Public health & disease

A neuron or nerve cell is an electrically excitable cell

Breakthrough synapse-regenerating ALS pill moves to phase 2 human trials

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Spinogenix, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in California, has developed SPG302, a unique once-a-day pill that regenerates the gaps, called synapses, between neurons to restore communication in ALS patients. Following promising results from clinical trials to evaluate the drug’s safety, the FDA has approved the company’s Investigational New Drug application, paving the way for further trials and a possible watershed moment in the treatment of the fatal disease.

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HIV virus

HIV transmissions in the U.S. dropped 12% between 2018 and 2002

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According to recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report, the largest decrease in HIV infections from 2018 to 2022 was among men ages 13 to 24, where HIV infections decreased by 30%. In another recent report, the CDC found that over 80% of people diagnosed with HIV had access to care within one month of diagnosis. Furthermore, 65% had achieved viral suppression in 2022.

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Packages of diapers

Tennessee to become the first U.S. state to provide some children’s diapers

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According to the National Diaper Bank Network, 92% of families receiving diapers in Tennessee are working and still unable to afford an adequate supply of diapers. However, it was just announced that the state’s Medicaid program will officially start covering 100 diapers a month for newborns, infants, and one-year-olds in August 2024, becoming the first U.S. state to do so.

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Ambulance and EMT workers at night

Researchers develop a ‘game-changing’ blood test for stroke detection in the field

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Stroke is the top cause of disability worldwide—and the second leading cause of death—but early intervention can prevent severe consequences, and a new tool could be a game-changer. Researchers at Massachusetts’ Brigham and Women’s Hospital developed a new test by combining blood-based biomarkers with a clinical score to identify patients experiencing large vessel occlusion strokes (LVO) with high accuracy.

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Teal Wand

Groundbreaking at-home cervical cancer test granted ‘breakthrough’ status by U.S. Food and Drug Administration

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The Teal Wand is an at-home self-collect device that aims to improve rates of screenings and provide a comfortable and accessible alternative to traditional pap smears. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now granted the Teal Wand with Breakthrough Device status; a designation awarded to medical devices that the FDA considers “life-saving” or “life-changing.”

Groundbreaking at-home cervical cancer test granted ‘breakthrough’ status by U.S. Food and Drug Administration Read more

px Fentanyl mg A lethal dose in most people

New sensor is six orders of magnitude more sensitive than any electrochemical sensor for the deadly drug

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Synthetic opioids are one of the main drivers in overdose deaths in the United States. They are often mixed with other drugs, but because of their potency, they are often present in such small amounts that they can be hard to detect. The new sensor, developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, uses carbon nanotubes and gold nanoparticles to tell the most deadly drugs apart from others.

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Person touching pregnant belly with hands forming a heart

Aetna agrees to provide equal fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. in landmark settlement

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In a historic win for the LGBTQ+ community, Aetna reached a settlement today with a group of plaintiffs alleging medical discrimination in their fertility coverage. The insurance company is paying out $2 million to the members of the class action lawsuit, as well as restructuring how they cover fertility for queer couples moving forward. This marks the first big step toward ending fertility-based medical discrimination for LGBTQ+ couples.

Aetna agrees to provide equal fertility coverage for LGBTQ+ people in the U.S. in landmark settlement Read more

Image of brain

New mRNA cancer vaccine triggers fierce immune response to fight malignant brain tumor

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In a first-ever human clinical trial of four adult patients, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed at the University of Florida quickly reprogrammed the immune system to attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor.

In a first-ever human clinical trial of adult patients, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed at the University of Florida reprogrammed the immune system to attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor. The results mirror those in 10 pet dog patients suffering from brain tumors, as well as results from preclinical mouse models. The breakthrough will now be tested in a Phase 1 pediatric clinical trial.

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Vials of blood

Bacterial enzyme strips away blood types to create universal donor blood

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There’s a global shortage of blood supplies needed for life-saving transfusions due to factors that include an aging population with a higher demand for it and a lack of volunteer donors. To help address this challenge, researchers at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and Lund University, Sweden, have used enzymes produced by a common gut bacteria to remove the A and B antigens from red blood cells, bringing them one step closer to creating universal donor blood.

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