Antibiotic Resistance Among Children on the Rise
More and more children who are hospitalized in the United States are infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, aka “superbugs.” Newsweek reported that while instances of superbugs in children were only 1.5% of all infections in 2015, the proportion of these infections had been just 0.2% in 2007. In addition, these children mostly weren’t contracting the superbug in the hospital. The infection was already present in many of the children when they were admitted, which indicates more superbugs are in communities.
Stepping Up Inspections at Certain Hospitals
The California Department of Public Health will increase inspections at facilities with high patient infection rates. According to the Los Angeles Times, a nonprofit group had published a list of hospitals with high infection rates that had not been inspected in years. As a result, the state, which has been backed up on inspecting facilities, will prioritize hospitals based on how long it has been since the last review and the hospital’s own reported rate of infections.
Patient Advocacy Groups Receive Industry Funding
More than 80% of patient advocacy groups, tasked with representing the interests of patients, receive funding from drug and medical-device companies, reported The New York Times. In some cases, funding made up more than half of the group’s annual income, plus industry executives sit on the boards of 40% of groups. Patient groups are less transparent about conflicts of interest and can be vague when it comes to disclosing their donations, but they maintain that they are not influenced by their corporate donors.
Lack of Mutations Associated With Favorable Prognosis in MPN-U
April 25th 2024While the Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System and bone marrow blasts may predict overall survival, the lack of certain mutations is also associated with a better prognosis for myeloproliferative neoplasm, unclassifiable (MPN-U).
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HOPE-CAT Can Identify Maternal Cardiovascular Risk 2 Months Earlier Than Doctors, Study Says
April 25th 2024In a retrospective study, the machine learning tool was able to screen for potential risks of cardiovascular disease nearly 60 days before the patient's medical record showed any signs of a related condition or before they were officially diagnosed or treated for it.
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Data Back Neoadjuvant Combo vs Chemo Alone for Early-Stage NSCLC
April 24th 2024For patients with early-stage non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), combining neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors and platinum-based chemotherapy improves 2-year outcomes over chemotherapy alone, suggest findings of an extensive literature review and meta-analysis.
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