Hands to Help Seniors

Diabetes is a huge problem in this country and it’s no secret that sugary sodas contribute to the number of reported cases each year.  However, major soda brands like Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group are pouring millions of dollars at an ad campaign targeting San Antonio, Texas where about two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese and diabetes is about double that of their national average.  Their message is clear: good health is about exercise, not just fewer calories.  The city council tried to back a plan to reduce soda consumption which attracted the attention of these companies.  If the plan works, expect it to spread nationwide.  

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The prospect of very low interest rates continuing for some time paired with extreme turbulence in the international markets has many pension fund managers lowering their return on investment targets.  That and the fact that many retirees are living much longer than plan administrators had expected has many fearful we may face another pension shortfall in the future.  Adding to the fears are a 52% increase in the regulatory administrative costs which could add $20 billion in costs over the life of current pension plans, according to Morgan Stanley.  Expect a continued shift to 401K plans with lower employer matches as companies switch away from defined benefit plans.  In 1979, 38% of private sector employees were covered by these plans.  This had fallen to 14% by 2011, according to the Employment Benefit Research Institute.

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A new patent law which the drug industry is trying to get passed could cost Medicare a whopping $1.3 billion over the next decade by delaying medications from going generic, according to the Congressional Budget Office.  Pharmaceutical trade groups are asking Congress to exempt drug patents from being challenged through an administrative process that is cheaper and faster than the federal courts. The procedure has become popular with generic-drug companies looking to sell copies of brand-name drugs.  However, the potential for such an exemption to increase drug spending has intensified opposition from some lawmakers, health insurers, and consumer advocates alarmed by rising drug costs. 

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As new statin alternatives hit the market to treat high cholesterol, physicians and insurance companies are in a pickle. Statins have few side effects and yet millions of people are expected to ask to be switched to the new more expensive drugs which have recently been approved by the FDA. About 25 percent of those on statins complain of muscle pain, while others say they give them a hazy memory or cause sleep problems. Doctors say that their loyalty is to their patient and most will prescribe the new drugs if asked, although one doctor interviewed by The New York Times said the Internet is replete with horror stories about statins and this could be influencing people’s view of the traditional drugs. There is no objective test to tell real or imagined statin intolerance. However, there has been one large scale drug trial which showed no more cases of muscle pain in those taking statins than placebos. I think more of these tests need to be conducted.

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A number of companies have been bringing products to market containing Red Palm Oil which is pressed from palm tree fruit and is supposed to be extremely high in antioxidants.  Although it does contain tocotrienois (from the Vitamin E family) as well as carotenoids (which the body converts into Vitamin A), so far there isn’t scientific proof that it wards off disease.  Several studies suggest possible benefits including stroke and liver disease prevention, but the jury is still out on how effective it may be.

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