Health Care Shopping Mall Includes Care Packages

Minnesota Health Care Providers Join in Launch of First-Ever "Online Shopping Mall" for Health Care

Carol, The Care Marketplace, enables consumers to shop for and eventually purchase bundled health care packages online as easily as they do vacation packages and other goods and services;

HealthPartners, Park Nicollet, MinuteClinic, Mayo Clinic Health Solutions among participants

January 28, 2008 - MINNEAPOLIS--A new Minnesota company today launches a first in health care: a retail marketplace that puts consumers in control of their health care decisions. Carol, The Care Marketplace -- www.carol.com -- is an "online shopping mall" that gives consumers everything they need to shop, compare and purchase health care services as easily as they purchase goods and services in other retail environments.

Thirty Minnesota health care providers have already joined the Carol marketplace. Participants include HealthPartners, Park Nicollet Health Services, MinuteClinic, Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, Ridgeview Medical Center, Twin Cities Orthopedics, Minnesota Oncology Hematology, Zel Skin and Laser Specialists, Southdale Pediatrics and many others.

Using Carol.com, area residents for the first time can go online to easily compare the cost and quality of more than 350 health services from local, competing health care providers and doctors and then select the option best suited for them. Individuals also can apply their health insurance benefits and instantly view base prices and estimated in-network and out-of-pocket costs for health care services prior to scheduling and receiving them.

Carol is a free service for consumers and is designed for all people -- those with and without health insurance. The Carol name was taken to honor the trusted family members, friends and associates people turn to when seeking advice or recommendations about health care. "We all know a 'Carol' in our lives."

"In most industries, information about services, price and quality are clear and available to consumers. But health care has always been different. We created Carol to help consumers do what they want to do -- change health care," said Tony Miller, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Carol. "Carol is the first service to connect individuals and families directly to multiple health care providers, while incorporating the realities of a consumer's health care benefits. We're excited to give people complete control of how they evaluate, choose and consume health services, and we strongly believe a more engaged consumer is the first step towards making health care more affordable, approachable and valuable."

Care Packages: Another Health Care First from Carol

One of Carol's unique offerings is the care package -- a bundle of related health care services. Working with Carol, each health care provider creates, markets and sells distinct care packages for chronic and minor conditions, routine examinations, and hospital-based services across the entire spectrum of health care. Care packages Carol will offer include: common immunizations, annual exams, neck and back pain diagnosis and treatment, heartburn diagnosis and treatment, health coaching, pregnancy classes, a year's worth of diabetes care, and in-home check-ups.

Consumers can compare specific care packages from various health care providers in a side-by-side view where they can see service offering breadth; the estimated cost (both base and out-of-pocket) of each package; package features; quality measures; location of clinics; appointment availability and duration; and related therapies and diagnostic services. When someone selects a care package, he/she will know the kind of care he/she will receive and approximately how much it will cost before his/her appointment.

"Carol provides individuals and families the opportunity and information to really own their health care selections," said David Wessner, president and CEO for Park Nicollet. "Patients will be better ready to experience care and participate in it, allowing us to meet expectations completely. Even at this early stage, we are already learning our care, quality and value are going to increase more quickly as a result of participating in the Carol marketplace."

"Carol is a cutting-edge development in health care and a new way of bringing value to consumers," said Mary Brainerd, president and CEO for HealthPartners. "People need to know how much health care costs and what they are getting for their money. Carol does that by creating care packages that are relevant to consumers and help people know what to expect and how much it will cost before they receive care. That's something that hasn't been available to individuals before, which makes Carol a great opportunity for HealthPartners and others to change health care."

A Tool To Manage Rising Health Care Costs

As health care spending continues to rise, consumers are ultimately left with more expenses and responsibility related to their health care decisions. However, consumers have limited visibility and tools to obtain information about the features, price and quality of health care services. According to a recent survey conducted by Carol1:

    * Nearly 70 percent of select Twin Cities residents agree that information about the costs of medical care services, such as office visits, procedures, etc., is confusing.
    * More than 60 percent of these same individuals agree it is not easy to compare medical services among different doctors, clinics or hospitals in their area.

"Because Carol conveniently compares similar services and prices among local health care providers, I can more easily research and select health care based on my personal preferences," said Lisa Hashbarger, a Minneapolis mother of two who participated in Carol's pre-launch testing this fall. "A service like Carol will be very helpful in the future as my family watches where we spend our health care dollars more closely and evaluates the care we receive."

