Precision Medicine

Also called personalized medicine, this evolving field makes use of an individual’s genes, lifestyle, environment and other factors to identify unique disease risks and guide treatment decision-making.

Can the brain grow neurons later in life? For now, the answer is ‘maybe’

In the past month, two studies came to very different conclusions when examining if the human brain is capable of growing new neurons later in life. The first, published March 7 in Nature, found no evidence of neurogenesis in individuals older than 13 years old. But another study, released April 5 in Cell Stem Cell, claimed to find neuron generation in all the brains examined.

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Baby boomers a boon—and a burden—for orthopedic surgeons

As the baby boomer generation ages, more patients are seeking joint replacements. What could be a financial windfall for orthopedic surgeons and practices is beginning to become a problem as providers are struggling to keep up with the demand.

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FDA’s Gottlieb: Internet providers need to act to eliminate illegal online sales

Headlining the National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit in Atlanta on April 4, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, criticized internet providers in efforts to reduce illegal online sales of opioids such as fentanyl and heroin.

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Surgeon General urges people to carry opioid overdose antidote naloxone

In the first public health advisory from his office in 13 years, U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, MD, MPH, has asked Americans—particularly those who have friends, family or are personally at risk of overdosing on opioids—to carry the overdose-reversing medication naloxone.

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Smartphone app outperforms conventional exam in assessing blood flow

A smartphone application utilizing a camera to assess blood flow in the wrist artery in patients undergoing coronary angiography was able to outperform traditional physical examination, according to a study published April 3 in Canadian Medical Association Journal.

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7 things to know about development, marketing of mHealth apps

The new research from Research2Guidance, a Berlin-based market research company focused on mobile app development, included 2,400 mHealth developers and healthcare professionals, with 47 percent of responses coming from Europe and 36 percent from the U.S.

Researchers develop injectable bandage

Researchers from the Inspired Nanomaterials and Tissue Engineering Laboratory have developed an injectable bandage made of a hydrogel agent, according to a study published in the February 2018 edition of Acta Biomaterialia.

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Mixed results for Medicaid maternity bundle in Texas

A bundled payment arrangement created in Texas by a non-profit Medicaid health maintenance organization (HMO) didn’t result in consistent savings for the two large physician groups participating, according to research displayed at the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) Congress in Chicago.

Around the web

HHS has thought through the ways AI can and should become an integral part of healthcare, human services and public health. Last Friday—possibly just days ahead of seating a new secretary—the agency released a detailed plan for getting there from here.

Philips is recalling the software associated with its Mobile Cardiac Outpatient Telemetry devices after certain high-risk ECG events were never routed to trained cardiology technicians as intended. The issue, which lasted for two years, has been linked to more than 100 injuries. 

Heart Rhythm Society President Kenneth A. Ellenbogen, MD, detailed a new advocacy group focused on improving EP reimbursements, patient care and access. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu," he said.