The Med & Mic™ 04.06.22
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Preventable Deaths in Women of Reproductive Age
The U.S. has the highest rate of preventable death for women of reproductive age among ten other high-income countries. The death rate from complications of pregnancy in the U.S. is 23.8 per 100,000, which is three times higher than all countries included in the report by the Commonwealth Fund. The senior researcher, Munira Gunja, MPH, says in an article from MedPage Today that the 200 per 100,000 deaths in reproductive-age women are avoidable. “These data reflect,” Rosemary Morgan, PhD adds, “a gender bias that continues to persist.”
COVID Treatment Authorization Pulled
The FDA has announced the anti-COVID drug sotrovimab is no longer authorized to treat patients in any U.S. state or territory. It had been restricted in just the Northeast and other regions because it didn’t work against Omicron BA.2. This is the dominant coronavirus in the U.S. accounting for 72% of cases. Now there is only one authorized monoclonal antibody, bebtelovimab, that doctors and hospitals can give. Antiviral pills are still an authorized option as well, but they have to be taken early in the illness to have an impact. More from the AP.
HHS to Address Long COVID
The Department of Health and Human Services will coordinate an action to address long COVID. The government will issue a report in four months about services and support, federal protections for people with long COVID, and clinical research studies. An estimated 8- to 23-million Americans have long COVID. The condition is linked to fatigue, brain fog, and other problems for weeks to many months. More from the Washington Post.
42 New Alzheimer’s Genes
In the largest study so far of genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease, 42 more genes connected to the condition have been discovered. These newly uncovered genes point to additional pathways for the disease to develop. Previous attention has been on the APOE e4 gene and on the abnormal proteins beta amyloid and tau. A number of the genes identified in the study code for an immune system protein, called LUBAC, which prevents cell death. Also, brain cells called microglia, the trash collectors of the brain, play a key role in the disease. The newly discovered genes make the microglia less efficient. “This is a landmark study,” says study author Professor Julie Williams in a report from CNN, “and is the culmination of 30 years’ work. 60-80% of disease risk is based on our genetics.” The discovery could lead to new treatments.
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