Drug Topics - January 2009 - (Page H1) ® Health-System Edition H2 Study: More expensive heparin reduces patient costs H8 Pennsylvania hospital automates pharmacy Administration nalizes ‘right of conscience’ rule ALAINA SCOTT, Senior Editor O recipients of certain federal funds n December 18, the Bush adfrom coercing individuals in the ministration finalized its “right healthcare field into participating of conscience” rule to permit in actions they find religiously or medical facilities and physicians, nursmorally objectionable,” the rule es, pharmacists, and other healthcare says. “These same provisions also workers to refuse to participate in any prohibit discrimination on the basis of one’s objection to, procedure they find morally objectionable. participation in, or refusal to participate in, specific medical Supporters of the initiative believe Health and Human procedures, including abortion or sterilization.” Services Department funds should not support what they The rule seeks to prevent healthcare professionals from consider morally coercive or discriminatory practices or being forced to choose between their capacity policies in violation of federal law. to practice in good standing and their right of HHS officials said the rule applies to “any conscience. entity” that receives federal funds. It estimated HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt said he issued that 584,000 entities are covered, including POWER POINTS a final regulation before the Obama administra4,800 hospitals, 234,000 physicians’ offices, tion took over to protect the moral conscience and 58,000 pharmacies. Applies to an estimated of persons in the healthcare industry. AborFor more than 30 years, federal law has dic58,000 pharmacies. tion-rights advocates counter that the rights of tated that physicians and nurses may refuse to patients come first. perform abortions. The new rule goes further, HHS Of ce The regulation takes effect on January 20. allowing healthcare workers to refuse to proof Civil Rights Overturning the rule would require publishing vide information or advice to patients seeking will be tasked a proposed new rule for public comment and abortions. The final rule states, “Providers who with enforcement. then waiting several months to accept comobject to participation in abortion or a particular ments and draft of a final rule. health service may provide information on other Many of the public comments were against the prooptions, if asked, but are under no obligation to do so.” posed rule. The rule also includes more employees than does the “Please do not jeopardize the compassionate care for old law. For example, in addition to a surgeon and a nurse rape victims with additional regulations which would esin an operating room, the rule extends to “an employee sentially provide any healthcare worker with an out for whose task it is to clean the instruments. giving a rape victim the information and procedures she “In federal law, there are several provisions that prohibit is entitled to,” one comment said. But not all public comment has been negative. Network “I am very grateful that you are taking measures that SEE INDEX PAGE 10 will allow health professionals with a reverence for life, Regulatory & Legal especially very early life, to continue to participate in the For more info on this topic, see www.drugtopics.com medical professions,” one comment said. Januar y 2009 GETTY IMAGES / BLEND IMAGES/ TANYA CONSTANTINE W W W.D R U GTO P I C S .C O M DRUG TOPICS H1 http://www.drugtopics.com http://WWW.DRUGTOPICS.COM
Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Drug Topics - January 2009 Drug Topics - January 2009 Contents Letters Up Front Up Front in Depth Community Practice Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 OTC Community-Aquired MRSA Infections New Products Viewpoint Drug Topics - January 2009 Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Topics - January 2009 (Page Cover1) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Topics - January 2009 (Page Cover2) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Topics - January 2009 (Page 1) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Topics - January 2009 (Page 2) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Topics - January 2009 (Page 3) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 4) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 5) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 6) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 7) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 8) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 9) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 10) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H1) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H2) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H1) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H2) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H3) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H4) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H5) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H6) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H7) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page H8) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Contents (Page 13) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Up Front (Page 14) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Up Front (Page 15) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Up Front (Page 16) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Up Front (Page 17) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Up Front in Depth (Page 18) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Up Front in Depth (Page 19) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community Practice (Page 20) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community Practice (Page 20a) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community Practice (Page 20b) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community Practice (Page 21) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 (Page 22) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 (Page 23) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 (Page 24) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 (Page 25) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 (Page 26) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Drug Pipeline: What to Watch in 2009 (Page 27) Drug Topics - January 2009 - OTC (Page 28) Drug Topics - January 2009 - OTC (Page 29) Drug Topics - January 2009 - OTC (Page 30) Drug Topics - January 2009 - OTC (Page 31) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 32) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 33) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 34) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 35) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 36) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 37) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 38) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 39) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 40) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Community-Aquired MRSA Infections (Page 41) Drug Topics - January 2009 - New Products (Page 42) Drug Topics - January 2009 - New Products (Page 43) Drug Topics - January 2009 - New Products (Page 44) Drug Topics - January 2009 - New Products (Page 45) Drug Topics - January 2009 - New Products (Page 46) Drug Topics - January 2009 - New Products (Page 47) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Viewpoint (Page 48) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Viewpoint (Page Cover3) Drug Topics - January 2009 - Viewpoint (Page Cover4)
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