Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Adolescents Treated With Some ADHD Drugs Like Adderall May Be At Higher Risk Of Having Psychotic Event
Stat: Study: Some ADHD Medicines May Increase Psychosis More Than Others
Adolescents and young adults being treated for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder may be at a higher risk of having a psychotic event if they are provided amphetamine medicines, such as Adderall and Vyvanse, instead of medications based on the compound methylphenidate, such as Ritalin or Concerta, according to a study published Wednesday. The risk of psychosis was generally low, occurring in one in 660 patients, according to the study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine. (Herper, 3/20)
Cox Media Group: ADHD Drugs Can Lead To Psychosis In Some According To New Study
A new study on the effects of medication prescribed to those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder suggests that teens and young people could face an increased risk of psychosis with certain drugs. The study, conducted by researchers at McLean Hospital and Harvard Medical School, looked at teens and young people who had recently begun taking two classes of drugs – amphetamines (marketed as Adderall and Vyvanse) and methylphenidates (marketed as Ritalin or Concerta) – used to treat ADHD. (Lord, 3/20)
The Washington Post: As Zika Danger Wanes, Travel Warnings Are Eased For Pregnant Women
U.S. and international health officials are easing warnings against travel to regions with Zika virus because the threat has diminished markedly since the virus began to sweep across the globe four years ago. The World Health Organization designated Zika a global health emergency in 2016, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told women who were pregnant or might become pregnant to stay away from nearly 100 countries or regions. The mosquito-borne virus can cause severe birth defects. (Sun, 3/20)
The New York Times: Sugary Drinks Tied To Shorter Life Span
Drinking sugary beverages is associated with a slightly increased risk for early death, a new study has found. Researchers used data from two large continuing health studies begun in the 1980s that include more than 118,000 men and women. Among many other health, behavioral and diet characteristics, the researchers collected data about their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including noncarbonated fruit punches, lemonades and other sugary fruit drinks. (Bakalar, 3/21)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Suicidal Thoughts And Other Mental-Health Problems Drive More Youth To Emergency Rooms
The number of children and young adults visiting the emergency department for psychiatric concerns rose 28 percent over a four-year period, and visits having to do with suicide more than doubled, according to a study published this week in the journal Pediatrics. The findings amplify concerns that the mental-health care system is failing to meet the country’s needs, forcing people to rely on emergency rooms ill-equipped to deal with psychiatric concerns. (Pattani, 3/20)
PBS NewsHour: What We Know About The FDA’s New Postpartum Depression Drug
Postpartum depression is a common complication after birth, affecting hundreds of thousands of American women every year. A new treatment could offer much-needed help to some new mothers with this disorder, but questions remain about how affordable or accessible it will be. (Santhanam, 3/20)
Bloomberg: CVS To Sell CBD Products In 800 Stores With Curaleaf
CBD has landed at CVS. CVS Health Corp. this week will begin selling products infused with the trendy, non-intoxicating hemp component at more than 800 of its stores as part of a partnership with marijuana company Curaleaf Holdings Inc., Curaleaf said Wednesday. Curaleaf announced the agreement during an earnings conference call on Wednesday. The company’s CBD products will be available in about 800 stores to start, Curaleaf said on the call, and hopes to expand to more. (Giammona, 3/20)
The New York Times: A Twin Inside A Twin: In Colombia, An Extraordinary Birth
A Colombian woman has given birth to a baby whose abdomen contained the tiny, half-formed — but still growing — body of her own twin sister. This type of birth, an example of “fetus-in-fetu,” is very rare but not unprecedented. The condition was described in a British medical journal in 1808 and is thought to occur in about one in every 500,000 births. In recent years, similar births have occurred in India, in Indonesia and in Singapore. (McNeil, 3/20)
