Research scientist publishes a review of a public health crisis in online journal ADVANCES IN AGING RESEARCH.
PRLog - Nov. 7, 2013 - LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- A research scientist has published a review of a public health crisis caused by the failure of health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to treat anemia in elderly, cancer-free patients, even though inexpensive treatments have been approved by the FDA.
In a paper published in the online journal ADVANCES IN AGING RESEARCH, A.D. Allen noted that even mild anemia can have serious consequences for the elderly. As other researchers have stated, “Too often, anemia is ignored as a sign of normal aging. To the contrary, anemia in the elderly causes severe deterioration of quality of life, suffering, decline in physical and mental function, and an increased risk of death.”
According to Allen, two brands of iron shots have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with documented iron deficiency in whom oral administration is unsatisfactory or impossible. Yet, Allen points out, a major American health maintenance organization refuses to prescribe this treatment when indicated, even in the case of elderly patients at risk. “Since the HMO in question sets and reflects trends, this may well reflect a public health crisis in the United States that needs to be urgently addressed,” according to Allen.
Allen cites a textbook on blood diseases published in 2005 that called anemia in the elderly “a public health crisis,” adding that nothing has happened in the ensuing eight years. According to Allen, it's costing HMOs money to not treat anemia in the elderly since these patients may wind up being hospitalized because of the consequences, which include repeated falling and heart attacks.
Allen's paper references 45 publications from other medical researchers and summarizes five key studies.
A retired neuroimmunologist, Allen has published widely in the fields of medicine and medical research. He is best known for his discovery of a new class of drugs for treating HIV/AIDS and his work on chronic fatigue syndrome. He developed an interest in geriatric medicine, he said, when he became elderly himself.
To read Allen's paper, MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY DUE TO THE FAILURE TO TREAT MILD ANEMIA UNRELATED TO CANCER IN ELDERLY AMERICANS — REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE AND CASE PRESENTATION, visit http://www.scirp.org/journal/aar
Allen’s paper appears in Issue No. 4 for the year 2013 in that journal. As of this writing, this issue is current. But later you may need to click on the year 2013 and the Issue number 4 in order to display/download the paper.
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Medical Research Scientist Warns HMOs Are Perpetuating Health Crisis In The Elderly
November 07, 2013 at 16:40 PM EST
