Does Screening at 40-49 Years Boost Breast Cancer Survival?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/does-screening-at-40-49-years-boost-breast-cancer-survival/ VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Canadian women aged 40-49 years at no or moderate risk for breast cancer who participated in organized mammography screening programs had a significantly greater breast cancer 10-year net survival than similar women who did not participate in such programs, according to data presented here at the Family […]
Is There Ageism in Healthcare?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/is-there-ageism-in-healthcare/ People are living longer in Europe. Life expectancy increased on the continent by around 12 years between 1960 and 2022. And despite slower progress during the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend appears to be continuing. Not only are Europeans living longer, their fertility rates are declining. This means that the number of […]
UK will have men’s health strategy, government announces
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/uk-will-have-mens-health-strategy-government-announces/ The UK government has announced plans for a men’s health strategy. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said it would help tackle some of the “biggest issues affecting men of all ages”. This may include mental health and suicide prevention, heart disease and prostate cancer. The strategy is expected to be published next […]
Ex-prime minister David Cameron backs assisted dying bill
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ex-prime-minister-david-cameron-backs-assisted-dying-bill/ Former Prime Minister Lord David Cameron has backed moves to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults. In an article in The Times, Lord Cameron said that while he had opposed moves to legalise assisted dying in the past, he believed the current proposal was “not about ending life, it is […]
A little bit of fear can bring down high levels of inflammation
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/a-little-bit-of-fear-can-bring-down-high-levels-of-inflammation/ Haunted house attractions could provide an unexpected health benefit Robert Stainforth/Alamy They say laughter is the best medicine, but a bit of fear might be a strong contender. This is according to researchers who found that getting spooked in a haunted house attraction seemed to lower some people’s levels of inflammation. Hyperventilation […]
Tapering Corticosteroids in SAH Appears Safe
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/tapering-corticosteroids-in-sah-appears-safe/ SAN DIEGO — In patients with severe alcohol-associated hepatitis (SAH), tapering corticosteroids appears to be safer and as effective as a conventional fixed dose, according to new research. “Although several drugs have been evaluated for severe alcohol-associated hepatitis, none have succeeded in practice. Corticosteroids remain the mainstay of treatment; however, infections […]
Mobile Stroke Units Linked to Improved Acute Stroke Outcomes
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/mobile-stroke-units-linked-to-improved-acute-stroke-outcomes/ TOPLINE: Patients with acute ischemic stroke treated in mobile stroke units have better outcomes, with lower global disability scores, faster thrombolysis times, and comparable safety outcomes, than those receiving standard emergency medical services (EMS) care. METHODOLOGY: This retrospective study included 19,433 patients with acute ischemic stroke (median age, 73 years; 50.8% […]
Adalimumab Biosimilars Comparable With Originator
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/adalimumab-biosimilars-comparable-with-originator/ TOPLINE: Biosimilars demonstrate comparable drug survival and safety with adalimumab among new users, but patients switching from Humira (the originator product) to biosimilars had a 35% higher discontinuation rate than those who remained on Humira. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a cohort study using data on patients with psoriasis who were treated with […]
Mindfulness May Aid Cancer Patients in End-of-Life Planning
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/mindfulness-may-aid-cancer-patients-in-end-of-life-planning/ TOPLINE: A group structured mindfulness intervention improves existential well-being and advance care planning self-efficacy in patients with advanced cancer. Patients also may show moderate improvements in psychological outcomes, and their caregivers show improved quality of life following mindfulness training. METHODOLOGY: Advance care planning to prepare for future medical decision-making has been […]
Sleep-Disordered Breathing Common After Stroke
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/sleep-disordered-breathing-common-after-stroke/ TOPLINE: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) affects 60% of patients with stroke, with prevalence ranging from 57% in North America to 70% in Asia and overall prevalence rates remaining unchanged between 2010 and 2023, new research shows. METHODOLOGY: The researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of 85 studies from 26 countries, published […]
Updated Lupus Nephritis Guideline Advises Triple Therapy
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/updated-lupus-nephritis-guideline-advises-triple-therapy/ WASHINGTON — A new guideline for management of lupus nephritis (LN) was unveiled at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2024 Annual Meeting, updating the 2012 LN guideline to recommend a more aggressive first-line approach to treating the disease. “The biggest differences are that we are recommending what we’re calling triple […]
Community Factors Linked to Increased MCI Risk
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/community-factors-linked-to-increased-mci-risk/ TOPLINE: Greater neighborhood disadvantage and exposure to air pollution, higher homicide rates, and reduced greenspace are all associated with increased risk for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in older adults, new research shows. METHODOLOGY: The cross-sectional study included 2830 individuals without dementia aged ≥ 65 years who were recruited between 2006 and […]
First new asthma attack treatment in 50 years
