Democratic allies on Friday refuted a recent news report that they've shifted their election-year healthcare messaging strategy away from a discussion on cost.

The story, reported Thursday by Politico, argued that healthcare reform proponents "are dramatically shifting their attempts to defend health care legislation, abandoning claims that it will reduce costs and the deficit and instead stressing a promise to 'improve it.' "

Citing a recent PowerPoint presentation created by the Herndon Alliance — a health advocacy group comprised largely of Democratic backers — Politico's Ben Smith argued that "Democrats are acknowledging the failure of their predictions that the health care legislation would grow more popular after its passage."

Not so, the Herndon Alliance said Friday. 

"The Politico story … is wrong," the group said in a statement posted on its website. "Our research reaffirms that the more the public hears about the specific reforms in the law, the more they like it. And our research finds that there is a need to cut the political flak and give real information to the public."

The PowerPoint slides — based on recent surveys by Democratic pollsters and delivered Thursday to party allies in a private conference call — urged Democrats touting healthcare reform to voters to "keep claims small … and don't overpromise what the law delivers."  

"Let voters know the healthcare law passed!" the presenters suggested. 

The slides, Smith wrote, represent a concession "that groups typically supportive of Democratic causes — people under 40, non-college-educated women and Hispanic voters — have not been won over by the plan."

Republicans pounced on the news, with the office of House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) pointing to the slides as indication of the Democrats' "dramatic surrender" on healthcare reform.

The Herndon Alliance disagrees.

"Hard-working people are thinking about the economy and just want to know how the law will help them and their families," the group said. "That is what the President and the administration have been doing."

The Alliance is made up of a long list of medical, faith-based and liberal advocacy groups, including MoveOn.org, the Mayo Clinic, AARP and the National Council of La Raza.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops this week urged House lawmakers to approve legislation that would permanently ban federal funding of abortions.

Although a 1976 law — dubbed the Hyde Amendment — already prohibits taxpayer dollars from subsidizing elective abortions under Medicaid and other federal health programs, the provision is temporary, forcing Congress to pass it each year as an attachment to the Health and Human Services (HHS) funding bill.

A House proposal, introduced last month by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), would both make the prohibition permanent and apply it across all federal programs.

In a Friday letter to House lawmakers, Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, who heads the Catholic Bishop's pro-life activities committee, said the Smith bill would codify a policy that "has been piecemeal and sometimes sadly inadequate."

"Federal funds are prevented now from funding abortion by riders to various annual appropriations bills as well as by provisions incorporated into specific authorizing legislation for the Department of Defense, Children’s Health Insurance Program, foreign assistance, and so on," DiNardo wrote. "On various occasions a gap or loophole has been discovered that does not seem to be addressed by this patchwork of provisions.

"While Congress’s policy has been remarkably consistent for decades," he added, "implementation of that policy in practice has been piecemeal and sometimes sadly inadequate."

The issue played an enormous role in the health reform debate, with Democrats finally settling on a policy that allows subsidized exchange plans to cover abortion services — as long as patients pay separately for that portion of the coverage. 

Supporters say the segregated-check arrangement ensures women retain access to constitutionally guaranteed healthcare while also preventing taxpayer funds from covering abortion services. But critics argue that, because money is fungible, it's impossible to ensure federal funds won't subsidize abortions.

The health reform law, DiNardo said, "violates the spirit of the entire [Hyde] amendment, by directly forcing conscientiously opposed citizens in many plans to fund other people’s abortions through their health premiums."

The Smith bill has 166 co-sponsors, including 20 Democrats.

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) is holding a summit Friday afternoon with his state's medical device manufacturers to get their input on proposed changes to the way federal regulators approve new products.

Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced more than 70 proposed changes to its 510(k) program, which allows expedited review of low- and moderate-risk medical devices. Some consumer advocates and insurers argue that the current standards are too lax; device makers, meanwhile, worry that some of the proposed changes would needlessly disrupt a process that's been in place for more than 30 years.

Franken said he plans to meet with FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg next month to share the industry's concerns.

