Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
New Guidance On Psychotropic Meds Focuses On Deprescribing
MedPage Today: New Guidance Released On 'Whether And When' To Stop Psychotropic Meds
In a new consensus statement, a task force convened by the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP) detailed circumstances in which the deprescribing of psychotropic medications may be clinically indicated. (Jeffrey, 2/25)
More pharma and tech developments —
MedPage Today: Beware Of Radiation Doses Among Heart Scanners, Study Says
Cardiac imaging centers around the world may need to update their protocols and equipment, suggested findings of a large-scale study of radiation effective doses to patients undergoing diagnostic testing for coronary artery disease (CAD). (Lou, 2/25)
Modern Healthcare: How Ambulatory Surgery Centers Make Pulsed Field Ablation Work
Ambulatory surgery centers in November won Medicare coverage for pulsed field ablation. The procedure, which addresses atrial fibrillation, is among several cardiac ablation treatments the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services began covering in the setting this year. But ambulatory surgery centers receive lower Medicare payments for the procedure than hospitals do. Despite generally having fewer overhead costs, the centers still need to pay for the expensive equipment, specialized staff and training. (Dubinsky, 2/25)
MedPage Today: FDA Approves First Drug For Allergic Fungal Rhinosinusitis
The FDA approved dupilumab (Dupixent) for treating allergic fungal rhinosinusitis, a first for the condition, the agency announced on Wednesday. Approval stipulates use in individuals 6 years and older with prior sino-nasal surgery, as the condition has a high rate of post-operative recurrence. (Ingram, 2/25)
Stat: Rare Disease Advocates Perplexed By Mixed Messages At The FDA
Two years ago, Megan Selser was folding her 7-week-old infant’s clothes, clutching his fuzzy red head to her chest, when her phone rang. She answered and heard on the other end the pained voice she had used herself many times as an ICU nurse delivering bad news. (Mast, 2/26)
Bloomberg: Novo Nordisk Taps Vivtex Technology To Expand Oral Obesity Drug Pipeline
Novo Nordisk A/S will partner with US biotech firm Vivtex Corp. to develop next-generation drugs for obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases in a deal potentially worth up to $2.1 billion. The Danish drugmaker, which is looking to boost its pipeline to find successors to blockbusters Wegovy and Ozempic, said the tie-up will give it access to new technologies that could help it create oral treatments for obesity and other metabolic diseases. (Hipwell, 2/25)
Stat: Clinical Trials For Brain Implants Face A Significant Hurdle
Mike Willis just wants to go to the pub. He wants to stroll down the street, walk into a bar, and shoot the breeze with his friends. But the Cambridge, England, resident can’t do that anymore. Over the last six years, Willis, 71, has lost the ability to speak and socialize because of a neurodegenerative disorder. (Broderick, 2/26)
Also —
CIDRAP: Curbing Overuse Of Dental Antibiotics Proves Daunting
About once a week, Erinne Kennedy, DMD, MPH, treats patients with complex dental infections who need antibiotics. She writes these prescriptions with care, because she knows the harm they can cause. In 2015, Kennedy’s grandmother suffered multiple infections with a superbug called Clostridioides difficile, also known as C difficile or C diff, which is associated with antibiotic use.Watching her grandmother battle the infection, which kills nearly 30,000 people in the United States each year, “was really devastating,” said Kennedy, assistant dean for curriculum and integrated learning at Kansas City University College of Dental Medicine in Missouri. (Szabo, 2/25)
CIDRAP: How To Avoid Inappropriate Dental Antibiotics
If you’ve ever had a wisdom tooth removed, you probably received an antibiotic from your dentist. Dentists wrote 27.3 million antibiotic prescriptions last year, according to data provided exclusively to CIDRAP News by the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, an organization based in Parsippany, New Jersey that provides research and analysis on health care data. Many of these antibiotics are unnecessary. (Szabo, 2/26)