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/first-new-asthma-attack-treatment-in-50-years/ Getty Images Researchers say they have found the first new treatment for asthma attacks in 50 years. The injection dampens part of the immune system that can go into overdrive in flare-ups of both asthma and a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Benralizumab is already used in the […]
FDA Investigating Blood Cancer Risk With Gene Therapy Skysona
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fda-investigating-blood-cancer-risk-with-gene-therapy-skysona/ The FDA said on Wednesday that it is investigating reports of blood cancers — including life-threatening cases of myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia — in patients with early, active cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (CALD) who were treated with elivaldogene autotemcel (eli-cel; Skysona). The reported cases came from clinical trials. Cancer diagnoses were […]
Long-Acting Injection Better for PrEP in Men, Gender-Diverse Groups
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/long-acting-injection-better-for-prep-in-men-gender-diverse-groups/ Twice-yearly lenacapavir (Sunlenca) substantially reduced HIV infection when used for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in cisgender men and transgender or gender-nonbinary persons in the pivotal PURPOSE 2 trial. Injections every 26 weeks cut the rate of HIV infections by a relative 89% compared with daily oral emtricitabine-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF, Truvada), with […]
New CAR-T Drug Induces Durable Remissions in ALL, Published Data Show
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-car-t-drug-induces-durable-remissions-in-all-published-data-show/ Use of the anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy obecabtagene autoleucel (obe-cel; Aucatzyl) resulted in durable remissions among patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), according to results from the phase Ib/II FELIX trial. In a cohort of 94 patients with morphologic disease, overall remission occurred in 77% of those […]
Bird flu may be adapting to become more infectious to humans
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/bird-flu-may-be-adapting-to-become-more-infectious-to-humans/ Bird flu has been spreading in wild animals for years but it’s now adapting to humans Vuk Valcic//SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images The threat of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus adapting to humans has been inching closer towards becoming a reality all year, and we may be nearing an inflection […]
Clonazepam Recall Expands; Lipid Depression Screening; Period Pain and Depression
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/clonazepam-recall-expands-lipid-depression-screening-period-pain-and-depression/ The FDA broadcast Endo’s expanded recall of clonazepam tablets, used for panic disorder among other conditions, due to potential product carton strength mislabeling. After controlling for immortal time bias, high-dose antipsychotic and benzodiazepine use was associated with increased mortality in a large study of people with schizophrenia. (JAMA Network Open) Researchers […]
Ultraprocessed Foods Implicated in Psoriasis Activity
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ultraprocessed-foods-implicated-in-psoriasis-activity/ Data out of France support a link between psoriasis disease activity and the consumption of ultraprocessed foods like soda and frozen pizza. In the large NutriNet-Santé cohort, people with active psoriasis more frequently belonged to the top tertile of ultraprocessed food consumption compared with individuals who never had the chronic skin […]
AREDS2 Supplements and Geographic Atrophy Progression
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/areds2-supplements-and-geographic-atrophy-progression/ Post hoc analyses of the AREDS/AREDS2 studies presented at the recent American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting examined supplementation on the risk of geographic atrophy progression. In this exclusive MedPage Today video, Emily Chew, MD, of the National Eye Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, discusses the pivotal role of diet and AREDS2 supplementation […]
Want to Limit Respiratory Virus Infections? Mask and Test in Hospitals
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/want-to-limit-respiratory-virus-infections-mask-and-test-in-hospitals/ Stopping universal masking and SARS-CoV-2 testing in hospitals led to a surge in hospital-onset respiratory viral infections relative to community infections, a cohort study found. After these safeguards were removed, there was a 25% jump in hospital-onset respiratory viral infections compared with the preceding Omicron-dominant period (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.02-1.53), […]
ASCVD Mortality Linked to Specific Air Pollution Sources
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ascvd-mortality-linked-to-specific-air-pollution-sources/ Different components of small particular matter linked to modest cardiovascular effects. Relationship persisted even in neighborhoods meeting the current National Ambient Air Quality Standard for small particular matter. The source-specific pollution exposure patterns and associations with cardiovascular mortality varied regionally within the U.S. The relationship between air pollution and cardiovascular harm […]
Novel Burden Score May Better Predict Asthma Severity
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/novel-burden-score-may-better-predict-asthma-severity/ A novel asthma burden score that incorporated asthma exacerbations and healthcare utilization better reflected disease severity and predicted asthma remission with high sensitivity and specificity, according to an analysis of prospective data from two longitudinal cohorts. Higher burden scores correlated with worse lung function, asthma control, and quality of life, and […]
Chronic Pain Is Rising, and It’s Not Clear Why
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/chronic-pain-is-rising-and-its-not-clear-why/ A new CDC report indicated that the percentage of Americans with chronic pain rose considerably in recent years, and it’s not clear why. In 2023, 24.3% of U.S. adults had chronic pain lasting 3 months or longer. In 2016, that figure was 20.4%, and in 2021, it was 20.9%. The numbers […]
IG Live December 2: The Weight of Wegovy