"Minnesota is a global leader in medical device development," Franken said in a statement. "We are fortunate to be home to these companies that provide tens of thousands of high-quality jobs in our state. I am committed to bringing the concerns of Minnesota device companies to the FDA so that we can continue to foster medical innovation and protect patient safety."

Minnesota is home to more than 400 medical device companies employing more than 30,000 people.

A leading critic of Democrats' response to the AIDS epidemic is applauding Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) for pressing his colleagues to provide "robust funding" for the nation's AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).

"The Democratic Leadership has been AWOL on ADAP so we thank Senator Nelson for being among the first to speak out and for urging his Senate colleagues to address this funding shortfall that is crippling ADAP and threatening the lives of thousands of Americans," Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, said in a statement.

ADAP, which provides AIDS drugs to low-income Americans, is facing a $126 million shortfall, according to advocates. Because of the economic recession, 13 states have instituted waiting lists. 

More than one third — 1,178 of almost 3,000 — of the people on waiting lists are in Nelson's home state. Weinstein's group held protests at the senator's Fort Lauderdale and Tampa offices earlier this month. The group also staged a mock funeral in front of the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it was reallocating $25 million to ADAP for FY 2010. But Weinstein says that's not enough to fix the long-term shortfall — it would "barely cover" people already on waiting lists — especially when state budgets are under enormous strain.

"While President Obama recently announced a reallocation of $25 million to states that have been hardest hit by the crisis, it may not be enough," Nelson wrote in a letter sent Wednesday to Senate appropriators. "I urge you to join me in support of robust funding for programs like ADAP that offer real hope to Americans enduring the throes of this debilitating recession."

Republicans have also entered the fray and are backing a bill that would provide $126 million to eliminate the waiting lists. The bill — introduced by Sens. Richard Burr (N.C.), Tom Coburn (Okla.) and Mike Enzi (Wyo.) — would pay for the program by transferring unobligated stimulus funds; the bill has not attracted Democratic support.

Europe's largest vending company has launched a campaign to offer pregnancy tests in its Swiss machines.

Zug-based Selecta hopes the concept will catch on among young women leery of buying the tests in more-public retail stores, AOL News reported this week. 

"We have seen that acceptance for such a product is high enough for us to proceed with equipping the 3,000 machines we have all over the country," [Selecta Director Thomas] Nussbaumer told AOL News. 

He added that, since condoms are selling well at the vending machines and demand is growing, it suggests there might be room for a "connected" product. 

What healthcare reform law? Add this to the list of troubles Democrats are facing as they try to sell their healthcare reform law to a skeptical public: Many voters are unaware that there even is a healthcare reform law. 

At least that's the warning this week from some key Democratic allies, who are encouraging the party to adopt a new reform strategy in the run-up to November's midterms. Among the messages they're urging lawmakers to drive home: "Let voters know the healthcare reform law passed!"

That anyone could think differently might come as news to Democratic leaders, who enacted their reform bill only after an intense, months-long debate that ranks among the most high-profile congressional battles in recent memory. 

Still, a PowerPoint presentation — based on recent surveys by Democratic pollsters and obtained by Politico Thursday — urges Democrats to "tell non-college educated women that the health care law passed," and "tell Latinos that the health care law passed." 

The talking points were delivered Thursday to healthcare reform supporters during a private conference call set up by Families USA, a liberal consumer advocate and strong proponent of healthcare reform, Politico's Ben Smith reported.

Among the things to avoid, the Democratic allies suggest, is this: "Don't assume [the] public knows the health reform law passed or if they know it passed understand how it will affect them." 

And all these months the Democrats thought they could simply tout what the law does. http://politi.co/9CMekn

Plot thickens in debate over safety of Gulf seafood: An administration official on Thursday walked back the government's previous claims that only 25 percent of the oil spilled in the Gulf is unaccounted for. 

"Bill Lehr, a senior scientist at [the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration], said at a House Energy and Commerce subpanel hearing Thursday that federal officials have only confirmed that 10 percent of the 4.1 million barrels of oil that leaked into the Gulf have been either skimmed or burned," The Hill's Darren Goode reports. 