About Carol

Carol, The Care Marketplace, (www.carol.com) is a privately held company headquartered in Minneapolis. Founded in 2006, Carol is an online marketplace where consumers can shop, compare and select health care packages provided by a variety of large, medium and specialty medical facilities in their communities. The company focuses on transforming health care by creating a marketplace in which consumers compare health care services from local clinics and hospitals prior to purchase, and health care providers compete for their patronage.

1411 Twin Cities' consumers (61 percent female/39 percent male) participated in a Carol-sponsored survey conducted in November/December 2007. Survey respondents reside in the 11-county metro area; are approximately 30-60 years of age; have household incomes of $40,000 or greater; are the primary or co-decision makers in their households with regard to health care; have access to the Internet and use it for gathering information or shopping on a regular basis; and were screened to meet attitudinal criteria such as engaged, empowered and progressive. Survey confidence level is 95 percent confidence level plus/minus 5 percent confidence interval.

Contacts

Carol, The Care Marketplace
Marcia Miller, 763-647-5519
Director of Marketing
or
Haberman & Associates
Jon Zurbey, 612-372-6446
jon@habermaninc.com

The Future of Branded and Generic Drugs

'Patentbusters: The Uncertain Future of Branded and Generic Drugs in the Wake of Plavix and Apotex' An Audio Conference from F-D-C Reports

Join F-D-C Reports on Thursday, Oct. 12, 2006 to get the most up-to-date review and analysis of this latest patent dispute. In one concise 90-minute audio conference—which one can attend from the comfort of an office or home —learn why this case is so critical to brand and generic drug manufacturers alike.

Rockville, MD -- Executives from a brand or generic company, lawyers, biopharmaceutical consultants, regulatory affairs representatives and financial analysts should not miss this chance to hear and speak with a panel of experts as they explore this patent dispute from a business, legal and regulatory perspective. Get an inside look, straight from former executives at the FTC, FDA and USPTO.

Speakers are:
* David Balto, Executive VP and COO, Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi (former Policy Director, Bureau of Competition, U.S. Federal Trade Commission);
* Robert Dormer, Partner Hyman, Phelps & MacNamara (former Associate Chief Counsel for Enforcement and Associate Chief Counsel for Radiological Health, U.S. Food & Drug Administration);
* James Wallace, Partner, Wiley Rein & Fielding (litigator in BlackBerry patent case and former U.S. Department of Justice trial attorney and U.S. Patent & Trademark examiner); and
* Joshua Berlin, Executive Editor, "The Pink Sheet" DAILY.

To learn more about the potential fallout from this latest battle, join F-D-C Reports on Thursday, October 12, 2006, for an audio conference that will explore the potential financial and regulatory implications, and discuss how the outcome could affect companies.

Register today at http://www.fdcreports.com/audio

Brand name drug companies are struggling to protect their patents against increasingly aggressive competition from generic manufacturers. The battle over the rights to Plavix is the most recent example of the ongoing war between brand and generic companies over drug patents.

This audio conference will help professionals:
* Understand the legal, financial and regulatory ramifications of the Plavix/Apotex case for the biopharmaceutical industry
* Get an inside look at the complex patent, trade and brand/generic drug perspectives
* Find out what the fallout from this landmark case is likely to be
* Hear who will be the likely winners and the losers

To register or to find out more, please go to http://www.fdcreports.com/audio

About F-D-C Reports:
F-D-C Reports provides up-to-date information about the worldwide health care industry via its publications including The Pink Sheet(R), The Gray Sheet(R), The Rose Sheet(R), The Tan Sheet(R), and Pharmaceutical Approvals Monthly. The publications are read extensively by pharmaceutical and healthcare executives, policy-makers, and analysts seeking to understand developments affecting the US regulation and marketing of healthcare products and services. F-D-C Reports has one of the largest, most experienced, and most respected editorial teams reporting on the latest regulatory, legislative, and business news affecting the US drug, biotech, medical device, nonprescription drug, nutritionals and cosmetics industries. For more information, please visit: www.fdcreports.com

FDC Reports, Inc. is part of Elsevier. Elsevier is a world-leading publisher of scientific, technical and medical information products and services. Working in partnership with the global science and health communities, the company publishes more than 1,800 journals and 2,200 new books per year, in addition to offering a suite of innovative electronic products and online reference works. For more information, visit: www.elsevier.com

Elsevier is part of Reed Elsevier Group plc, a world-leading publisher and information provider. Reed Elsevier's ticker symbols are REN (Euronext Amsterdam), REL (London Stock Exchange), RUK and ENL (NYSE). For more information, visit: www.reed-elsevier.com.


