How Often Should Immunocompromised People Get a COVID Booster?
Preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection in immunocompromised people hasn’t gotten any easier as the pandemic trundles on into its fifth year. The monoclonal antibody tixagevimab-cilgavimab (Evusheld) has long gone by the wayside for pre-exposure prophylaxis and no replacements are on the horizon. Other prevention strategies among the general population, such as mask-wearing, have all but disappeared. Vaccination […]
Moderna’s mRNA RSV Vaccine Effective in Older Adults
Moderna’s mRNA-based RSV vaccine was effective at preventing RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease in adults ages 60 and older, according to results of the randomized ConquerRSV trial. The mRNA-1345 vaccine was 83.7% effective (95.88% CI 66%-92.2%) in preventing RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease with at least two signs or symptoms, and similarly effective (82.4%) against […]
‘End of This Phase’: Trial Halts Testing of HIV Vaccine Candidates
The PrEPVacc trial has stopped administering two investigational HIV vaccines that showed no efficacy in preventing infection, investigators announced on Wednesday during the International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa in Zimbabwe. “Vaccinations to PrEPVacc trial participants have been stopped because an analysis of the data collected so far by our Independent Data Monitoring […]
Second RSV Vaccine Lands Approval for Older Adults
The FDA has approved a second respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for preventing lower respiratory infections in adults 60 and over, Pfizer announced on Wednesday. Approval of the unadjuvanted, bivalent RSV prefusion F protein vaccine (Abrysvo) follows an endorsement in March from FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC). Advisors voted 7-4 in […]
How fit is your gut microbiome? New research shows duration and not intensity of exercise is most important
Exercise has many benefits — strengthening muscles and bones, preventing disease and extending lifespan. It is also known to change the composition and activity of the trillions of microbes in our guts known as the microbiome. It is well known that the microbiomes of athletes are different from those who are sedentary. This is not […]
New Evidence Sheds Light on Stem Cell Transplantation for Progressive MS
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) was not superior in preventing relapses or reducing disability progression than natalizumab (Tysabri) in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS), new research suggested. Patients with progressive MS, advanced disability, and low pre-treatment relapse activity who had AHSCT experienced similar on-treatment frequency of relapses as matched patients treated with natalizumab over up […]
The Best Toothbrushes That Dentists Use At Home
Maintaining your dental hygiene is an important part of preventing painful — and costly — conditions like gum disease and cavities. And one of the best ways to keep your teeth and gums happy is to brush daily to get rid of plaque and bacteria that can build up over time. Electric toothbrushes and manual […]
Presumed Clinical Benefits of TAVR Cerebral Protection Remain Unproven
BOSTON — Cerebral embolic protection (CEP) again came up empty in preventing strokes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) despite safely capturing embolic material dislodged during the procedure, a large randomized trial found. In the 3,000-person PROTECTED TAVR trial, the sentinel dual-filter system produced no significant reduction in periprocedural strokes compared with control cases without […]
Gun Violence Bill Contains an Unlikely Provision on PBMs
WASHINGTON — Why does a law aimed at preventing gun violence include a provision dealing with pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs)? The answer is simple: money. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, passed by Congress and signed into law on June 25 by President Biden, is designed primarily to decrease gun violence by, among other things, enhancing […]
Why Has This Young Man Lost the Ability to Squat and Clench His Fists?
Why has this 31-year-old man gradually developed significant stiffness in his joints, which is now preventing him from clenching his fists or squatting? That’s what Yafang Zhou, MD, PhD, of Xiangya Hospital in Hunan, China, and colleagues wanted to figure out. As they reported in JAMA Neurology, the man’s experience began about 6 months previously, […]