Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Novel Procedure Treats Fetus' Blood Vessel Malformation In The Womb
Stat: In A First, A Rare Blood Vessel Disorder Is Treated In The Womb
For Darren Orbach, a pediatric neurointerventionalist at Boston Children’s Hospital, the first-of-its-kind procedure to fix a potentially deadly vascular malformation in the brain of a fetus was an “exhilarating” experience, despite the sobering potential consequences. For the expectant parents, it was an exercise in hope. (Castillo, 5/4)
Also —
Stat: Hormone Therapy After Breast Cancer Can Be Safely Paused For Pregnancy
Women who’ve been treated for hormone-sensitive breast cancer often face five to 10 years of endocrine therapy to lower the chances of their tumors coming back. Because that drug regimen is toxic during pregnancy, women who haven’t begun their families yet may lose that chance before they even try. New research published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests there might be another option. (Cooney, 5/3)
Stat: Oft-Prescribed Beta Blockers May Not Help Some Heart Patients
Beta blockers have long been widely prescribed for patients with heart issues, but two new studies this week question the benefit of the therapies in certain patients with strong heart function. (Chen, 5/3)
Stat: Gene Therapy Has Helped Boys Walk. Can Scientists Keep It That Way?
In the beginning, Conner Curran ran up the stairs. It was a miraculous moment for him and his parents, Jess and Chris Curran. Just months before, contractors were in their New York home to install a motorized lift, while Jess tearfully explained that it wasn’t for a grandparent but for their 7-year-old son, who suffered from Duchenne muscular dystrophy and could barely haul himself up the steps. (Mast, 5/4)
Stat: CAR-T Research Is Hampered By Outdated Precautions, Experts Say
Twenty years ago, CAR-T cell therapy was not quite “believed in,” said Michel Sadelain, director of the Center for Cellular Engineering at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. It was hard to find patients to put in a trial, he said, because physicians were skeptical of the new technology. Then, when the first patients were successfully treated, there was “suddenly this turnabout, a tsunami as some would say, of young scientists and not-so-young scientists embracing this.” (Chen, 5/3)
In technology developments relating to health —
Stat: Vinod Khosla Predicts AI Doctors Could Arrive Sooner Than You Think
Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla is famous for predictions that have helped usher in the high tech world we live in today — and made him very wealthy in the process. On Wednesday, he made another bold forecast: A fully computerized doctor could be seeing patients before the decade is out. (Aguilar, 5/3)
Modern Healthcare: Boston Children’s Hospital Invests In ChatGPT Expert
As healthcare contemplates the use of generative artificial intelligence technology, Boston Children’s Hospital is moving from strategy to salary. The Boston-based hospital is hiring someone to use OpenAI’s generative AI application ChatGPT. Boston Children's posted a job posting in April for an “AI prompt engineer” to work on its innovation and digital health accelerator. The person will design and develop AI prompts using large language models like ChatGPT. (Perna, 5/2)
Los Angeles Times: Mental Health Apps May Put Your Privacy At Risk. What To Look For
Every second, thousands of people tell their phone or computer something about themselves that they might not want anyone else to know. That’s what happens when people search for medical information online, typically looking for answers to questions about a problem or worry they have. In 2022, Google says, its users searched often for information about diets and supplements, exercise, stress and depression, and various other ailments. Depending on the users’ browser settings, those details may still be found in their Google profiles. (Healey, 5/2)
USA Today: How Does Neurologic Music Therapy Work? Study Reveals Practice's Power
Adults and children with cognitive disorders may have trouble walking – but neurologic music therapy can be a helpful part of their treatment plan, according to growing research. Neurologic music therapy has been shown to help retrain the brain to walk, improving the gait of those with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, stroke and cerebral palsy. (Hassanein, 5/2)
