Working-age adults who use two or more prescription medications may be at risk for becoming seriously injured after falling in the home, researchers found.

In a study of young and middle-age adults, using at least two medications was associated with an increased likelihood of dying from or being hospitalized for a falling injury …. Antihypertensives and cholesterol-lowering drugs were the most common medications involved.

"The risk of falls may be increased as a result of both the intentional and unintentional effects of pharmacological therapy such as orthostatic hypotension, psychomotor impairment, extra-pyramidal symptoms, and dizziness."

Overuse of therapeutic procedures, diagnostic tests, and medications is an understudied problem that may account for as much as 30% of healthcare spending in the United States and result in harm to patients.

The 4 most common health services examined in the studies included in the review were antibiotics for upper respiratory infections, coronary angiography, carotid endarterectomy, and coronary artery bypass grafting and revascularization.

Ratings agency Standard & Poor's warned it may downgrade "a number of highly rated" Group of 20 countries from 2015 if their governments fail to enact reforms to curb rising healthcare spending and other costs related to ageing populations.

"If governments do not change their social protection systems, they will likely become unsustainable."

"If no reforms are adopted, healthcare-related credit downgrades would likely start within three years..."

"... developed nations will eventually become the victims of their social safety nets."

"S&P said it was not too late for G20 countries to tackle the problem, but reforms to contain age-related spending needed be coupled with efforts to balance budgets by 2016, which would be enough to offset rising healthcare costs by 2050."

The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), architect of the chiropractic profession's longest running public awareness campaign has recognized Foot Levelers and Standard Process as its highest cumulative corporate contributors. Foot Levelers' total contributions surpassed $1.2 million and Standard Process' contributions exceeded one-half million.

Just 1% of the U.S. population accounted for 22% of all healthcare spending in 2009.

In response to radiology residents "systematically" sharing answers on their certification exams, the American Board of Radiology (ABR) is implementing a new testing procedure that relies less on memorization of facts and more on testing concrete skills.

A CNN investigation revealed to the public what appears to be a well-known fact in the radiology community: Residents preparing for their board certification exams often get a leg up by studying past questions, which come from a repository contributed to by past test-takers.

48% of all people in the US use drug therapy. 
Physicians order 2.3 billion drugs annually.
74% of physician office visits involve drug therapy.

Hospital outpatient departments ordered 280.1 million drugs.
76% of hospital outpatient department visits involve drug therapy.

Hospital Emergency Departments ordered 238.3 million drugs.
78% of hospital Emergency Department visits involve drug therapy.

One American in five reported having trouble paying medical bills in 2010, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change.

Compared with 2003, the percentage of families with problems paying medical bills in 2010 was significantly higher (15% versus 21%). That increase reflects the rise in the cost of healthcare, which grew faster than salaries and the U.S. economy as a whole.

A new review of the influenza drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu) has raised questions about both the efficacy of the medication and the commitment of its maker to supply enough data for claims about the drug to be evaluated by independent experts. It also raises questions about the entire process of systematic review.