Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Multiple New Alzheimer's Drugs Show Promise; AI Will Help Prevent Drug-Related Birth Defects
Associated Press: Second Alzheimer's Drug In Pipeline Can Slow The Disease By A Few Months But With Safety Risk
Another experimental Alzheimer’s drug can modestly slow patients’ inevitable worsening — by about four to seven months, researchers reported Monday. (Neergaard, 7/17)
ScienceDaily: Third Alzheimer's Drug Represents 'Opening Chapter In New Era'
With yet a third new Alzheimer's drug expected to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the field is beginning to show progress in the fight to slow the disease. (University of California - San Francisco, 7/17)
ScienceDaily: Researchers Develop AI Model To Better Predict Which Drugs May Cause Birth Defects
Data scientists have created an artificial intelligence model that may more accurately predict which existing medicines, not currently classified as harmful, may in fact lead to congenital disabilities. (The Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine, 7/17)
CIDRAP: Only 1 In 5 US Nursing Home Residents Given Monoclonal Antibodies, Antivirals For COVID
A new study published in JAMA finds that fewer than one in five US nursing home residents received evidenced-based treatment with monoclonal antibodies or oral antiviral drugs for COVID-19, despite being at high risk for poor outcomes. The rate had improved to one in four by late 2022. (Van Beusekom, 7/17)
CIDRAP: COVID-19 Vaccine Tied To Reduced Deaths In Seniors With Dementia
For the first time, researchers have calculated excess deaths among US dementia patients during the pandemic, and they found a reduction in excess mortality among long-term care residents after COVID-19 vaccines were made available. (Soucheray, 7/17)
CIDRAP: Agreement Will Expand Access To Key Drug For Resistant TB
An agreement between the Stop TB Partnership and pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will expand access to a key component of the shorter drug regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). (Dall, 7/18)
