December 2024 Health News Roundup
Date postedDecember 30, 2024
Topics in this News Roundup:
- Cancer
- Cardiology
- Chronic Health Conditions
- COVID-19
- Criminalization of Medicine
- Disabled Populations
- Endocrinology
- Environmental Health
- Financial Concerns
- Flu Season
- Food Safety
- Good News
- Government and Advocacy
- Health Care Systems
- Health Technology
- Immunology
- Infectious Disease
- Insurance
- Medical Care
- Medical Education
- Medical Research
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Medications and Prescribing
- Mental and Behavioral Health
- Nephrology
- Neurology
- Obesity and Weight Loss
- Public Health
- Reproductive and Sexual Health
- Respiratory Health
- Substance Use and Treatment
- Vaccination
Cancer
- US health panel adds self-testing option for cervical cancer screening (AP, 12/10/24)
- Colonoscopies Outperform New Blood Tests for Colon Cancer Screening (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/6/24)
- Abnormal prenatal blood test results could indicate hidden maternal cancers (National Institutes of Health, 12/4/24)
- More Cancers Are Being Treated with Personalized Therapies Before Surgery (American College of Surgeons, 12/3/24)
Cardiology
- Cardiovascular Disease Among Women and Birthing Individuals After Delivering a Child With Congenital Heart Disease (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 12/24/24)
- Changes in Cardiovascular Health at Midlife Subsequent Cardiovascular Outcomes in Individuals with Diabetes (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 12/24/24)
- Microplastics and Nanoplastics: The Next Frontier of Cardiovascular Risk? (Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 12/24/24)
- Cardiovascular Disease Deaths Climb in Rural US, Particularly Among Younger Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/20/24)
- ACC Issues Guidance on Arrhythmia Monitoring After Stroke (American College of Cardiology, 12/17/24)
- Long-term exposure to air pollution linked to blood clots in veins that bring blood to the heart (National Institutes of Health, 12/12/24)
- Smoking From Childhood Associated With Greater Risk of Cardiac Damage (American College of Cardiology, 12/11/24)
- ACC Issues Guidance For Diagnosing and Managing Myocarditis (American College of Cardiology, 12/10/24)
Chronic Health Conditions
- General
- Remote Monitoring Can Transform Chronic Disease Care for Rural Americans: A Call to Action for Medicare (American Journal of Medicine, 12/18/24)
- Anxiety and Depression
- Brain Circuit Analysis Reveals Six Distinct Subtypes of Depression and Anxiety (Psychiatric News, 12/2/24)
- Autoimmune Disease
- New Research Suggests Increased Risk of Some Autoimmune Disorders After COVID-19 (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/13/24)
- Borderline Personality Disorder
- American Psychiatric Association Publishes Updated practice Guideline on the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 12/10/24)
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- Low Birth Weight Linked to Increased COPD Risk (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/30/24)
- COPD Linked to Increased Risk of Cognitive Impairment (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/12/24)
- Chronic Pain
- Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults suffered chronic pain last year (Washington Post, 12/16/24)
- Diabetes
- FDA Approves First Generic of Once-Daily GLP-1 Injection to Lower Blood Sugar in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (Food and Drug Administration, 12/23/24)
- Dysautonomia
- Navigating Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care Management in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/18/24)
- Epilepsy
- Common Blood Pressure Drug May Help Reduce Increased Risk of Epilepsy after a Stroke (American Epilepsy Society, 12/9/24)
- Lack of Diversity in Genetic Studies of Epilepsy Translates to a Lack of Information Needed to Improve Care (American Epilepsy Society, 12/9/24)
- People with Epilepsy of Childbearing Potential May Not Realize the Risks their Medications Pose to Pregnancy or Birth Control (American Epilepsy Society, 12/9/24)
- HIV/AIDS
- Stigma Remains Primary Health Concern in Patients With HIV/AIDS (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/19/24)
- Substance Use, HIV Testing Connected in US Adolescents (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/12/24)
- RIDOH Launches PrEP Champions Network to Reduce HIV Health Disparities (RI Department of Health, 12/2/24)
- For People Living with HIV/AIDS, TB is Still the Leading Cause of Death (American Thoracic Society, 12/1/24)
- Long COVID
- Women’s Immune Systems May Explain Increased Long COVID Diagnoses (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/20/24)
- Long COVID Symptoms Improve With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/19/24)
- Patients With HIV Had Reduced Frequency, Severity of Long COVID Symptoms (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/17/24)
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
- Diagnosis and Management of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders in Children (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 12/6/24)
COVID-19
- After a long lull, Covid-19 levels are surging in the US (CNN, 12/31/24)
- WHO: Statement on the Antigen Composition of COVID-19 Vaccines (ME Medical Association, 12/24/24)
- In Search of COVID-19 Vaccines That Elicit Mucosal Immunity and Stop Transmission (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/20/24)
- Women’s Immune Systems May Explain Increased Long COVID Diagnoses (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/20/24)
- Long COVID Symptoms Improve With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/19/24)
