Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Phthalates Linked To Childhood Cancers; Monoclonal Antibody Shows Encouraging Results Against CJD
ScienceDaily: Exposure To Phthalates -- The 'Everywhere Chemical' -- May Increase Children's Cancer Risk
The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, suggests that exposure to medication-associated phthalates may contribute to the development of some childhood cancers, and that minimizing exposure to phthalates may help prevent some childhood cancers in the future. (University of Vermont, 3/16)
CIDRAP: Experimental Drug For Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Shows Some Promise
A potential treatment for the prion infection known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), developed by UK scientists, has shown "very encouraging" early results in six patients at University College London Hospitals (UCLH), according to a study yesterday in The Lancet Neurology. Researchers at the MRC Prion Unit at UCL developed a monoclonal antibody called PRN100 that was administered to six UCLH patients with CJD—four women and six men—from October 2018 to July 2019. (3/17)
ScienceDaily: Researchers May Have Unlocked The Blood-Brain Barrier
The brain is composed of billions of neurons -- vulnerable cells that require a protective environment to function properly. This delicate environment is protected by 400 miles of specialized vasculature designed to limit which substances come into contact with the brain. This blood-brain barrier is essential for protecting the organ from toxins and pathogens. But it also blocks the passage of therapeutic drugs. (Yale University, 3/16)
CIDRAP: Study Highlights Risk Of Low COVID Vaccine Uptake In Prison Staff
Stanford University researchers report that 61% of custody staff and 36% of healthcare staff at California state prisons were unvaccinated against COVID-19 as of Jun 30, 2021, posing risks to inmates, other staff, and the surrounding community. (Beusekom, 3/15)
ScienceDaily: Marijuana For Medical Use May Result In Rapid Onset Of Cannabis Use Disorder
A new study shows that using cannabis products to treat pain, anxiety and depression failed to improve these symptoms while doubling the risk of developing the addictive symptoms of cannabis use disorder. People seeking cannabis to treat symptoms of anxiety and depression were at greatest risk of CUD. Contrary to evidence-based medicine, people with medical marijuana cards choose their own products and dosing, suggesting the need for better controls over dispensing, use, and professional follow-up of these patients. (Massachusetts General Hospital, 3/18)
The Lancet: Long-Term Treatment With Clozapine And Other Antipsychotic Drugs And The Risk Of Haematological Malignancies In People With Schizophrenia
Clozapine is the most efficacious treatment for schizophrenia and is associated with lower overall mortality than are other antipsychotic drugs, despite the risk of agranulocytosis. Preliminary reports over the past 10 years suggest a possible risk of haematological malignancies, but the issue has remained unsettled. We aimed to study the risk of haematological malignancies associated with use of clozapine and other antipsychotics. (Tiihonen, MD, et al, 3/22)
JAMA: Association Of Type Of Oral Anticoagulant Dispensed With Adverse Clinical Outcomes In Patients Extending Anticoagulation Therapy Beyond 90 Days After Hospitalization For Venous Thromboembolism
Among patients prescribed extended anticoagulant treatment after hospitalization for venous thromboembolism (VTE), is the type of oral anticoagulant prescribed beyond 90 days associated with different rates of adverse clinical outcomes? (Pawar, PhD, et al, 3/15)
ScienceDaily: Antabuse May Help Revive Vision In People With Progressive Blinding Disorders
Animal and cell studies show that as retinal cells die in degenerative eye diseases, they make other cells hyperactive, creating noise that further obscures vision. Tests to prove this in humans are hard to conduct, however. Antabuse, an approved drug used to wean people off alcohol, should tamp down this hyperactivity and conclusively show whether hyperactivity plays a role in humans, potentially driving work to find better drugs to help those with progressive vision loss. (University of California - Berkeley, 3/18)
ScienceDaily: Effectiveness Of Antibiotics Significantly Reduced When Multiple Bugs Present
A study has found that much higher doses of antibiotics are needed to eliminate a bacterial infection of the airways when other microbes are present. It helps explain why respiratory infections often persist in people with lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis despite treatment. (University of Cambridge, 3/19)
ScienceDaily: Engineering An 'Invisible Cloak' For Bacteria To Deliver Drugs To Tumors
Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have developed a "cloaking" system that temporarily hides therapeutic bacteria from immune systems, enabling them to more effectively deliver drugs to tumors and kill cancer cells in mice. By manipulating the microbes' DNA, they programmed gene circuits that control the bacteria surface, building a molecular "cloak'' that encapsulates the bacteria. (Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science, 3/17)
