The Case for Asset Stewardship: How Healthcare Wastes Millions of Dollars on Endoscope Ownership
The use and ownership of endoscopes and other medical instruments in U.S. hospitals come with significant costs and challenges. These instruments are expensive to acquire and maintain, and hospitals often…
Report finds lack of resources available to adopt behavioural and cultural insights in public health
Ireland has scored highly in all five commitments to adopt behavioural and cultural insights (BCI) in public health, as outlined by the World Health Organisation. The WHO resolution aims to…
Rezafungin May Provide Early Treatment Benefit in Candidemia, Invasive Candidiasis
A comparison of rezafungin and caspofungin for the treatment of candidemia and invasive candidiasis found that rezafungin may offer an early treatment benefit with its front-loaded dosing regimen. Study findings…
Ways to Lose Weight Without Diet or Exercise
There are unconventional ways to lose weight without traditional dieting or intense physical activity, such as mindful eating, getting sufficient sleep, stress management, and hydration/nutrition awareness. Mindful eating involves fully…
Latest AI integrations for diabetes management in APAC and more AI briefs
The diabetes app Smit.fit from India and Qatar-based digital therapeutics company Droobi Health have merged to form DroobiSmit, aiming to be a leading diabetes solution provider in the Middle East…
Trump Official Who OK’d Drugs From Canada Chairs Company Behind Florida’s Import Plan
Former Health and Human Services secretary, Alex Azar, was instrumental in getting the FDA's approval to import drugs from Canada to Florida in 2020. He is now the chairman of…
Hydrophilic angiographic catheter relaunched in US, Canada
Cook Medical has re-introduced its hydrophilic selective catheter to the U.S. and Canada market after a prior recall in 2016. The device has been re-engineered and features a protective foil…
STAT Letters to the Editor on conference pumping accomodations
STAT publishes selected Letters to the Editor in response to First Opinion essays to encourage discussion on important issues. Tara Bannow's essay on the difficulties of pumping milk at work…
Paul Cassford Weaver | The BMJ
Paul Cassford Weaver was a university student involved in rowing and climbing. After completing surgical training in London, he did a fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. In 1976,…
African women living with HIV have an effective option to prevent malaria during pregnancy, clinical trial finds
A clinical trial conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) found that preventive treatment with DHA-PPQ is a safe and effective strategy to prevent malaria during pregnancy in…
Exploring the link between pancreatic islet cell loss and age-related health conditions
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University studied pancreatic islet cell loss in people with no previous pancreatic problems. They found that islet cell loss in the elderly is largely due to…
Prenatal Supplement Labels Not Always Accurate: U.S. Report
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that 11 out of 12 prenatal supplements tested had at least one nutrient above or below the levels noted on the labels. The…
Are You Unwittingly Aiding the Rise of Superfungi?
Researchers have found that prescriptions for topical antifungal medications are being given out without proper consideration, potentially leading to microbial resistance. This indiscriminate use of these medications may pose a…
Expert Debunks Misconceptions About Blood Donation
January is National Blood Donor Month aimed at raising awareness about blood donation's importance, especially as the U.S. faces an emergency shortage due to a 40% drop in donations over…
ResMed recalls CPAP Masks with magnets, USFDA terms it most serious
ResMed has issued a recall for certain CPAP masks that contain magnets, following a warning from the USFDA. The FDA has classified the recall as a Class I, which indicates…
Manufacturing Issues Block Astellas From a First-in-Class Cancer Drug Approval
Astellas Pharma's drug approval for zolbetuximab, a promising treatment for gastrointestinal cancer, has been delayed by the FDA due to manufacturing issues at a third-party facility. The FDA did not…
Why winter vaccination is important for healthcare workers
Ireland is experiencing high levels of influenza and Covid-19, with over 2,800 cases reported in the first week of 2024. The HSE is urging eligible individuals to get vaccinated. Dr.…
Key Factors of COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance in People Experiencing Homelessness
A study published in BMC Infectious Diseases found that while COVID-19 vaccine acceptance rates have increased among people experiencing homelessness, targeted public health interventions are still needed to further address…
Beat Bladder the Blues: Strength, Beauty and Power
Urinary incontinence can be managed through various treatments beyond traditional methods. Lifestyle changes can help prevent and manage symptoms. For women in menopause, hormone replacement therapy, as well as antidepressants,…
YouTube Health makes first aid and emergency care videos more accessible
YouTube Health is prioritizing first aid and emergency care videos from reliable healthcare organizations in search results. The platform is partnering with organizations like the Mexican Red Cross and the…
Mary Lou Retton’s Explanation of Health Insurance Takes Some Somersaults
Mary Lou Retton spoke about her recent hospitalization due to pneumonia and revealed that she was uninsured. She cited preexisting conditions and cost as the main reasons for not having…
Dry January campaign aims to make ‘first step’ toward abstinence less daunting
Alcohol Change UK runs Dry January, a campaign that encourages people to abstain from alcohol for 31 days at the beginning of the year. The initiative offers numerous health benefits,…
Medicare Advantage overpayments discussion gets experts fired up
Medicare Advantage, a controversial health care program, is in the spotlight due to new data revealing overpayments and criticism of its quality rating system. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission discussed…
John Hedges | The BMJ
John Hedges had a successful career in both military and civilian medicine, thanks to a medical cadetship with the Royal Army Medical Corps. He was commissioned in 1969, completed his…
Uncovering the link to combating muscle atrophy caused by aging and immobility
Mitochondria play an important role in muscle development, regeneration, and maintenance, and problems with these can lead to muscle diseases such as muscle atrophy. The tethering of mitochondria to the…
When mass spectrometry redefines the pharma industry
