetic engineering to remake our own biology and redesign our children; He believes that effort to stop embryonic stem cell and other medical research is futile and possibly dangerous; Stock, the director of the programme on medicine, technology and society at the University of California at Los Angeles is an outspoken proponent of stem cell research and human genetic engineering; Why he thinks research has been tied up in the United States; His belief that it is only a matter of time before the world is able to select traits in offspring; "Redesigning Humans: Choosing our Genes, Changing our Future," which is his book on the topic.

Discusses U.S. policy on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), which would include the funding of CAM research, training of practitioners, and formation of an office to coordinate federal CAM activities. Details of a report by the White House Commission on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Policy that supports alternative medicine; Criticism that the report is not a useful guide for public policy, according to two commission members, Joseph Fins and Teoraona Low Dog; Defense of the report by James Gordon.

Focuses on a study by the U.S. Government Accounting Office, indicating that physical and sexual abuse of nursing home residents by the staff often goes unreported and unpunished. Details of the investigation that reviewed state and federal regulations in Illinois, Georgia,and Pennsylvania; Reasons that abuse is not reported and prosecuted.

Discusses rules proposed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that would require researchers doing human trials of gene therapies and xenotransplantation to post safety information about the treatment on the agency's web site. Hopes that the action will restore public confidence in the therapies after a series of scandals in 2000, including the death of Jesse Gelsinger; Reaction of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen and the medical and pharmaceutical communities.

Reports on a decision by the British government to allow the postcoital contraceptive, levonorgestrel, to be sold without a doctor's prescription. Details of how the drug works by preventing fertilisation or implantation; Concern as to how the drug will be dispensed; Outlook for emergency contraceptive pills in the United States.

Focuses on charges in a United States Congressional report by the House Committee on Government Reforms, which is chaired by Dan Burton (R-Ind.). Allegation that officials fail to enforce conflict of interest regulations and allow experts with industry ties to sit on vaccine approval panels; Details of the two expert panels involved; Requirement of the Food and Drug Administration that panelists disclose conflicts of interest.

Focuses on the privacy policies for a patient's medical records in the United States. Request made by the U.S. Institute of Medicine that researchers who utilize such records should voluntarily adopt tougher policies; How regulations are monitored as of August 2000; Plans for the future.

Reports on the concern over the use of psychotropic drugs to treat young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the United States. Efforts of First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton to launch an initiative to improve care of children with ADHD; Four federal programs included in the initiative; Concern that psychotropic drugs are being overprescribed.

Reports on the launch of two initiatives by the United States Food & Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health aimed to protect patients participating in gene-therapy trials. Basis of the programs in light of the death of test patient Jesse Gelsinger in September 1999; Adjustment of government regulations of gene therapy by way of the Gene Therapy Clinical Trial Monitoring Plan; Launch of public meeting among researchers to discuss safety during the Gene Transfer Safety Symposia.

Reports on the rejection by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of arguments made by the University of Pennsylvania in defense of its gene-therapy program. Shutdown of the trial by the FDA after the death of Jesse Gelsinger and the discovery of several protocol violations; Basis of the university's response to allegations over questionable safety standards; Demands of the FDA before the program could be reinstituted.

Focuses on the recommendation of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that health-care providers postpone giving the rotavirus vaccine to infants. Cases of bowel obstruction caused by intussusception reported to the US Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System; RotaShield vaccine from Wyeth Laboratories.

Focuses on the desire of the Clinton administration to make it easier for United States opiate addicts in treatment to obtain methadone. Director of the White House Office of National Drug Policy Barry McCaffrey's speech to a meeting of the American Methadone Treatment Association in New York City; Proposed policy changes; Response of New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani to McCaffrey's speech.

Reports that a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee has recommended that the agency permit the marketing of two computerized Pap smear screening devices. AutoPap developed by NeoPath Inc.; PAPNET by Neuromedical Systems Inc.; Purpose of devices.

Reports on the conclusion of the Food and Drug Administration's Drug Abuse Advisory Committee that cigarettes and other tobacco products are addictive and that nicotine is the cause of the addiction. Implications on government regulation of nicotine content; Response of the Tobacco Institute.

Comments on a report from the US General Accounting Office which suggests that the organ allocation practices in the United States may be both unfair and illegal. The United Network for Organ Sharing; Recommendations about a role for the US Department of Health and Human Services; More.

Comments on the reaction of vaccine manufacturers to the announcement that the government intends to provide free immunizations to every child under the age of two years. Details of the government's plan; Estimates of the current percentage of American two-year-olds who are completely immunized; More.

Announces the US Food and Drug Administration is lifting a 16-year policy forbidding women from participating in early drug trials. New rules; Protecting fetuses from teratogens; Criticisms of quality and amount of research done on women's health problems.

Informs that the US Department of Defense has announced that it will declassify documents relating to chemical-warfare experiments that the government conducted during and after World War II. Response to a National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine study; ; Details.

States that New York City has adopted regulations that pave the way for long-term detention of tuberculosis patients who do not complete treatment on their own. Details of the new policy; Reaction of civil libertarians, AIDS organizations and patient advocacy groups.

Comments on the standards for meat inspection issued in March 1992 by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Response to the largest Escherichia coli food-poisoning outbreak ever recorded; Linkage of the E. coli outbreak with the deaths of three children; More.

Reports that a US National Research Council panel evaluating risk assessment methods has voted to recommend the continued use of maximum tolerated dose (MTD) studies to screen for chemical carcinogens. Dissenters to this opinion; More.

Reports that over 800 previously confidential tobacco-company documents were released by a United States House of Representatives committee and posted on the Internet. Contents of documents; Response of four tobacco companies to release; Terms of settlement between companies and the government.