- Patients With HIV Had Reduced Frequency, Severity of Long COVID Symptoms (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/17/24)
- Many US Adults Affected by Long COVID, Related Activity Limitations (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/16/24)
- New Research Suggests Increased Risk of Some Autoimmune Disorders After COVID-19 (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/13/24)
- Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine Effective in Children Aged 5 to 17 Years (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/12/24)
- CDC Recommends Second COVID-19 Vaccine Dose for Older Adults (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/6/24)
- COVID-19 Infection Increases Risk of Severe Outcomes in Patients With Certain Cardiomyopathies (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/5/24)
Criminalization of Medicine
- Guide for Ob-Gyns on Counseling Patients about Access to Abortion (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 12/20/24)
Disabled Populations
- HHS Office for Civil Rights and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island Reach Agreement with the State of Rhode Island to Resolve Violations of Federal Disability Laws for Children with Disabilities in State Care (Department of Health and Human Services, 12/19/24)
- HHS Office for Civil Rights Settles with Delaware to Enforce Federal Disability Rights Laws (Department of Health and Human Services, 12/18/24)
- (New Hampshire) Wentworth-Douglass Grant Provides $30K for Children with Disabilities (Mass General Brigham Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, 12/4/24)
Endocrinology
- FDA Approves First Generic of Once-Daily GLP-1 Injection to Lower Blood Sugar in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes (Food and Drug Administration, 12/23/24)
- Special Emphasis Notice: AHRQ Announces Interest in Research to Improve Treatment and Management of Menopause symptoms (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 12/16/24)
Environmental Health
- Heightened Risk of Hospitalization for Blood Clots Seen in People with Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution (American Society of Hematology, 12/17/24)
- Ambient Toxins Linked to Disabilities in Minority Schoolchildren (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/10/24)
- Climate Change Inaction Poses Record-Breaking Health Risks (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/6/24)
Financial Concerns
- New WHO Report Reveals Governments Deprioritizing Health Spending (ME Medical Association, 12/18/24)
Flu Season
- NIH officials assess threat of H5N1 (National Institutes of Health, 12/31/24)
- The Emerging Threat of H5N1 to Human Health (New England Journal of Medicine, 12/31/24)
- Bird flu virus shows mutations in first severe human case in US, CDC says (Reuters, 12/26/24)
- CDC Confirms First Severe Case of H5N1 Bird Flu in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12/18/24)
- USDA Commences Nationwide Milk Testing for Bird Flu (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/17/24)
- First H5N1 Bird Flu Infections in Pigs Raises Concerns (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/13/24)
Food Safety
- FDA Updates “Healthy” Claim, Providing a Refreshed Tool for Consumers (Food and Drug Administration, 12/19/24)
Good News
- (New Hampshire) Executive Council clears the way for Dartmouth Health to operate Hampstead Hospital (NH Public Radio, 12/18/24)
- (New Hampshire) New England Cancer Specialists Welcomes Oncologist Dr. Laura Salama, Expanding Specialized Breast Cancer Services to Sourthern Maine and Seacoast New Hampshire (ME Medical Association, 12/18/24)
- (New Hampshire) NH DHHS and Dartmouth Health Form Public-Private Partnership to Operate Hampstead Hospital and Residential Treatment Facility (NH Department of Health and Human Services, 12/18/24)
- An Alabama woman is doing well after the latest experimental pig kidney transplant (AP, 12/17/24)
- (New Hampshire) Dr. Ramiro Madden-Fuentes Recognized as Center of Excellence for AMS 700th Inflatable Penile Prosthesis (Concord Hospital, 12/16/24)
- (New Hampshire) Dr. Milchev & Dr. Bali Join Speare Primary Care in Plymouth! (Speare Memorial Hospital, 12/10/24)
- (New Hampshire) Capital Division colleagues support North Carolina sister facility after Hurricane Helene (Portsmouth Hospital, 12/6/24)
- (New Hampshire) Welcome Home Healthcare Hospice and Community Services (HCS) to the MCH Campus (Mass General Brigham Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, 12/2/24)
Government and Advocacy
- Congress fails to act on prior auth reform (American Gastroenterological Association, 12/18/24)
- Massachusetts Medical Society announces policies on crisis pregnancy centers, medical leave, and resilience of the health care medical supply chain (MA Medical Society, 12/11/24)
Health Care Systems
- Special Emphasis Notice: AHRQ Announces Interest in Health Services Research to Reduce Emergency Department Boarding and Hospital Crowding (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 12/20/24)
Health Technology
- HHS Office for Civil Rights Proposes Measures to Strengthen Cybersecurity in Health Care Under HIPAA (Department of Health and Human Services, 12/27/24)
Immunology
- Stigma Remains Primary Health Concern in Patients With HIV/AIDS (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/19/24)
- Substance Use, HIV Testing Connected in US Adolescents (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/12/24)
- RIDOH Launches PrEP Champions Network to Reduce HIV Health Disparities (RI Department of Health, 12/2/24)
- For People Living with HIV/AIDS, TB is Still the Leading Cause of Death (American Thoracic Society, 12/1/24)
Infectious Disease
