Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Apple Researching Tech To Track, Predict Depression, Cognitive Decline
The Wall Street Journal: Apple Is Working On IPhone Features To Help Detect Depression, Cognitive Decline
Apple Inc. is working on technology to help diagnose depression and cognitive decline, aiming for tools that could expand the scope of its burgeoning health portfolio, according to people familiar with the matter and documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Using an array of sensor data that includes mobility, physical activity, sleep patterns, typing behavior and more, researchers hope they can tease out digital signals associated with the target conditions so that algorithms can be created to detect them reliably, the people said. Apple hopes that would become the basis for unique features for its devices, according to the people and documents. (Winkler, 9/21)
In pharmaceutical news —
Stat: Biogen Considers Cost-Cutting Measures After Slow Aduhelm Sales
Earlier this month, Biogen executives admitted publicly that the launch of Aduhelm, its treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, was going slower than expected. Privately, the company is facing a situation far bleaker than what it has publicly disclosed, forcing Biogen to consider cost-cutting measures, including layoffs. (Feuerstein and Garde, 9/22)
Fox News: Poison Ivy Vaccine Making Progress: Report
Researchers are reportedly working on a vaccine to combat humans' response to poison ivy. According to Scientific American, scientists at the University of Mississippi and Hapten Sciences are "proceeding with a compound called PDC-APB" to be injected once every year or two to prevent the poison plant's effects. "We believe the shot will lead to desensitization and reduce or eliminate reactions to poison ivy, oak and sumac," Ray Hage, CEO of Hapten Sciences, told the outlet. "Every March I start to get e-mails from people asking, ‘Where is the drug? Can I be in a trial?’" (Musto, 9/21)
The Baltimore Sun: ‘Typhoid Mary’ Still Stalks The World, But Scientists Show Older Vaccine Works Against The Old Foe
Even as COVID-19 continues its rampage across the globe, an older health nemesis continues a more clandestine and increasingly deadly spread. Typhoid infects an estimated 11 million people a year and kills more than 160,000, largely in Asian and African countries with poor water and sanitation systems. Long treatable with antibiotics, the disease is growing resistant now, prompting health researchers to revive an older vaccine developed to prevent it. (Cohn, 9/22)
In updates on the Theranos trial —
Bay Area News Group: Elizabeth Holmes Trial: Patient Says Pregnancy Test Was Wrong
Brittany Gould received a goody-bag for new mothers when she went into a clinic to confirm she was pregnant, then minutes later received a Theranos blood test result that wrongly indicated she was miscarrying, Gould testified Tuesday at the criminal fraud trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Gould was the first of 11 patients the prosecution has said it plans to call to testify at Holmes’ trial on a dozen felony counts. (Baron, 9/21)
