Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Study: Xolair Helps Reduce Reactions For Kids With Severe Food Allergies
The New York Times: Drug Drastically Reduces Children’s Reactions To Traces Of Food Allergens
A drug that has been used for decades to treat allergic asthma and hives significantly reduced the risk of life-threatening reactions in children with severe food allergies who were exposed to trace amounts of peanuts, cashews, milk and eggs, researchers reported on Sunday. The drug, Xolair, has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for adults and children over age 1 with food allergies. It is the first treatment that drastically cuts the risk of serious reactions — like anaphylaxis, a life-threatening allergic reaction that causes the body to go into shock — after accidental exposures to various food allergens. (Rabin, 2/25)
The Baltimore Sun: Hopkins Researchers Help With Study Of Food Allergy Drug
Laura Pleasants doesn’t leave her house without at least six EpiPens — autoinjectors about the size and shape of a whiteboard marker that contain medication that can calm a body’s allergic reaction. (Roberts, 2/25)
In other pharmaceutical developments —
The Washington Post: U.S. Launches Probe Into Possible Fraud By Organ Collection Groups
Federal authorities have launched a wide-ranging investigation of the nonprofit organizations that collect organs for transplant in the United States, according to six people familiar with the inquiry, which seeks to determine whether any of the groups have been defrauding the government. The probe involves U.S. attorneys in various parts of the country who are investigating organ procurement organizations in at least five states. Their team includes investigators from the Department of Health and Human Services and the office of Michael Missal, the inspector general of the Department of Veterans Affairs. They are seeking to determine, among other things, whether any of these groups have been overbilling the government for their costs. (Bernstein, Johnson and Rein, 2/26)
Stat: Obesity Drugs Seen As Possible Treatment For Liver Disease MASH
As drugmakers race to join the obesity drug market ignited by the approval of Wegovy and Zepbound, they’re not just competing on their drugs’ weight loss effects. They’re also competing on their products’ ability to treat a severe form of liver disease. (Chen, 2/26)
The New York Times: Your Inhalers And EpiPens Aren't Very Healthy For The Environment
For eco-conscious consumers of personal medical devices, recycling options are limited. Some companies are trying to change that. (Alcorn, 2/26)
USA Today: Galantamine Supplements Lack Amounts Required For Alzheimer's
Galantamine, a plant extract, is sold as a generic – approved by the Food and Drug Administration – that requires a prescription to treat mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. ... The labels on the generic drugs and dietary supplements all say they include identical amounts of galantamine, however, a Harvard University-led study published on Friday in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed the products' contents vary widely. (Alltucker, 2/23)
The Colorado Sun: A Colorado Center Is Using Genetic Testing To Improve Chemotherapy
You have, right now inside you, a gene known as UGT1A1. But that’s so formal. Let’s just call it Eugene. Eugene holds instructions for making enzymes that help your body break down certain substances, like bilirubin. This is great because it helps prevent babies from developing severe jaundice. But Eugene also works on other molecules, including the chemotherapy drug irinotecan. (Ingold, 2/26)
