We’ll keep you informed of this and other entertaining news.

Anyone who’s visited the doctor in the last few years is aware about privacy requirements on the part of the provider. The United States enacted legislation called the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. (HIPAA) This legislation protects the individual by making sure the patient gives clear consent to parties requesting information. The problem is, it has lopped another level of bureaucracy on the health system in the United States. You need to fill out a HIPPA form anytime your records go from one of your doctors to another; from your general doctor to your heart specialist, for example. It would seem this is an effort to streamline that process.

The Cleveland Clinic already uses its own electronic health record system and it houses records of around 100,000 patients. They will be giving a small portion of this population the opportunity to participate in the trial with Google.

On one hand you have a the Cleveland Clinic, a relatively small but prestigious healthcare company diligent in protecting it’s records along with Google; the internet marketing Behemoth and purported experts in the Internet. It looks like a good thing. On the other hand you might consider these questions: Would Google be able to give the attention to the patient records required to ensure their security? Is it naive to believe the Clinic couldn’t hire the right people to make sure the records are kept secure without Google’s help?

Lowering costs in Healthcare in the United States is important, We’re sure neither is doing it for their health, but will the savings come at a cost in security? We’ll keep you informed of this and other breaking news.

Alcohol is good for you but the circumstances are a little misleading. Truthfully, it is good for your heart. But if you weigh the benefits of healthy heart to the dangers of kidney and liver disease, it just doesn’t add up.

If you already have symptoms or advanced heart disease, the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption outweigh the possible risks of kidney or liver disease. That’s the fact. Next time someone tells you alcohol is good for your consider the source and where you are. –At a bar most likely.

We’ll will keep you informed of this and other interesting health news.

Vytorin is a combination of two drugs, Ezetimibe and Simvastatin. Simvastatin is also known by the genric name Zocor, and costs much less than a dollar. Zocor appears to be the more beneficial ingredient in Vytorin. You’ll spend about three dollars for Vytorin.

Vytorin is a joint venture between Schering-Plough and Merck.. Shares of both were down yesterday, with Schering-Plough taking the brunt of the hit -8%. Michigan democrat Representative Bart Stupak is leading a congressional investigation into allegations that the drug companies knowingly withheld the results of the study in order to maximize their profit.

Four of five years ago it was rare to see a television commercial touting prescription drugs. An occasional magazine article for Claritin (before it was released generic in the early 2000’s) was the norm. Today, you cannot watch network TV for more than 10 minutes before you are presented with arguments about why you should get Viagra, Cialis, Vytorin or Crestor to name a few.

Drugs are big business, and they are becoming bigger business as their money extends into the more mainstream media outlets. If everybody had a financial stake in the success of a drug (Vytorin) for example, would the corporate machine run unfettered?

Roni recommends doing it every year for 21 days, or four times a year for seven days. In a recent television interview, she corrected the talk show host, explaining it is a detox program and not really a diet. In any case, participants lose an amazing amount of weight while on the detox. The key point with this diet/detox program is that it involves no chewing, requires you to drink vegtable juices every two hours, and is entirely composed of different liquids. Asparagus Juice. Yum.

Here’s a video

From our perspective, it looks like Roni would be doing well to gain a few pounds.

One of theFutonPoncho editors is very familiar with loosing massive amounts of weight in a short time, but it is a full time job and it involves a bicycle. The weight loss in 2006 was 10 days and 10 pounds, and in 2007 it was 22 pounds in seven days! You rarely feel hungry, and since you are eating a balance of dietary fat, protein and carbohydrates, it is likely one of the healthiest weight loss programs available. Not only that, instead of being drudgery, it’s an exciting adventure and it is fun! Read more about how to lose a pound a day the healthy way; on a bicycle trail at GITride.com