Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Researchers Create First Synthetic Cell, Sparking Debate
Stat: Synthetic Biology Researchers Create First Synthetic Cell. Is It Alive?
Researchers have created what they say may count as the first synthetic cell, and have started a public benefit corporation to share the technology with other scientists. It’s a piece of science that generates as many questions as answers. They are unlike cells in nature, but have cell-like properties that are spurring a debate about whether they might even be considered alive. (Herper, 7/1)
In other pharma and tech news —
Stat: FDA Approves Orca Bio’s T Cell Therapy For Blood Cancer Patients
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a personalized T-cell therapy from Orca Bio, a private biotech company, that reduces the risk of a debilitating immune reaction in patients with blood cancers undergoing stem cell transplants. (Feuerstein, 7/1)
Stat: Cardiovascular Medicines Are Changing The Health Risks Of Obesity
People with obesity have worse cardiovascular health than people with normal weight, especially as they get older, right? Not necessarily. People over 40 with obesity appear to have both their blood pressure and cholesterol under control at levels rivaling their peers with normal body mass index, research published Wednesday in the Lancet has found. (Cooney, 7/1)
HealthDay: Higher Vitamin A Levels Linked To Better Lung Function In Asthma
Vitamin A might help children who are struggling with asthma, a new study says. Higher levels of vitamin A in the bloodstream are linked to better lung function in both kids and adults with asthma, researchers reported June 30 in the journal Thorax. The study also looked into vitamin D, but found that the nutrient only benefits adults with asthma. (Thompson, 7/1)
