French pharmaceutical company Sanofi will expand access to a potential coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine among Europeans; COVID-19 outbreaks in prisons threaten already-strained rural hospitals; individuals with chronic illnesses report alcohol intake exceeding recommended guidelines.
Sanofi, a French pharmaceutical company, will accelerate access to potential COVID-19 vaccines in Europe after the CEO had prioritized US preorders, Reuters reports. Last month, Sanofi teamed up with GlaxoSmithKline to develop a COVID-19 vaccine candidate it hopes will become available next year. HHS’ Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) gave financial support to the 2 companies, prompting expectations that US patients will be the first to receive doses. Sanofi is now in talks with the European Union and French and German governments to expedite regional vaccine development.
COVID-19 threatens to further overwhelm rural hospitals if infections spread in prisons, Kaiser Health News reports. In rural America, prisons and jails have minimal intensive care unit beds and ventilators and few additional medical resources, meaning some patients may end up in the local hospital’s care. Many individuals living in close quarters already exacerbate the risk of infection spread. Rural communities also have, on average, sicker and older populations compared with the rest of the country. Because of this, concerns of prison outbreaks extend beyond the incarcerated to the facility workers who may spread the disease in their communities.
A new study published in JAMA Network Open found many patients with chronic illnesses exceed recommended alcohol consumption limits. The cross-sectional study of more than 2.7 million adults found that 9.9% of respondents reported unhealthy drinking habits. Patients with medical conditions were less likely to drink compared with healthy individuals. However, among individuals reporting alcohol use, patients with diabetes, hypertension, cancer, chronic liver disease, and other chronic conditions were more likely to report drinking that exceeded recommended guidelines. Researchers suggest that clinicians implement a targeted approach to aid patients with certain chronic conditions to reduce excessive alcohol consumption.
Real-World Study Reveals Key Insights into DLBCL Treatment Patterns, Outcomes
April 18th 2024A recent study offers valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in patients across different lines of therapy, providing a look into the landscape of DLBCL management.
Read More
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Gene, Light Therapy Combo Shows Promise Against Prostate Cancer Cells in Proof-of-Concept Study
April 18th 2024In their preclinical model, the researchers found efficacy both in vitro and in vivo by using CRISPR-Cas9 to mimic porphyria and combining the technology with light therapy.
Read More
Making Giant Strides in Maternity Health Through Baby Steps
April 9th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are kicking off a special month-long podcast series with our strategic alliance partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our first episode, which is all about the Baby Steps Maternity Program and its mission to support women throughout every step of their pregnancy journey.
Listen
Collecting SDOH Data Can Assess Risk of Medical Nonadherence, Improve HEI and Star Ratings
April 18th 2024At the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (AMCP) 2024 annual meeting, a panel of presenters explored changes coming to Medicare that incorporate social determinants of health (SDOH) data to improve patient and health system outcomes.
Read More