It takes a pandemic: Mental Health parity may finally have its day!
By EMILY EVANS
Emily Evans is the health policy guru at equity research company HedgeEye. She sends out these reports in emails to her clients regularly but (since I asked nicely) she allowed me to publish this one from late last week on THCB. You can catch Emily in person on the “How Much Are These Companies Really Worth? The IPO & SPAC Panel” at Policies|Techies|VCs–What’s Next for Health Care, the conference Jess Damassa & I are chairing on September 7-8-9-10 — Matthew Holt
Politics. President Biden is going to have more important things to do this week than worry about the ...
Source: The Health Care Blog - August 20, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: matthew holt Tags: Health Policy COVID-19 Emily Evans Hedgeye masks Mental Health Source Type: blogs
Opioid Settlement Will Do Nothing to Change The Trajectory of The Overdose Rate
Jeffrey A. SingerYesterday a settlement wasannounced between several states and the pharmaceutical distributors McKesson, Cardinal Health, and Amerisource Bergen, along with drug maker Johnson and Johnson, who were accused of contributing to the opioid overdose crisis. The three distributors agreed to pay the states $21 billion over 18 years and Johnson and Johnson agreed to pay $5 billion over 5 years, ostensibly to go towards drug treatment and education programs. Johnson and Johnson and the three distributors continue to dispute the allegations while agreeing to the settlement.Some, like the editors of th...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - July 22, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
What Being An LGBTQ+ Ally Actually Looks Like
Our world is growing to be as diverse as ever, and our communities must come together to support inclusivity. It's becoming more and more common to run into people who identify as something other than straight or cisgender.
Now, around 5.6% of U.S. adults identify as someone in the LGBTQ+ community. That number will most likely increase as more young people are coming to terms with their identities.
Because more people are coming out and living their lives authentically, LGBTQ+ members must receive support. Being an ally can be mystifying for some people — what does it mean to be an LBGTQ+ ally?
There's no one a...
Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement - July 20, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Kara Reynolds Tags: depression family featured happiness philosophy psychology self-improvement acceptance allyship gay lgtbq Source Type: blogs
Treatment of infective endocarditis
Discussion of whole list of options of antimicrobials for different varieties of endocarditis is quite a large topic. This discussion is only a broad outline of the antimicrobial treatment of infective endocarditis, meant mainly for exam purpose rather than actual clinical treatment. References to more detailed guidelines have been provided for those who wish to learn more.
Inoculum Effect
High microbial density as in vegetations cause less antimicrobial activity of some antimicrobial agents. This is known as inoculum effect and has been documented with β-lactams and glycopeptides but not linezolid, in the treatment of St...
Source: Cardiophile MD - July 16, 2021 Category: Cardiology Authors: Prof. Dr. Johnson Francis Tags: Cardiology Source Type: blogs
Alcohol, Smoking, Drugs: How Technology Can Help
The global statistics on substance use are disquieting. Globally, about 3 million people die every year from alcohol abuse. Tobacco kills up to half of its users – over 8 million people annually. And the UN’s 2021 World Drug Report estimated that around 275 million people used drugs worldwide in 2020, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders.
Disruptive technologies could act only as additional tools for managing preventive or reactive treatment for both victims and physicians next to therapy. Alcohol content-measuring wristbands, smart lighters, nicotine tracking wearables, stop smoking apps, virt...
Source: The Medical Futurist - July 15, 2021 Category: Information Technology Authors: berci.mesko Tags: E-Patients Future of Medicine Future of Pharma Health Sensors & Trackers Portable Medical Diagnostics Security & Privacy Telemedicine & Smartphones Virtual Reality alcohol digital health Innovation smoking technology VR health Source Type: blogs
How Big Pharma Bought Big Media for $6 Billion: The Unintended Consequences of Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising
Media, whether broadcast, streamed, or print, is a lifeline of information for most Americans. Updates on the pandemic, results of an election, knowing whether you are in the path of an oncoming hurricane or snowstorm—we are alerted by news reports and thereby dependent on the factual information they provide. Media informs, shapes opinions, keeps us out of harm’s way. Despite the public pummeling media has received over the past few years, media remains the means through which Americans view much of their world. What the media reports—or does not report—is therefore crucial to shaping opinion and behavior.
There...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - June 18, 2021 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Open undoctored wheat belly Source Type: blogs
On The Eve of The 50th Anniversary of President Nixon Declaring War on Drugs, Two Members of Congress Propose an Armistice
Jeffrey A. SingerYesterday Representatives Cori Bush (D-MO) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) introduced theDrug Policy Reform Act, which would federally decriminalize drug possession and redirect federal funds to harm reduction, substance abuse disorder treatment, and education programs. Furthermore, the bill would expunge and seal the records of people with federal drug violation records within one year of enactment.Among some of the bill ’s other praiseworthy provisions are a ban on civil asset forfeitures related to personal drug possession cases, and preventing individuals in the U.S. from being denied legal imm...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - June 17, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
Forensic Neuropathology Symposium kicks off 97th Annual AANP Meeting
Dr. Marc Del Bigio of the University of Manitoba was first in the line-up for an excellent forensic neuropathology symposium as a satellite preface to the 97th Annual Meeting of the American Association of Neuropathologists. His discussion was entitled " Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Outside of the Sports Arena " . After a review of the history of the development of CTE as a diagnostic entity, Dr. Del Bigio discussed the fact that this disease does not only occur among athletes. Dr. Del Bigio studied 111 brains in a routine autopsy service of patients aged 18 to 60 years old. Del Bigio and his group found that the cases...
