Latest News

• Missed Visits During Pandemic Cause 'Detrimental Ripple Effects' Patients with chronic diseases are more likely to have postponed care because of COVID-19 precautions, a survey finds, and physicians are seeing the consequences.
  Medscape Medical News, February 25, 2021
• Murthy for SG, Levine for HHS Get Mostly Positive Senate Reception In committee hearing, the surgeon general and assistant health secretary nominees vow to attack COVID-19, as well as mental health and substance use crises.
  Medscape Medical News, February 25, 2021
• Alert FDA OKs First 'Targeted Treatment' for Rare DMD Mutation The FDA has approved casimersen (Amondys 45) injection for treating patients with both Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and a rare mutation of the DMD gene.
  FDA Approvals, February 25, 2021
• AAN 2021 Psychiatric Disorders Linked to Earlier Alzheimer's Onset Depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders are linked to earlier onset of Alzheimer's disease, new research shows.
  Medscape Medical News, February 25, 2021
• Google-Backed Database Tracks Details on COVID Cases Worldwide Google supplied funds and expertise to build the repository; it's unclear how the international database will be financed in the long term.
  Medscape Medical News, February 25, 2021
• In Boost for COVID-19 Battle, Pfizer Vaccine Found 94% Effective in Real World The first big real-world study of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine to be independently reviewed shows the shot is highly effective at preventing COVID-19, in a potentially landmark moment for countries desperate to end lockdowns and reopen economies.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• Gym Sessions Without Masks Can Spread COVID-19, CDC Studies Say Gyms can be hot spots for COVID-19 outbreaks if people don't wear face masks, even if they follow social distancing guidelines, according to new research from the CDC.
  WebMD Health News, February 25, 2021
• Most Severe COVID Tied to Four Cardiometabolic Conditions The authors of a new study are calling for stronger public health lifestyle advice to minimize the risk for COVID-19 hospitalization.
  Medscape Medical News, February 25, 2021
• Amid COVID-19 Pandemic, Flu Has Disappeared in the US Experts say that measures put in place to fend off the coronavirus -- mask wearing, social distancing, and virtual schooling -- were a big factor in preventing a "twindemic" of flu and COVID-19.
  Associated Press, February 25, 2021
• $52 Million Campaign to Push COVID Vaccinations The Ad Council and COVID Collaborative launched a campaign to encourage Americans to get a COVID vaccine when one is available for them, marking one of the largest public education efforts in the US.
  WebMD Health News, February 25, 2021
• Nurses Travel Hours to Vaccinate SD Native Communities Nurse Molly Longbrake and her team of healthcare providers in South Dakota have administered 4000 doses and plan to vaccinate about 12,000 people, often where only a hospital or small clinic is available.
  WebMD Health News, February 25, 2021
• In Transgender Youth, Obesity Impacts Effects of Sex Steroids on HDL-C In transgender and gender-diverse young people receiving sex steroids, obesity exacerbates the decrease in HDL-C levels and attenuates the benefits of estradiol, researchers say.
  Reuters Health Information, February 25, 2021
• Modern Treatment Tied to Low Disease Activity in Pregnant Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Many pregnant women with rheumatoid arthritis may achieve low disease activity in the third trimester with a modern treatment regimen that includes anti-TNF medications, a recent study suggests.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• Pet Cats Highly Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Cats are highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2, but transmissibility is reduced as the virus spreads through cats, according to new research from China.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• SOFA Score Not Helpful for Ventilator Triage in Patients With COVID-19 Pneumonia The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score has 'inadequate' discriminant accuracy for ventilator triage of patients with COVID-19, clinicians caution.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• China's Bid to Stop Wuhan COVID-19 Spread Cut Deaths From Other Causes: Study The number of deaths in China, excluding the coronavirus epicentre of Wuhan, fell slightly during the first three months of 2020, suggesting efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 reduced fatalities from other causes, a new study showed.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• Germany Approves COVID Home Tests to Ease Way Out of Lockdown Germany approved three COVID-19 tests for home use as part Health Minister Jens Spahn's strategy to help Europe's biggest economy emerge from a lockdown that has been in place since mid-December.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• South Korea's Fertility Rate Falls to Lowest in the World South Korea's fertility rate fell to the lowest in the world last year, data showed on Wednesday, as uncertainty over the coronavirus discouraged couples from marrying and having children.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• EU Mulls Vaccination Passports to Resurrect Tourism After COVID-19 European Union leaders will agree on Thursday to work on certificates of vaccination for EU citizens who have had an anti-COVID shot, with southern EU countries that depend heavily on tourism desperate to rescue this summer's holiday season.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021
• Sweden to Ease COVID Rules for Vaccinated Care Home Residents Sweden will ease restrictions on elderly residents of care homes who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, the country's top epidemiologist said on Wednesday, at the same time as rules for the rest of the country are tightened.
  Reuters Health Information, February 24, 2021