Press Contact: Eileen Bertrand
Company Name:
Phone: 240-221-4500
Website:

Asbestos-Tainted Toy Pulled from Shelves

LegalView Updates Mesothelioma Blog with Info about An Asbestos-Tainted Toy That Has Been Pulled from Shelves

LegalView recently reported on its mesothelioma blog that an apparently popular toy tainted with asbestos has finally been pulled from shelves. Manufacturers became aware of the asbestos contamination after an asbestos awareness organization reported asbestos in the product.

Denver, CO (PRWEB) December 30, 2007 -- LegalView.com recently reported on its mesothlelioma information blog that a popular toy was finally pulled from shelves after it was found to have been tainted with traces of asbestos dust. The CSI:Crime Scene Investigation Fingerprint Examination Kits and the CSI:Crime Scene Investigation Field Kits allegedly had traces of asbestos fibers and dust in the product, which is made for children.

Mesothelioma is a deadly form of cancer that is often described as painful and debilitating for victims. Most individuals who are diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer came in contact with asbestos fibers or asbestos dust several years earlier. After having inhaled the asbestos, cancer cells began to form on the interior lining of the lung. Mesothelioma cancer is often misdiagnosed because symptoms are similar to other illnesses and because it takes years and even decades to develop. If caught early, there is a chance of treating mesothelioma, but because it is considered a silent killer by many, it is often not caught until it is far too late for a victim. If you recently purchased either of these recalled toy games, contact a mesothelioma law firm to determine the next best step to protect loved ones. Also contact an experienced asbestos attorney if you, a friend or family member has or may have been previously exposed to asbestos to get the help you deserve.

The games were allegedly found to have asbestos contamination in the fingerprint powder within the kits. An asbestos awareness group known as the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) tested hundreds of toys and other products for asbestos, according to news reports. Several weeks after finding the toy's contamination, the toys were finally removed from shelves. Contact with asbestos is irreversible and extremely hazardous to any human being, but children are especially susceptible to harm from asbestos. If you feel you, your child, a friend or family member has been exposed to asbestos fibers or dust contact an asbestos law firm for more information on what to do.

LegalView offers assistance on a variety of legal topics for Americans who need information and need to be able to locate it quickly and easily. For more information on mesothelioma or asbestos contact a mesothelioma attorney. In addition to mesothelioma, victims of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) can also find additional information on the illness that usually affects kidney disease patients who undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) tests and receive gadolinium dye. LegalView.com can help victims locate a NSF lawyer who can offer consultation on the illness. Also available on LegalView.com is information on the recent reports of all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents and rollovers that have allegedly been the cause of individuals losing limbs as well as their lives due to potentially faulty vehicles. For more information on this, use LegalView.com to contact an ATV law firm. And use the ATV information portal to find more information on allegedly dangerous types and brands of the faulty ATVs.

About LegalView:

LegalView.com is a public service brought to you by Legal WebTV Network, LLC, a Limited Liability Corporation created by a group of the nation's most highly respected law firms: Anapol Schwartz; Brent Coon and Associates; Burg Simpson; Cohen, Placitella and Roth; James F. Humphreys and Associates; Lopez McHugh; and Thornton and Naumes. For more information on the accomplishments and track records of LegalView.com's superior sponsoring law firms and to get in touch with LegalView attorneys, visit LegalView at www.LegalView.com.


Press Contact: Katie Kelley
Company Name: LegalView
Phone: 720-771-3246
Website: http://www.LegalView.com

Health Courts Fail to Provide Medical Malpractice Protection

So-called 'Health Courts' Fail to Provide Adequate Protection for Those Victimized by Medical Malpractice

Attorney Jeffrey Hensley says the health courts, supported by the AMA, "are like having the fox guard the henhouse."

