RFK Jr. Seeks to Peek at Americans’ Medical Records for Clues on Autism and Vaccines
U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pursuing federal government access to most Americans’ medical records, in a quest to research a link between vaccines and autism — a connection the medical establishment studied for decades and flatly rejects. HHS is seeking data from little-known state systems that allow hospitals and clinics to exchange […]
FDA’s E-Cigarette Authorization: Fruity Vapes Not Better Than Tobacco Ones
Fruit-flavored e-cigarettesopens in a new tab or window recently authorized by the FDA were not significantly better at helping smokers quit than tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, according to a new memo that’s likely to stir new questionsopens in a new tab or window about the agency’s decision. The FDA last month gave its first OK to fruit-flavored […]
Can AI pinpoint hidden primary aldosteronism before it’s diagnosed?
Clinical Takeaway: In patients with hypertension, AI-driven risk stratification using routine EHR data may help identify who should be prioritized for primary aldosteronism screening, especially when universal screening is difficult to operationalize. Primary aldosteronism may affect up to 20% of patients with hypertension and carries higher cardiovascular risk than primary hypertension, but it remains widely […]
PAs in Cardiology; Increased Risks With Gout; Bad News for Female Heart Recipients
Physician Assistants in Cardiology In the U.K., resident doctors in cardiology reported that it is not uncommon for physician assistants (PAs) to perform actions outside their scope of practice, according to a survey. (Heart) Multiple Sclerosis and Cardiovascular Surgery Multiple sclerosis did not predispose individuals to worse outcomes following cardiovascular surgery, as noted in a […]
Medicare’s GLP-1 Program Looms; Chemicals in Breast Milk; Acromegaly Drug Rejected
Medicare’s GLP-1 Program A massive wave of new prescriptions for GLP-1 receptor agonists is expected following the July launch of a Medicare pilot program that offers the drugs for weight loss for a flat $50 monthly copay. (Axios) Meanwhile, nearly 80% of employers said GLP-1 medications are driving an increase in their healthcare costs, and […]
Not Enough Men On Testosterone Get Guideline-Based Hypogonadism Work-Up
CHICAGO — Few men prescribed testosterone therapy received guideline-concordant diagnostic testing for androgen deficiency, and some received therapy despite contraindications, a retrospective chart review indicated. In a random sample of 200 male patients cared for at a single institution, only 12% underwent testing according to the Endocrine Society’s recommendations. This included having two low morning […]
Experts Pan RFK Jr.’s Inquiry Into Removal of Flawed Vaccine Study
Legal and public health experts expressed concern about HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s scrutiny of a medical journal’s decision to remove a study that purportedly suggested an increased incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) within a few days after vaccination. “Secretary Kennedy pretended in the past to support free speech,” Dorit Reiss, PhD, […]
AAP Disputes Kennedy’s Claim That Vaccine Panel Can’t Meet Ahead of Flu Season
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) pushed backopens in a new tab or window on HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims that the CDC’s vaccine panel is unable to meet due to a recent ruling in a lawsuitopens in a new tab or window challenging changesopens in a new tab or window to the […]
GLP-1 drugs may boost male fertility markers
Clinical Takeaway: GLP-1 receptor agonists don’t appear to acutely suppress the male hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and may improve testosterone and some semen parameters in men with obesity-related low testosterone, but they shouldn’t yet be considered infertility or hypogonadism treatments. As GLP-1 receptor agonists become increasingly common for obesity and type 2 diabetes, clinicians need clearer guidance […]
FDA Clears First OTC Continuous Glucose Monitor for Kids
The FDA cleared the first over-the-counter (OTC) integrated continuous glucose monitor (CGM) for children 2 years and older with or without diabetes, the agency announced on Friday. Indications for Use The Stelo Glucose Biosensor System device is indicated for children with diabetes who do not use insulin but instead manage their condition with oral medication, […]