Content about Department of Health and Human Services

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday morning unveiled the nine graphic health warnings mandated by the Food and Drug Administration to appear on every pack of cigarettes sold in the United States and in every cigarette advertisement.

The warnings represent the most significant changes to cigarette labels in more than 25 years and will affect everything from packaging to advertisements. The warnings are required to be placed on all cigarette packs, cartons and ads no later than September 2012.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — More than 250 executives who participated in Anda’s 4th Annual Supply Chain Symposium here Thursday and Friday were treated to a keynote address from Linda Tarplin, a leading healthcare consultant and former senior White House and Department of Health and Human Services staff member.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores said that it has signed on as a partner for a new public-private partnership, announced by the Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, that seeks to improve patient health and lower healthcare costs through the use of community-based care transition programs.

NACDS lauded the initiative's recognition of pharmacy's role in helping patients take their medications as prescribed.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A report by the Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General found that beneficiary premiums in the Medicare Part D prescription drug program are higher than than they should be, due to overpayments to plan sponsors, including pharmacy benefit managers.

Generic drug usage already has been on the rise year after year, with no sign of slowing down. As Jody Fisher, VP marketing for healthcare analytics at market research firm SDI, has told Drug Store News, generics accounted for more than 70% of products dispensed at retail pharmacies and are set to increase further this year.


WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services on Friday launched a new Web portal that very well could make niche marketing of pharmaceutical and over-the-counter medicines easier to execute.

The portal, called the Health Indicators Warehouse, represents a collection of health and healthcare indicators that can be parceled out by:

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging state governments to save money with generic drugs.

In a document released Thursday, HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius urged all 50 state governors to increase the use of generic drugs in their state Medicaid programs.

WASHINGTON — Addressing the obesity epidemic in the United States, the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services unveiled the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

DGA can help Americans maximize the nutritional content of their meals by providing advice for making food choices that promote good health, a healthy weight and prevent disease for healthy Americans ages 2 years and older, the USDA and HHS said. Key recommendations include:

• Balancing calories to maintain a healthy weight;

HINGHAM, Mass. — Wellness Workdays on Wednesday adopted the Stayhealthy total body composition system to provide state-of-the-art measurement tools to increase the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. Wellness Workdays, a consulting firm based here, creates worksite wellness programs to inspire employees to make simple and positive changes and improve their health while working to lower healthcare costs for the employer.

WASHINGTON — Proclaiming the potential cost-saving benefits of its signature legislative accomplishment, the massive health-reform bill enacted earlier this year, the White House is projecting that the Affordable Care Act will reduce average costs per patient enrolled in Medicare by thousands of dollars over the next decade.


WASHINGTON The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday unveiled a new comprehensive tobacco control strategy that includes proposed new bolder health warnings on cigarette packages and advertisements. Once final, these health warnings on cigarettes and in cigarette advertisements will be the most significant change in more than 25 years.