In this episode of omg OMx, Mike Greig from Bruker discusses the potential of mass spectrometry in pharma. He talks about his career in biotechnology, his mentor, and his passion…
Complacency Has Replaced Alarm in the Newest COVID Surge
The United States is currently experiencing a surge in respiratory viruses, notably the JN1 variant of COVID-19. Hospitalization and death rates are increasing, but the response to the pandemic is…
Positive Phase 3 Results for New Antipsychotic in Psychosis
The results of the phase 3 EMERGENT-2 trial showed that KarXT, a combination of a muscarinic receptor agonist with an anticholinergic agent, led to significant improvements in symptoms of schizophrenia…
For Precise Readings And Peace Of Mind
Monitoring your blood pressure is crucial for maintaining good health, as hypertension can cause silent damage to your heart, arteries, and kidneys. This guide helps you find the best blood…
Hydrogels potential electrodes providing ground-breaking treatment for ventricular arrhythmia
Hydrogels show promise as electrodes for treating ventricular arrhythmia, a potentially life-threatening condition. These innovative electrodes could revolutionize the treatment of this heart condition. The use of cookies for analytics,…
Menopause Startup Launches AI-Powered Hot Flash Care Product
Amira CEO Loewen Cavill was inspired to create The Terra System, a product aimed at helping women manage menopause symptoms, after her aunt suffered severe sleep disruptions from hot flashes.…
Winter virus rates in Donegal more than twice national levels
Six counties in Ireland, including Donegal, Westmeath, Leitrim, and Sligo, have reported high rates of Covid, flu, and RSV above 500 cases per 100,000 population. Donegal has the highest rate…
Metformin Plus Insulin Therapy Does Not Reduce Neonatal Adverse Outcomes
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that metformin used as an adjunct to insulin therapy for patients with type 2 or gestational diabetes does…
Express Scripts sued for allegedly colluding with rival PBMs to fix prices
An antitrust lawsuit has been filed against Cigna-owned online pharmacy and pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) Express Scripts by several independent pharmacies. The lawsuit alleges that Express Scripts teamed with rival…
All About the (Government) Funding
Lawmakers are struggling to fund the government and federal health programs. The Supreme Court is reviewing a case about Idaho's abortion ban and federal law. The Biden administration is scaling…
Facility fees for colonoscopy nearly 55% more at hospitals vs. ambulatory surgery centers
Researchers compared facility fees for three common colonoscopy procedures at hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. They found that the fees were approximately 55% higher at hospitals compared to ambulatory surgery…
In shift, Texas to cover initial consult for Afghan baby’s gene therapy
The Texas Medicaid program has agreed to cover costs for doctors to assess 4-month-old infertility patient Sufyan Pashai in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sufyan's older brother has metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a neurodegenerative…
Tom Nolan’s research reviews—11 January 2024
A clinical editor discusses the potential fallacy of relying on easily measured data from wearable technology to inform mental health care, emphasizing the importance of considering the impact on patients.…
Flagging dementia patients for better hospital care
Cedar-Sinai investigators have developed a way to use electronic health records to identify hospitalized patients with dementia. The method, outlined in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, is designed…
UTEP researchers unveil promising new weapon against leukemia and lymphoma
Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have identified a promising new pharmaceutical compound called thiophene F-8 that successfully kills leukemia and lymphoma cancer cells. This could lead…
Why This Exercise Is So Good for High Blood Pressure
The content discusses how isometric exercises have been found to be especially effective in lowering blood pressure. Isometric exercises involve holding a position to flex muscles, which constricts blood vessels…
So Far, No Ties Between GLP-1s and Suicidal Thoughts
The FDA has not found any evidence linking glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA) medications used for type 2 diabetes and obesity to suicidal thoughts or actions. This determination…
Study Says One Liter Of Bottled Water Contains 240,000 Plastic Particles
A recent study found that a person consumes around 240,000 tiny plastic particles from one liter of bottled water, raising concerns about the potential health impacts of micro-nano plastics. Researchers…
Olanzapine and samidorphan combination effective for long-term treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder
Olanzapine and samidorphan combination has been found to be effective for the long-term treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. This medication has shown promising results in managing the symptoms of…
FDA’s Preliminary Review of GLP-1 Meds Finds No Tie to Suicidal Thoughts, Actions
The FDA has found no evidence that GLP-1 drugs used for diabetes and weight loss cause suicidal thoughts or actions. Reports in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System prompted the…
Patient waiting lists fall in 2023, but miss overall target
The number of patients waiting longer than 10/12 weeks for a hospital procedure was reduced by 11% last year, but overall waiting lists only fell by 3%, below the government's…
Torsemide, Furosemide Have Similar Outcomes in Patients Discharged With Acute HF
The TRANSFORM-HF study found no significant difference in outcomes between torsemide and furosemide treatments for heart failure. However, patients with de novo heart failure had better outcomes compared to those…
Hybrid care provider Harbor Health secures $95.5M and more digital health fundings
Harbor Health, a primary care clinic in Texas, secured $95.5 million in funding to expand its services and specialty care offerings. The funds will also be used to create patient-cocreated…
The AMA Wants a Medicare Cut Reversed – And Lawmakers To Stay Out of Care
Congress is working on a bipartisan agreement to fund the government for the rest of the 2024 fiscal year. Jesse Ehrenfeld, president of the American Medical Association, discussed the organization's…
CMS penalized clinics in ESRD demonstration with patients at greater social risk
A study found that dialysis clinics treating patients with high social risk faced higher financial penalties in the ESRD Treatment Choices model. CMS levied fines for poor performance in the…