What We’re Reading: Sickle Cell Treatment Access; Patent Thicket Attacks; US Syphilis Cases Rise
Sickle cell disease (SCD) will be the first focus of the Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT) Access Model; the FTC has challenged the validity of over 100 drug product patents to help increase competition and potentially lower prices; the rate of infectious syphilis cases in the US rose 9% in 2022.
IV Methylprednisolone, Tacrolimus Effective in Prednisone-Resistant Ocular MG
Researchers have retrospectively analyzed data from nearly 60 patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (MG) not adequately responding to oral prednisone, finding that both intravenous (IV) methylprednisolone and tacrolimus monotherapy helped reduce symptoms.
What We’re Reading: ADHD Medication Mix-Up; Surge in ACOs; Mifepristone Restrictions
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication packets are found with incorrect pills; CMS data reveal record numbers of providers and beneficiaries participating in accountable care organizations (ACOs); Supreme Court will hear arguments over FDA regulations on abortion medication in March.
New MG Research Focuses on More Tailored Treatment, Bibliometric Analysis Finds
The data search of Web of Science Core Collection, spanning 2003 to 2022, identified various prospective directions in myasthenia gravis (MG) research, including in personalized treatment, subtype-based treatment, and novel immunotherapeutic strategies.
Real-World Data Show Suboptimal Efficacy With AZA in Treatment-Naïve High-Risk MDS
Pulling data from a US electronic health record–based database, researchers found low rates of complete remission and poor overall survival among 382 patients who had myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) receiving first-line azacytidine (AZA).
What We’re Reading: ACA Sign-Up Surge; Hospitals Fight Climate Change; Secondary Cancers, CAR T Link
A record 21.3 million people signed up for health insurance this year using the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces; nearly 80% of health care providers think it is important for their hospital to minimize its environmental impact; the FDA noted a potential link between CAR-T products and the development of T-cell cancer.
Study Highlights Need for Additional Caregiver Support in Higher-Risk MDS
The study, which pulled self-reported data from online bulletin boards across the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom in 2020, found that the degree of burden varied based on patient disease stage, among other factors.
What We’re Reading: CAR T Therapy Warning; Child Flu Cases; Alzheimer Blood Test
Pharmaceutical companies required to update prescribing information for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies; Texas dashboard reports a 40% increase in pediatric flu cases; a blood test shows high accuracy for Alzheimer disease biomarkers.
What We’re Reading: Global Pandemic Accord; New Abortion Initiatives; Cervical Cancer Increasing
Meeting the 2024 deadline for an international agreement on pandemic response may not happen; the Biden administration announces measures to counter restrictive state laws on abortion; cervical cancer incidence declines as more women receive the human papillomavirus vaccine.
What We’re Reading: Health Insurance Premiums; Drug Price Hikes; Postpartum Depression Pill Access
Families with workplace health insurance may have missed out on $125,000 in earnings over the past 3 decades due to rising premiums; so far, there have been about 600 drug price hikes in January; experts worry that minority and low-income people will not have easy access to zuranolone, the first FDA-approved postpartum depression pill.
What We’re Reading: Saving Rural Hospitals; Rising Drug Prices; Global Tobacco Use Declines
New program seeks to revitalize struggling rural health care facilities; NIH director advocates for actions to address unaffordable medications; WHO reveals significant drop global tobacco use
What We’re Reading: ACA Enrollment Increase; Adult ADHD Surge; High Rent Health Effects
Health insurance enrollment through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplace has broken a record for the third consecutive year; attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment prescriptions for adults surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to lingering shortages; paying high rent can shorten your lifespan.
What We’re Reading: Doctor Payment Cuts; Menopause Drug; Student Mental Health Support
Congress is being urged to reverse a cut to physicians’ Medicare payments; Bayer announced encouraging results on Monday of 2 phase 3 trials for its nonhormonal drug candidate meant to treat hot flashes; more students are turning to online mental health support rather than school counselors.