CDC Director Mandy Cohen urged all people ages 6 months and older to get the updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer next month or in October, adding that co-administration of the influenza and COVID-19 vaccines is highly encouraged. The CDC's Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics predicts that combined peak hospitalization for influenza, RSV and COVID-19 will be similar or lower in this year's respiratory season compared with last year.
The number of US states meeting the CDC goal of having 95% of kindergartners vaccinated for measles has dropped since 20 met or eclipsed the target during the 2019-20 school year. The national rate was 93.1% in the 2022-23 school year, and the number of measles cases this year in the US is up 271% over 2023. A Gallup poll found that 40% of Americans say vaccinations are essential, down from 58% in 2019.
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Two studies published in JAMA Pediatrics highlighted the benefits of intermittent fasting, which also worked as calorie restriction among adolescents with obesity. Primary analysis showed reduced BMI z scores in body composition or cardiometabolic health for those receiving intermittent and continuous energy restriction after 52 weeks. Secondary analysis also showed that symptoms of depression, eating disorders and binge eating were reduced with both intermittent and continuous energy restriction.
A study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that children who have persistently raised inflammation are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health disorders, including psychotic behavior and depression, in early adulthood. "This study adds new information about the chronicity and timing of inflammation predating illness and provides insight into the co-occurrence of related cardiometabolic disorders," researchers wrote.
A study published in Pediatrics found that sexual and gender minority binge drinking differs among high school students, highlighting that LGBTQ+ middle and high schoolers are binge drinking more often compared to cisgender and heterosexual students. Findings also showed that transgender students with minoritized racial and ethnic identities reported higher binge drinking rates, except for Asian transgender students.
Health systems are integrating automated clinical documentation tools such as Suki, DeepScribe, Abridge and DAX into EHR systems to relieve clinicians' administrative burdens, potentially improving efficiency and giving clinicians more time to interact directly with patients while getting some of their own free time back. "We're making more eye contact, and our body posture shifts away from the computer and faces the patient. We're able to pick up on more nonverbal cues," said physician Harrison Jackson.
A study in Environmental and Resource Economics found that affluent Americans are moving to less polluted areas, while poorer families remain in or relocate to more polluted neighborhoods. "This creates a vicious cycle, where firms strategically locate polluting facilities in lower-income areas, and the resulting environmental burdens then fall disproportionately on disadvantaged communities," researcher Dakshina De Silva said.
A study published in the BMJ showed overall suicide rates among physicians have declined over time, but suicide rates for female physicians remained 76% higher compared with the general population. Male physicians had about similar suicide risk as the general population, but their risk of suicide was 81% higher compared with other professionals with similar socioeconomic status.
The Biden administration will resume sending free COVID-19 tests through the mail by late September amid rising cases of COVID-19, allowing each household to order four free tests via the COVIDTests.gov website. The antiviral drug Paxlovid will also be offered for free for uninsured people and those on Medicaid and Medicare until the end of this year, said Dawn O'Connell, HHS' assistant secretary for preparedness and response.
Incyte and Syndax Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA granted approval for its drug Niktimvo, or axatilimab-csfr, for chronic graft versus host disease in specific pediatric patients as well as adults. Midstage trial data showed treatment with Niktimvo induced durable responses in all organs and patient subgroups studied, which became the basis for the FDA's approval.
Meetings known as the San Francisco Conference that took place between April and June in 1945 resulted in the creation of which of these organizations?
Danielle Jones is a health care editor at SmartBrief where she edits content about pediatrics, radiology, biotechnology and nuclear medicine. She's been a medical editor and writer for 14 years now and has a background in clinical practices. You can contact her by email with feedback and ideas. If you find this newsletter helpful, please share it with a friend or colleague who might like to subscribe. It's free!
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