Lab Value Predictive of COVID-19 Disease Severity in Children

A study has found measurements of C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and albumin are potentially predictive markers for disease severity in children hospitalized with COVID-19. The multi-center retrospective cohort study at four pediatric referral hospitals in Iran between April 2020 and March 2021 assessed the discriminative ability of laboratory and clinical parameters to pinpoint […]

FDA Approves Dupixent for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded its approval of Dupixent to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Changes in Immune Cell Gene Activity May Indicate Probability of Developing MS

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) have high levels of immune cells called cytotoxic T cells, which normally help kill cancer and cells infected by germs. In MS, these cells accumulate in areas with visible myelin damage, but until recent study results, the role the cells play in the disease had remained unknown. In a study […]

HIV Vaccine Elicits Potent Response in Nonhuman Primates

A study conducted by researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine has demonstrated that a series of six vaccinations containing a modified protein from the surface of HIV particles stimulated initial steps of a potent immune response in young nonhuman primates.

mRNA Cancer Vaccine Begins Trials for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

An mRNA vaccine has entered human trials as a treatment for lung cancer. Unlike traditional cancer vaccines such as the HPV vaccine, BNT116 is a therapeutic cancer vaccine designed to reduce tumor growth in patients with cancer or prevent its recurrence. BNT116 contains the genetic code for six molecules frequently seen in non-small cell lung cancers, which make up 80 to 85 percent of lung cancer diagnoses. Exposure to these six molecules primes immune cells to recognize these molecules on cancer cells and eliminate them.

Multi-Million Dollar Grant Awarded for Organ Transplantation Research

Researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation have been awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the NIH to advance research in organ transplantation and antibody mediated rejection.

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, has released final guidance outlining the process for the second cycle of negotiations under the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program.

CMS Issues Final Rule on 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment Systems

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a final rule on its 2025 home health prospective payment system, which updates Medicare payment policies and rates for home health agencies.

First Nasal Self-Administered Flu Vaccine Approved by FDA

FluMist, the first influenza nasal spray vaccine that can be self-administered, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

HHS Proposes Rule to Advance Health Equity

A rule has been proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to advance health equity and support whole-person care.