AJMC Staff

The HHS’ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report that says Medicare Advantage (MA) plans received an estimated $6.7 billion in 2017 after adding diagnoses to patients' files that were not supported by their medical records; more Americans are dying at home rather than in hospitals or nursing homes; the FDA warned Alkermes, maker of Vivitrol, a long-acting antiaddiction medication, that its printed advertisement does not include the risk of an increased chance of a “potentially fatal” opioid overdose as the effects wear off.

Sanofi is ending research efforts in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases; the White House endorsed an emerging bipartisan agreement on legislation aimed at curbing rising healthcare costs by targeting surprise medical billing; the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in a case involving whether the federal government owes insurers $12 billion in a dispute about risk corridor payments.

A proposed ban on surprise medical bills has growing bipartisan support; Republicans are set to propose a drug pricing bill to compete with Democrats; vaping-related illnesses are on the decline.

There are significant sex differences in links between psoriasis and metabolic disorders, according to a study published this week.

Results of the study indicated that irregular schedules, increased night shifts, sleep disturbances, and work hours were related to a higher burnout risk in police officers.

The findings show the importance of preventing bone disease in multiple myeloma (MM), the authors said.

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Activists seek to block Gilead’s patent extension for HIV drug tenofovir alafenamide; 2.1 million teens are using 1 or more tobacco products; African American and low-income mothers are less likely to seek treatment for postpartum depression.

The Trump adminsitration plans to tighten work requirements for food stamp recipients, potentially leaving 688,000 without coverage; Virginia moves to suspend Medicaid work requirements; hair dye and hair straighteners were linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in a new study.

California hands down millions in fines to Anthem Blue Cross; “street medicine” aims to bring healthcare to the homeless in Atlanta; Johnson & Johnson claims its baby powder is safe.

Acute stress was found to be a possible trigger following the loss of a partner, but not a factor in long-term risk for either disorder.

The US Supreme Court was given 2 amicus briefs by legal, medical groups advocating against the Louisiana abortion law; Michigan's governor calls to pause impending Medicaid work requirements; emergency medical service crews in Rhode Island shown to misplace breathing tubes in patients, leading to death.

A high-tech drug testing machine is being utilized to detect fentanyl in illicit drugs; the Massachusetts governor enacts a stingent vaping flavor ban; data on blood-sugar levels for patients with diabetes using Dexcom's continuous glucose monitor (CGM) has been unavailable since Saturday.

Tumor slices provide a useful platform for studying the tumor microenvironment and evaluating the preclinical efficacy of cancer therapeutics, according to a recent study.

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Hospitals in California are facing critical decisions on patient care; the FDA and CDC are investigating a multistate hepatitis A outbreak; 6 pharmaceutical giants are being investigated for their potential roles in the opioid crisis.

US Customs and Border Protection rejected recommendations by the CDC to vaccinate migrants in detention centers for the flu; PhRMA cut its donation to Addiction Policy Forum and will end all support in 2020; Louisiana health officials announced they will examine the cancer incidence in an area next to a chemical plant known to emit a likely carcinogen.

Novartis AG announced their purchase agreement with cholesterol drugmaker Medicines Company; Trump is set to allow state importation of prescription drugs to curb rising drug prices; flu shot efficacy was found to be worse in people who are overwight, obese.

Researchers in North Carolina reported discoveries that may lead to further understandings about how pancreatic cancer can become resistant to treatment.

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New Massachusetts legislation bans the sale of menthol products; a group of hospitals is suing HHS; the FDA has approved a new treatment for partial-onset seizures.

Regardless of the government's removal of cost and access obstacles to flu vaccinations, adherence remains stagnant; multistate hepatitis A outbreak linked to blackberries sold in grocery store chain; President Trump's FDA nominee Stephen Hahn avoids talk on the suspended e-cig flavor ban during his Senate confirmation hearing.

A House committee approves a bill to ban all flavored tobacco products; anal cancer rates are on the rise; the debate continues over competing healthcare measures.

California is suing Juul Labs for their role in the youth vaping crisis; a lack of clean water and plumbing was shown to disproportionately affect Native Americans; a chemical plant is passing the permit process in a Louisiana area already dubbed “cancer alley.”

A recent review examined sleep-related disorders linked to neurology and psychiatry, noting that the disorders degrade quality of life and functional ability, and recommended that when taking a patient history, specific questions are needed to probe the exact symptoms so as to enable strategic treatments.

After saying he would back a ban on flavored vapes, President Trump now says he wants to study the issue more; the FDA approved Novartis’ crizanlizumab (Adakveo) as both monotherapy and in combination for patients 16 years or older with sickle cell disease; the Federal Trade Commission will allow Bristol-Myers Squibb to purchase Celgene for $74 billion in cash and stocks.

Genetics plays a strong role in the the trajectory of the how psoriatic arthritis manifests in joint arthritis compared with skin disease.

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An FDA committee unanimously agreed to expand the indication for Vascepa to include cardiovascular prevention; the number of enrollments through the HealthCare.gov marketplace has decreased 20% from last year; Dollar Tree has received a warning for selling medications imported from foreign manufacturers with safety violations.

In Australia, adults who are female, single, middle-aged, and have lower levels of education are more likely to experience less-than-optimal sleep, according to a recent study.