Congress and policy makers in Washington are intently focused on how to optimally manage the cost of prescription medications. Many proposals have already been released, and it’s likely that this focus will continue well into the 2020 elections and beyond. This is perfectly appropriate, given that access to medications is a cornerstone of the management...Continue reading
Category: Policy
Potential Adverse Impacts of Poorly Designed Medication Pricing Policy
As our country and the world continue to battle the COVID19 pandemic, the need for reliable, safe, effective, and high-quality diagnostic tests and treatment medications becomes more urgent every day. As does the need to maintain a safe and secure supply of technology and raw materials. Our overreliance on non-US sources for critical medical products...Continue reading
Men’s Health Month: 26 Years of Progress—But Still a Long Way to Go
In 1994, when Men’s Health Month first launched, women outlived men by 6.6 years. By 2017, that gender gap had narrowed to five years. Why the dramatic change? Well, Men’s Health Month (MHM) itself has played an important role. Celebrated every June across the country and around the world, MHM features screenings, health fairs, media...Continue reading
Health Disparities: Why Do Girls Live Longer Than Boys?
Dear Healthy Men: A few weeks ago, you wrote about why women live longer than women. When does the gender gap start? In other words, do girls live longer than boys? Dear Healthy Men: A few weeks ago, you wrote about why women live longer than women. When does the gender gap start? In other...Continue reading
Can You Smell the Coronavirus?
Can’t taste the bacon cooking on the stove? Bad news. Don’t enjoy your favorite sweet and salty snacks the way you used to? Bad news. Didn’t notice that unpleasant aroma? Also bad news! Trouble with smelling and tasting have recently been identified as one of the possible symptoms of coronavirus. There has been an increase...Continue reading
Testicular Cancer Awareness Month: Patient Perspective Blog Post
It was a routine sports physical for my high school rowing team sophomore year of high school. My family medicine doctor performed all head-to-toe items on the form’s checklist, including the dreaded “turn and cough.” While going over my family history, the doctor asked about previous illnesses and cancers in the family. I was aware...Continue reading
New Year’s Resolution: Better Mental Health
The New Year is a time for making resolutions and focusing on self-improvement. While many of these New Year’s resolutions typically have to do with quitting smoking or weight loss, numerous well-intentioned goal-seekers just wind up feeling depressed. Broken resolutions combined with lousy weather and the end of the festive holiday season can leave many...Continue reading
Health Disparities: Why Do Women Live Longer Than Men?
On average, men’s lives are less healthy—and shorter—than women’s. This health disparity exists in part because women take better care of themselves than men do. But several recent studies have found that in many cases, a man and a woman with the exact same condition may respond to it quite differently. Logic would dictate that...Continue reading
Fail First is the Wrong Prescription for Patients
As policymakers and health care stakeholders consider reforms to address the cost of medications, Men’s Health Network (MHN), the leading health advocacy and education non-profit for advancing the comprehensive health of boys and men in America, urges lawmakers and regulators to reject outright policies that will prevent or constrain patients from accessing effective medications necessary...Continue reading
Prescription Drug Concessions and Rebates: Keeping the Focus on the Patient
Virtually anyone in America who takes a prescription medication has that medication processed and paid for through a for-profit business called a Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) company. These companies provide a very valuable service in the transaction between your local pharmacy and the health insurers or other payers like state or federal health programs I...Continue reading