The testimony didn't sit well with Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), the panel chairman, who said the earlier report created "a false sense of confidence regarding the state of the Gulf." 

"Overconfidence breeds complacency," he said, "and complacency is what got us into this situation in the first place."



His was a lonely voice, though. The Massachusetts Democrat was the only lawmaker to interrupt his summer break and return to Washington for the hearing. http://bit.ly/doJ77n

Biotechnology companies and other stakeholders on Thursday applauded the government's new strategy to prepare the nation for biological threats.

"Serious deficiencies exist in the antibiotic and influenza vaccine and antiviral pipelines," said Robert Guidos, vice president of public policy and government relations with Infectious Diseases Society of America. IDSA is a national medical society representing physicians and scientists working with infectious diseases.

"HHS’s [Department of Health and Human Services] new initiative marks a recognition by the administration that current efforts and funding for scientific and research activities ... are not at the levels they need to be. Without a well-coordinated and strengthened federal approach to support development of countermeasures to treat, prevent and detect antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, influenza and other infections, Americans will be at even greater risk from these threats in the future."

Anders Hedegaard, president and CEO of Bavarian Nordic, was also pleased. The Danish company recently delivered the first one million doses of a smallpox vaccine to the federal government.

"It was with great anticipation that I reviewed the Obama administration’s new plan for medical countermeasures against biological threats," Hedegaard said. "Today’s announcement that HHS will invest nearly $2 billion to streamline the regulatory process, augment manufacturing capacity and speed the development of novel technologies is a sign that the Obama Administration takes seriously this national security priority."

"We expect that new and dedicated funding to support the FDA’s regulation of medical countermeasures will simplify our efforts to overcome the regulatory challenges unique to medical countermeasures development," Hedegaard added.

"The report identifies the need for the U.S. government to do a better job at clearly articulating which products are needed, in what quantities. The development of an integrated 5-year budget for medical countermeasures development, procurement and stockpiling, and a clear articulation of the U.S. government’s requirements, will allow us to better target our investments in product development."

President Obama on Thursday announced his intention to recess-appoint Elisabeth Hagen as under secretary for food safety at the Department of Agriculture. 

The recess appointment comes as Congress prepares to debate food-safety legislation that would greatly expand the Food and Drug Administration's powers to regulate the nation's food supply.

Hagen, who is currently the department’s chief medical officer, has "been instrumental in building relationships and fostering coordination with food safety and public health partners at the federal, state, and local level," according to a White House press release.

Obama also announced he would appoint Richard Sorian as assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services.

The recall of 380 million eggs — almost 32 million dozen — due to a possible salmonella contamination is sparking calls for the quick passage of food-safety legislation after the August recess.

The recent outbreak has sickened hundreds of people across multiple states.

The Senate health panel unveiled a manager's package last week that grants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expanded powers to recall tainted food, quarantine geographical areas and access food producers’ records. Similar legislation cleared the House in July 2009.

"This outbreak is just further proof of how quickly a food borne illness can multiply across states, sickening Americans and causing widespread distrust over the safety of our food system," Senate Health Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) said in a statement Thursday. "And it adds to the urgency that, for far too long, has told the story of why comprehensive food safety legislation is needed. Our 100-year-old plus food safety structure needs to be modernized."

Harkin went on to detail how the egg contamination may have played out differently had the bill's provisions been in effect.

"The bill pending in Congress would offer additional protection against such an outbreak in the future," Harkin said. "For example, the bill would give FDA authority to initiate a mandatory recall of the eggs had the company involved refused to do so; the trace back provisions in the bill would help public health agencies identify the source in a future outbreak; and the new importation provisions in the bill would apply to any eggs imported into the U.S. from abroad, which would certainly help prevent against a Salmonella outbreak from foreign eggs. Our bill also mandates that firms that manufacture and process food implement preventive controls to help prevent food-borne contamination and ensure the safety of food."