Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
There's Still Little Proof To Back Up Hype Over Combination Cancer Immunotherapies
Stat: Combination Cancer Immunotherapies Take Center Stage As Investors Watch
Biotech and pharma companies are racing to develop combinations of immunotherapy drugs to treat cancer more effectively. But new data emerging Wednesday night from clinical trial research abstracts released by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) paint a muddled picture. Even with hints of efficacy, there’s still no convincing proof cancer patients benefit more when experimental immune-boosting drugs are paired with immunotherapy blockbusters like Merck’s Keytruda and Bristol-Myers Squibb‘s Opdivo. (Feuerstein, 5/16)
Stat: After Tense Eye Surgery, World Comes Into Focus For Gene Therapy Recipient
About eight weeks earlier, in March, his eyes had been just as hollow. He’d been the first person to get an $850,000 therapy called Luxturna since it had hit the market. It was intended to replace a mutant gene in Jack’s retinal cells that impaired his vision. After the surgery, with his eyes temporarily drained of liquid and pumped full of air, he’d had to lie back for six hours, staring at the ceiling, so that the medication would pool in the right part of his retina. His mother had held an iPad above him, streaming basketball games and music until her arms got tired. Sometimes, she fed him crackers. She could only hope that the drug had worked. (Boodman, 5/17)
The New York Times: In ‘Play On,’ Exploring How Elite Athletes Improve With Age
Most people find that their athletic capabilities diminish as they get older, and accept it as an inevitable part of aging. But some elite athletes seem to just get better as they get older. Tom Brady won a Super Bowl at 39, an age when most quarterbacks are retired or in decline. The hockey star Jaromir Jagr, often referred to as the ageless wonder, led his team in scoring at the age of 44, which was double the age of some of his teammates. And Dara Torres, the elite swimmer, won three Olympic medals at the age of 41, the oldest female swimmer to compete in the games. (O'Connor, 5/17)
The Associated Press: Romaine Lettuce Outbreak Update: 172 Sick In 32 States
Health officials say nearly two dozen more cases of a food poisoning outbreak linked to romaine lettuce grown in Arizona have been reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the total number of people sickened by a strain of E. coli is now 172 across 32 states. At least 75 people have been hospitalized, including 20 with kidney failure. One death was in California. (5/16)
The Washington Post: CDC Comes Close To An All-Clear On Romaine Lettuce As E. Coli Outbreak Nears Historic Level
Romaine lettuce has a shelf life of about 21 days. The current outbreak has been traced to the Yuma, Ariz., growing region, the source of virtually all lettuce sold in this country during the winter months. The CDC said Wednesday that April 16 was the last day romaine lettuce was harvested in the Yuma area. The leafy-greens industry has shifted to California over the past two months. “Romaine lettuce from the Yuma growing region is past its shelf life and is probably no longer being sold in stores or served in restaurants,” the CDC said in a news release. In the latest official update, the CDC noted that new cases of E. coli-related food poisoning came from the period when contaminated lettuce might still be in circulation or in home refrigerators. (Achenbach, 5/16)
Arizona Republic: OTOjOY’s Technology Is Music To The Ears Of Those With Hearing Loss
The technology connects into a venue’s sound system and allows a hearing aid or cochlear implant to pick up its wireless signal. The result is a clear and direct sound delivered to the ear directly from the sound system, creating an experience as if the listener were sitting on stage next to the artist or presenter. (Yara, 5/16)
Politico Pro: Critics Say Trump Is Cutting Ebola Funding At The Wrong Time
President Donald Trump’s push to slash $252 million from U.S. assistance for the 2014 Ebola outbreak is drawing objections from health advocates and some lawmakers, especially since it comes just as a new wave of Ebola cases has emerged in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The $252 million is part of a package of $15.4 billion in spending cuts, H.R. 3 (115), expected to be voted on in the House next week. (Burton, 5/17)
