|
EVERYTHING
Trump Taps Susan Monarez to Helm CDC in Permanent Role
What: After having to pull his previous CDC nominee at the last minute, Trump has nominated Susan Monarez as the new CDC director, transitioning her from her acting role at the agency. Monarez, a Ph.D., would be the first head of the CDC to undergo Senate confirmation if approved.
Key Line: “Monarez is likely to face questions over the role she’s played in controversial decisions at the agency in recent months, including undermining the independence of the CDC’s flagship medical research publication, abruptly delaying a meeting of the outside vaccine advisers and plans to research whether vaccines cause autism — long after its scientists had debunked the claims.”
Source: CBS News
Study: Uncomfortable Bladder Tests Not Necessary for Incontinence Treatment
What: A randomized control-trial published in The Lancet found women with urinary incontinence can opt for a non-invasive assessment instead of bladder pressure tests to guide treatment. In thr study both groups of women got a a clinical assessment that included a questionnaire, physical examination, bladder diary, and a “cough test” to assess for stress incontinence. The women who also got a bladder pressure test weren’t any more likely to see symptom improvement due to treatment.
Key Line: ““Invasive urodynamics tests can be embarrassing and uncomfortable procedures. For many women who are struggling with finding a treatment that works for this type of urinary incontinence, our trial shows they no longer have to go through that experience to achieve an improvement in their symptoms and quality of life,” said lead researcher Prof. Mohamed Abdel-Fattah.
Source: European Association of Urology
PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM
Uncovering Hidden Threats: Prenatal Testing Reveals Maternal Cancers
What: A deep dive into how a prenatal test designed to detect fetal abnormalities unexpectedly flags cancer in pregnant women. By analyzing cell-free fetal DNA, the test identifies maternal malignancies, offering early detection and potentially life-saving interventions. Now cancer screening can be integrated into routine prenatal care.
Key Line: “On a Friday afternoon in late 2022, when Erica Lucca got a call to say that her NIPT results might indicate a problem, she assumed it was about the baby…When the geneticist she saw on Monday suggested that it was most likely a maternal issue, she was inclined to be dismissive. …Lucca, who lives in Washington, D.C., decided to take the advice she was given and enroll in the IDENTIFY study, conveniently located in nearby Bethesda, Md., a decision she now credits with saving her life. An eight-centimeter mass in her chest, discovered via a full-body magnetic resonance imaging scan, turned out to be a particularly aggressive form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Less than two weeks later, she started chemotherapy.”
Source: Scientific American
ABORTION ACCESS
Study: Patients Differ Between Pregnancy and Abortion Pill in Advance
What: Researchers used electronic medical records to compare telehealth patients who ask for the abortion pill for future use to those getting them for current pregnancies. Those asking for the abortion pill before they need it were much more likely to be white and less likely to be in “high-vulnerability counties” versus pregnant patients.
Key Line: “We observed substantial demand for advance provision of abortion medications through telehealth throughout the year and across geographies; notable surges in demand were associated with key political events. “
Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology
MENOPAUSE
Improving Menopause with…Lasers
What: A systematic review looked at the effectiveness of a specific laser treatments for menopause symptoms, such as vaginal dryness and urinary incontinence. Researchers found the treatment helped alleviate uncomfortable symptoms–but there isn’t evidence that it actually improves the tissue lining the vagina.
Key Line: “Fractional CO2 laser is associated with statistically significant improvements in the short-term treatment of sexual and urinary symptoms but not vaginal epithelium quality. The clinical significance of these changes is unclear.”
Source: Obstetrics and Gynecology
|
