Prescription Drugs

In the current tough economy, some people are trying to save money by forgoing prescription medicines. A survey of just over 1,200 people conducted and released in February by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 53% had cut back on healthcare spending during the last 12 months because of cost concerns. Of those surveyed, 21% had not filled a drug prescription and 15% had skipped drug doses or split pills.

The family of bone-strengthening drugs called bisphosphonates -- best known by the brand names Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva -- pose a small risk of causing esophageal cancer, a Food and Drug Administration official reported Thursday in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine. Diane K. Wysowski of the drug risk assessment division said the FDA has received 23 reports of the cancer developing in patients taking Fosamax, manufactured by Merck & Co. Eight of the patients died.

The number of players approved to take attention deficit disorder medications under baseball's drug policy rose last season, even after the sport tightened its rules in response to criticism from Congress. According to a report issued Friday, 106 therapeutic-use exemptions for ADD drugs were issued last year, up from the 103 exemptions reported to Congress for 2007.

Prescription prices are putting the bite on household budgets. The recession is amplifying the pain as workers lose health coverage and employers cut back on drug benefits. More Americans are being forced to choose between buying food and buying medicine. Still, there are plenty of ways to save money if you're willing to expend some effort. You'll need to be honest about your finances.

Pete Townshend of The Who concluded his baby boomer anthem, "My Generation," with these words: "I hope I die before I get old." And my boomer generation may well still wish for that. I am 62 -- old enough to cash in my 401(k), too young for Medicare -- and standing with my peers on the edge of a dementia precipice. Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia afflict up to 5 million people in the United States and about 26 million people worldwide.

With initial autopsy results inconclusive, the investigation into Michael Jackson's death focused Friday on whether the pop icon, who had struggled with painkiller addiction in the past, overdosed on prescription drugs. "We know he was taking some prescription medication," Craig Harvey, a spokesman for the L.A. County coroner's office, said at a news conference announcing the completion of the autopsy.

Los Angeles Police Department detectives are trying to identify and interview "multiple doctors" who treated or prescribed medication to Michael Jackson going back years, a law enforcement source told The Times. Until now, much of the attention surrounding the pop icon's death has focused on Dr.

Investigators trying to determine how Michael Jackson died are faced with the daunting task of creating an accurate medical biography for a superstar whose ailments, surgeries and doctors have been tabloid fodder for three decades. Jackson has seen more than a dozen doctors since 1993, according to various public records and accounts, and investigators are now collecting as much medical data about him as possible.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa launched a prescription-drug discount program for city residents Monday, following up on a campaign promise he made five years ago while running for mayor. At a senior center in Montecito Heights, Villaraigosa said the city had contracted with Ohio-based Envision Pharmaceutical Services, which will negotiate with pharmaceutical companies to obtain lower prices for residents who carry discount cards. The discounts, which could range from 5% to 40% depending on the medicine, will be available at about 1,500 Los Angeles pharmacies that participate in Envision's network.