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What We’re Reading: Fauci Announces Retirement; Abortion Ban Affecting Medicine; Monkeypox Containment Passes
Anthony Fauci, MD says he will retire when President Joe Biden’s current term ends; the overturning of Roe v Wade has affected access to medicines outside of abortions; former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, warns that the window for monkeypox containment may have closed.
Fauci to Step Down
Anthony Fauci, MD, has revealed that he will be retiring as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser at the end of the president's current term. Fauci was the primary medical voice during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating for vaccinations and masks to help slow the virus' spread. He was also instrumental in advocating for HIV/AIDS response on a bipartisan level, including founding the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which the State Department estimates has saved 21 million lives. Fauci, who heads the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that he believes now that COVID-19 is in a steady state and that there will be people to continue his work in HIV treatment and prevention.
Abortion Laws Affecting Medical Practices
The overturning of Roe v Wade has led to ramifications outside of abortion clinics. Reproductive medicine and other aspects of health care have been hurt by the overturning of Roe v Wade, including treatment of ectopic pregnancies and availability of medicine that could potentially cause miscarriages. For example, methotrexate is used to treat lupus and ectopic pregnancies, but it also can cause miscarriages and could theoretically be used to induce abortion. The Arthritis Foundation and American College of Rheumatology have both issued statements detailing their concern about the accessibility of the drug.
Monkeypox Containment May Have Passed, Gottlieb Says
Scott Gottlieb, MD, former FDA commissioner, warned that the window to get control of the monkeypox outbreak may have closed, with cases increasing nationwide. Gottlieb said that monkeypox is on the verge of becoming an endemic virus, which means that it will be a persistent problem for the nation to contend with. As of Friday, the CDC has identified 1814 cases in 43 states. A monkeypox vaccine is in the works but supply may be lower than what is needed to contend with the outbreak. Monkeypox spreads through close contact with an infected individual, mostly through bodily fluids, contaminated materials, and respiratory droplets.
Combining Surgical, Nonsurgical Approaches Holds Promise for Treating Facial Acne Scars
May 4th 2024According to a review, recent progress offers hope in the form of treatments, such as combination therapy that utilizes surgical and nonsurgical methods, for individuals with facial acne scars.
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Tackling Health Inequality: The Power of Education and Experience
April 30th 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 final episode of this limited series and our conversation with Janine Jelks-Seale, MSPPM, director of health equity at UPMC Health Plan.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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AUA Posters Highlight Racial Gaps in PSA Screening, Prostate Cancer Risk
May 4th 2024Speakers discussed the disparities in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening rates among different racial groups and explored the potential of free PSA percentage as a predictive marker for future prostate cancer risk.
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