Steven Rosenberg, pioneer in immunotherapy, awarded National Medal of Technology and Innovation
Editor's Note Steven Rosenberg, MD, PhD, chief of the Surgery Branch at the Center for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and a pioneer in the development of immunotherapy to fight cancer, was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.…
AI tool links HCW stress during pandemic to mental health issues
Editor's Note An AI tool helped to identify signs of distress in conversations from healthcare workers (HCWs) with their therapists during the pandemic, according to a study from NYU Grossman School of Medicine, EurekAlert! October 24 reports. The findings were published in Journal of Medical Internet Research AI.ย Researchers analyzed…
Researchers identify immunity-driven factors behind rejection of medical implants
Editor's Note Medical devices such as pacemakers, breast implants, or knee replacements often cause hostile immune responses that can damage not only the implants but also surrounding tissue in the patient. That rejection often leads to further intervention needed that may include medications such as immunosuppressants or additional procedures. Researchers…
Inappropriate prescribing rates same for PCPs, NPs
Editor's Note A new study finds that both primary care physicians (PCPs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) inappropriately prescribe medications to older patients at the same rate, the Annals of Internal Medicine October 24 reports. The research is titled "Inappropriate Prescribing to Older Patients by Nurse Practitioners and Primary Care Physicians."ย …
AI apps accurately diagnose pigmented skin cancer
Editor's Note A new study analyzed the accuracy of diagnosis and therapy recommendations of two AI-based smartphone apps compared to recommendations coming from doctors. The findings were published in The Lancet Digital Health in October 2023.ย ย In the study, the AI-assisted app was compared with both medical experts and less…
COVID-19 vaccinations prevented 20M deaths in their first year
Editor's Note Almost two thirds of the worldโs population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine since December 2020. Vaccinations prevented 19.8 million out of a potential 31.4 million deaths related to COVID-19 worldwide in their first year, according to September 2022 findings published in The Lancet…
National prescription drug 'Take Back Day' is October 28
The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that the National Prescription Drug 'Take Back Day' is this Saturday, October 28. The day allows the public to dispose safely of prescription drugs. On that day, the public is invited to dispose of unneeded medications at almost 5,000 local drop-off locationsโฏnationwide,…
Improving anesthesia emissions at Seattle Childrenโs, nationwide
Editor's Note The sustainability team at Seattle Children's Hospital has reduced anesthesia-related emissions by 87%, a Becker's Hospital Review October 26 webinar reported. According to the webinar presenters, the team at Seattle Children's first gathered electronic medical record (EHR) data from their anesthesia gas machines, then implemented steps to limit…
Study IDs 10 risk factors for opioid overdose after prescription
Editor's Note A large study led by researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, identified 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain, as published by CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) on October 23. While there are screening tools to identify patients at higher risk of addiction or…
Total body PET scans show bodyโs immune response to COVID-19
Editor's Note Scientists from UC Davis used dynamic total-body positron emission tomography (PET) to show the body's immune response to COVID-19 in recovering patients, Science Advances October 12 reports. The research article, titled "First-in-human immunoPET imaging of COVID-19 convalescent patients using dynamic total-body PET and a CD8-targeted minibody," was published…