CRIME Telemedicine meets Terrorism

From: Lyle Leavitt (lylel@private)
Date: Mon Nov 26 2001 - 17:11:29 PST

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    ===
    
    * eHealth Initiative Calls For IT 
    and the Internet to Meet Bioterrorism Threat 
    
    The eHealth Initiative, a nonprofit consortium 
    of more than 50 leading health care companies 
    wants to see the use of digital information 
    technology (IT) and Internet-based communications 
    to help ensure a fast and effective response to 
    large scale bioterrorism. The consortium is 
    offering a blueprint of how the greater use of 
    IT can enhance and support the U.S. public 
    health infrastructure.
    
    Companies such as CareGroup HealthCare System, 
    EDS, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, McKesson 
    Corporation, Medscape, Pfizer Health Solutions, 
    Siemens, VHA Inc. and others formed the 
    consortium earlier this year. The goal is to 
    improve the quality, safety and cost effective-
    ness of every aspect of the health care system 
    through the use of IT.
    
    To achieve this goal, the eHealth Initiative 
    is seeking to work and coordinate with health 
    agencies with the government. Many of these 
    organizations already have well-established 
    systems in place and together they provide 
    about half the funding for health care in 
    the U.S.
    
    More details (and contact information)
    on the eHealth Initiative is at
    http://www.federaltelemedicine.com/n112601.htm
    
    ===
    
    * FDA Issues Cyber Letters to Web Sites 
    Selling Unapproved Foreign Cirprofloxacin 
    
    FDA has issued warnings to 11 Internet vendors 
    abroad, who are selling Cipro to U.S. consumers,
    since FDA is unable to determine whether these 
    products were made in accordance with U.S. 
    specifications. Therefore, the sale of Cipro and 
    distribution in the U.S. can be illegal.
    
    The FDA is warning U.S. citizens that foreign 
    drugs promoted on the Internet may not be 
    approved for marketing in this country and 
    may not be legally imported. The agency is 
    also informing regulatory officials in the 
    countries in which the Internet pharmacies 
    operate that these potential violations are 
    taking place. FDA is also advising the U.S. 
    Customs Service that shipments from these 
    vendors may be detained and refused.
    
    FDA has identified 5 other foreign-based web 
    sites that are selling Cipro despite previous
    warnings from the agency. The agency is taking 
    additional measures to block their exports to
    this country and to secure the assistance of 
    foreign authorities to stop these illicit sales.
    
    
    ===
    
    * AMIA's Symposium Discussed 
    Informatics Response to Terrorism 
    
    One of the panels at the American Medical 
    Informatics Annual Symposium held in Washington 
    D.C. in November discussed how the informatics 
    industry should respond in times of terrorism.
     
    Dr Michael Wagner, co-director of the Biomedical 
    Security Institute at the University of Pittsburgh 
    and one of the panelists said, "prior to 10/4/01, 
    public health was doing a good job against
    microbes. After 10/4/01, public health changed 
    forever and now is really the field of biodefense. 
    There will be a steep rise in the economic and 
    mortality impact, therefore we need to find 
    strategies for dealing with the problem." 
    
    More information on this Symposium 
    and AMIA recommendations at:
    http://www.federaltelemedicine.com/n112601.htm
    



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