Race Found To Play Role In Risk For Dialysis-Linked Infections
Stat covers a study saying Hispanic, Latino, and non-Hispanic Black Americans on dialysis for end-stage kidney disease are most at risk for dangerous blood infections. Use of a central venous catheter into major veins was also found more risky. Meanwhile, Eisai's Alzheimer's drug has its first U.S. sales.
Stat:
Patient's Race And Method Of Dialysis Linked To Risk Of Infection
Hispanic, Latino, and non-Hispanic Black Americans on dialysis for end-stage kidney disease have a higher risk of developing life-threatening bloodstream infections, a new report says. (Cueto, 2/6)
CIDRAP:
CDC Analysis Finds More Staph Bloodstream Infections In Blacks, Hispanics
Another key step is to more equitably promote lower-risk access types, Shannon Novosad, MD, MPH, the CDC's dialysis safety team lead, said. "Our data show that use of a central venous catheter as a vascular access type had six times higher risk for staph bloodstream infections when compared to the lowest-risk access, a fistula." (Schnirring, 2/6)
In other pharmaceutical developments —
Stat:
Eisai Reports First U.S. Sales Of Treatment For Alzheimer's Disease
Japanese drugmaker Eisai reported Monday the first U.S. sales of Leqembi, its treatment for Alzheimer’s disease, although exact numbers were not provided and people taking the drug appear to be paying out of pocket because insurance coverage has not yet been established. (Feuerstein, 2/6)
Stat:
FDA Grants Priority Review To Sage Fast-Acting Depression Treatment
Sage Therapeutics said Monday that U.S. regulators accepted a marketing application for its rapid-acting antidepressant and granted it priority review with a decision date set for early August. The Food and Drug Administration will assess the efficacy and safety of the Sage drug, a once-daily pill called zuranolone, for the treatment of people with major depressive disorder and postpartum depression. (Feuerstein, 2/6)
The Washington Post:
Need A New Drug? You May Be Asked To ‘Fail’ An Old Drug First
Many patients seeking better drug treatments are being rejected by their insurance companies. The reason: Patients must first “fail” at typically older, cheaper medications, including those they’ve tried before. The policy, which is known as “step therapy,” is touted by insurers as a way to control runaway prescription drug costs and help patients find the most appropriate treatments. But critics say it can delay symptom relief and allow medical conditions to irreversibly worsen. (Zimmerman, 2/6)
The New York Times:
The Medicine Is A Miracle, But Only If You Can Afford It
April Crawford never thought she’d be begging for help on GoFundMe, but she has run out of options. She has multiple sclerosis, and Mavenclad, the drug that could slow her decline, has a list price of $194,000 a year. Her Medicare insurance will pay for most of it, but she has a co-pay of $10,000.Ms. Crawford, 47, doesn’t have $10,000 and has no way to get it. A law signed last year will put a $2,000 annual limit on out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients like her — but not until 2025. Even at that price, money is tight in her household. She and her husband, who is disabled with COPD, live in Oliver Springs, Tenn., with a nephew who was disabled by a traumatic brain injury. All three of them rely on federal disability payments. (Kolata and Paris, 2/7)
NBC News:
Adderall Shortage: Other ADHD Drugs Affected. When Will It End?
As the nationwide Adderall shortage enters its fifth month, people who rely on medication to help manage attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are finding few, if any, available alternatives. There’s no sign of relief yet, and no easy solution to the problem, pharmacy experts say. Widespread scarcity has hit Adderall alternatives, too. (Hopkins, 2/6)
Axios:
Why Amazon's RxPass Is A Bigger Deal Than You Think
Amazon's new RxPass prescription service further increases the downward pressure on the cost of generic drugs, the Wall Street Journal reports. Last month, Amazon announced the new benefit to its Prime subscription service, allowing members access to unlimited prescriptions for generics for more than 80 conditions for $5 a month. (Reed, 2/6)
Consumer Reports:
Researchers Say Taking Any Of These 10 Dietary Supplements Is Risky
One-third of Americans say they believe supplements have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration for safety, according to a 2022 nationally representative survey by Consumer Reports of 3,070 adults in the United States. But the FDA doesn’t approve or test the safety or effectiveness of any supplement before it enters the U.S. market. After consulting with a panel of doctors and researchers, Consumer Reports says you should avoid these 10 risky supplements. In general, risk increases the larger the dosage and the longer the supplement is taken. Also beware of illegal or unapproved drug ingredients, such as tianeptine, methylsynephrine and phenibut. (Gill, 2/6)
