06/22/16

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

House, Senate GOP reach agreement on $1B Zika virus measure

Measure drew immediate opposition from Democrats, who signaled they would scuttle it over its spending cuts and "poison pills"

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fhouse-senate-gop-reach-agreement-on-1-billion-zika-virus-measure%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

More than 300 charged with defrauding U.S. healthcare programs

A $900 million theft of taxpayer money was revealed Wednesday by the Justice Department

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fvideos%2Fmore-than-300-charged-with-defrauding-u-s-healthcare-programs%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Doctors issue unusual warning for those using smartphones in the dark

Doctors in London have detailed the cases of two women who inexplicably suffered temporary blindness after using their smartphones in the dark

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fdoctors-issue-unusual-warning-for-those-using-smartphones-in-the-dark%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

DOJ busts $900 million health insurance fraud

Justice Department charges 300 people with defrauding Medicare and other government health care programs, including those for veterans

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fen-axelrod-health-care-fraud-tricare-medicare%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Dad gets tattoo of son's cancer surgery scar

One Kansas dad got a tattoo of his son's cancer surgery scar after the young boy got a brain tumor removed

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fvideos%2Fdad-gets-tattoo-of-sons-cancer-surgery-scar%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

10 pregnant women in Dallas show signs of Zika virus

Zika infection in pregnancy can lead to severe birth defects, and women need to take precautions

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2F10-pregnant-women-dallas-zika-virus%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Meet the humans with microchips implanted in them

Microchip implants, popular with pets, are catching on with some humans despite the risks

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fmeet-the-humans-with-microchips-implanted-in-them%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Driving Advancements in Diabetes Research at our Scientific Sessions

Presenters during a press conference at the American Diabetes Association's 76th Annual Meeting. Photo by © ADA/Todd Buchanan.

American Diabetes Association President, Medicine & Science, makes fiery plea to create a sense of urgency about diabetes. Photo by © ADA/Susan Poag.

If you were looking for the world’s leading diabetes researchers last week, you would have found them in New Orleans. The American Diabetes Association’s 76^th Annual Scientific Sessions—the world’s largest and most comprehensive professional meeting centered on diabetes—took place June 10-14 in New Orleans at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

This annual meeting drew together nearly 16,500 attendees (including clinicians, scientists and educators) from 120 countries for five days of scientific presentations, discussions and analyses of the latest research findings related to this complex disease we call diabetes.

Research shared at this year’s meeting will help further advance scientific understanding of diabetes and shape the future of diabetes management. Here are some highlights from the more than 230 sessions and 3,100 abstracts presented this year.

Presidential Addresses and Announcements from our Association Leaders at Scientific Sessions:

American Diabetes Association President, Health Care & Education, champions diabetes self-management education: Margaret A. Powers, PhD, RD, CDE, described our ongoing efforts to advocate for diabetes self-management education (DSME) and to expand DSME access during her presidential address Saturday morning. Dr. Powers noted that the United States spends the majority of its diabetes money on complications and hospitalizations and called for a paradigm shift to invest instead on prevention efforts to reduce complications and hospitalizations. She described the benefits and cost-effectiveness of DSME, which has no side effects, and called for advocacy to increase access to DSME. Read more about Dr. Powers’ observations via our “Diabetes Dispatch.”

American Diabetes Association President, Medicine & Science, makes fiery plea to create a sense of urgency about diabetes: In an inspirational address Sunday morning, Desmond Schatz, MD, called diabetes the “epidemic of the 21st century,” and yet, described it as a disease that is often “invisible”. Relative to many other diseases, diabetes lacks the federal research funding and public support needed to realize significant advances. Dr. Schatz passionately urged attendees to advocate for the public attention and support needed to accelerate research and shift resources to bring the disease out of the shadows and to end the stigma of diabetes. Read more about Dr. Schatz’s powerful speech via our “Diabetes Dispatch.”

CEO Kevin L. Hagan reveals a new collaboration between the American Diabetes Association and IBM Watson Health: Also on Sunday, the Association and IBM Watson Health announced a long-term collaboration to bring together the cognitive computing power of Watson and our vast repository of clinical and research data. The goal of the collaboration is to develop Watson-powered solutions that enable the diabetes community to optimize clinical, research and lifestyle decisions, and to address important issues that influence health outcomes, such as social determinants of health. Our organizations also aim to build a first-of-its-kind diabetes advisor for patients and caregivers.

