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What We're Reading: EpiPen Auto-Injectors; Drink More Water; Protect Your Mental Health
The FDA issues safety alerts for EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injectors; we should be drinking more water to reduce the effects of increased sugar intake; experts suggest actively working to protect mental health while on lockdown.
EpiPen and EpiPen Jr Auto-Injectors Safety Alerts Issued
A safety alert went out last evening from the FDA about EpiPen 0.3-mg and EpiPen Jr 0.15-mg Auto-Injectors following a letter that manufacturer Mylan sent to healthcare providers. In the letter, Mylan warned about possible device malfunction on the part of the safety release, spontaneous device activation, and device removal from the carrier tube. All parties concerned should continue to periodically review the EpiPen instructions and inspect their devices before use. Pharmacists should also inspect the pens prior to dispensing them. As always, the FDA encourages everyone to report adverse events to its MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
We Should Be Drinking More Water, Researchers Say
Working remotely and being on lockdown may mean a change to our regular workday eating habits, namely in the form of more sugar, according to Forbes. Researchers believe we should increase our water intake as a result, to help lessen the effects from excess buildup of uric acid, which accumulates in our blood from the breakdown of purines. The uric acid itself results from excess sugar intake. Higher sugar levels in our blood can also signal such metabolic disorders as diabetes and heart disease/inflammation.
Protect Your Mental Health While on Coronavirus Lockdown
The National Alliance on Mental Health has suggested that we must actively work to combat any mental distress brought on by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, according to the organization’s website. With top worries that include anxiety, loneliness, and stress centered on getting sick, losing money, and risking exposure to the virus, experts offer several coping strategies. These include being more conscious of where we get our news from, taking time for self-care, helping others, and having activities lined up to distract ourselves.
Public Hospitals More Likely to Extend Unprofitable Services After 340B Participation, Study Finds
May 10th 2024Public hospitals were significantly more likely to sustain access to unprofitable services following 340B Drug Pricing Program participation, while nonprofit hospitals were mostly unaffected, according to a recent study.
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Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity: Urban Health Outreach
May 9th 2024In the series debut episode of "Frameworks for Advancing Health Equity," Mary Sligh, CRNP, and Chelsea Chappars, of Allegheny Health Network, explain how the Urban Health Outreach program aims to improve health equity for individuals experiencing homelessness.
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Persistence Pays Off With Zanubrutinib: A Challenging CLL Case With a Prior BTK Inhibitor Failure
May 10th 2024The case of a 77-year-old woman with a long chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) history illustrates the novel use of zanubrutinib as a potential option for some patients who have failed first-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors and venetoclax.
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CMS Medicare Final Rule: Advancing Benefits, Competition, and Consumer Protection
May 7th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Karen Iapoce, senior director of government products and programs at ZeOmega, about the recent CMS final rule on Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage.
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