Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Fear, Pain Caused By Blood Draws Could Be Alleviated By New Device
For many people a simple blood test is hardly a routine medical event if it involves a big needle. Some adults are squeamish to the point where they avoid giving a blood sample, while young children are often gripped by paroxysms of fear and crying. Now a startup in Medford, Seventh Sense Biosystems, has developed a device the size of a walnut that it says will take the fear, pain, and inconvenience out of drawing blood. Attached to the patient鈥檚 arm with an adhesive strip, the device uses an array of tiny needles each about the size of an eyelash to quickly take a blood sample and leave almost no trace. (Christian, 6/8)
One of the most severe form of multiple sclerosis (MS) is sometimes caused by the malfunction of a single gene, NR1H3, a group of researchers from the University of British Columbia reports in the journal Neuron. Some 60-70% of people with a certain type of mutation in this gene will end up with primary-progressive MS (PPMS), a particularly nasty form of the disease. (Starr, 6/8)
A powerful new technique for changing genes in insects, animals and plants holds great promise, according to a report from an influential panel of scientists released Wednesday. But the group also says it's potentially very dangerous. (Stein, 6/8)
Sleep deprivation and an abnormal sleep cycle may increase the risk of heart disease, especially for shift workers, a small study suggests. ... The study results suggest that shift workers "who are chronically exposed to circadian misalignment, might not fully benefit from the restorative cardiovascular effects of nighttime sleep following a shift-work rotation," [study lead author Dr. Daniela Grimaldi] added. (6/8)
Notices that some visits with inmates had been canceled were taped to the front doors of the Federal Detention Center, which holds about 900 inmates and is located a few blocks from Minute Maid Park. ... A more detailed posting on a wall inside the lobby advised visitors that the chickenpox, formally known as varicella zoster virus., posed a "slight risk" of exposure to them. (Schiller, 6/8)
