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Two young scientists break down plastics with bacteria

Science fair winning teenagers, Miranda Wang and Jeanny Yao, have identified a new bacteria that breaks down nasty compounds called phthalates, common to flexible plastics and linked to health problems. Because once it’s created, plastic (almost) never dies – they found an answer to the burning question of how to break down plastics – surprisingly…

Insight – It takes an army: Tens of thousands of workers roll out Obamacare

Insight – It takes an army: Tens of thousands of workers roll out Obamacare

A Reuters analysis has found that the number of people working to implement “Obamacare” has reached the tens of thousands. Call them the Obama-army, if you will. Indeed, State offices that will run insurance exchanges are hiring tens of thousands, either on staff or through outsourcing firms. And futhermore, federal agencies that are key to implementing…

Employees to Face Healthcare Sticker Shock

Employees to Face Healthcare Sticker Shock

Those Americans who receive health care insurance through their employees may need to get comfortable with digging even deeper into their pockets. Over the next 18 months, businesses are expected to implement healthcare plans requiring higher deductibles. Large up-front, out-of-pocket costs are anticipated to become mandatory before any insurance coverage kicks in. This is because…

Healthcare: No End In Sight – Poor Value at Unsustainable Costs

Healthcare: No End In Sight – Poor Value at Unsustainable Costs

Something is seriously wrong… The healthcare industry as a whole in the United States is corrupt, dysfunctional, ineffective, and inefficient.  And regardless of “party affiliation”, everyone appears to share this opinion.  The only real disagreement (and a heated disagreement at that) is what should be done about it, and whether what has been done to…

Insight: How compounding pharmacies rallied patients to fight regulation

Insight: How compounding pharmacies rallied patients to fight regulation

Reuters reports on the dangers of pharmacies that mix or alter drugs without proper federal oversight. As it stands, the safety and efficacy of drugs made by these “compounding pharmacies” make for red alerts. Dr. Steven Galson, a top official at the Food and Drug Administration, has shed some light on the risks from an industry that’s now…