Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Workers Who Wore Respirators Were 40% Less At Risk From Covid
CIDRAP: Healthcare Workers Wearing Respirators 40% Less Likely To Contract COVID
A study of more than 2,900 healthcare workers (HCWs) shows that those who wore a respirator were more than 40% less likely to be infected with COVID-19 than those wearing a surgical mask. (8/16)
CIDRAP: Higher Risk Of Vein Blood Clots In COVID Vs Flu Patients
Hospitalized adult COVID-19 patients before and after SARS-CoV-2 vaccine availability had significantly higher odds of venous—but not arterial—thromboembolism than those hospitalized for influenza before the pandemic, finds a study published today in JAMA. (Van Beusekom, 8/16)
USA Today: Next Generation COVID Antibody Tests May Show When A Booster Is Needed
Antibody tests have been on the market since early in the pandemic, but they do little more than tell people whether they have been previously infected with COVID-19. A newer generation test would look specifically at the levels of neutralizing antibodies and either give a precise level or a "low," "medium," "high" reading, providing more actionable information. (Weintraub, 8/17)
In research and innovation news not related to covid —
Reuters: Sanofi Trial Failure Ends Development Of Breast Cancer Treatment Amcenestrant
French healthcare company Sanofi (SASY.PA) said it would stop further work on amcenestrant, once seen to have large potential against breast cancer, after a second trial failure dealt a major blow to its drug development prospects. (Burger and Hummel, 8/17)
Axios: Most American Diets Need More Vitamin E
Nearly all of us aren't getting enough of a critical vitamin that supports vision, brain health and even developing fetuses — vitamin E. (Pandey, 8/16)
Stat: Frustrated By Known Cancer Biomarkers, Biologists Make Their Own
The hunt for cancer cures has, to a large degree, been a hunt for biomarkers — DNA, peptides, RNA, proteins or more — that might set tumor cells apart from healthy tissue. The trouble is that for many cancers, the known biomarkers have been a disappointment, particularly for early cancer detection. (Chen, 8/17)
The Hill: Children Who Live Near Fracking Sites At Birth Face Increased Risk Of Leukemia: Study
Pennsylvania children living near fracking sites at birth are two to three times more likely to be diagnosed with leukemia during early childhood than those who did not live near such facilities, a new study has found. The study, published in Environmental Health Perspectives on Wednesday, explored the connection between the development of cancer and proximity to such unconventional oil and gas development — also known as hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” (Udasin, 8/17)
NBC News: Childhood Lead Exposure Is Linked To Low Test Scores For Black Students, Study Finds
The findings, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), are based on surveys of more than 25,000 fourth graders in North Carolina. The data shows that Black students are disproportionately exposed to lead in racially segregated neighborhoods and that these stressors are linked to poor test scores in reading among Black youth relative to their white peers. (Bellamy-Walker, 8/16)
On a startling study into climate and nuclear war —
CBS News: Nuclear War Between The U.S. And Russia Would Kill More Than 5 Billion People – Just From Starvation, Study Finds
The toll of nuclear war would be instantly catastrophic for those who are within the immediate path of the weapons. But a new study shows just how deadly the scope of such a war would be. A nuclear blast would cause worldwide famine, according to the study, published in Nature Food on Monday, as massive amounts of soot would block sunlight, disrupt climate systems and limit food production. (Cohen, 8/16)
