Latest from Helen Palmer

• Jun 29, 2007

  Mass. effort at cutting health spending

  The Massachusetts health-care plan requires all residents to have coverage. So the state is trying every which way to make the insurance affordable. Helen Palmer reports on how it's doing.

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• Jun 20, 2007

  Mass. health insurance set to roll out

  In April 2006, Massachusetts became the first state to require its residents to have some kind of health insurance. Now, the deadline's looming. Our Helen Palmer gives us an update on people are taking to the plan.

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• Jun 14, 2007

  Controversial weight loss drug hitting shelves

  Sales of Alli are projected to be as high as $3 billion a year, but angry critics say once it's available over-the-counter there's nothing to stop it from becoming a dangerous drug for teens and people with eating disorders. Helen Palmer reports.

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• Jun 13, 2007

  Cutting drug costs in half… literally

  As health care prices continue to soar, employers are getting more creative about ways to cut costs. The University of Michigan is having its employees cut high-dosage prescription pills in half. Then they share the savings. Helen Palmer has the story.

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• Jun 12, 2007

  Bird flu’s back

  Avian flu has claimed more victims in Asia recently and that's sparked renewed concerns about the possibility of a pandemic — but not so much among the American public. Most of us haven't prepared at all, Helen Palmer reports.

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• Jun 7, 2007

  Superbugs create super opportunity

  You don't want to go to the hospital, the old joke goes, it's full of sick people! And, it turns out, increasingly you're likely to catch an antibiotic-resistant infection there. Scary for patients, but it could mean big bucks for big pharma. Helen Palmer reports.

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• Jun 6, 2007

  Avandia’s fight for survival

  Congress holds a hearing today on the safety of diabetes drug Avandia. GlaxoSmithKline is mounting an aggressive defense for its No. 2 seller. With sales already plummeting, there's a lot of cash on the line. Helen Palmer reports

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• May 31, 2007

  Our loss, diet industry’s gain

  As Americans get bigger, so does the weight-loss business. The diet industry is now a multibillion-dollar enterprise, one whose existence depends on our failures. Helen Palmer reports.

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• May 23, 2007

  Are we paying too much for prescriptions?

  Americans pay the most in the world for prescription medications. Are we getting our money's worth? Helen Palmer reports.

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• May 11, 2007

  Oxycontin maker admits lying about risks

  The maker of the powerful painkiller Oxycontin and three of its top executives admit they lied about the drug's addiction risks. As a result, they'll pay a total of $600 million in fines. Helen Palmer reports.

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