Moving the conversation about obesity beyond the scale By Jonathan IsaacsohnApril 19, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/19/moving-obesity-conversation-beyond-the-scale-quality-weight-loss/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_lh3oSHafR8PWtQVcXDV4OBW3d_lkzzCsmwcFoabnH9T7DgCL-Vt_siJAMIwP_amqcp_559yAXa4a5NWDYFmSNe1hKAA&_hsmi=303358707&utm_content=303358707&utm_source=hs_email Ozempic and other semaglutide drugs have revolutionized obesity in more ways than one. Not only do the drugs provide an effective treatment for weight loss — alongside improving cardiovascular health and easing sleep apnea — but they have helped change the social perception of obesity from a lifestyle choice to a disease. That’s something clinicians have long advocated for; the National Institutes of Health identified obesity as a disease in 1998. STAT’s Matt Herper and Elaine Chen described the potential cultural impact of these drugs in a prescient piece back in March 2023. And in a new First Opinion, Jonathan Isaacsohn, a cardiologist and CEO of CinRx Pharma, writes that this reframing of obesity helps drug developers because it validates and supports their work. The spotlight on GLP-1 drugs is also fueling interest in what scientists see as the next frontier in this line of research: weight loss drugs that do not reduce lean mass. Read more.

Covid ignited a global controversy over what is an airborne disease. The WHO just expanded its definition Megan Molteni By Megan Molteni April 18, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/18/covid-airborne-transmission-disease-who-expanded-definition/?utm_campaign=rss&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8noIlrp9s5hZQQO6iss5Tmy_Ib4-TQUMKWgZIs3f3Lfm3BTwaK-5z5WTOYhJOfeHiXEpqyXSJoY9MUEQ9Rq5q5gWmA1Q&_hsmi=303358707 It took two years of contentious debate, but the World Health Organization has published a new report with a set of more accurate definitions of airborne disease transmission. Until now, the official definition limited the label of “airborne” to a few pathogens, such as tuberculosis and measles, known to float in the air and travel long distances. Now, it includes all situations when transmission happens through inhaled particles. “It feels like finally the end of the most stubborn and senseless resistance to accepting this science,” said Jose-Luis Jimenez, an aerosol chemist at the University of Colorado Boulder. What remains unclear is how the new definition of airborne transmission will shape efforts to protect and limit future outbreaks, writes STAT’s Megan Molteni. Though the report says that protective measures such as masks and isolation rooms are important to prevent airborne spread, it did not recommend them in all settings, and the cost and politics associated with such measures may prove challenging. Read more.

USDA faulted for disclosing scant information about outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu in cattle Helen Branswell By Helen Branswell April 18, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/18/h5n1-bird-flu-scientists-want-usda-genetic-data-faster/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9cSiw6-44E8t8qXKzY_-dTdIwrOTBJWiWTw8CJSRgz0ILAjag-QtWkG2vnAhNRdqLdUcDgFJkLypuNNp9E584zxqWK0A&_hsmi=303358707&utm_content=303358707&utm_source=hs_email Nearly a month after announcing that milking cows in a Texas herd had tested positive for H5N1 avian flu, U.S. government agencies have been reluctant to share more information. They haven’t said what they know about whether pasteurization kills the virus, and only on Thursday did authorities tell STAT it seems the now 29 affected herds are not part of a single linked outbreak. This is causing challenges to other countries trying to understand their risk, writes Helen Branswell. “A country with capacity like the United States should be able to generate this information within days,” said Marion Koopmans, head of the department of viroscience at Erasmus Medical Center in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. “I would expect very fast, very transparent updates and it’s somewhat amazing not to see that happening.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is leading the outbreak’s investigation, pushed back against the criticism, saying it is sharing information as it becomes available. But experts believe the delays and what is perceived as a lack of transparency may undermine trust in government agencies, evoking déjà vu from Covid-19 times. Read more.

Patient Medication Information: A 2023 Proposed Rule to Help Patients Understand Their Prescription Medication Information

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/cder-conversations/patient-medication-information-2023-proposed-rule-help-patients-understand-their-prescription?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Save the Date - SAMHSA and HUD's Third Annual Commemoration of National Mental Health Awareness Month Wednesday, May 22, 1 - 2:30 p.m. ET

https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health-awareness-month?utm_source=SAMHSA&utm_campaign=b0e09b3699-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_04_18_01_52&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-b0e09b3699-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D Save the date to learn more about the latest developments in mental health resource for HUD-assisted communities. What You'll Take Away: How to Save a Life: Learn from SAMHSA about their 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Mental Health Resources: Hear about SAMHSA's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) from the national and local levels. Listening Session: Your opportunity to participate in the conversation on mental health in your communities. Attendees will get slides and a mental health resource list after the event.

Linking Individuals to Recovery Support Services

SAMHSA Announces New Report Describing Key Elements of a Core Curriculum for Substance Use Disorder

https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20240410/samhsa-announces-report-key-elements-core-curriculum-substance-use-disorder?utm_source=SAMHSA&utm_campaign=5781cf983d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_04_18_01_07&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-5781cf983d-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D SAMHSA has released a new report with core curriculum content for integration of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for early-career graduate health care education programs. The Core Curriculum Elements on Substance Use Disorder for Early Academic Career, Medical and Health Professions Education Programs is designed to provide students in medical and health professional programs with training on SUD early in their academic careers, to ensure they have basic knowledge of strategies to identify, assess and treat addiction, as well as to support recovery. It supports several federal efforts to expand education on SUD for the health professional workforce and was initially called for in the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Drug Control Strategy.