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Congress overrides Bush veto, stops Medicare pay cuts for doctors
After President Bush recently vetoed H.R. 6331, which stops Medicare cuts for the next 18 months and gives physicians a 1.1-percent payment increase, both houses of Congress quickly overrode the veto with large bipartisan majorities. The bill is now law — the fourth bill to be enacted over the president’s veto. The main purpose of the H.R. 6331 was to cancel a 10.6-percent cut that took effect on July 1 to Medicare physician payments — payments that were about what they were in 2001. “Along with the AMA, many patient, physician, and military groups called on Congress to pass this bipartisan bill. The only group opposing the bill was the health insurance lobby, which was eager to protect health plan subsidies and profits,” said Dr. Nancy H. Nielsen, President, American Medical Association.

Hydrolyzed infant formulas cut children’s allergy risk
Hydrolyzed infant formulas, made with proteins that are already broken down, may help lower the long-term risk of allergic disease among children who are genetically predisposed to developing allergies, according to a study in the Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology. Previous studies have shown that, compared with whole-protein formulas, hydrolyzed versions lower the risk of allergic disease during infancy and early childhood. This study suggests the benefits may last until age 6 or longer. Researchers from Marien-Hospital Wesel, Germany, studied 2,252 children born between 1995 and 1998 who all had at least one parent with allergies. All parents were encouraged to breastfeed. But if breast milk was supplemented, they were randomly assigned to use one of four options: standard formula, partially hydrolyzed whey formula, extensively hydrolyzed whey formula or extensively hydrolyzed casein formula. Those given a hydrolyzed formula were up to 29 percent less likely to develop eczema by age 6, depending on the type of hydrolyzed formula.

FDA to change drug decision notices
The Food and Drug Administration will change the way it tells pharmaceutical companies that their drugs are not ready to be approved, the agency recently announced. To date, drug companies received "approvable letters" indicating a drug could win approval later if certain steps were taken. Another option was a "not approvable letter," which usually asked for additional data before considering approval. Beginning August 11, in a move to convey information in a more consistent, neutral way, the FDA will replace those letters with "complete response" letters for drugs not ready for approval, with a description of deficiencies and recommended actions.

Mayo researchers see link among asthma, osteitis, sinus problems
There may be a direct relationship among sinus mucosal thickening, osteitis, and markers of eosinophilic inflammation, according to a study in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Scientists at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, examined blood and sputum eosinophil levels, sinus mucosal thickening, and osteitis in 201 subjects with asthma. All subjects also underwent sinus computed tomographic (CT) imaging and induced sputum analysis. Sixty-five percent of the 201 subjects reported using inhaled corticosteroids daily. Mucosal abnormalities showed in 68 percent of the CT scans, with nearly half being severe. Nine percent had osteitis, and more than half of those subjects had undergone sinus surgery. Researchers found a positive correlation between CT scores and eosinophil levels in both peripheral blood (p < 0.001) and induced sputum (p < 0.001). They also found an association between elevated blood and sputum eosinophil levels and the presence of osteitis and previous sinus surgery.

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