Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Research Roundup: The Latest Science, Discoveries, And Breakthroughs
Stat: Neurocrine Biosciences Rare Disease Drug Possibly Tied To Safety Issues
A group of physicians and experts in Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare disease that causes an insatiable desire to eat, on Tuesday notified clinicians of a series of patient deaths and cases of severe side effects potentially associated with Vykat XR, a newly approved drug sold by Neurocrine Biosciences. (Feuerstein, 8/12)
CIDRAP: Oseltamivir Cuts Risk Of Flu-Related ICU Admission, Shortens Hospital Stays In Kids, Data SuggestÂ
Among children hospitalized for influenza, treatment with the antiviral drug oseltamivir reduced the risk of admission to an intensive care unit (ICU) by 31% and shortened hospital stays, concludes a real-world study published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics. (Van Beusekom, 8/11)
Medical Xpress: Air Pollution-Linked Blood Changes Detected Years Before Lung Cancer Diagnosis
A new study, published Tuesday in Nature Communications, found measurable changes in people's blood associated with exposure to air pollution and the subsequent development of lung cancer. The findings provide promising clues that could help shape future cancer research, detection and prevention strategies. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. (8/11)
Medical Xpress: Arthritis Origins May Begin Before Birth
Researchers at the Kennedy Institute have discovered that some joints may be more susceptible to inflammatory arthritis before birth, offering new insight into why rheumatoid arthritis attacks particular joints while sparing others. (8/12)
Medical Xpress: For The Tiniest Patients, New Tech Brings Clearer MRI Images
An infant's heart can be as small as a walnut, beating rapidly inside a body that will change dramatically as the child grows. USC researchers have developed a potential solution: flexible MRI sensors that can be customized to individual patients and 3D-printed in less than 10 minutes for about $30. In testing, the sensors produced roughly four times greater image contrast than standard commercial versions. The work is published in the journal Nature Communications. (Raffio, 8/12)
