HHS WEEKLY REPORT
July 7, 2003 - July 13, 2003

THIS ISSUE AVAILABLE ONLINE WITH EXPANDED INFORMATION AND PHOTOS AT:
http://www.hhs.gov/news/newsletter/weekly

IN THIS ISSUE:
1) Secretary Thompson Takes the First Steps Toward A Health Care Information System
2) HHS Reinforces the Importance of Abstinence Education
3) CDC Researches Health Risks From DES
4) What's the best type of physical activity for you?
5) Secretary Thompson's public schedule

Secretary Thompson Takes the First Steps Toward A Health Care Information System

HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson made two announcements to begin building the foundation for a national information technology database for Americans recently. The system would compile health information online for each individual that can be accessed by doctors' offices, hospitals, and home health agencies in order to deliver optimal care and increase quality.

The first announcement was of an agreement between HHS and the College of American Pathologists (CAP) to license the college's standardized medical vocabulary system and make it available without charge throughout the U.S. Using language that can be recognized electronically is a key element in the development of building a unified electronic medical records system.

Secondly, HHS commissioned the Institute of Medicine to design a model health information record that will be evaluated by the health care standards development organization, or HL7, upon its completion.

"This system will prove invaluable in facilitating the automated exchange of clinical information needed to protect patient safety, detect emerging public health threats, better coordinate patient care and compile research data for patients participating in clinical trials," Secretary Thompson said.

The CAP agreement announced today will be administered through the National Library of Medicine (NLM), a component of HHS' National Institutes of Health (NIH). NLM has issued a 5-year, $32.4 million contract to the CAP for a permanent license for their terminology, known as SNOMED (Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine) Clinical Terms. The licensing agreement includes the core database in both English and Spanish along with regular updates.

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HHS Reinforces the Importance of Abstinence Education

HHS Secretary Thompson and Betty Duke, the Administrator of Health Resources and Services Administration announced 28 new grants for communities to promote abstinence education. The $15 million will help the grassroots development and implementation of abstinence education through public and private entities, including community-based and faith-based organizations, hospitals, health centers, school systems, and other youth service agencies.

"When adolescents become sexually active, it can have negative effects on their physical and emotional health," Secretary Thompson said. "These grants create an environment within communities that supports teens in their decision to remain abstinent until marriage."

The Abstinence Education Grant Program, funded as part of the agency's Special Projects of Regional and National Significance (SPRANS), began in FY 2001. Seventy-three grants were funded during the past two years. HRSA also administers the Section 510 Abstinence Education Formula Block Grant Program to States.

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CDC Researches Health Risks From DES

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the Diethylstilbestrol, or DES update web site back in March of this year, a resource that individuals who were pregnant or born during 1938 - 1971 can access to learn more about DES exposure and learn how exposure could affect them, their family and friends.

CDC has been tracking the effects of DES in individuals whose mothers were prescribed the drug during pregnancy. In the United States, as many as five to 10 million people were exposed to DES between 1938 and 1971.

DES is a synthetic estrogen that was prescribed to prevent miscarriages or premature delivery. However in 1971, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a Drug Bulletin advising physicians to stop prescribing DES to pregnant women. The FDA warning was based on a study published in 1971 in the New England Journal of Medicine linking DES to a rare vaginal cancer in girls and young women exposed to DES in the womb. It is important to note that exposure of DES in men and women minimally increase their chances of cancer, reproductive complications and infertility.

To access CDC's DES Update Self-Assessment Guide or additional DES resources, log onto www.cdc.gov/DES. Print versions of CDC's DES Update resources can be ordered online or through CDC's toll-free phone number at 1 (888) 232-6789.

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What's the best type of physical activity for you?

The best type is the one or two that you will do! Pick an activity that you enjoy doing and one that will fit into your daily routine. Start with moderate levels of activity and work your way up!

Moderate level of activity

Here's a good place to start. Moderate activities such as walking and climbing stairs for 10 minutes, three times a day can improve your health. Pick a few things to try from the list below.

Moderate Activities

This information is provided by the National Institutes of Health.

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Secretary Tommy G. Thompson's public schedule:

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Last updated July 7, 2003
United States Department of Health and Human Services
Contact the HHS Newsletter Team.