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ig-live-december-2-the-weight-of-wegovy/ MedPage Today spoke with experts during an Instagram Live 2 years ago about the growing buzz around GLP-1 receptor agonists and their role in transforming diabetes and obesity care. Since then, the use of medications like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) has become even more widespread as the drugs’ […]
Third Death Under TX Abortion Ban; Insurer Pays Its Own Docs More; CME Questioned
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/third-death-under-tx-abortion-ban-insurer-pays-its-own-docs-more-cme-questioned/ Welcome to the latest edition of Investigative Roundup, highlighting some of the best investigative reporting on healthcare each week. Third Woman Dies Under Texas Abortion Ban A third woman has died under the Texas abortion ban as doctors there avoid dilation and curettage (D&C) procedures and opt for riskier miscarriage treatments, […]
Doc Admits Owning Explosives; Doc Says He Was Fired for Sounding Alarm on Procedures
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/doc-admits-owning-explosives-doc-says-he-was-fired-for-sounding-alarm-on-procedures/ Ohio doctor Steven Werling, DO, admitted to owning improvised explosive devices, and could face up to 2 years in prison. (WHIO) Three years before William Zientek shot and killed Olga Duchon, MD, outside of his home, she filed for an order of protection against him, saying she feared for her life. […]
Vision Problems in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Uncovered With Comprehensive Workup
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/vision-problems-in-mild-traumatic-brain-injury-uncovered-with-comprehensive-workup/ Vision problems could be identified using comprehensive optical assessments and machine-learning approaches among people with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), a prospective, observational, case-control study suggested. In 28 participants with mild TBI that occurred a median of 6 years earlier, workup showed reduced prism convergence test breakpoint (-8.38, 95% CI […]
UV Radiation and MCPyV Account for Most Merkel Cell Cases
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/uv-radiation-and-mcpyv-account-for-most-merkel-cell-cases/ TOPLINE: Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) and ambient ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure account for most Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) cases in the United States. METHODOLOGY: Researchers evaluated 38,020 MCC cases (38% women; 93% non-Hispanic White, 4% Hispanic, 1% non-Hispanic Black) diagnosed in the United States from 2001 to 2019 to estimate the […]
World’s Oldest Man Dies; Harvey Weinstein’s Medical Care; Soccer and Brain Damage
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/worlds-oldest-man-dies-harvey-weinsteins-medical-care-soccer-and-brain-damage/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. Also note that MedPage Today will be closed Thursday and Friday in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Look for Morning Break again on Monday, December 2. John Tinniswood, the world’s oldest man, died at age 112 in Southport, England. (CNN) President-elect Donald […]
Trump Picks Jay Bhattacharya, Who Backed COVID Herd Immunity, as NIH Director
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/trump-picks-jay-bhattacharya-who-backed-covid-herd-immunity-as-nih-director/ President-elect Donald Trump has chosen health economist Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, a critic of pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates, to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Trump, in a statement Tuesday evening, said Bhattacharya, a 56-year-old physician and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, will work in cooperation with […]
Paying Forward, Giving Back, and Being All the Better for It
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/paying-forward-giving-back-and-being-all-the-better-for-it/ During the peak of the pandemic, “it was so tough on everybody, and two of my co-residents quit,” recalled Todd Walker, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in Austin, Texas. Even the one perk for healthcare workers — free coffee from chains like Dunkin’ and Starbucks — ended after a few months. Todd […]
Debate Continues Over Prolonged Grief Disorder
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/debate-continues-over-prolonged-grief-disorder/ Two years ago, prolonged grief disorder (PGD) was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) as a new psychiatric illness. The decision generated heated debate with strong opinions for and against the move. Some argued that PGD pathologizes a normal human experience and […]
Drug Survival Rates in Pediatric Patients With HS Compared
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/drug-survival-rates-in-pediatric-patients-with-hs-compared/ The drug survival for adalimumab is significantly higher than that of infliximab in pediatric patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), results from a small single-center study showed. A previous study found that overall drug survival of adalimumab and infliximab in adults with HS at 12 and 24 months was 56.3% and 30.5%, […]
Ontario ED Staffing Struggles Highlight Chronic Shortfall
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ontario-ed-staffing-struggles-highlight-chronic-shortfall/ Ontario’s physicians are seeking to draw attention to chronic staffing struggles that have caused a rapid increase in temporary closures of emergency departments, even with hospitals more heavily relying on a program started in 2006 as a temporary fix for staffing shortages. Sean Moore, MD, chief of staff at Lake of […]
Diet Matters in Prostate Cancer, but It’s Complicated
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/diet-matters-in-prostate-cancer-but-its-complicated/ Diet is increasingly seen as a modifiable risk factor in prostate cancer. Recent studies have shown that ultralow-carbohydrate diets, weight loss diets, supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids, pro- and anti-inflammatory diets, fasting, and even tea drinking may affect prostate cancer risk or risk for progression. In October, a cohort study involving […]
