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A new analysis found use of hydroxychloroquine in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increased mortality rates; the Government Accountability Office (GAO) appointed a new chair of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC); nearly 80% of Americans live in counties where COVID-19 is spreading widely.

Coverage of our peer-reviewed research and news reporting in the health care and mainstream press.

This week, the top managed care news included President Trump's use of hydroxychloroquine; early data on a COVID-19 vaccine trial; an inside look at physician burnout amid the pandemic.

Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois was able to reduce its median total drug spend by a notable 13.5%—$250,000 per medical oncologist—versus other practices enrolled in the Oncology Care Model, between the first quarters of 2017 and 2019, through the use of evidence-based clinical pathways.

Glucocorticoid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) develops in approximately 50% of allogeneic stem-cell recipients and is a major cause of death.

Being uninsured carries with it a host of adverse health consequences, including more advanced stages of disease when seeing a physician, avoidable deaths, and not receiving lifesaving treatments for conditions such as heart failure.

A new survey highlights a nationwide lack of personal protective equipment (PPE); a model shows how earlier social distancing guidelines could have spared thousands from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); parents fear consequences of online schooling for their special needs children.

Under the agreement, BARDA will spend $1.2 billion on to support development and manufacturing of the vaccine, first conceived at the University of Oxford.

Five metabolic inhibitors appear to have strong antiproliferative effects on acute myeloid leukemia (AML), according to a new study.

A deep learning model appears to be useful in classifying images to provide corneal information and preliminarily identify corneas at risk for refractive surgery, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.

Research shows a strong and consistent association between pregnancy loss and type 2 diabetes (T2D), and the risk of developing T2D increases with a higher number of pregnancy losses, according to a study published in Diabetologia.

The therapy is for patients with deleterious or suspected deleterious germline somatic homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene–mutated cancer or for those whose cancer has progressed after prior treatment with enzalutamide or abiraterone.

Utilizing a consistent strategy consisting of 4 key attributes—trust, stability, compassion, and hope—can assist employers in designing an effective burnout strategy for physicians amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond, said Vibhas Ratanjee, senior practice expert at Gallup.

A practice gap exists for treatment of comorbid depression in military personnel presenting with headache and migraine, while depression strongly correlates with productivity loss in the armed forces, according to a study published in the Journal of Headache and Pain.

Johnson & Johnson talc-based baby powder sales will soon cease in North America; CMS provides detailed guidance on how to reopen nursing homes to visitors; CDC provides additional information for schools and business looking to resume operations.

Vibhas Ratanjee is a senior practice expert with Gallup, based in Gallup's Irvine, California office. Vibhas is a well-known speaker and author and has contributed several articles on leadership and organizational development as well as how new technology will alter the future of work and the customer experience. His writing has featured in several global publications, including the Gallup Business Journal and the Harvard Business Review. Vibhas specializes in organizational development, culture change, and executive-level engagement strategies, including strengths-based leadership and succession management. Vibhas is also an executive coach and a leadership consultant to senior executives and CEOs. Vibhas works extensively in the health care and financial services sector.

A small trial out of Columbia University Irving Medical Center shows encouraging recovery results among patients with breast cancer who contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which was confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, and/or high clinical or radiographic suspicion. Hospitalization was not necessary for nearly three-quarters of the patients.

HHS signed a $354-million contract with a team of private industries to ramp up US pharmaceutical manufacturing and production in wake of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Historically, active pharmaceutical ingredients and chemical compounds have been produced abroad, largely in China, and imported by the United States. The move comes after President Donald Trump publically criticized the World Health Organization's response to the pandemic and accused China of witholding critical information regarding coronavirus.

Severity of obstructive sleep apnea in patients was shown to be positively associated with a 3-month depression after ischemic stroke, according to study findings.

President Trump announced yesterday he was taking hydroxychloroquine as a preventive measure for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) despite reported adverse effects and lack of beneficial evidence; Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine shows early promise; CDC finds less than half of infants 5 months or younger are on track for vital vaccinations.

The approval is the fifth for the immunotherapy in lung cancer and the fourth in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Between 2009 and 2018, trends in antibiotic resistance among ocular microorganisms remained mostly unchanged in the United States, according to a study published in JAMA Ophthalmology. However, multidrug resistance, especially among methicillin-resistant staphylococci, remained high throughout the study period.

By 2030, the World Health Organization estimates that 82 million individuals worldwide will be affected by dementia, up from 50 million in 2017 and a 64% increase in prevalence in just 13 years. It is well established that cardiovascular health and cognitive decline are interrelated.

Reduced physical activity and greater nightly variation in sleep duration are associated with less favorable metabolic profiles in adolescents, including higher fat accumulation and higher insulin levels, according to a study published in PLoS One.

The FDA approved Deciphera Pharmaceuticals’ ripretinib (Qinlock), the first drug for fourth-line treatment of advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). The medication is only indicated for adults who have previously received treatment with 3 or more kinase inhibitor therapies, including imatinib.

President Donald Trump is considering whether to cut off funding to the World Health Organization; relief for the public amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic remains stagnant as Republicans and Democrats have yet to agree on a new stimulus bill; no spike in COVID-19 cases has been observed so far in reopened states.

By mid-March, large hospitals in the Northeast experienced a 26% decline in average per-facility revenues based on estimated in-network amounts as compared to the same period in 2019. Nationwide, the decrease in revenue for large hospitals was 16%

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and a 2015 paper showed the potential for electronic health visits to provide access to care for patients who needed immediate assistance.