Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Hospitalizations Increased After Asthma Med Flovent Was Dropped
Data from over 3 million people who had been using Flovent showed a 17.5% increase in asthma-related hospitalization in the three months after Flovent was discontinued, and a 24.1% increase in the following three to six months. ICU admissions for asthma in those previously using Flovent increased 17.4% three months after discontinuation, and 23.1% three to six months after discontinuation. The data included children and adults. It was analyzed by two teams at EPIC Research, who came to similar conclusions. These findings have not gone through the usual peer-review process. (Parekh and Avery, 10/29)
Patients visiting emergency departments for dehydration or nausea are half as likely to receive IV fluids now than they were before Hurricane Helene exacerbated supply shortages, according to an analysis of health records by Truveta Research. When the storm hit western North Carolina last month, flooding and other damage halted production at Baxter鈥檚 North Cove manufacturing facility. The site typically provides about 60% of IV fluids to hospitals across the US, and the disruptions have led to multiple new shortages. (McPhillips, 10/29)
A change in the dosing regimen of Eli Lilly鈥檚 Alzheimer鈥檚 drug Kisunla resulted in a lower rate of brain swelling among patients in a clinical trial, new data reported Tuesday show. But it鈥檚 unclear whether the new dosing schedule, if approved by regulators, will convince doctors that the treatment is safer for patients. (Chen, 10/29)
An experimental Alzheimer鈥檚 therapy from Roche successfully cleared a protein that鈥檚 a hallmark of the disease from patients鈥 brains, the company reported Wednesday, adding to evidence that the drug shows promise. (Joseph, 10/30)
Telehealth companies Hims & Hers Health Inc., Noom Inc. and Sesame Inc. have lured individual customers with low-cost versions of popular weight-loss shots like Ozempic and Wegovy. Now, they鈥檙e going after employers, too, as the medications become an in-demand perk. After Noom began offering a compounded copy of Wegovy for $149 a month, Chief Executive Officer Geoff Cook said he was 鈥渁ctually a little surprised鈥 by the level of employer interest. (Constantz and Muller, 10/29)
