Aislinn Antrim, Managing Editor

The oncology space has seen rapid growth in the last decade, with new approvals and indications necessitating expertise in areas such as medication use, safe practices, and reimbursement practices.

Some drugs commonly used for psoriasis can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases, whereas other treatments can reduce the risk.

Researchers found that viral variants expressed their genes at different rates and quantities, which likely contributes to the different timing and severity of symptoms within hosts.

After the implementation of measures to stop COVID-19, newly detected respiratory viruses were approximately 80% lower compared to the same time period from 2015 to 2019.

In addition to the usual considerations of treating pediatric patients, clinicians should consider how pharmacokinetics may differ for children with obesity, according to a session at the 2021 virtual National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners meeting.

Patients who were screened generally were younger, with Black patients more likely to be screened than patients of other races.

The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine was 100% effective in preventing COVID-19 cases in South Africa, where the B.1.351 variant is prevalent.

In April 2020, colonoscopy screenings declined from 15.1 per 10,000 beneficiaries to 0.9, a 95% difference.

Being diagnosed with diabetes does not make a person more likely to use effective contraception and may actually lead to a drop in the use of certain types of effective contraception.

Isatuximab in combination with carfilzomib and dexamethasone reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 45% versus standard of care alone.

Aspects of normal life outside of the pandemic could create difficulties for children with type 1 diabetes, including pressures around food in school.

To begin understanding systemic racism and its impact on social determinants of health, researchers said pharmacists must first look inward and examine their own biases and socializations.

Earlier research has found that vitamin D supplementation can prevent inflammation in other respiratory diseases, but there have been limited studies examining the role of vitamin D supplementation in COVID-19.

Although pediatric patients represent a small portion of total acute myeloid leukemia cases, clinicians said there is a critical need for more effective therapies in this population.

In a clinical trial of idecabtagene vicleucel in multiple myeloma, the overall response rate for the efficacy evaluable population was 72%, and 28% of participants achieved a stringent complete response.

Researchers found no evidence that protection against COVID-19 reinfection declined within a 6-month follow-up period.

In addition to cardiotoxicity from cancer-related treatments, the researchers noted that obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease share some common risk factors.

DKN-01 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to and blocks the activity of the Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) protein, which activates the innate immune system in the tumor microenvironment and anti-tumor activity.

New results show that non-Hispanic Black patients with COVID-19 and type 1 diabetes have an additional risk of diabetic ketoacidosis beyond the risk of having diabetes or being of minority status.

Among surveyed American adults, more than half were diagnosable with probable depression at baseline, in addition to 65% who had anxiety and 51% at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Exposure to fine particulate, carbon monoxide, and ozone over time was linked to increased methylation, leading to higher rates of heart disease and other conditions in adulthood.

The company received Fast Track designation from the FDA for GEN-1, a DNA-mediated interleukin-12 (IL-12) immunotherapy.

Investigators found a statistically significant improvement in both overall survival and progression-free survival for patients who received pembrolizumab with chemotherapy.

Intranasal administration of virucidal and antiviral therapies may provide added clinical benefit by decreasing viral activity in the nasal pathway, preventing COVID-19 transmission and managing disease severity.

The independent data safety monitoring board conducted a specific review of thrombotic events related to AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine and found no increased risk.

Nine in 10 patients with multiple sclerosis who received the medication did not have worsening of 3-month disability, and ponesimod showed a numerical benefit in delaying disability progression.

Study findings contradict a long-standing hypothesis that held the pancreas increases insulin production because the cells have already become insulin-resistant and blood sugar rises as a result.

Language barriers can present a major obstacle to patient involvement in cancer care, although clinicians recommended several potential strategies to help patients who speak different languages.

The study results reiterate the importance of interventions to lower prescribing rates of potentially inappropriate drugs among older adults.

Health care professionals should address potential barriers to completing the COVID-19 vaccination series, including scheduling second-dose appointments at the first-dose administration and sending reminders for second-dose visits.