Alumni Association

The Science of Sneezing: Modeling Spray Exposure
"It's a little surprising to me that the government isn't suggesting face protection (to protect against the flu virus), because it helps for all three modes of transmission," says GSB Professor Lawrence Wein. LiveScience, May 8, 2009 Science of Sneezing Details

How Much Will We Pay for a Year of Life?
Today $50,000 is the internationally accepted value placed on an additional year of high quality human life. That figure is too low, according to new research by GSB Professor Stefanos Zenios. He warns using cost effectiveness to decide whether to authorize and pay for specific treatments raises major ethical dilemmas. How Much Will We Pay for a Year of Life? Details

The Price of a Medication May Affect How Well It Works
A marketing pitch or the price of a drug may do more than simply affect what the consumer thinks about the product. It also can influence how effective the user finds the drug, says GSB Professor Baba Shiv. The Price of a Medication May Affect How Well It Works Details

Social Networks Impact the Drugs Physicians Prescribe
Marketing drugs to medical opinion leaders such as specialists can boost revenues by 18 percent over the return on marketing to a broad group of physicians, according to recent research coauthored by GSB Professor Harikesh Nair. Social Networks Impacting the Drugs Physicians PrescribeDetails

Fiscal Failings of the Government's Tobacco Settlement
The landmark 1998 agreement between the U.S. government and the nation's major tobacco companies to pay fees on future sales of cigarettes benefited lawyers and handed politicians bragging rights, but hasn't been a benefit to smokers' health or pocketbooks, says GSB Professor Jeremy Bulow. Fiscal Failings of the Government's Tobacco SettlementDetails

Doctoring the Hatch-Waxman Act
While it's in the interest of the public for generic manufacturers to get their products to market as quickly as possible, it is not in the interests of the companies that first developed the drugs and hold the original patent. The 20-year-old Hatch-Waxman Act has been remarkably successful in increasing the number of generics on the market by easing the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval process for generics. These recent Hatch-Waxman cases and settlements, and what to do about them, were the subject of a paper by GSB Professor Jeremy Bulow. Doctoring the Hatch-Waxman ActDetails

Marketing Directly to Physicians Reaps Higher
Returns for Drug Companies
In the case of antihistamines, drug companies could increase revenues by advertising more heavily soon after the launch of a new product says GSB Professor Sridhar Narayanan, who has completed a trio of research projects on the purpose and effectiveness of pharmaceutical advertising campaigns. Marketing Directly to PhysiciansDetails

Beyond Employment Based Health Insurance: Medicare-Like Single Payer System Could Spell Disaster
GSB Professor Alain Enthoven wonders should we keep patching up the current system with increased public programs and tax incentives? Or is it time to move away from employment-based health insurance? Beyond Employment Based Health InsuranceDetails

Integrated Systems Improve Medical Care and Control Costs
Improved systems to share medical histories, create interdisciplinary medical teams, and update doctors on the latest medical research findings could trim healthcare costs while improving patient care, argues GSB Professor Alain Enthoven. Integrated Systems Improving Medical CareDetails

Positive News from Stanford's Managed Competition Health Plan
Stanford University employees select their health care coverage from a menu of services using the university's managed competition plan. The result, says Alain Enthoven, GSB professor emeritus, has been savings to the university and positive reactions from employees. Stanford's Managed Competition Health PlanDetails

Malpractice Reforms Increase the Supply of Physicians
According to recent research by GSB Professor Daniel Kessler and colleagues, those states that adopted malpractice law reforms, such as caps on non-economic damages, experienced an increase in physician supply. Malpractice Reforms Increasing the Supply of PhysiciansDetails

Detecting Medicare Abuse
Fraud and abuse are serious problems for the U.S. health care system. GSB Professor Daniel Kessler and colleagues tested whether certain types of hospitals were more responsive to states' stepped-up health care fraud control efforts. Detecting Medicare AbuseDetails

Getting More Bang for the Buck Out of Health Insurance
Most health plans in the United States base coverage decisions on clinical studies of how well the procedure, device, or medication works without considering costs. Medical School and GSB Professor Alan M. Garber argues that more attention to cost-effectiveness would reduce health care costs and insurance premiums without lowering the quality of care. Getting More Bang for the Buck Out of Health InsuranceDetails

Caution About a Bioterror Attack on the U.S. Milk Supply
A mere 4 grams of Botulinum toxin dropped into a milk production facility could cause serious illness and even death. Investments that would cost the public only 1 cent more per half-gallon of milk could prevent this nightmare scenario, says GSB Professor Lawrence M. Wein. Bioterror Attack on the U.S. Milk SupplyDetails

Why Your Appendectomy Costs More than Mine
The ability to move your members to another hospital may be the key bargaining chip as insurance companies negotiate rates with hospitals, says Assistant Professor Alan Sorensen. Why Your Appendectomy Costs More than MineDetails

Importance of a Good Night's Sleep
A GSB alumni audience heard Professor William Dement, 'the sleep doctor' discuss important sleep-related issues such as sleep debt, job productivity and getting a good night's sleep.

Willliam Dement Sleep Video William Dement Sleep Video (40:04 minutes)