ALSO NOTED: Novartis cozies up to health plans; Drugs push U.S. cholesterol levels down; and much more...

> In an effort to further influence drug prescribing patterns, drugmaker Novartis has announced a group of pilot projects aimed at tightening up its relationships with health insurers. Article

> In a trend attributed partly to the use of anti-cholesterol drugs, adult cholesterol levels among U.S. adults were in the recommended range for the first time in 50 years last year. Article

> Uncompensated care for Cincinnati-area hospitals went up 19 percent from 2005 to 2006, according to a new study. Article

> The current war over regulatory barriers to e-prescribing points up a difficult problem--that government agencies are likely to want control of many aspects of health data sharing. FierceHealthIT

And Finally...  Sadly, turning the tables on the police seldom works. Article