- Norovirus cases are surging in parts of the US, CDC data shows (AP, 12/28/24)
- (New Hampshire) Pneumonia case levels high across NH, VT (NH Public Radio, 12/27/24)
- WHO Announces First Prequalification of a Tuberculosis Diagnostic Test (ME Medical Association, 12/11/24)
- New Report Highlights Need for Sustained Investment in Infection Prevention and Control Programs (ME Medical Association, 12/4/24)
Insurance
- HealthCare.gov Breaks New Record with 16.6 Million Consumers Signing Up for Coverage – the Highest Ever for January 1 Coverage (Department of Health and Human Services, 12/20/24)
- American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Statement Regarding Anthem’s Policy Reversal on Anesthesia Care Payment (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 12/6/24)
Medical Care
- Nearly a quarter of U.S. adults suffered chronic pain last year (Washington Post, 12/16/24)
Medical Education
- (New Hampshire) Order Waiving Physician Assistant Continuing Education Requirements (NH Board of Medicine, 12/4/24)
Medical Research
- National Academies Report Calls for an NIH Institute Dedicated to Women’s Health (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/27/24)
- Research Supports Need for Diversity in Hemophilia Trials and Reducing Resource Strain (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/24/24)
- FDA Approves First Acellular Tissue Engineered Vessel to Treat Vascular Trauma in Extremities (Food and Drug Administration, 12/20/24)
Medicare and Medicaid
- Remote Monitoring Can Transform Chronic Disease Care for Rural Americans: A Call to Action for Medicare (American Journal of Medicine, 12/18/24)
Medications and Prescribing
- Statement from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra as New $2,000 Out-of-Pocket Cap Takes Effect, Saving Millions on Prescription Drugs (Department of Health and Human Services, 12/31/24)
Mental and Behavioral Health
- HHS Awards $10 Million for New Community-Based Maternal Behavioral Health Services Grant Program (Department of Health and Human Services, 12/31/24)
- Neuropsychiatric considerations in treating anorexia nervosa patients with osteopathic manipulative medicine: a narrative review (Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 12/19/24)
- American Psychiatric Association Publishes Updated practice Guideline on the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (American Psychiatric Association, 12/10/24)
- Diagnosis and Management of Obsessive Compulsive Disorders in Children (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 12/6/24)
- (New Hampshire) Mission Zero: No Adults Waiting in Emergency Departments for Psychiatric Placement (NH Department of Health and Human Services, 12/6/24)
- Brain Circuit Analysis Reveals Six Distinct Subtypes of Depression and Anxiety (Psychiatric News, 12/2/24)
Nephrology
- Behavioral intervention decreases how much pain affects daily activities in people with dialysis-dependent kidney failure (National Institutes of Health, 12/30/24)
Neurology
- Navigating Diagnosis, Treatment, and Care Management in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/18/24)
- Common Blood Pressure Drug May Help Reduce Increased Risk of Epilepsy after a Stroke (American Epilepsy Society, 12/9/24)
- Lack of Diversity in Genetic Studies of Epilepsy Translates to a Lack of Information Needed to Improve Care (American Epilepsy Society, 12/9/24)
- People with Epilepsy of Childbearing Potential May Not Realize the Risks their Medications Pose to Pregnancy or Birth Control (American Epilepsy Society, 12/9/24)
Obesity and Weight Loss
- Obesity Prevalence, BMI Decreased in US for First Time in a Decade (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/13/24)
- Semaglutide Eases Knee Osteoarthritis Pain in People with Obesity (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/6/24)
Public Health
- Public Health Leaders Celebrate Signing of New Law that Will Transform Local Public Health System (ME Public Health Association, 12/10/24)
Reproductive and Sexual Health
- (New Hampshire) Concord Hospital Health System Secures over $353,000 to Advance Maternal Health and Maternity Care (Concord Hospital, 12/26/24)
- Guide for Ob-Gyns on Counseling Patients about Access to Contraception (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 12/13/24)
- Very Early Medication Abortions as Safe and Effective as Standard Timing (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/13/24)
- Obstetric Care Access at Rural and Urban Hospitals in the United States (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/4/24)
Respiratory Health
- Low Birth Weight Linked to Increased COPD Risk (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/30/24)
- FDA Approves First Medication for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Food and Drug Administration, 12/20/24)
- COPD Linked to Increased Risk of Cognitive Impairment (American Journal of Managed Care, 12/12/24)
Substance Use and Treatment
- Congress Misses Crucial Opportunity to Include Lifesaving Addiction Treatment Legislation in Year-End Package; ASAM Calls for Immediate Action in 2025 (American Society of Addiction Medicine, 12/21/24)
- GLP-1 Agonists May Reduce Risk of Alcohol Use Disorder Hospitalizations (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/20/24)
- Reported use of most drugs among adolescents remained low in 2024 (National Institutes of Health, 12/17/24)
- Healey-Driscoll administration awards $2.6 million to launch diversion program for people with substance use disorder (MA Department of Public Health, 12/3/24)
Vaccination
- Global Measles Cases Rose 20% in 1 Year as Vaccine Coverage Fell Short (Journal of the American Medical Association, 12/27/24)
- Flu vaccines drop among kids despite record deaths last year: CDC (The Hill, 12/12/24)