Palm Harbor, Fla. - July 13, 2007 -- So-called "health courts," which would replace juries with health care professionals in medical malpractice cases, would leave malpractice victims dangerously unprotected, Attorney Jeffrey Hensley said today.

The American Medical Association (AMA) adopted principles earlier this month that favor the health courts, which would do away with peer-based juries and replace them with judges trained in medical standards.

Hensley said the notion of health courts dangerously tips the standard of justice in malpractice cases against victims who may be entitled to sizeable judgments when they are seriously harmed by poor medical care.

"There is a fox-guarding-the-henhouse quality to this idea of having medical people passing judgment in medical malpractice cases," Hensley said. "People who have suffered very serious injuries or damages as a result of medical malpractice should have little confidence in courts which are run by the very same profession that caused their injuries."

Instead, Hensley said, medical malpractice victims should have full access to a court system in which their peers consider evidence from both sides, and then determine possible damages that are based fairly on the extent of their injuries or damages.

"This is not simply a step away from reasonable medical malpractice law," Hensley said. "This is a step away from the very foundations of American justice."

So-called health courts were conceived during Brookings Institute conferences in 2002 and 2003. Besides the move to health courts, the principles adopted by the AMA urge quick resolution of claims, special training for judges, and reliance on qualified experts. The AMA also has stated its support for limits, or caps, on medical malpractice judgments.

A better way to limit malpractice judgments, Hensley said, would be to limit substandard medical treatment that results in injury or even death.

"If the AMA wants to limit the claims that get awarded in medical malpractice suits, a good place to start would be in its own backyard," Hensley said. "People have a right to expect good, professional health care and, when they don't receive it, they should have a right to reasonable financial claims."

Hensley said it is important to remember that the duty of a medical professional is not to cure, or even to guarantee a good outcome from treatment. Rather, the duty is to provide good medical care according to accepted standards in the community, or, in the case of a specialist, accepted standards in that medical specialty.

"Medicine is not an exact science, and doctors are not required to be right every time they make a diagnosis," Hensley said. "A misdiagnosis becomes malpractice, however, if the doctor fails to get a medical history, order the appropriate tests, or recognize observable symptoms of the illness."

Press Contact: BILL FREDERICK
Company Name: Jeffrey Hensley PA
Phone: 727-789-2038
Website: www.hensleylaw.com

Anti-Aging Medicine & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies

Sexy Suzanne Somers, Dr, Ron Paul Headline the World Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies, Welcoming 5,500 Physicians and Industry Leaders Representing 70 Nations

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M; www.worldhealth.net) welcomes 5,500 physicians and industry leaders representing 70 nations to scientific conference. Suzanne Somers, at 62 sexy years, wows audience of top international physicians and scientists. Dr. Ron Paul puts forth plan for the next generation of healthcare.

London, UK  -  December 21, 2007 -- A record-setting 5,500 delegates and corporate leaders participated in the world's premier scientific conference on topics relating to medical interventions to prevent and treat the diseases and disabilities associated with the biological process of aging. Co-sponsored by The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, the world's largest professional medical society dedicated to advancing research and clinical pursuits that enhance the quality, and extend the quantity, of the human lifespan, the Winter 2007 Session of the 15th Annual International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies took place December 10-15, 2007 at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada USA.

As the largest event of its kind in the arena of human longevity, the Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies is renowned around the world for the high caliber of speakers, delegates and international government officials in attendance. Thousands of the world's leading physicians and scientists representing 70 countries gathered to learn the latest advancements in preventive medicine and emerging biomedical technologies.

Popular television and movie actress Ms. Suzanne Somers spoke on the subject of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for the alleviation of menopause. Observes Ronald Klatz, MD, DO, A4M President: "Ms. Somers is a vibrant representation of the successes of anti-aging medicine. Hers is a very powerful and personal story of how anti-aging medicine has helped improve all aspects in her quality of life." Adds Robert Goldman, MD, PhD, DO, FAASP, A4M Chairman: "Ms. Somers' presentation served to motivate our audience to further excel in their clinical and research efforts to advance innovative diagnostics, therapeutics and interventions to promote the healthy human lifespan."

Congressman Ron Paul, MD (R-Texas) shared his provocative insights regarding the overexpansive breadth of the government's role in health and medicine today. His message of the restoration of personal healthcare freedoms received a standing ovation from the audience.