Big Research News from Scientific Sessions:

The Quest to Find New Cell Sources for Beta-Cell Replacement: Scientists unveiled promising research about new sources to replace failed beta cells—the cells in the pancreas that make insulin. If this momentum continues, people with diabetes may one day be able to say goodbye to insulin injections. A symposium at Scientific Sessions presented exciting updates regarding ongoing research for new sources to replace beta cells, including Transplanting Pig Islet Cells into humans and Gene Editing. Read more about how this research can help people living with type 1 diabetes.

The Glucose-Lowering Drug Liraglutide Lowers Risk for

Presenters during a press conference at the American Diabetes Association’s 76th Annual Meeting. Photo by © ADA/Todd Buchanan.

Cardiovascular Complications, Kidney Disease and Death in People with Type 2 Diabetes: Liraglutide is an injectable GLP-1 agonist that has been shown to safely and effectively lower glucose in a large number of clinical studies. Results released during Scientific Sessions from the Liraglutide Effect and Action in Diabetes – Evaluation of Cardiovascular Outcome Results (LEADER) trial show that liraglutide also can reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attacks and strokes, all-cause mortality and diabetic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes at high risk for cardiovascular The study was published in theNew England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) concurrent with the presentation by John B. Buse, MD, PhD, at Scientific Sessions.
Research Results Indicate that Automated Glucagon Delivery Reduces Hypoglycemia by 91 Percent at Night: Hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) is a common and frightening complication of diabetes. It’s even more concerning when it occurs in the middle of the night, when you or your caregivers are less likely to detect the symptoms. Fortunately, some bright news about preventing hypoglycemia was presented at Scientific Sessions. According to a recent study, delivering small doses of glucagon (a peptide hormone, produced by alpha cells of the pancreas, that raises the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream) through an automated “bionic pancreas” can substantially reduce hypoglycemia in people with type 1 diabetes, especially at night.

These highlights are just a small sample of the incredible things that happened at this year’s event. “We’re really looking forward to driving advancements in research, advocacy, healthcare excellence and total wellness,” said Kevin L. Hagan, CEO of the Association. You can hear more from Kevin about the Association’s projects and some special announcements from this year’s Scientific Sessions by watching the video below.

For more information on this year’s Scientific Sessions, visit diabetesdispatchextra.org/ and catch up on the social media conversation with #2016ADA.

From: American Diabetes Association http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesstopshere.org%2F2016%2F06%2F22%2Fscientific-sessions-2016%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Positioning Might Hamper Accuracy of Breast MRI

The scans are used to plan surgeries, but face-down position might introduce error, small study suggests

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fbreast-cancer%2Fnews%2F20160622%2Fpatient-positioning-might-hamper-accuracy-of-breast-mri%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Minimally Disruptive Medicine

From: Mayo Clinic http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DjWCgnkzX3-o&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Irregular Heartbeat More Deadly in Blacks: Study

They were twice as likely to suffer stroke, heart failure and death than whites with atrial fibrillation

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fheart-disease%2Fatrial-fibrillation%2Fnews%2F20160622%2Firregular-heartbeat-more-deadly-in-blacks-study%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Can for-profit medical schools fill the doctor gap?

Companies are helping train the nation's next crop of physicians, but some students rack up huge debt

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fcan-for-profit-medical-schools-fill-the-doctor-gap-in-rural-areas%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Rare syndrome makes Texas mom speak with foreign accent

Houston-area mom Lisa Alamia developed a rare case of foreign accent syndrome after surgery, and now speaks with a British accent

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fvideos%2Frare-syndrome-makes-texas-mom-speak-with-foreign-accent%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Texas mom wakes up from surgery with a British accent

Rare speech disorder leaves a Houston-area mother of three sounding like she belongs on "Downton Abbey"

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Ftexas-mom-wakes-up-from-surgery-with-british-accent%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Forest Service Survey Finds Record 66 Million Dead Trees in Southern Sierra Nevada

