Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Bee Venom Might Fight Breast Cancer
Fox News: Honeybee Venom Destroyed Breast Cancer Cells: Study
Venom from honeybees rapidly destroyed triple-negative breast cancer, a type of cancer that has limited treatment options, and HER2-enriched breast cancer cells, according to a study published in the journal npj Precision Oncology. Using the venom from over 300 honeybees and bumblebees in England, Ireland and Perth, Western Australia, Dr. Ciara Duffy from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and The University of Western Australia, tested the effect of the venom on the clinical subtypes of breast cancer, according to the news release. (McGorry, 9/2)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Study: Bee Venom Kills Aggressive Breast Cancer Cells
The European honeybee has been the source of honey and venom used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. A new study out of Australia suggests the venom from honeybees and bumblebees also can fight breast cancer — and win. Ciara Duffy, from the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research and the University of Western Australia, used the venom from 312 honeybees and bumblebees in Western Australia, Ireland and England to test the effect of the venom on the clinical subtypes of breast cancer, including triple-negative breast cancer, which has limited treatment options. (Clanton, 9/1)
Read the full study in Nature —
In other science and research news —
GMA: Only Using Face Shields Or Face Masks With Valves Doesn’t Stop Spread Of COVID-19, Study Finds
As the number of COVID-19 cases in the United States have reached 6 million, a new study from Florida Atlantic University is revealing the ineffectiveness of face shields to protect against the spread of the disease. In a video, researchers used a water and glycerin mixture to simulate a cough or sneeze from a mannequin's mouth and nose. The simulation was done under two different conditions -- once when the mannequin was wearing a face shield and the other, when the mannequin was wearing a mask with an exhalation valve, to examine the effectiveness of each in stopping the spread of droplets. (Bernabe, 9/2)
Stat: Could Millions With Sickle Cell Trait Be At Risk For Severe Covid-19?
Sickle cell disease, which causes Covid-like symptoms — clotting, strokes, and severe oxygen deprivation — is one of the medical conditions that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says puts people at higher risk for severe illness from the coronavirus. Now, a research team is trying to determine whether the several million people who merely carry one copy of the sickle cell mutation — but do not have the disease itself — could be more vulnerable to Covid-19, and whether that might be one reason the virus is disproportionately sickening and killing Black Americans. (McFarling, 9/3)
The Washington Post: The Coronavirus Reminds Us Of Our Deep-Rooted Need For Medicinal Plants
In laboratories around the world, dozens of vaccines are in the works in an attempt to protect us against the novel coronavirus. Some are using tobacco, of all plants, as part of the process of developing ways to fight infection, though the potential antivirals rely far more broadly on manipulating DNA and RNA. These efforts employ leading-edge molecular science, but our instinct to fight nature with nature is ingrained deep in the human mind and reaches back thousands of years. Our abiding partner in this quest for wellness is the plant, in all its forms and component parts. (Higgins, 9/2)
ABC News: As COVID-19 Continues, Experts Warn Of Next Pandemic Likely To Come From Animals
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, experts are warning that the next pandemic could arrive at any moment, and again, it could come from animals. To prevent history from repeating itself, experts say governments need to start investing heavily in pandemic prevention efforts. (Salzman and Chan, 9/3)
