Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
How An Infamous Party Drug Could Hold The Key To Quieting Suicidal Ideation
Bloomberg: Ketamine Could Soon Be Used To Treat Suicidal Ideation
But there is, finally, a serious quest for a suicide cure. Ketamine is at the center, and crucially the pharmaceutical industry now sees a path. The first ketamine-based drug, from Johnson & Johnson, could be approved for treatment-resistant depression by March and suicidal thinking within two years. Allergan Plc is not far behind in developing its own fast-acting antidepressant that could help suicidal patients. How this happened is one of the most hopeful tales of scientific research in recent memory. (Koons and Langreth, 2/5)
The New York Times: Vitamin Or Mineral Supplements Don’t Prevent Dementia
A large review of studies has found no solid evidence that vitamin and mineral supplements have any effect in preventing cognitive decline or dementia. The meta-analysis, published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, included 28 trials with more than 83,000 cognitively healthy people 40 and older. The reports covered a wide range of vitamins and minerals, alone and in combination, in various dosages, with follow-ups as long as 18 years. Eight studies looked at the antioxidants beta carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E. (Bakalar, 2/4)
KCUR: Native Americans Face Greater Risk Of Becoming Problem Gamblers
Tribal casinos receive a lot of attention. What doesn’t receive as much attention is the higher incidence of problem gambling among Native Americans compared to the rest of the population. Washington University Professor David Patterson Silver Wolf has studied how the Native American population has a higher rate of gambling addiction than the average rate in the general population. Estimates put the problem-gambling rate among Native Americans at 2.3 percent, more than double the rate among all adults. (Johnson, 2/5)
Stat: Clinicians Scramble To Save Twins From The Disease That Took Their Brother
While she was still pregnant, [Alyssa Martin] and a team of doctors devised a plan to try to save the twins. The boys’ best hope was an experimental drug — a form of copper injected under the skin twice a day — designed to counteract the effects of that mutated gene, which wreaks such havoc on the body’s copper levels that it often kills boys before age 3. If the medication was to have a chance of working, doctors believed, it was crucial that the twins get it within weeks after birth — so time was of the essence. (Robbins, 2/5)
NPR: Women's Brains Age More Slowly Than Men's
Women tend to have more youthful brains than their male counterparts — at least when it comes to metabolism. While age reduces the metabolism of all brains, women retain a higher rate throughout the lifespan, researchers reported Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. (Hamilton, 2/4)
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Her Religion Made Her Mental Illness Worse. Then It Saved Her.
Some religious traditions, coupled with a misunderstanding of mental illness, can stop people from getting mental health care. Individuals may be told to pray the illness away or trust in God to heal them, psychologists and social workers say. The impact is especially profound for the African American community, research shows. (Pattani, 2/5)
Los Angeles Times: CRISPR Revolutionized Gene Editing. Now Its Toolbox Is Expanding
The gene-editing tool that has revolutionized biology is becoming even more powerful. CRISPR, as the system is known, allows scientists to target and snip a specific sequence of letters on a strand of DNA with unprecedented precision. That has opened up new possibilities for treating genetic diseases, helping plants adapt to global warming and even preventing mosquitoes from spreading malaria. (Netburn, 2/4)
The Washington Post: Intimacy And Sex Are Important For Well-Being For Older Adults
The benefits of a healthy sex life aren’t limited to young adults, according to a British study that found intimacy and sexual activity are important for older adults’ well-being, too. In the study of nearly 7,000 men and women, ages 50 to 89, quality of life was higher in those who reported any kind of sexual activity in the past year, such as kissing, researchers found. Being emotionally close to one’s partner during sex also resulted in higher scores on the quality of life questionnaire for both men and women. (Mishra, 2/5)
The Associated Press: Chronic Pain Given As Top Reason For Using Medical Marijuana
Chronic pain is the most common reason people give when they enroll in state-approved medical marijuana programs. That's followed by stiffness from multiple sclerosis and chemotherapy-related nausea, according to an analysis of 15 states published Monday in the journal Health Affairs. (2/4)
