Study Results Encourage Collecting ‘Big Data’ During Annual Visit To Doctor To Detect Hidden Health Problems
Studying genome and molecular activities in patients is better than conventional medicine when it comes to detecting potential health problems, according to Michael Snyder, chair of the genetics department at Stanford University. But other researchers express doubts about costs and other issues. Public health news also looks at disaster preparedness, antibiotic resistant infections, drug safety in pregnant women, weedkiller and cancer, obesity and diabetes.
The New York Times:
In This Doctor’s Office, A Physical Exam Like No Other
To scientists like Michael Snyder, chair of the genetics department at Stanford University, the future of medicine is data — lots and lots of data. He and others predict that one day doctors won’t just take your blood pressure and check your temperature. They will scrutinize your genome for risk factors and track tens of thousands of molecules active in your body. (Zimmer, 5/8)
Modern Healthcare:
U.S. Disaster Preparedness Slows, Illustrating Fragile Healthcare Safety Net
The U.S. is better equipped than in the past to manage health emergencies, but progress slowed last year as regional inequities in preparedness persist, according to new data. The U.S. scored a 6.7 on the 10-point scale of the 2019 National Health Security Preparedness Index. That's a 3.1% boost over the year prior, and a 11.7% increase since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the index in 2013. At the current pace, it will take a decade to reach a strong health security level of at least 9. (Kacik, 5/8)
NPR:
Genetically Modified Viruses Help Save A Patient With A 'Superbug' Infection
For the first time, scientists have used genetically modified viruses to treat a patient fighting an antibiotic-resistant infection. Isabelle Carnell-Holdaway, 17, began the experimental treatment after doctors lost all hope. She was struggling with a life-threatening infection after a lung transplant. With the new treatment, she has not been completely cured. But the Faversham, England, teenager has recovered so much that she has resumed a near-normal life. (Stein, 5/8)
Stat:
FDA Takes New Steps To Bolster Research On Pregnant And Lactating Women
Federal health officials on Wednesday rolled out two new draft guidances about how to study drug safety and efficacy in pregnant and lactating women, the latest in a series of steps to make sure women have the information they need to make medical decisions. The draft documents, released by the Food and Drug Administration, give drug makers insight into the agency’s thinking on when they should study a medicine in lactating women and how they can better monitor outcomes in pregnant women who are taking medications that have already been approved. The documents fall in line with 2018 recommendations made by a federal task force formed by Congress to study the lack of research involving pregnant and lactating women. (Thielking, 5/8)
Bloomberg:
Bayer Bracing For 3rd Jury Verdict Over Roundup Cancer Claims
The jury in Bayer AG’s third Roundup weedkiller trial was urged by a plaintiffs’ lawyer to consider socking the company with $1 billion in damages as punishment for covering up the health risks of the herbicide for decades. The aggressive demand on behalf an elderly couple who claim they got cancer from exposure to Roundup shows that plaintiffs are becoming bolder after winning the first two trials against Bayer, which together yielded $159 million in damages. (Rosenblatt, 5/8)
The Washington Post:
Obesity Epidemic Is Led More By Rural Than Urban Populations
As the rate of obesity around the world has climbed steadily for decades, public health efforts to combat it have largely focused on people in cities. With growing numbers of people living in cities, the assumption by public health officials was that urbanization — with its sedentary lifestyle and easy access to highly processed foods — was driving much of the weight gain. But a growing body of research suggests that the bigger problem is in rural areas. (Wan, 5/8)
North Carolina Health News:
Diabetes Mortality Gap Widens For Rural Americans
The life expectancy of Americans with diabetes is diverging based on geography, with metropolitan areas seeing improvement in mortality rates while rural areas do not. The result is that “rural America is being left behind” in efforts to reduce deaths caused by diabetes, the study says. “As recently as 1999, rates for diabetes mortality were very similar for urban and rural areas,” says the article published in the Journal of Rural Health. “Over time, however, the gains in urban areas have not diffused to rural areas.” (Marema, 5/9)
