Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Corticosteroid Shots For Arthritis May Be Making It Worse, Studies Find
NBC News: Common Treatment For Joint Pain May Be Linked To Faster Arthritis Progression, Research Suggests
Two small unpublished studies, to be presented Tuesday at the Radiological Society of North America’s annual meeting, found that on average, knee arthritis advanced more quickly among patients who got corticosteroid injections than those who didn’t. By contrast, hyaluronic acid injections were associated with slower progression of the disease relative to a control group. (Yang, 11/29)
On advances in Lyme disease —
The Washington Post: Scientists Identify Biomarkers That Could Help Diagnose Lyme Disease
Researchers say they’ve identified a set of biomarkers that could make early diagnosis of Lyme disease easier, a possible first step for more effectively treating the estimated 476,000 people diagnosed with, and treated for, the tick-borne illness every year in the United States. In a study in Cell Reports Medicine, researchers explain how they pinpointed a specific set of genes that are activated in people with long-term Lyme disease. Up to 20 percent of patients suffer long-term symptoms. (Blakemore, 11/28)
Masslive.com: Mass. Volunteers Sought For Lyme Disease Vaccine Trial By Pfizer, Valneva
Pfizer and the specialty vaccine company Valneva have partnered in developing VLA 15, a potential Lyme disease vaccine. As they conduct the third of four required phases of human trials, 6,000 volunteers are needed, according to Pfizer. (Mancini, 11/25)
In other public health news —
The New York Times: Organ Donations Rise Around Motorcycle Rallies
This summer, when half a million bikers clogged the streets of tiny Sturgis, S.D., for one of the country’s largest motorcycle rallies, there might have been a small unexpected benefit for nearby patients desperately awaiting organ transplants. Major motorcycle rallies are associated with increases in organ donors involved in motor vehicle crashes, according to a study published this week in JAMA Internal Medicine. (Alcorn, 11/28)
USA Today: Colonoscopy, Cologuard, Other Stool Tests: Which Detects Colon Cancer?
What if you didn't have to get a colonoscopy every decade from ages 45 to 75? No, this isn't an excuse to skip screening for colon cancer, which has been proven to save lives. But there are several alternatives, which most people don't know much about. (Weintraub, 11/29)
