House Committee Approves Tobacco Bill

The House Energy and Commerce Committee last week approved the “Family Smoking Prevention & Tobacco Control Act” (H.R. 1256), which would grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate tobacco products, in a 39-13 vote. The bill would amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) to grant the FDA the authority to restrict tobacco marketing and sales to youth; require detailed disclosure of ingredients; allow FDA to require changes to tobacco products; and require larger, more specific health warnings. The FDA activity would be funded by a user fee on cigarette manufacturers, allocated by market share. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will hold a markup of the bill later this month, and a full House vote is expected the week of March 30. The ACC supports the bill and will work with lawmakers to encourage its passage.

Save the Date: CMS, ACC to Hold CV-Focused PQRI Forum

It is not too late to participate in the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) for 2009! The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) on March 18 will hold a special Open Door Forum for cardiovascular professionals interested in participating or who those currently participating in PQRI. The call, which will be held from 3:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. EST, will provide a detailed overview of the PQRI measures that can be reported by cardiologists in 2009.

The forum also will provide perspectives from prominent cardiologists who participated in the program in 2007 and 2008 about the successes and failures they experienced as a PQRI participant. CMS experts will be available to answer technical questions about participation and reporting. Forum participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of both CMS and the participating cardiologists to make informed decisions about PQRI participation.

The Open Door Forum can be accessed by calling 1-800-837-1935 (Conference ID 89036042). A transcript of the forum will be available here, beginning March 26. More information about PQRI can be found at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/PQRI.

FDA News Updates
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 5 issued a warning for transdermal drug patches after determining that the patches, if worn while undergoing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans or MRIs, can cause skin burns. The patches of concern include both brand name and generic products and patches purchased over the counter without a prescription. The FDA is reviewing the labeling and composition of all medicated patches to ensure that those made with materials containing metal provide a warning to patients. More information is available from the FDA.

The FDA on March 6 approved SyntheMed’s Repel-CV, a synthetic film barrier for use in pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Repel-CV is a bioresorbable film designed to be placed over the surface of the heart at the conclusion of an open-heart surgical procedure to reduce the formation of post-operative adhesions. The product is designed to provide the therapeutic benefit and then degrade so that it is cleared from the surgical site. More information is available from the FDA.

The FDA recently added new side effects to the patient package insert for Vytorin, manufactured by Merck/Schering-Plough Pharmaceuticals. The insert now highlights the risk of “poor memory” and “trouble sleeping” as potential side effects. The insert can be read in full online.

ACC President Participates in White House Summit

ACC President Douglas Weaver M.D., F.A.C.C., on March 5 represented the cardiovascular community at the White House Summit on Health Care. The Summit was intended to build support for health care reform and to gather ideas from health care leaders. After attending the Summit, Dr. Weaver said, "What I heard today was a consensus from the President, leaders from both parties in Congress and industry--all of whom agreed that we can and must work together to reform our health care system. And the sooner we do that, the better we'll be able to provide quality care to our patients.”

The ACC wants to hear from members on health care reform. Nearly a hundred members have written in to share their views on what is needed for health care reform. A selection of these comments appears on ACC’s online forum, The Lewin Report, and the ACC encourages you to contribute your thoughts to the ongoing discussion. View the comments here. More information about the ACC's health reform efforts, visit: qualityfirst.acc.org.

ACC Responds to NCRP Radiation Exposure Report
Medical radiation exposure of the U.S. population has increased more than seven-fold since 1980, according to a recent National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurement (NCRP) report. The report cites the dramatic increase in the use of imaging technology to diagnose and treat cancer, heart disease and other major illnesses as one of the leading causes of this increase.

The ACC commends the NCRP for its focus on this important patient safety issue. Unfortunately, attempts have been made to link the report’s findings to ownership or leasing of imaging equipment by non-radiologist physicians. “Medical radiation exposure is a concern of everyone who relies on medical imaging technology,” says ACC President Douglas Weaver, M.D., F.A.C.C. “The ACC has worked with the American College of Radiology (ACR) to find ways to eliminate unnecessary and inappropriate procedures .... The argument that someone other than the specialist caring for a patient will make a better decision about whether a test should be done is a thinly veiled attempt to protect ‘turf.’ Worse, it will neither lower utilization nor guarantee that patients are receiving the right test, in the right setting, at the right time.” Read the full response here. Or, participate in the discussion on ACC’s online forum, The Lewin Report.

Don’t Miss the ACC.09 Quality Track!

Don’t miss the quality track at ACC.09! The quality track provides a great opportunity to hear about ACC quality efforts already underway, as well as learn about innovative ways to improve quality of care and empower patients. ACC’s quality efforts are represented by Quality First, the College’s health care reform campaign. Through Quality First, the ACC is taking a leading role in health care reform efforts by engaging patients, lawmakers, payers and others around a new standard of health care delivery focused on increasing the quality of care and ensuring greater patient value. Learn more at qualityfirst.acc.org. Also, look for the Quality First survey in your portfolio bag. Turn in your completed survey at ACC Central (Booth #2062) for a free gift! Specific sessions under the quality track can be found through the online Program Planner.

On Sunday, plan to attend the ACC.09 Scientific Showcase in the Orange County Convention Center, Hall A2, from 8 – 9:30 a.m. The quality-themed event features the Simon Dack Lecture by Princeton University economics professor Uwe Reinhardt; presidential address by ACC President Douglas Weaver, M.D., F.A.C.C.; and an JUPITER trial presentation. Later on Sunday, attend the Louis F. Bishop Lecture, featuring health care economist Len Nichols, Ph.D. The lecture will take place from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Room W311A.

Nevada Chapter Holds Cardiology Day

The Nevada Chapter of the ACC on March 3-4 held its “Cardiology Day at the Capitol: Advocating for a Healthy Nevada” to give members an opportunity to connect with state legislators. The event included a reception for state lawmakers and dinner with Gov. Jim Gibbons, who offered insight into ways in which the Chapter can become a greater presence in the state and encouraged the Chapter to become a resource for him and the Legislature. The following day, Chapter members met with more than twenty elected officials to introduce them to issues in cardiology. The event was a success in building relationships with lawmakers and introducing the Nevada Chapter as the “go to” organization on cardiovascular issues in the state.