VALLEJO, Calif., June 22, 2016 - The U.S. Forest Service today announced that it has identified an additional 26 million trees dead in California since October 2015. These trees are located in six counties across 760,000 acres in the southern Sierra Nevada region of the state, and are in addition to the 40 million trees that died statewide from 2010 to October 2015, bringing the total to at least 66 million dead trees.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fwps%2Fportal%2Fusda%2Fusdahome%3Fcontentid%3D2016%2F06%2F0150.xml%26contentidonly%3Dtrue&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Rare brain-eating amoeba kills Ohio teen

Officials say the woman died in Ohio but did not come in contact with the amoeba in the state

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Frare-brain-eating-amoeba-kills-ohio-teen%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

DOJ touts $900M Medicare fraud takedown, the largest ever

Some 300 defendants nationwide charged in health care fraud sweeps across the country, including physicians, clinic owners and others

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fag-lynch-doj-largest-medicare-fraud-takedown-2016%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Kansas dad gets head tattoo to match son's cancer scar

Gabriel Marshall, 8, "felt like a monster" after surgery to remove a brain tumor, so his dad went out of the way to help him feel otherwise

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fkansas-dad-head-tattoo-match-son-cancer-scar%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Behavior Woes Hamper More Boys vs. Girls in School

They were more likely to be held back, punished, although they also were more likely to have issues

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fparenting%2Fnews%2F20160622%2Fbehavior-woes-hamper-boys-more-than-girls-in-school-study%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Alternative Medicine Taking Hold Among Americans

More than $30 billion paid out-of-pocket for acupuncture, yoga, chiropractic care, supplements

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fbalance%2Fnews%2F20160622%2Falternative-medicine-taking-hold-among-americans-report%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Progesterone supplements don’t help prevent miscarriage

Follow me at @hricciot

Miscarriage is common. Nearly a third of all recognized pregnancies end in miscarriage, and this number rises to 40% for women in their 40s. Many pregnancy losses happen before a woman even realizes she is pregnant. The vast majority of the time, there is nothing that a woman or her doctor can do to change this outcome. Most of these are abnormal pregnancies, destined from the moment of conception to result in miscarriage, which is nature’s way of ending them. Many of my patients attribute miscarriage to stress, or something they did, ate, or were exposed to, but this is never the case.

The good news is that having one miscarriage does not put you at increased risk for another miscarriage. Even after two miscarriages in a row, the chance of another miscarriage is only slightly higher than for women who have never had one. After three in a row, which doctors define as “recurrent miscarriage,” the chance of another miscarriage is a bit higher than for the average woman, though the chances of a healthy pregnancy are still good.

In the past, women who had recurrent miscarriage were prescribed the hormone progesterone to try to prevent another miscarriage. Progesterone prepares the uterine lining for implantation of the embryo. It also helps maintains a healthy pregnancy. Giving progesterone supplements to these women was based on the idea that their progesterone levels were too low to support a pregnancy, which could therefore contribute to a miscarriage.

However, a recent study of progesterone supplements found that they did not result in improved pregnancy outcomes. This was the first large study that compared progesterone supplements with placebo pills, which is the “gold standard” method for research studies. The good news is that many of the women in the study — nearly two-thirds — had healthy pregnancies, with or without progesterone.

It’s disappointing that progesterone doesn’t help prevent miscarriage — which can be a devastating experience, especially when it happens repeatedly. Unfortunately, some women must endure many miscarriages before they have a healthy pregnancy. This study suggests that trying again and again may be the answer, and as difficult as that may sound, it does provide hope for couples that they will eventually have a healthy pregnancy.

The post Progesterone supplements don’t help prevent miscarriage appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Hope Ricciotti, MD http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2F9829-201606229829&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Republicans Unveil Plan To Replace Health Law

The proposal includes many details, but key questions about cost remain unanswered.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fhealth-insurance%2F20160622%2Fhouse-republicans-unveil-longawaited-plan-to-replace-health-law%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

New Study Quantifies Benefits of Agricultural Conservation in Upper Mississippi River Basin

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 - Researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have published a new study that demonstrates that agricultural conservation practices in the upper Mississippi River watershed can reduce nitrogen inputs to area streams and rivers by as much as 34 percent.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fwps%2Fportal%2Fusda%2Fusdahome%3Fcontentid%3D2016%2F06%2F0149.xml%26contentidonly%3Dtrue&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

For transgender patients, health care system falls short

Annual screenings like mammograms, a sore throat check, even dental care can be difficult and humiliating for transgender patients

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Ftransgender-patients-health-care-system-falls-short%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

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