Diabetes

In updates from FDA, a copycat insulin is approved and final restrictions are lifted on a one-time blockbuster diabetes drug that all but disappeared from the market.

The new drug application says the insulin will be faster-acting, but it does not say just how fast.

The study used Medicare data to identify patients who took both warfarin and 1 of 2 common sulfonylureas.

The data showed strong associations between certain behavioral factors and likelihood of childhood obesity, such as late or irregular bedtimes and a mother's smoking habit during pregnancy.

The year 2014 was critical in the trajectory of prescription drug costs, as many therapies came off patent and health plans took steps to insulate themselves from the effects of the Affordable Care Act.

Disease management programs for diabetes care based on bundled payment did not slow down the cost growth. Multimorbid adult patients with diabetes had largest cost growth.

The battle for presence in health plans and on formularies between the two cholesterol-fighting drugs has been fierce.

Patients with diabetes that are cared for by primary care teams with higher cohesion experienced greater EHR-related outcome improvements, compared with patients cared for by lower cohesion teams.

A small amount of fat loss from the pancreas reverses type 2 diabetes for obese patients.

Besides the cost of testing, excessive testing was associated with more medication changes that might not be necessary.

The effort comes at a key time: CMS is moving ahead at full steam to require more use of alternate payment models in reimbursement.

Low-carb diets high in animal based foods were more associated with a risk of type 2 diabetes than plant-based diets.

The warnings will address 2 issues: the risk of too much acid in the blood and severe urinary tract infections.

The estimate is based on the larger number of Americans now eligible to be treated for high LDL cholesterol, based on guidelines adopted in 2013.

Results come the same week that CDC announced a drop in new cases of diabetes that was confined to white, well-educated Americans.

Results first presented at the American Diabetes Association in June are published. The new drug application has since been filed at FDA.

This year's measures include 60 that will be part of the new Merit-Based Incentive Payment System or MIPS, which was created under legislation that eliminated the Sustainable Growth Rate.

Critics of the Global Energy Balance Network had compared its work to the tactics of big tobacco, which decades ago had sponsored studies to dissuade Americans that cigarettes were dangerous.

Despite the good news, experts warn against being complacent, because new cases are still high among minorities and those with little education.

Relaxed direct-to-consumer advertising restrictions for drugs by the FDA in 1997 has precipitated an increase in prescription drug utilization, not just among Medicare enrollees, but also among non-elderly users.

The link between low testosterone and decreased insulin sensitivity had been shown in previous research.

Diabetes is a growing epidemic in the United States and new research has indicated that half of healthy 45-year-olds will develop pre-diabetes and one-third will develop diabetes at some point.

The American College of Physicians has published a paper in the Annals of Internal Medicine that advices clinicians to prescribe generic drugs whenever possible.

The policy change is aimed at curbing the state's obesity rate as well as comorbidities such as diabetes

What we're reading, November 25, 2015: UnitedHealthcare's decision on healthcare exchange participation, Democratic Presidential candidate's health plan, and conflict of interest between soda company and anti-obesity research group.