Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study Finds Schizophrenia Risk In Men Worsened By Heavy Marijuana Use
Bloomberg: Heavy Marijuana Use Increases Schizophrenia In Men, Study Finds
As many as 30% of cases of schizophrenia among men aged 21-to-30 could have been prevented had they avoided cannabis use disorder, according to the study published Thursday in Psychological Medicine. The condition, loosely defined as frequent use of the drug despite negative consequences, has been found to develop in around three in 10 who use marijuana, according to past research. (Kary, 5/4)
The New York Times: Link Between Long Telomeres And Long Life Is A Tall Tale, Study Finds
“Short telomeres were thought to be bad — people with premature aging syndromes had short telomeres — so, by analogy, long telomeres were thought to be good,” said Dr. Mary Armanios, professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and director of the Telomere Center at the medical school’s Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. “And the longer the better.” (Kolata, 5/4)
CIDRAP: Study Explores Role Of The Gut Microbiome, Antibiotics In Preemie Infections
A new metagenomic study of babies born prematurely indicate the bacterial strains that can cause dangerous bloodstream infections in those infants may originate in the gut, and antibiotic use may promote the growth of those pathogens. The authors of the study, published yesterday in Science Translational Medicine, say the findings are another indication of the need for more careful use of antibiotics in preterm infants. (Dall, 5/4)
CIDRAP: 57% Of Raw Stuffed Chicken Products From Homes, Stores Yielded Salmonella
From 1998 to 2022, 11 US Salmonella outbreaks were tied to raw stuffed, breaded chicken products, and a median of 57% of samples collected from homes and stores yielded the bacteria, finds a study today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR). (Van Beusekom, 5/4)
In research relating to covid —
CIDRAP: Large Study Shows No Changes To Menstrual Cycles After COVID Vaccination
Since the first COVID-19 vaccines were made widely available in early 2021, some women have anecdotally noted changes to their menstrual cycle following vaccination, reporting shorter intervals between menses and heavier bleeding. Some studies that relied on menstrual tracking apps and self-reports have also noted a relationship between vaccination and menstrual disturbances. (Soucheray, 5/4)
ABC News: COVID Vaccine Protection Against Infection Drops After 6 Months, Protection Against Severe Disease Strong: Study
COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against omicron infection fell dramatically after six months for people who only got their primary series, according to a new analysis published Wednesday. The study may not accurately reflect vaccine effectiveness in the United States because researchers included many of the most common vaccines used around the world, including Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and Sinovac. (Kekatos, 5/4)
