Guidance for Second Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Released
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), has released final guidance outlining the process for the second cycle of negotiations under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. The guidance also explains how CMS will help ensure people with Medicare can access drugs at the negotiated […]
CMS Issues Final Rule on 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment Systems
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on its 2025 home health prospective payment system, which updates Medicare payment policies and rates for home health agencies. This rule will also provide updates to the intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) items and services’ payment rates for durable medical equipment suppliers. With this […]
Pfizer’s RSV Vaccine ABRYSVO Approved by FDA
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved ABRYSVO (respiratory syncytial virus vaccine [RSV]), a bivalent RSV prefusion F (RSVpreF) vaccine, for the prevention of lower respiratory tract disease (LRTD) caused by RSV in individuals 18 through 59 years of age who are at increased risk for LRTD caused by RSV. ABRYSVO now offers […]
Scientists Develop $25 Nasal Spray That Is 99% Effective Against Colds, Flu and COVID-19
Scientists at Harvard Medical School have developed a simple nasal spray, made of harmless ingredients, that can protect people against flu, colds and COVID-19 with near-100 percent success, and it costs just $25. The new spray is called the Pathogen Capture and Neutralizing Spray, or PCANS, though they are marketing it under the name Profi. […]
First Nasal Self-Administered Flu Vaccine Approved by FDA
The first influenza nasal spray vaccine that can be self-administered has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FluMist, manufactured by MedImmune, which was acquired by AstraZeneca in 2007, was first approved by FDA in 2003 for individuals between 5 and 49 years of age. Its approval has since been expanded to […]
HHS Proposes Rule to Advance Health Equity
A rule has been proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to advance health equity and support whole-person care. The proposed rule would also strengthen primary care, expand access to behavioral health, oral health and caregiver training services, maintain telehealth flexibilities and expand access to screening for colorectal cancer and vaccinations […]
New Type of Blood Test Can Identify Kids at Risk of Diabetes
Scientists at Kings College London have discovered a novel link between lipids and disorders affecting children’s metabolism that may provide an early warning system for obesity-related problems such as type 2 diabetes and liver and heart disease. The researchers say this could assist medical professionals in identifying early disease indicators in children more quickly and […]
Study Finds Repeat Dosing of IVIG and PLEX Common in GBS, Resulting in Harm to Nonresponders
According to randomized controlled trials, repeat intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) dosing and plasma exchange (PLEX) followed by IVIG (combination therapy) have no additional therapeutic benefit in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) nonresponders. Furthermore, the delineation between GBS and acute onset chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (A-CIDP) can be particularly challenging and carries therapeutic implications. In the retrospective study […]
Study Finds Flu Vaccine Over 50% Effective Against Severe Disease in Children
According to a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, the estimated effectiveness of at least one dose of the influenza vaccine against emergency department visits or hospitalization was over 50 percent across disease severity levels among nearly 16,000 U.S. children during five respiratory illness seasons.
FDA Approves Zepbound to Treat Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of Eli Lilly & Co.’s Zepbound for adults with obesity and moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, a common condition where a person struggles to breathe properly during sleep.