Source: neuropathology blog - June 9, 2021 Category: Radiology Source Type: blogs
Amazon Eliminates Marijuana Screening for New Hires
Jeffrey Miron and Pedro Braga SoaresAmazon recentlyannounced that it will no longer include marijuana in the company ’s drug screening program for new hires (other than for positionsregulated by the Department of Transportation). Amazon says marijuana will instead be treated like alcohol, which means “impairment checks” on the job site and testing for all drugs and alcohol after job incidents.Drug screening and testing arewidespread in the US, covering nearlyhalf of all workplaces. But Amazon ’s announcement, and the recent spate ofmarijuana medicalizations and legalizations, have prompted discussion of who should ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - June 8, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey Miron, Pedro Braga Soares Source Type: blogs
Does the DEA Have to Allow Psilocybin Access for Terminally Ill Patients?
Trevor BurrusA case at the Ninth Circuit is seeking to compel the DEA to allow psilocybin (magic mushrooms) use by terminally ill patients. The case,Advanced Integrative Medical Science Institute v. DEA, has been brought by a research institute, a doctor, and two terminal cancer patients who wish to use psilocybin.A lot has changed in psilocybin research in recent years. In 2018 and 2019, the FDAdesignated two psilocybin trials as “breakthrough therapies” for treating severe depression.Breakthrough ‐therapy status can be granted by the FDA when a new drug shows significant improvement over currently...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - May 28, 2021 Category: American Health Authors: Trevor Burrus Source Type: blogs
Sober Curious: From Curiosity to Permanent Sobriety
Sober curious is a social movement based on author Ruby Warrington ’s book, Sober Curious....The postSober Curious: From Curiosity to Permanent Sobriety appeared first onCliffside Malibu. (Source: Cliffside Malibu)
Source: Cliffside Malibu - May 19, 2021 Category: Addiction Authors: ebarbour Tags: Addiction Alcoholism Substance Abuse alcohol treatment drinking problem Malibu rehab treatment private rehab treatment in Malibu sober curious Source Type: blogs
Study finds MDMA-assisted therapy to be safe and highly effective to treat severe PTSD
We report the findings of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-site phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03537014) to test the efficacy and safety of 3,4‑methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted therapy for the treatment of patients with severe PTSD, including those with common comorbidities such as dissociation, depression, a history of alcohol and substance use disorders, and childhood trauma. After psychiatric medication washout, participants (n=90) were randomized 1:1 to receive manualized therapy with MDMA or with placebo, combined with three preparatory and nine integrative therapy sessions … These da...
Source: SharpBrains - May 18, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: SharpBrains Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Clinical-Trial Ecstasy MDMA MDMA-assisted therapy methylenedioxymethamphetamine Molly post-traumatic-stress-disorder psychedelics Psychotherapy PTSD severe PTSD Source Type: blogs
The Benefits of Taking a Break from Alcohol
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism are serious issues across the nation. In fact, there are over 95,000 alcohol-related deaths each and every year. Despite how problematic alcohol can be, it is still the most used substance across the country – many don’t realize the risks and health-related problems associated with alcohol.
Before we look at how taking even a short break can help you in the long-term let’s first look at the major risks associated with excessive alcohol use and binge drinking.
Major Risks of Alcohol Use
When it comes to alcohol abuse, there are many issues that can occur – from long-term physica...
Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement - May 5, 2021 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Joe Gilmore Tags: depression featured happiness health and fitness productivity tips self-improvement addiction alcohol self improvement Source Type: blogs
PROP ’s Disproportionate Influence on U.S. Opioid Policy: The Harms of Intended Consequences
ConclusionDespite being turned back from an effort to bluntly reduce opioid prescribing by the FDA in 2013 based on a lack of scientific evidence for its position (17,18), PROP has had a disproportionate effect on opioid policy in the Untied States for almost a decade. PROP found a willing federal regulatory partner in the CDC, and while PROP may not have “secretly written” the 2016 CDC Pain Guidelines (75), they certainly enjoyed disproportionate representation on CDC’s review panels and Core Expert Group (23-25) in a process that lacked transparency (22, 23, 26, 27). When the CDC admitted that its Pain Guideline ha...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - May 3, 2021 Category: Palliative Care Tags: CDC health policy kollas opioids pain prop Source Type: blogs
PROP s Disproportionate Influence on U.S. Opioid Policy: The Harms of Intended Consequences
ConclusionDespite being turned back from an effort to bluntly reduce opioid prescribing by the FDA in 2013 based on a lack of scientific evidence for its position (17,18), PROP has had a disproportionate effect on opioid policy in the Untied States for almost a decade. PROP found a willing federal regulatory partner in the CDC, and while PROP may not have secretly written the 2016 CDC Pain Guidelines (75), they certainly enjoyed disproportionate representation on CDCs review panels and Core Expert Group (23-25) in a process that lacked transparency (22, 23, 26, 27). When the CDC admitted that its Pain Guideline had been...
Source: Pallimed: A Hospice and Palliative Medicine Blog - May 3, 2021 Category: Palliative Care Tags: CDC health policy kollas opioids pain prop Source Type: blogs
