Trending News Today: 2018-2019 Flu Season Longest on Record

A second viral wave of this year’s US flu season has made it the longest in the past 10 years, The Associated Press reported. According to the article, CDC data show that the flu season has been officially going for 21 weeks, the longest duration since the government began tracking seasonal flu information. Despite beginning with a milder flu strain, a second strain emerged in mid-February that caused more illnesses and hospitalizations and contributed to the season’s longer duration, the article reported.

A new study showed that Sandoz’s infliximab biosimilar, GP1111, is safe and effective long-term in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, The Center for Biosimilars reported. According to the article, 650 patients in the study were randomized to receive either the biosimilar or the reference product. Overall, the data showed similar response rates, Disease Activity Scores, and changes in Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index between patients receiving the biosimilar and those receiving the reference product, the article reported.

A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analysis determined that more than 1 million Americans have lost health insurance coverage since 2016, The Hill reported. According to the article, the report estimated that the number of Americans without insurance increased from 27.5 million in 2016 to 28.9 million in 2018. The CBO found that one of the main areas of decline was among Americans who purchase coverage on the individual market outside of the federal and state-run Obamacare exchanges, the article reported.