Cervical Cancer Treatment News

Includes articles about funding etc.
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Online Support Network Tool For Cervical Cancer And HPV Community

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04 May 2007

National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC) announces the launch of a new online support network with ClincaHealth. The aim of this online community is to foster peer-to-peer communication and information sharing about cervical cancer and the humanpapilomavirus (HPV) including prevention, detection and treatments via the web. It is designed to be the meeting place for anyone desiring to connect with others interested in or affected by cervical cancer/HPV - survivors, those at risk, family, friends, clinicians, educators and the public at large. "With this community tool, the NCCC sets to become the center of online discussions related to cervical cancer and HPV," stated Sarina Araujo, executive director of NCCC.

The NCCC has partnered with ClinicaHealth, the leading provider of online health & wellness support networks, to bring this service to the public and those impacted by cervical cancer and HPV disease. "Online social networks aren't new - but in areas related to health and wellness, we're now using them in new and exciting ways," said Brian Loew, founder and CEO of ClinicaHealth.

The Cervical Cancer/HPV online community makes powerful social networking features accessible to those affected or seeking information on cervical cancer and HPV. On this new site, community members have the opportunity to easily create online journals reflecting their experiences. Members can create and participate in discussions about medical, lifestyle, and emotional issues surrounding cervical cancer and HPV disease. And, most important of all, they can find and connect directly with others who are going through similar experiences.

Registration for the online community is free of charge to the public. To learn more about this unique and exciting online cervical cancer/HPV community; go to http://www.nccc-online.org∞ and click on the link called "NCCC's Cervical Cancer/HPV Community."
http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=69828∞

Some Doctors Refuse To Purchase Cervical Cancer Vaccine Because Of Low Reimbursements

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03 May 2007

Some physicians are refusing to purchase Merck's cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil or are restricting who receives it because they say insurance reimbursements for the vaccine are too low, the Washington Post reports. The issue "highlights a long-simmering dispute over reimbursement for immunization" that has "accelerated as the number of costly new vaccines has proliferated," according to the Post. Some insurance companies pay doctors $122 per shot for the three-dose vaccine -- $2 more than the price the physicians pay per dose -- which doctors say is not enough to adequately cover the costs of stocking and administering the vaccine.

The problem disproportionately affects pediatricians, who administer more immunizations and are among the lowest-paid specialists, experts say. Some doctors are providing the vaccine only to those who are insured through plans that will pay a "reasonable" fee for Gardasil, usually about $140 or more per dose. Others write prescriptions for Gardasil, which patients can obtain at pharmacies, and charge a fee for administering the shot. However, many insurers only pay for vaccines provided by a doctor. The "spotty availability" of the vaccine "is likely to complicate efforts by parents to comply" with laws requiring the vaccine for school entry, the Post reports.

Anne Francis, an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, noted that the cost of fully immunizing a child has increased from $150 two decades ago to $1,500 today. Francis added that many small practices are reluctant to pay up front for vaccines when it is difficult to make up the cost of even a single lost dose. Merck executives say that the cost of Gardasil is justified by the cost of developing the vaccine and the value it provides. In addition, insurers maintain that they provide adequate reimbursement for the vaccine (Boodman, Washington Post, 5/1).
http://www.medilexicon.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=69516∞

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