Information technology
On the dark web, medical records are a hot commodity | FastCompany.comMedical records draw a far higher price than credit cards on the web. Hackers are well aware that it's simple enough to cancel a credit card, but to change a social security number is no easy feat. Medical records can sell for as much as $60 a piece.
Opinion: Cyberattacks should be a wake-up call to Congress and the healthcare industry | Morning Consult
Trained staff and security measures must be a top priority for hospitals as hackers are on the rise, writes John Breyault, vice president of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud at the National Consumers League. He writes that it may require Congress to step in to ensure the healthcare sector is better protected.
Pharmaceuticals
How more than 1 million OxyContin pills ended up in the hands of criminals and addicts | The Los Angeles TimesAn investigation by the Los Angeles Times found that Purdue Pharma, the manufacturer of OxyContin, wasn't transparent with data that showed organized crime was involved in the distribution of the drug.
Pharma dollars went overwhelmingly to lawmakers opposing Medicare Part B overhaul | STAT
An analysis by Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, has found that the Medicare Part B plan has driven drug makers worried about revenue loss to syphon money to lawmakers who have objected the proposal.
Safety, quality and clinical practice
A medical mystery of the best kind: Major disease are in decline | The New York TimesSomething strange is going on in medicine. Major diseases, like colon cancer, dementia and heart disease, are waning in wealthy countries, and improved diagnosis and treatment cannot fully explain it.
Convergence science has potential to accelerate research-to-product pipeline | Kaiser Health News
In a trend called “convergence” science, scientists increasingly reach across disciplines to collaborate with engineers, technologists and clinics. Experts say it has the potential to accelerate treatment of certain kinds of diseases.
