IMS Health (RX) has built a lucrative niche collecting data on which drugs physicians prescribe, then selling the information to pharmaceutical companies. But legislators in more than 20 states are considering actions to curb the practices. The Supreme Court could shine a spotlight on this topic in the next few weeks if it decides to hear a closely watched case IMS has been fighting in New Hampshire. The court’s ruling would quickly reverberate beyond the pharmaceutical industry, affecting virtually any business that uses information about consumer buying behavior to guide its sales strategies.

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Whenever researchers compare drugs or treatments to see which works best, somebody’s ox gets gored. Such “comparative effectiveness” studies have already cast doubt on expensive newer blood pressure and schizophrenia drugs, as well as spinal fusions and other surgeries. And in one case, it is a very expensive ox: the heart procedure known as angioplasty.

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pic via Graela

Nonprofits who work with youth and provide mentoring need to provide better evidence base tracking to show the results of their services. (assuming they have created the best outcomes.)  The lack of evidence causes mentoring programs to be adversely hit during times of economic recessions. The number of youth in the country who lack a father due to the high incidence of divorce is shocking.  Divorce is above 56%.  The science has shown that most youth need a connection to their fathers to be able to develop to their full potential.

Fatherhood comes with responsibility and being accountable to the never ending questions.  Mentoring programs just might be what insurers to cover to make more successful, healthy, well adjusted youth.