Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
FiercePharma: Merck's Welireg Combos Deliver 1-2 Punch To Kidney Cancer
The treatment landscape for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) could be due for a shake-up following dual breakthroughs from Merck’s Litespark clinical trial program for Welireg. Data being presented at the 2026 American Society for Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Genitourinary Cancers Symposium suggest that adding Welireg to other existing drugs significantly improves outcomes for patients at two distinct stages of their cancer journeys. (Liu, 2/28)
MedPage Today: Drug Cuts Albuminuria In Type 1 Diabetic Kidney Disease, Too
Finerenone (Kerendia) significantly reduced albuminuria in adults with type 1 diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD), meeting the primary endpoint of the phase III FINE-ONE trial. Over 6 months, the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) decreased by 34% in participants on finerenone compared with 12% in those on placebo ... reported Hiddo J.L. Heerspink, PhD, of University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, and colleagues. (Monaco, 3/4)
MedPage Today: In-Utero Repair Of Severe Spina Bifida With Stem Cells Shows Promise
In-utero treatment of myelomeningocele, the most severe form of spina bifida, with allogeneic, live stem cells was feasible and safe, a first in-human, phase I, single-arm study indicated. Myelomeningocele occurs when parts of the spinal cord and nerves come through the open part of the spine, causing nerve damage and other disabilities. (Henderson, 2/26)
CIDRAP: Legionella Pneumonia Tied To High Death Rates, Especially In Older Patients With Underlying Conditions
A study in Clinical Infectious Diseases ties Legionella links pneumonia to high 30-day death rates, especially in patients who are older or have underlying cirrhosis, a weakened immune system, or lymphopenia (low level of lymphocyte white blood cells). (Van Beusekom, 3/3)
CIDRAP: Over 40% Of Health Care Workers Had Insomnia During, After COVID Pandemic Peak
A new global systematic review and meta-analysis finds that over 40% of health care workers experienced insomnia during and after the acute phase of the COVID pandemic—a rate significantly higher than those reported in the general population. For the study, published in Current Psychology, researchers from the Universidad Catolica de Murcia in Spain analyzed 34 studies involving 32,930 health care professionals in 14 countries. The pooled prevalence of insomnia was 43.5%, with substantial variability between studies. (Bergeson, 2/27)
