The Obama administration is proposing a measure that would make the recommendations of the Medicare Policy Advisory Committee on cost reductions policy. Obama told the AMA: “In recent years, this commission proposed roughly $200 billion in savings that never made it into law. These recommendations have now been incorporated into our broader reform agenda, but we need to fast-track their proposals in the future so that we don’t miss another opportunity to save billions of dollars.”

ScopeMedical, a UK-based medical communications company, has opened a US outpost in Princeton, NJ. The 15-year-old company, which boasts a staff of 55, is led by CEO Jeremy Williams, who said the firm was expanding to the US in response to client demand.

Vermont’s harsh law regarding gifts to physicians and other financial relationships between healthcare professionals and drug companies takes effect this month. The law allows for honoraria to CME speakers, but with many strings attached.