Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
VR Treatment For Hallucinations Shows Promise In Ongoing Trial
Stat: New Schizophrenia Treatment Uses Avatars To Address Inner Voices
Promising results from a new digital therapy could help tackle one of psychiatry’s most intractable problems — hearing voices. Auditory verbal hallucinations are one of the hallmarks of psychosis, particularly in people with schizophrenia, which affects 24 million people globally. These voices often bully or abuse the voice hearer, commenting incessantly on the person’s thoughts and behavior or even urging them to harm themselves. (Broderick, 10/28)
Modern Healthcare: Many Digital Hypertension Tools Not Effective: Peterson Study
Many digital health hypertension tools aren’t effective or worth the cost, according to a new study published Monday. The study is the latest from the Peterson Health Technology Institute, a digital health research group that previously analyzed virtual solutions focused on diabetes and physical therapy. The group's analysis on virtual hypertension concludes that programs focused on behavior change and blood pressure monitoring fall short of providing strong clinical outcomes that would reduce long-term costs. (Turner, 10/28)
The Wall Street Journal: IOS 18.1 Is Out Now: Apple Intelligence, New Siri Look And AirPod Hearing Aids Arrive
Don’t be fooled by the tiny decimal in iOS 18.1. Apple’s latest software update might be small in name, but it’s big in significance. Released Monday, the software brings the first wave of Apple Intelligence features—that is, if you’ve got an iPhone 15 Pro or any of the new iPhone 16 models. If you’ve got a pair of AirPods Pro 2, iOS 18.1 brings the ability to take the new clinical-grade hearing test and then, if you need the assistance, set the earbuds up as a pair of hearing aids. (Stern, 10/28)
Axios: Your Next Prescription Could Include An App For Personalized Health Care
Federal regulators are confronting a new twist in drug development: manufacturers that include software with the medicine to prod patients to take pills as directed, manage side effects or track how well a treatment works. (Reed, 10/29)
Modern Healthcare: Epic Sues Epic Staffing Group Over Trademark Claims
Healthcare software developer Epic Systems sued Epic Staffing Group this month claiming trademark infringement, according to court documents. Epic Staffing Group disputes the claims. According to the court filing, “The services that Epic and Epic Staffing Group offer under their EPIC-formative marks are closely related because they both can be, and are, used to provide services to healthcare providers. Epic’s customers, and consumers in general, are likely to believe Epic Staffing Group’s services originate from and/or are affiliated with Epic.” (Johnson, 10/28)
Also —
The Washington Post: Many Older Americans Don’t Trust AI-Generated Health Information
About 74 percent of adults older than 50 say they would have little or no trust in health information generated by artificial intelligence, according to the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging. The report analyzed data from a survey administered in February and March to 3,379 U.S. adults between ages 50 and 101. Over half of the adults (58 percent) reported looking for health information on the web in the past year. (Docter-Loeb, 10/28)
