Fake Avastin in the U.S.: A counterfeit version of Roche’s Avastin anti-cancer drug has been found in the U.S., though it’s not known how much was distributed, whether patients received it or whether it caused harm, the WSJ reports . The FDA has notified 19 medical practices in the U.S. that it says might have purchased the fake Avastin, which doesn’t contain the active ingredient in the real drug. A spokeswoman for Roche unit Genentech says the counterfeit drugs were labeled in French, identified Roche instead of Genentech as the manufacturer and had lot numbers starting with B86017, B6011 or B6010. “Doc Fix” Deal Coming?: Lawmakers have reached a tentative agreement that would extend the Medicare “doc fix” for ten months, putting off a scheduled reimbursement cut, Dow Jones Newswires reports . The extension is part of a broader agreement that would also extend the payroll tax cut and jobless benefits; the “doc fix” would be paid for with spending reductions, DJN says. Doctors Firing Patients: More pediatricians

are refusing to treat children whose parents won’t have them vaccinated, the WSJ reports . Studies showing that a greater percentage of doctors are “firing” patients who won’t follow the recommended vaccination schedule are raising the question of what responsibility physicians owe their patients, the paper says. Doctors say they are worried about the welfare of their patients who aren’t vaccinated due to age or illness and might be infected by others. Cost of a Foot: Medicare’s bill for artificial feet rose about 60% between 2005 and 2010, to $94 million, despite the fact that the agency covered a smaller number of prostheses, the Associated Press reports . The chief question: do elderly patients whose feet are amputated due to diabetes really need the advanced technology found in newer and more expensive artificial feet designed for younger, active patients? A trade group says the government is getting better-functioning prostheses for its money. Image: iStockphoto

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A.M. Vitals: FDA Warns of Fake Avastin in U.S.