Microplastics Have Been Found in the Human Brain. Now What?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/microplastics-have-been-found-in-the-human-brain-now-what/ Microplastics have been found in the lungs, liver, blood, and heart. Now, researchers report they have found the first evidence of the substances in human brains. In a recent case series study that examined olfactory bulb tissue from deceased individuals, 8 of the 15 decedent brains showed the presence of microplastics, […]
TRK Inhibitor Active in Treatment-Refractory Glioblastoma
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/trk-inhibitor-active-in-treatment-refractory-glioblastoma/ HOUSTON — A fourth of patients with TRK fusion primary central nervous system tumors responded to the TRK inhibitor larotrectinib (Vitrakvi), including almost 40% of pediatric patients, pooled data from two studies showed. Overall, 15 of 55 (27%) patients had objective responses, including three complete responses. The 38 pediatric patients included […]
Which First-Line Treatments Are Most Cost-Effective?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/which-first-line-treatments-are-most-cost-effective/ TOPLINE: For initial treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), an elimination diet is the most cost-effective option from a payer perspective and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy is more cost-effective from a societal perspective, while dupilumab would require substantial price reductions to be cost-effective, a new study suggests. METHODOLOGY: Researchers constructed Markov […]
Eating More Red Meat Could Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/eating-more-red-meat-could-increase-type-2-diabetes-risk/ The holiday season is upon us, and for many people, meat is the centerpiece of celebratory meals. But eating less of it may do more when it comes to reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) and lowering the mortality risk for those who already have the disease. “High […]
Canada Takes One Health Approach to Antimicrobial Resistance
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/canada-takes-one-health-approach-to-antimicrobial-resistance/ As the global public health community focuses its attention on the ongoing spread of avian influenza across North America — including the hospitalization of a critically ill teen in British Columbia — networks of Canadian researchers are working behind the scenes to address the dangers of drug-resistant microbes found among livestock, […]
Semaglutide Rocketing Past Statins as Millions Eligible
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/semaglutide-rocketing-past-statins-as-millions-eligible/ About 40% of American adults — some 137 million — are eligible to take the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist semaglutide, said authors of a new study. Currently, statins are the most commonly prescribed medication for American adults, with some 192 million prescriptions written in 2022, according to one estimate. […]
Researchers Differ on How to Manage Incidental Findings
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/researchers-differ-on-how-to-manage-incidental-findings/ Disparate views on managing incidental imaging findings made during clinical research — particularly for unclear results — signal a need for standardized guidance, according to recent survey results. Respondents were split on whether it was the site primary investigator’s responsibility to decide which incidental findings should be reported back to the […]
The Most Promising Treatments for Long COVID
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/the-most-promising-treatments-for-long-covid/ Long COVID is a symptom-driven disease, meaning that with no cure, physicians primarily treat the symptoms their patients are experiencing. Effective treatments for long COVID remain elusive because what works for one patient may be entirely ineffective for another. But as 2024 winds down, researchers have begun to pinpoint a number […]
Early Tourniquet Use Linked to Improved Pediatric Outcomes
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/early-tourniquet-use-linked-to-improved-pediatric-outcomes/ TOPLINE: In children with traumatic hemorrhage, tourniquets placed before the arrival of emergency medical services (EMSs) are associated with decreased initial acuity, and all providers, including bystanders and first responders, demonstrate high procedural success rates. METHODOLOGY: The researchers analyzed 301 children with traumatic hemorrhage (median age,17 years; 86.7% boys) from the […]
How ‘Make America Healthy Again’ May Have Found Its Moment
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-make-america-healthy-again-may-have-found-its-moment/ Within days of Donald Trump’s election victory, healthcare entrepreneur Calley Means turned to social media to crowdsource advice. “First 100 days,” said Means, a former consultant to Big Pharma who uses the social platform X to focus attention on chronic disease. “What should be done to reform the FDA?” The question […]
Can New Therapies Redefine Psoriasis Management?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/can-new-therapies-redefine-psoriasis-management/ “For too long, the management of psoriasis and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases has suffered from an acceptance that improvement rather than cure is good enough. Our patients deserve greater ambition,” wrote Christopher E.M. Griffiths, MD, and co-authors in a perspective article published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology (JID). After reviewing […]
Insurance Loss Reduces Postpartum Contraception Access
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/insurance-loss-reduces-postpartum-contraception-access/ TOPLINE: Insurance loss more than 2 months after childbirth is associated with 26% lower odds of prescription contraception use, with Hispanic Spanish-language respondents experiencing higher rates of coverage loss. Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) data from 223,430 respondents reveals that 78.9% maintained continuous insurance coverage postpartum. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a […]
GLP-1 Labels Don’t Reflect Trial Exclusions
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/glp-1-labels-dont-reflect-trial-exclusions/ About a third of people eligible for glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications for weight loss via the products’ labels would have been excluded from the clinical trials that supported their safety and effectiveness, thereby creating the potential for harm, new research suggests. About a quarter of those with […]
