By Lindsey Tanner; The Associated Press ~ Apr 02, 2016

CHICAGO (AP) — The first major research of its kind shows that cholesterol-lowering statins can prevent heart attacks and strokes in a globally diverse group of older people who don’t have heart disease.

The results bolster recommendations in recent guidelines on who should consider taking the drugs.

The aim was to prevent heart problems using a statin alone, blood pressure drugs or a combination of the two. The three approaches are commonly used in high risk patients or those with evidence of heart disease. The patients in the study did not have heart disease and faced lower risks of developing it, and the statin approach worked best.

By Jed Graham; Investor’s Business Daily ~ Apr 01, 2016

Social Security’s day of reckoning is drawing uncomfortably close — just 13 years away by the latest government projections — but the political will to secure the retirement program’s future is melting away.

Republican front-runner Donald Trump says that he won’t touch Social Security, a big shift from Mitt Romney’s plan four years ago to cut benefits and raise the retirement age. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton has pledged that she won’t cut benefits but will increase benefits for those who depend on the program the most, like elderly widows.

By Anna Edney, Bloomberg in Chicago Tribune – March 30, 2016

Heparin tainted with unauthorized Chinese-made ingredients may be on the market in the U.S. and the Food and Drug Administration hasn’t moved swiftly enough to prevent it, according to a congressional probe nearly a decade after hundreds of deaths were linked to sullied batches of the blood-thinning drug.

This possible contamination is different from the earlier one, when Chinese producers made crude heparin containing a deadly chemical. They may be using cow and sheep intestines to produce the raw material for heparin that is supposed to be derived only from the intestinal membranes of pigs, according to a letter the House Energy and Commerce Committee sent Tuesday to the FDA. The agency has known about the risky practice since 2007, around the time it discovered the chemically enhanced crude heparin, the panel said.

By  Laura Lorenzetti ; Fortune ~ Mar 30, 2016

Company-paid health insurance is on its way out — and may not be such a bad thing.

The best workplaces are full of perks from ping pong tables to nap pods to unlimited vacation days. The employers on Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For list are always looking for innovative ways to keep employees engaged and happy. However, there’s one perk that’s slowly fading away: employer-paid health insurance.

CBS News – March 29, 2016

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — Nine out of ten Americans now have health care coverage, but that doesn’t mean they can afford their medication.

With the rising cost of drugs, many say they’re forced to choose between their prescriptions and other necessities like food or rent.

However, as CBS2’s Dr. Max Gomez explained, there are new ways to save, and you can even get some medicines for free.

By Juliegrace Brufke; The Daily Caller ~ Mar 29, 2016      

The Internal Revenue Service’s security controls aren’t strong enough to protect taxpayers’ personal information, according to a report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) Monday.

The nonpartisan government watchdog said while the agency has taken strides to improve ensuring sensitive information is protected, its safety guards still had “significant control deficiencies.”

From HealthDay News; United Press International ~ Mar 29, 2016

TUESDAY, March 29, 2016 — Most Americans would want to know if their doctor has a troubled past, but getting that information is difficult, a new report finds.

Thousands of practicing doctors in the United States are on probation for offenses such as sexual misconduct, drug addiction or unprofessional treatment of patients, according to Consumer Reports.

From HealthDay News; United Press International ~ Mar 28, 2016

MONDAY, March 28, 2016 — The percentage of the world’s population aged 65 and older is expected to double by 2050, a new report says.

People who are 65 and older now make up 8.5 percent of people (617 million) worldwide. By 2050, they are expected to represent nearly 17 percent (1.6 billion), according to the U.S. Census Bureau report commissioned by the U.S. National Institute on Aging (NIA).

By Sarah Ferris; The Hill ~ Mar 28, 2016

The new head of D.C.’s biggest drug lobby has a strategy to help overcome a tortuous year of bad publicity on pricing: More lab coats on Capitol Hill.

Steve Ubl, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Researcher and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), plans to deploy top scientists and researchers to meet with lawmakers in a potentially make-or-break year for the industry.

By Andrew Yarrow, Baltimore Sun – March 27, 2016

High prescription drug prices make most Americans’ blood boil, with the same drugs costing up to six times more here than in Western Europe, where drug prices are regulated. However, one cause of high prices has received scant attention: the delays in bringing generic drugs to the market.

This problem, costing consumers billions of dollars each year, should be a top priority for Dr. Robert M. Califf, who was just confirmed by the Senate as the new Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).