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Blogs Comment On 'Common Ground' Bill, Abortion Coverage In Health Reform Legislation, Other Topics
The following summarizes selected women"s health-related blog entries.~ "Democratic Bill Could Be a Preview of Obama"s Abortion Plan," Dan Gilgoff, U.S. News & World Report"s "God and Country": A recently introduced bill aimed at reducing the need for abortion is "big news because moderate to liberal faith-based advocates are urging the White House to adopt the bill ... as the core of its forthcoming "common ground" plan on abortion and reproductive health," Gilgoff writes. Some conservative religious groups, including the Southern Baptist Convention and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "have warned the White House" that the bill is a "deal breaker" for them because of its support for comprehensive sex education and contraception, he writes. The White House "has refused to say which way it"s leaning," Gilgoff writes, adding the Obama administration could "buck" the groups that support the bill and "get behind" the Pregnant Women Support Act, "which is generally considered more robust on reducing demand for abortions and which leaves out contraceptive funding." However, he concludes, "that would be a pretty big surprise" (Gilgoff, "God and Country," U.S. News & World Report, 7/23).~ "New Report: Abortion Providers = American Human Rights Defenders, Now Under Increasing Attack," Jodi Jacobson, RH Reality Check: A new Center for Reproductive Rights report "calls on both the federal and state governments to address the growing threats against and stigmatization and abuse of abortion providers throughout the United States," Jacobson writes. The report "focuses on a key obstacle to the realization of women"s reproductive rights ... and recognizes their work as human rights defenders," she writes, adding that the U.S. has "historically been a leader both in creating and in encouraging accountability to human rights principles throughout the world." However, "[a]ccess to reproductive health care generally and abortion care specifically are basic human rights largely ignored within the context of U.S. domestic politics," Jacobson writes, noting that abortion access in the U.S. "has been increasingly limited due to the range of obstacles created through anti-choice advocacy." The report highlights several "types of rights violations [that] are most pervasive in limiting women"s choices and the rights of abortion providers," including "intimidation and harassment," "stigma" and "legal restrictions." The report makes a "series of recommendations for change at the state and local level for changes in policy and in law enforcement practices, as well as for the federal government, medical community and non-governmental organizations," Jacobson concludes, adding that the report "makes a special plea for the United Nations Special Rapporteur to document violations of women"s human rights in the United States" (Jacobson, RH Reality Check, 7/22).~ "Sixteen Governors Call on Congress To Include Medicaid Family Planning State Option in Health Reform," Jodi Jacobson, RH Reality Check: "Sixteen governors have written a letter to both Senate and House Leadership "expressing strong support for the Medicaid Family Planning State Option,"" which is included in President Obama"s fiscal year 2010 budget proposal, Jacobson writes. The governors wrote, "Many of our states have created family planning expansion programs, though we have done so with great difficulty," adding, "Since the early 1990s, 27 states have been granted federal waivers to expand their Medicaid family planning coverage. These demonstration projects have been unqualified successes, providing care to millions of women while saving states [millions] of dollars." Jacobson continues, "The current Medicaid waiver process, however, "puts unnecessary roadblocks in the way of our efforts to maintain and expand coverage for family planning services,"" according to the governors. She adds, "Passing this law as part of health care reform "would give us the needed flexibility to quickly and efficiently expand cove
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More Community Health Care Now, That's The Remedy For Our Ailing Hospitals, Australia
In response to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report on hospitals, Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) said the best remedy for Australia"s hospitals is to keep people out of them.
Medical Devices

New Data Supports Significant Economic And Clinical Value Of MENOPUR(R) In IVF

New data from an economic analysis presented today at this year"s European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) congress showed that, within the parameters of the simulation model used, the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment MENOPUR (highly-purified human menopausal gonatropin or HP-hMG) offered considerable cost-savings over recombinant follicle stimulating hormone (rFSH).1 The cost-effectiveness of HP-hMG compared with rFSH suggested by this data could make it a more attractive choice for use in infertility treatment within a fixed healthcare budget. In today"s difficult global financial situation, the cost-effectiveness of infertility treatments, such as IVF, is more important than ever. Experiencing fertility problems is deeply distressing and isolating for couples and the cost of treatment is one of many considerations for people seeking treatment. A recent audit of European infertility patient groups showed that infertile couples are calling for clear information on the cost-effectiveness, as well as the efficacy of individual treatments.2 HP-hMG and rFSH are two commonly used hormonal therapies belonging to the class of drugs known as gonadotropins that enhance egg production in IVF treatment. HP-hMG, contains both FSH and hCG-driven (human chorionic gonadotropin) LH-activity (luteinizing hormone). In contrast, rFSH is a recombinant product and contains only rFSH. "Until recently, discussions regarding funding for infertility treatment services have been hindered by a relative paucity of economic studies of the specific treatments," points out study investigator Dr Jaro Wex from PharmArchitecture, UK. "Our new study compared success rates and value for money of gonadotropins in IVF and this work is likely to have a major impact on the decision-making process with respect to IVF treatment. The study showed that HP-hMG is a more attractive option than rFSH within a fixed budget, as it offers considerable cost savings over rFSH, not only in terms of costs per treatment cycle, but also in costs per live births." Health economic data The new study determined the cost-effectiveness of different gonadotropins in IVF cycles involving frozen embryo transfers using a simulation model. The economic evaluation compared HP-hMG and rFSH using individual patient data (n=986) pooled from two large, randomised, multi-national, non-inferiority trials (EISG3 and MERiT4)5. The simulation model used both live-birth data for the compared products and published UK costs of IVF related medical res. The main objectives were to determine for each patient starting treatment consisting of one fresh and up to two cryo or fresh cycles: (1) number of live-births (2) average cost of treatment; (3) average cost per live-birth; (4) incremental cost-effectiveness; (5) impact of inclusion of maternal and neonatal costs arising from successful pregnancies. After a sequence of one fresh and up to two frozen or fresh cycles, the cumulative live-birth rate was 53.7% for HP-hMG and 44.6% for rFSH (pMENOPUR MENOPUR belongs to a class of drugs known as gonadotropins and contains both FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and hCG-driven (human chorionic gonadotropin) LH-activity (luteinizing hormone). HP-hMG is used to stimulate the development of multiple follicles in women participating in an ART programme. HP-hMG is also used to treat infertility in women caused by anovulation (low-level production of eggs). MENOPUR is used by over 75,000 patients each year and is currently licensed in over 50 countries across the world Ferring Pharmaceuticals


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