ED Anticoagulation Unchanged Despite Use of Support Tool
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ed-anticoagulation-unchanged-despite-use-of-support-tool/ TOPLINE: A multipronged intervention in US emergency departments (EDs) has been found to not significantly increase anticoagulation initiation within 30 days of discharge for patients with primary atrial fibrillation or flutter (AFF). METHODOLOGY: The O’CAFÉ trial was a pragmatic, stepped-wedge cluster randomized clinical trial conducted from July 2021 to April 2023 […]
Drug Overdose Deaths Involving Ketamine on the Rise
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/drug-overdose-deaths-involving-ketamine-on-the-rise/ TOPLINE: Detection rates for ketamine in drug overdose deaths in the United States increased from 0.3% in 2019 to 0.5% in 2023, a new study shows. Overall, ketamine was identified in less than 1% of drug overdose deaths, most of which also involved illegally manufactured fentanyls, methamphetamine, or cocaine. METHODOLOGY: Data […]
Study Rules Out Weight Control Effect in Young Adults
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/study-rules-out-weight-control-effect-in-young-adults/ TOPLINE: In young adults with overweight, inulin-propionate ester (IPE), a novel food ingredient that aims to mimic the beneficial role of dietary fiber by boosting production of short-chain fatty acids in the colon, does not appear as effective in preventing weight gain as it does in middle-aged adults with overweight, finds […]
ASH 2024 Myeloma Studies: My Top 10 Picks
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/ash-2024-myeloma-studies-my-top-10-picks/ As a doctor with a keen interest in myeloma who is looking ahead to the 2024 American Society of Hematology (ASH) annual meeting December 7-10 in San Diego, I’ve chosen 10 presentations that seem most likely to make the greatest impact on my thinking and practice. First, let me place my […]
Trump picks Covid lockdown sceptic to lead top health agency
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/trump-picks-covid-lockdown-sceptic-to-lead-top-health-agency/ US President-elect Donald Trump has picked a leading Covid lockdown sceptic Jay Bhattacharya to be the next director of a key US public health agency. Trump said he had selected the Stanford University-trained physician and economist to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s biggest government-funded biomedical research entity. […]
Plan to boost NHS dental treatments ‘not on track’
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/plan-to-boost-nhs-dental-treatments-not-on-track/ The £200m rescue package to increase access to NHS dentistry this year is not on track, a spending watchdog says. The dental recovery plan published by the Conservative government in February set a target of 1.5 million extra treatments in 2024-25. To achieve that, dentists were offered an increase in payments […]
How does assisted dying work in other countries?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-does-assisted-dying-work-in-other-countries/ Getty Images For the first time in almost a decade MPs are going to vote on giving terminally ill adults in England and Wales the right to have an assisted death. While it’s something that remains illegal in most countries, more than 300 million people now live in countries which have […]
Brain Volume Changes Come 10 Years Sooner for Men With Cardiovascular Risks
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/brain-volume-changes-come-10-years-sooner-for-men-with-cardiovascular-risks/ Men with cardiovascular risks had brain volume changes earlier than women. Cardiovascular risk and obesity were associated with lower gray matter volume in men ages 55 to 64. Brain volume loss predominantly occurred in temporal lobe regions. Men at high risk of cardiovascular disease had brain volume changes a decade earlier […]
Texas Governor Scolds Hospital After Doctor Goes Viral on TikTok
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/texas-governor-scolds-hospital-after-doctor-goes-viral-on-tiktok/ After a TikTok video in which a Texas physician informed the public of their right to not respond to a citizenship question on hospital intake forms went viral, Gov. Greg Abbott (R) fired back on social media. In a post on X on Monday, Abbott wrote, “Hey Texas Children’s Hospital & […]
U.K. Data Tie Acetaminophen to Increased Ulcer Risk
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/u-k-data-tie-acetaminophen-to-increased-ulcer-risk/ Widespread belief holds that the popular over-the-counter painkiller acetaminophen does not cause stomach ulcers, but a new study from Great Britain puts that in doubt. General practice records from 1998 to 2018 in the U.K show that, among some 180,000 people age 65 and older who received prescriptions for acetaminophen (also […]
Noncompete Ban Unlikely to Survive Under Trump: Experts
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/noncompete-ban-unlikely-to-survive-under-trump-experts/ Even before the presidential election, the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) national ban on noncompete clauses faced a tough battle for survival in the courts. Now, legal specialists forecast a grim prognosis for the ban under Donald Trump’s return to the White House. In April 2024, a divided FTC board approved a […]
Another Emergency Medicine Staffing Firm Goes Under
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/another-emergency-medicine-staffing-firm-goes-under/ NES Health, the staffing firm that drew attention recently for not paying its doctors, says it will “wind down its operations and cease doing business,” according to a company email shared on social media. Doctors who worked for the company may be out several months of pay, and NES said it […]
Medicare Advantage Plans’ Prior Auth Rules Would Be Made Public Under CMS Proposal
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/medicare-advantage-plans-prior-auth-rules-would-be-made-public-under-cms-proposal/ Medicare Advantage plans’ prior authorization rules and coverage criteria would become publicly available under a proposed rule issued Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The Biden Harris administration has “worked over the last 3 years to reform the way that Medicare Advantage plans can use prior authorization […]
Alzheimer’s Trials Fail; Blood Test Predicts Tau; Neuroscience Moves to Bluesky
