Jill Murphy, Assistant Editor

This is the largest contact tracing study conducted in the world for any disease, analyzing the process of identifying people who came into contact with an infected person, according to a press release.

The study suggests that babies born to mothers infected with the virus generally do well 6 to 8 weeks after birth.

The announcement is part of the Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative and the RADx Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program, which will support 32 institutions across the United States and focus on populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

The researchers examined blood samples from 235 patients who were admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 to measure their vitamin D status.

The results of an additional secondary endpoint from the phase 3 HERO study evaluating oral relugolix in men with advanced prostate cancer showed that relugolix had a similar rate of castration resistance-free survival compared to intravenous leuprolide acetate in men with metastatic disease through 48 weeks.

The findings could additionally help researchers understand the fundamental biology of how coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreads from the lungs to the body.

Survey shows that having a pet was linked to maintaining better mental health and reduced loneliness, with 90% of the 6000 participants from the UK saying they had at least 1 pet.

Researchers at Duke University have found that the efficacy of a 2-pronged type 2 diabetes (T2D) treatment increases when the drugs are linked by a heat-sensitive tether rather than simply being concurrently administered, according to a press release.

Study shows that upon hospital admission for cancer, many patients already have a high prevalence of malnutrition per Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria.

The results from a cohort of patients with rare sarcomas in the phase 2 study, presented by professor Jean-Yves Blay, MD, investigated the efficacy and safety of single agent pembrolizumab in rare cancers.

A recent study found that patients on immunosuppressive therapy for common skin and rheumatic diseases, such as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis, are not at an increased risk for contracting COVID-19.

The CheckMate 9ER trial took 2 drugs used as monotherapies in the second line of therapy, nivolumab and cabozantinib, and combined them for use as a first-line treatment against standard of care, sunitinib.

Trial shows that olaparib, a poly ADP ribose polymerase inhibitor that is the first cancer drug to target an inherited genetic fault, can be used successfully to treat prostate cancers with a weakness in the ability to repair damaged DNA.

Adding abemaciclib to hormonal therapy reduces the risk of cancer recurrence by 25% in patients with high-risk early hormone receptor-positive human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative breast cancer.

Clinical education, strong data analytics, and valuing collaboration are the best ways to provide patient support and access to specialty pharmaceutical manufacturers.

The new study suggests that COVID-19 will follow the track of other respiratory viruses and become seasonal in countries with temperate climates, but only when herd immunity is attained through natural infection or vaccinations.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many families and individuals have not been able to pay their out-of-pocket costs or do not have enough money saved to pay their deductibles.

In June 2020, 56% of people over 50 years of age said they sometimes or often felt isolated from others, more than double the 27% who felt this way in a similar poll in 2018.

Having a certified specialty pharmacist (CSP) credential can help applicants get hired and be more impactful in the specialty pharmacy arena.

It makes the most sense to get more technicians involved when pharmacies are continuing to grow, since the number of roles that are needed to operate are well suited for technicians, said Jonathan Ogurchak, PharmD, CSP.

The 2019 survey results from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study showed that vaping marijuana and nicotine rose sharply in the past 3 years among college age students, or students between 19 and 22 years of age.

The growth of telehealth, ongoing prescriber verification challenges, and the need for a universal patient identifier are all key issues that have arisen for pharmacists during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The types of SUDs investigated were tobacco, alcohol, opioid, cannabis, and cocaine.

The triple combination therapy is the first single inhaler triple therapy approved for both asthma and COPD and is the only single inhaler triple therapy available as a once-daily inhalation.

A new study published in JAMA suggests that prevention of both coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and seasonal influenza in US children is sensible and important for the well-being of the population.

The results of the study found that adults who experienced 4 common symptoms of anxiety and depression have upwards of 2 times greater risk of delaying medical care or not receiving needed non-COVID-19 medical care amidst the pandemic.

Research examines whether immunizations had any link with the risk of heart failure patients dying while in the hospital, since few studies have compared the outcomes of vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.

Flavonoids are natural substances found in plants, including fruits and vegetables, and are associated with various health benefits, such as reduced inflammation.

Methylphenidate hydrochloride extended-release tablets are indicated for the treatment of ADHD.

Patients reported their likeness of having support from a trusted health care professional, rapid feedback, and adjustments to their treatment with someone to be accountable to, according to the study authors.