Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Maraviroc Appears To Treat More Than HIV; Unnecessary Antibiotics Detrimental To Kids
NPR: A Promising Treatment For Memory Loss Could Be An HIV Drug
An HIV drug — known as maraviroc — may have another, unexpected, use. The medication appears to restore a type of memory that allows us to link an event, like a wedding, with the people we saw there, a team reports in this week's issue of the journal Nature. (Hamilton, 5/28)
CIDRAP: Inappropriate Antibiotics For Kids Tied To Adverse Events, Higher Costs
New research suggests the negative consequences of inappropriate antibiotic prescribing in children with common infections aren't limited to antibiotic resistance. The study, published yesterday in JAMA Network Open, found that children who received inappropriate or non-recommended antibiotics for common viral and bacterial infections had an increased risk of adverse side effects such as Clostridioides difficile infection, severe allergic reactions, and rashes. The additional medical care needed to address these adverse events resulted in roughly $74 million in excess healthcare costs in 2017. (Dall, 5/27)
CIDRAP: New ASPR Report Bares Frayed, Fractured US Drug Supply Chains
A new US government report characterizes risks in the 100-day supply chains of 143 essential prescription drugs, including 86 priority drugs deemed critical to the health of Americans. The vulnerability of these supply chains, which underlies drug shortages, has been exposed by the pandemic and other recent natural disasters, such as hurricanes in Puerto Rico. (Van Beusekom, 5/27)
Stat: Counterfeit Pills Keep Circulating As New Law Lurches Into Effect
As far as Shane Jerominski was concerned, the many bottles of a widely used HIV medicine that he dispensed at his pharmacy nearly two years ago appeared just fine. That proved not to be true. A patient later returned a prescription because it contained the wrong pill. As it turns out, someone had tampered with the foil seals, replacing the legitimate pills with counterfeit drugs before resealing the bottles and shipping them to pharmacies across the country. (Silverman and Wosen, 5/31)
American Academy Of Pediatrics: Postnatal Corticosteroids To Prevent Or Treat Chronic Lung Disease Following Preterm Birth
The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to provide guidance on the use of postnatal corticosteroids to manage or prevent chronic lung disease following preterm birth (formerly referred to as bronchopulmonary dysplasia). (Cummings, MD, MS, FAAP, and Pramanik, MD, FAAP, 5/30)
ScienceDaily: Scientists Solve Long-Standing Mystery: Why Do Some Asthma Patients Respond Poorly To Treatment?
Patients with the most severe form of asthma produce special substances in their airways when taking medicine during an asthma attack that block the treatment from working, according to a study where Rutgers scientists collaborated with researchers at Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. (Rutgers University, 5/30)
FiercePharma: Sanofi's Dupixent Nabs Priority Review For Prurigo Nodularis
Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent is on fire. A week after scoring the first FDA approval for eosinophilic esophagitis, the drug scored priority review for prurigo nodularis. If it wins the agency's blessing, Dupixent would be the first FDA-approved treatment for the disease. The agency's target date for a decision is Sept. 30, Sanofi said Tuesday. (Becker, 5/30)
Reuters: FDA Presses Pause On Trial For OTC Version Of Anti-Impotence Drug Cialis
The U.S. health regulator has put on hold a trial designed to evaluate switching the prescription-only erectile dysfunction drug Cialis to an over-the-counter (OTC) treatment, French drugmaker Sanofi (SASY.PA) said on Monday. The pause is related to concerns about how the trial protocol has been designed, the company said, adding that no patients had so far been recruited for the study. (Hummel and Grover, 5/30)