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/alzheimers-trials-fail-blood-test-predicts-tau-neuroscience-moves-to-bluesky/ Investigational simufilam failed to reduce cognitive or functional decline in Alzheimer’s disease patients in the ReThink-ALZ phase III trial, Cassava Sciences reported. The company stopped a second phase III study of the controversial drug. The INVOKE-2 phase II trial of investigational AL002 also did not slow clinical progression in people with […]
Thyroid Drug & Bone Loss; GLP-1s’ Renal Benefit; Menopause Musculoskeletal Syndrome
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/thyroid-drug-glp-1s-renal-benefit-menopause-musculoskeletal-syndrome/ The thyroid medication levothyroxine may be associated with bone loss, according to a study that will be presented at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting. In a phase II study, investigational maridebart cafraglutide (MariTide) yielded around 20% weight loss at 52 weeks, Amgen announced. A meta-analysis of 11 randomized […]
Biden Proposes Coverage of Obesity Drugs in Medicare, Medicaid
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/biden-proposes-coverage-of-obesity-drugs-in-medicare-medicaid/ Medicare and Medicaid recipients with obesity would have access to coverage of pricey GLP-1 receptor agonists like semaglutide (Wegovy) or tirzepatide (Zepbound) under a regulation proposed Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Current law “excludes drugs used for weight loss from Medicare prescription drug coverage,” CMS administrator […]
Hunting & Heart Attacks; Cardiologist’s Whistleblower Suit; Algorithm Predicts Death
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/hunting-cardiologists-whistleblower-suit-algorithm-predicts-death/ The American Heart Association said that hunters should be advised that physical exertion, colder temperatures, and the thrill of the hunt can put them at risk for heart attack or stroke. Merck announced positive topline results for sotatercept (Winrevair) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension functional class III or IV in […]
International Working Group Discusses Diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/international-working-group-discusses-diagnosing-alzheimers-disease/ The International Working Group discussed diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease among cognitively unimpaired individuals in a presentation at the Clinical Trials on Alzheimer’s Disease annual meeting in Madrid and a paper published in JAMA Neurology. In this MedPage Today video, Nicolas Villain, MD, PhD, of Sorbonne University and Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, explains […]
How safe is the US food supply?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/how-safe-is-the-us-food-supply/ Produce has been the source of many foodborne illness outbreaks in the US this year The Image Party/Shutterstock Apple sauce containing lead. Onions carrying E. coli. Deli meat spreading listeria. The past year has seen alert after alert from US public health officials warning of contamination in the food supply, both […]
Are GLP-1 Drugs Putting an End to Bariatric Surgery?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/are-glp-1-drugs-putting-an-end-to-bariatric-surgery/ In this video, Mikhail Varshavski, DO, who goes by “Dr. Mike” on YouTube, talks with Christine J. Ren-Fielding, MD, of NYU Langone Health in New York City, about the future of bariatric surgery. Following is a partial transcript of the video (note that errors are possible): Varshavski: If someone were to […]
New Rule Allows HIV-Positive Organ Transplants
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-rule-allows-hiv-positive-organ-transplants/ People with HIV who need a kidney or liver transplant will be able to receive an organ from a donor with HIV under a new rule announced Tuesday by U.S. health officials. Previously, such transplants could be done only as part of research studies. The new rule, which takes effect Wednesday, […]
CDC Director Urges Focus on Health Threats as Agency Confronts Political Changes
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/cdc-director-urges-focus-on-health-threats-as-agency-confronts-political-changes/ The outgoing head of the nation’s top public health agency urged the next administration to maintain its focus and funding to keep Americans safe from emerging health threats. “We need to continue to do our global work at CDC to make sure we are stopping outbreaks at their source,” Mandy Cohen, […]
Many Drinkers Cut Back After Starting Obesity Meds, Study Finds
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/many-drinkers-cut-back-after-starting-obesity-meds-study-finds/ Nearly half of participants in a weight-loss program who consumed alcohol at baseline began drinking less after adding an obesity drug into their weight-management regimen, a cohort study indicated. Among the 7,491 participants who reported alcohol use at the start of the study, 45.3% said their use decreased after starting the […]
Hit and Miss for CDK4/6 Inhibitor in Recurrent Brain Cancer
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/hit-and-miss-for-cdk4-6-inhibitor-in-recurrent-brain-cancer/ HOUSTON — Progression-free survival for 6 months (PFS6) in recurrent/progressive high-grade meningioma improved more than threefold versus historical outcomes in patients who received the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib (Verzenio), a preliminary study showed. The first 24 evaluable patients had a PFS6 of 54% as compared with a historical rate of 15%. After […]
Make the Diagnosis: He Has Facial Lesions—and So Do Some Teammates. What’s Up?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/make-the-diagnosis-he-has-facial-lesions-and-so-do-some-teammates-whats-up/ Presentation A 17-year-old mixed martial arts athlete presented to the doctor with complaints of facial lesions that developed 4 days prior. On examination, discrete and confluent umbilicated vesicles and a crusted plaque were seen on the lateral face and the regional lymph nodes were enlarged. The patient had no history of […]
The radical treatments bringing people back from the brink of death