In addition, more than 100 speakers, many of whom are world-renowned in their area of specialization, spoke on a broad array of topics in aging intervention, including:
- In "New Updates in Stem Cell Research," Michael Klentze, MD, PhD, Guest Professor at University Cattolica (Rome, Italy), shared the latest advancements in stem cell therapies for aging-related diseases and disorders
- Mark Gordon, MD, Associate Clinical Professor at University of Southern California and University of California-Los Angeles, presented "Human Growth Hormone Update & Latest Findings," highlighting the vast and diverse benefits of HGH therapeutics.
- Joseph Maroon, MD, Professor and Director of Neurosurgery at the University of Pittsburgh-Presbyterian University Hospital, presented "Red Wine and Resveratrol Unlock the Genetic Secrets of a Longer and Healthier Life," sharing the latest data regarding the impact of natural polyphenols to beneficially affect disease and aging.
- In "Comprehensive Cancer Treatment," Mark Rosenberg, MD, presented a novel protocol for the treatment of cancer, including case reports demonstrating the success of the approach.

At this conference, the Fellowship in Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine program commemorated its first graduating class of Fellowship trained, Board Certified anti-aging physicians. Seventy individuals were acknowledged in their successful completion of the Fellowship's four-module intensive training program.

At the co-located Las Vegas Anti-Aging Exposition, over 550 corporate booths displayed the latest technologies from the medical and biotech market aimed at improving and/or extending the human lifespan. The anti-aging/regenerative medicine industry is currently valued at $60 Billion (2007). Growing at an average annual growth rate of 9.5%, this market will reach nearly $72 billion by 2009. [Business Communications Company, Inc., February 2005. Companies with products and services in the $7.7 billion aesthetics products and services market also were represented.

Explains Ronald Klatz, MD, DO, A4M President: "Since its founding in 1992, the A4M serves as an advocate for the new clinical specialty of anti-aging medical science and acts as a conduit to physicians, scientists and the educated public who wish to benefit from the almost daily breakthroughs in biotechnology which promise both a greater quality as well as quantity of life. The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) is among the fastest growing medical societies in the world today, growing from twelve doctors in 1993 to a current membership of 20,000-plus."

Adds Robert Goldman, MD, PhD, DO, FAASP, A4M Chairman: "The A4M has been a major force in advancing the medical specialty worldwide, responsible for positioning the anti-aging clinical medical specialty as a leading innovative paradigm for healthcare in the aging nations around the world. The A4M co-sponsors the world's largest scientific conferences in the area of advanced preventative medicine. The A4M conferences have achieved what to our knowledge no other medical group in history in any specialty has accomplished, growing in three years from just two international conferences to more than 30 annual international conferences around the world on all continents in 2007, many with the support of governments, ministries of health and international sports federation organizations. Anti-aging and regenerative medicine, as part of the preventive medical specialty, are now practiced by thousands of physicians in private medical offices, as well as at some of the most prestigious teaching hospitals around the world."

The Spring 2008 Session of the 16th Annual International Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies takes place 25-27 April 2008 at The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando, Florida USA. For program details, visit http://www.worldhealth.net/event.

The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, Inc. ("A4M") is a non-profit medical society dedicated to the advancement of technology to detect, prevent and treat aging related disease and to promote research into methods to retard and optimize the human aging process. A4M is also dedicated to educating physicians, scientists and members of the public on biomedical sciences, breaking technologies and anti-aging issues. A4M believes that the disabilities associated with normal aging are caused by physiological dysfunction which in many cases are ameliorable to medical treatment, such that the human lifespan can be increased, and the quality of one's life enhanced as one grows chronologically older. A4M seeks to disseminate information concerning innovative science and research as well as treatment modalities designed to prolong the human lifespan. Anti-Aging Medicine is based on the scientific principles of responsible medical care consistent with those of other healthcare specialties. Although A4M seeks to disseminate information on many types of medical treatments, it does not promote or endorse any specific treatment nor does it sell or endorse any commercial product.

SOURCE: The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), Chicago, IL
CONTACT: Catherine Cebula
PHONE: (877) 572-0608
FAX: (978) 742-9719
WEBSITE: www.worldhealth.net/event

Press Contact: CATHERINE CEBULA
Company Name: A4M American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
Phone: 877-572-0608
Website: www.worldhealth.net/event