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FDA Classifies Previously Announced Medtronic Physician Advisory On Small Subset Of Kappa And Sigma Pacemakers As Class I Recall
Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified Medtronic"s previously announced physician advisory about a small subset of Kappa® and Sigma® series pacemakers, identified at increased susceptibility for separation of bonded interconnect wires from the electronic circuit, as a Class I recall. Notification to U.S. FDA, physicians and patients began May 18, 2009. As of the date of this news release, more than 95 percent of physicians following affected devices in the United States have confirmed receipt of the notification. The FDA"s classification of Medtronic"s Important Patient Safety Information does not alter the patient management recommendations already provided in the May 2009 letter, and physicians need not take any new action.
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Lawmakers Dilemma: Should Tax Increases Pay For Health Care Overhaul?
As lawmakers disagree over which taxes to raise to pay for health care reform, they "also face another problem: They"re confronting the fear that"s made it hard to raise taxes for more than 30 years. Republicans and moderate Democrats think that any tax increase is political poison back home," McClatchy Newspapers reports. "Republicans are pouncing on Democrats, charging that the party is eager to add a new tax burden to already-strapped constituents in the midst of a recession. ò€¦ The current House Democratic plan would raise an estimated $543.9 billion over 10 years by imposing what it calls a "graduated surcharge" on higher-income earners." One criticism of the proposal is that "small businesses will be hurt. Surcharge backers cite data from Congress" Joint Committee on Taxation that indicate that 96 percent of small businesses wouldn"t be affected."
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Global Commitment Announced In Fight Against Leading Killer Of Children
A new strategy in the fight against pneumonia, the world"s greatest killer of children, was announced in Lecce, Italy. Global health partners gathered to sign an innovative new financing agreement called the Advance Market Commitment (AMC), designed to accelerate access to life-saving new vaccines and medicines in developing countries.
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The European Experience: The Pluses And Minuses Of Government-Run Health Care

As President Barack Obama pushes to overhaul health care, many look to Europe for examples of government-run health care. The Seattle Times/Associated Press reports: "The concept has been enshrined in Europe for generations. Health systems are built so inclusive that even illegal immigrants are entitled to free treatment beyond just emergency care. Europeans have some of the world"s best hospitals and have made great strides in fighting problems like obesity and heart disease. But the system is far from perfect." The AP notes: "In Britain, France, Switzerland and elsewhere, public health systems have become political punching bags for opposition parties, costs have skyrocketed and in some cases, patients have needlessly suffered and died." The AP reports: "Obama has pointedly said he does not want to bring European-style health care to the U.S. and that he intends to introduce a government-run plan to compete with private insurance, not replace it. Critics fear Obama"s reforms will lead to more government control over health care and cite problems faced by European health systems as examples of what not to do. Other experts say Americans could learn from countries like Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland, especially in the debate on how to reorganize health insurance. ... Private health care is also available in Europe, creating in some instances a two-tier system that critics say defeats the egalitarian impulse on which national systems were built." Critics also complain about the high cost of European health care and that policies are often driven by politics more than science. They also complain that government influence can stifle innovation and bureaucracies are slow to adopt new medical technologies (Cheng, 7/5). This information was reprinted from kaiserhealthnews.org with kind permission from the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives and sign up for email delivery at kaiserhealthnews.org. © Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.


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