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/the-radical-treatments-bringing-people-back-from-the-brink-of-death/ The severed pig’s head had come from the local abattoir. It would have typically been discarded, but Zvonimir Vrselja, a neuroscientist at Yale School of Medicine, and his colleagues had other ideas. Four hours after this particular animal was decapitated, they removed its brain from its skull. They then connected the […]
Forest schools don’t actually boost most children’s mental health
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/forest-schools-dont-actually-boost-most-childrens-mental-health/ Children in Quebec, Canada, taking part in the Open Sky School programme Nathanael Corre/École à Ciel Ouvert Forest schools, where students spend some of their time learning outside, seem to have no immediate benefits to most children’s mental health, but could help those with pre-existing mental health issues. These schools are […]
COVID Contrarians Rise; Philly Residents Want Union; What Happens After IVF Mix-Up?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/covid-contrarians-rise-philly-residents-want-union-what-happens-after-ivf-mix-up/ Note that some links may require registration or subscription. Skepticism and rage about the COVID-19 pandemic may be a theme uniting President-elect Donald Trump’s top picks to lead the nation’s healthcare system, an article in the Atlantic suggested. Trump is considering Jim O’Neill, an associate of billionaire investor and early Trump […]
What ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Gets Right About Communications
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/what-make-america-healthy-again-gets-right-about-communications/ Lanthorn, Rabin, and Ratzan are founders of an organization that advocates for accurate, responsible, clear, and culturally sensitive health communication. Many of the nominated advisers to the incoming Trump administration challenge the American public health status quo, our health outcomes, and what influences them. Some of these things need challenging, like […]
Can Mentorship Revive Classical Hematology?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/can-mentorship-revive-classical-hematology/ For some medical students and trainees who go on to become hematologists, attraction to the field happens the first time they’re engrossed in figuring out what a blood smear is telling them. Others get drawn to hematology during a rotation in residency, when they encounter patients with hemophilia or sickle cell […]
Amgen’s Obesity Drug Cuts Weight by Up to 20%, Trial Data Drags Down Shares
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/amgens-obesity-drug-cuts-weight-by-up-to-20-trial-data-drags-down-shares/ (Reuters) -Amgen’s experimental drug MariTide helped overweight or obese patients lose up to 20% weight on average in a year-long mid-stage trial, data that missed lofty investor expectations and sent the shares down 8% before the bell on Tuesday. Ahead of the results, some analysts had said 20% weight loss was […]
GLP-1 RA Drugs Benefit People With SLE, Lupus Nephritis
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/glp-1-ra-drugs-benefit-people-with-sle-lupus-nephritis/ WASHINGTON — Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications appear beneficial for people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis, two new studies suggest. “The risk of cardiovascular disease is thought to be at least double that for people with lupus…and we know the risk of progressing to end […]
Diabetes Drugs Promising for Alcohol Use Disorder
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/diabetes-drugs-promising-for-alcohol-use-disorder/ TOPLINE: Use of the glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists semaglutide and liraglutide is linked to a lower risk for alcohol use disorder (AUD)–related hospitalizations compared with traditional AUD medications, a new study suggested. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a nationwide cohort study from 2006 to 2023 in Sweden that included more than […]
Wearable Devices for Parkinson’s Disease: The Future Is Here
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/wearable-devices-for-parkinsons-disease-the-future-is-here/ Less than a decade ago, the use of wearable devices in Parkinson’s disease (PD) was considered futuristic. Today, there’s an array of innovative tools from commercial activity trackers to tremor suppression gloves and laser-guided walking sticks to help manage the highly variable and fluctuating symptoms of PD. “Over the past 5 […]
Many Barriers to Medical Abortion by Quebec Fam Physicians
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/many-barriers-to-medical-abortion-by-quebec-fam-physicians/ VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Many women who request a medical abortion at family medicine teaching clinics don’t get one, according to a survey of academic family physicians in the province of Quebec. Key barriers to the provision of medical abortion include lack of training and education, inadequate resources in the clinic, […]
Despite Risks, Antipsychotic Polypharmacy on the Rise
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/despite-risks-antipsychotic-polypharmacy-on-the-rise/ TOPLINE: Global antipsychotic polypharmacy use increased significantly from 1970 to 2023, with 25% of antipsychotic users receiving multiple prescriptions, new research shows. Antipsychotic polypharmacy was associated with higher relapse rates, worse functioning, and greater all-cause mortality risk than monotherapy. METHODOLOGY: Researchers analyzed 517 studies published between 1970 and 2023, including 599 […]
Younger Breast Cancer Patients Face Higher Recurrence Risk
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/younger-breast-cancer-patients-face-higher-recurrence-risk/ TOPLINE: A new study suggests that age is an independent risk factor for late distant recurrence among younger patients with ER-positive, ERBB2-negative breast cancer. In the analysis, patients aged 21-35 years had the lowest rates of locoregional recurrence-free survival, disease-free survival, and late distant-metastasis-free survival compared with patients aged 36-45. METHODOLOGY: […]
Pertussis Cases Spike in November
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/pertussis-cases-spike-in-november/ Six times as many cases of pertussis were reported in the United States for the week ending November 16, 2024, as the same week in 2023, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The numbers reflect a return to pre-pandemic trends, but overall, pertussis cases […]
