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AFib Ablation in Adults Linked to Improved Quality of Life
Ablation is an effective, beneficial treatment option for young adults with atrial fibrillation (AFib), according to new five-year data published in "Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology". The study's author paid close attention to patient-reported outcomes, which they said are frequently ignored in clinical research. Read more
COVID-19 Is No Longer a Public Health Emergency, but Others Remain
The COVID-19 pandemic hit a major milestone this month as Publich Health Emergency (PHE) declarations were ended by both the United States government and the World Health Organization (WHO). That doesn't mean COVID-19 and mpox are no longer of concern, though it does mark the end of availability for certain logistical capabilities to manage them. Meanwhile, other critical health challenges were identified as health emergencies years before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to be so: the opioid crisis in the US and the global spread of poliovirus. Read more
DEA Extends Telemedicine Flexibilities for Prescription of Controlled Medications
To avoid lapses in patient care now that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) has ended, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Substance Abuse, and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a temporary extension of telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications originally adopted in March 2020. These flexibilities authorized physicians to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled medications through audio-video telemedicine encounters, including Schedule III-V narcotic-controlled medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the maintenance and withdrawal management of opioid use disorder. Read more
Texas Department of State Health Services Fungal Meningitis Alert
The Texas Department of State Health Services is alerting the public and health care professionals about suspected cases of fungal meningitis among Texas residents who got surgery in Matamoros, Mexico. An ongoing public health investigation has found at least five affected patients. One person died, and four are currently hospitalized. All five patients traveled from Texas to Matamoros to get surgical procedures that involved an epidural, which is an aesthetic injected into the area around the spinal column. Continue reading
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