Drug prices blow by inflation rate – even with discounts; flu vaccinations cut severe infections

Flu vaccine cuts infection severity in kids and adults By Mitchel L. Zoler   Recent U.S. data compiled by the CDC documented that children and adults who received influenza vaccines had fewer severe infections.   You can take the MDedge Podcasts survey by clicking here.   Other news:   Net prices of drugs rising four times faster than inflation The investigators also found a wide variation on discounts across therapeutic classes.   What’s the proper place of benzodiazepines in psychiatry? Dr. Rakesh Jain and Dr. Murray B. Stein discuss the risks, benefits of prescribing benzodiazepines.   Judge blocks Alabama abortion ban Alabama’s measure prohibits abortion at every pregnancy stage and penalizes physicians with a Class A felony for performing an abortion.   No infection increase seen with biologics in older psoriasis patients While older psoriasis patients may be at more than twice the risk of infection, biologics aren’t fueling that risk.   You can contact the MDedge Daily Medical News by emailing us at [email protected] or following us on Twitter at @MDedgeTweets.