Lichen Planus Study Maps Prevalence and Treatment Approaches
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/lichen-planus-study-maps-prevalence-and-treatment-approaches/ TOPLINE: Lichen planus (LP) affects an estimated 0.15% of US adults, and more than half of patients do not receive treatment within a year of diagnosis by a dermatologist. METHODOLOGY: To evaluate the prevalence of LP, researchers analyzed 566,851 eligible patients from the Explorys database, comprising electronic medical records from over […]
Why It’s Often So Strong
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/why-its-often-so-strong/ Rose Gerber was 39, mother to a third grader and a kindergartener, when the diagnosis came: Advanced HER2-positive breast cancer. “On one of my first or second appointments, I took in a little picture of Alexander and Isabella,” Gerber said. Gerber showed her oncologist the picture and told her: “I’ll do […]
Within-Group Care May Reduce ED Visit Rates
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/within-group-care-may-reduce-ed-visit-rates/ TOPLINE: Patients who visited physicians within their family practice group after normal working hours were 10% less likely to seek care at the emergency department (ED) within a week than those who visited walk-in clinics. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective analysis using claims data from Ontario, Canada. The analysis included 607,166 […]
Catheterization Increases UTI Risk in Gynecologic Surgery
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/catheterization-increases-uti-risk-in-gynecologic-surgery/ TOPLINE: Routine catheterization during minor gynecologic surgeries is associated with more than double the rate of UTIs compared with procedures without catheterization. Among 762 patients undergoing minor gynecologic procedures, 42.4% received catheterization despite no clear medical indication. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study at a tertiary care community hospital, analyzing […]
Flu Vaccine Guards Household Contacts of Infected People
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/flu-vaccine-guards-household-contacts-of-infected-people/ TOPLINE: About one in five people who live in the same household as an individual infected with the influenza virus develop secondary infections within a 7-day follow-up period, with children facing the highest risk. Vaccination lowers the risk of contracting the infection among household contacts. METHODOLOGY: Researchers conducted a prospective cohort […]
Lights, Action, Bodycams in the ED
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/lights-action-bodycams-in-the-ed/ Working as an emergency physician can be demanding. It’s also dangerous. In a 2022 study, two thirds of emergency physicians were assaulted in the past 12 months, and one third of those assaults resulted in an injury. The attacks included verbal assaults with threats of violence (64%), hits/slaps (40%), being spit […]
Severe Birth Complications Reduce Future Pregnancy Rates
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/severe-birth-complications-reduce-future-pregnancy-rates/ TOPLINE: Women experiencing severe maternal morbidity (SMM) during their first birth have a 12% lower likelihood of having subsequent births, with cardiac complications and severe mental health conditions reducing the probability by more than 50%. Sibling analysis confirms these associations are not influenced by genetic or familial factors. METHODOLOGY: A nationwide […]
New ‘Touchless’ Blood Pressure Screening Tech: How It Works
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/new-touchless-blood-pressure-screening-tech-how-it-works/ When a patient signs on to a telehealth portal, there’s little more a provider can do than ask questions. But a new artificial intelligence (AI) technology could allow providers to get feedback about the patient’s blood pressure and diabetes risk just from a video call or a smartphone app. Researchers at […]
Climate Change Reaches New Records, The Lancet Report Claims
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/climate-change-reaches-new-records-the-lancet-report-claims/ Populations around the world are facing unprecedented risks to well-being, health, and survival due to climate change, according to a new report published by the Lancet Countdown. The report, produced after 8 years of monitoring with contributions from 122 researchers from UN agencies and academic institutions worldwide, highlights that of the […]
Podiatrist Shares Onychomycosis Treatment Tips
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/podiatrist-shares-onychomycosis-treatment-tips/ LAS VEGAS — Onychomycosis, a stubborn fungal infection of the nail bed, is responsible for half of all nail diseases and presents a tricky challenge when it comes to both diagnosis and treatment. According to Tracey C. Vlahovic, DPM, a professor at the Samuel Merritt University College of Podiatric Medicine, Oakland, […]
Fibrosis Risk High in Young Adults With Both Obesity and T2D
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/fibrosis-risk-high-in-young-adults-with-both-obesity-and-t2d/ TOPLINE: Up to one in seven young adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have clinically significant hepatic fibrosis, signaling the crucial need for screening in this population to aid early detection and intervention. METHODOLOGY: Researchers aimed to assess the prevalence of hepatic steatosis and clinically significant fibrosis (stage ≥ […]
CRC Screening Uptake Rises in Adults Aged 45-49 Years
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/crc-screening-uptake-rises-in-adults-aged-45-49-years/ TOPLINE: After the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) in May 2021 lowered from 50 to 45 the recommended age to begin colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for average-risk adults, there was a threefold increase in screening rates among individuals aged 45-49, but disparities by socioeconomic status and locality occurred. METHODOLOGY: Researchers […]
Is Turkey Still on the Table?
Source link : https://www.newshealth.biz/health-news/is-turkey-still-on-the-table/ Bird flu is becoming a very human concern — one you shouldn’t ignore. This year there have been 55 human cases of bird flu reported in the US, including one case in California where a child was infected, according to the CDC. As the spread continues and the busiest travel holiday […]