Dongxue W.’s Post

Research from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine highlights a significant gap in the investigation of chronic conditions affecting women. The report emphasizes the urgent need for increased efforts by organizations like the National Institutes of Health to address issues leading to disparities in medical treatment for women. Women bear a disproportionate burden of chronic illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression, as revealed in the study requested by NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health. The report, spanning 500 pages, advocates for targeted initiatives, spearheaded by NIH, to improve diagnostic tools for female-specific conditions like endometriosis and to differentiate overlapping symptoms among various chronic diseases. #genderdisparities #publichealth #research #womenshealth https://lnkd.in/ehtDJq9G

Earlier this decade, the world's population surpassed 8 billion people, larger than ever before.* Better health and longer life expectancy are at the heart of this, as medical advances edge humanity ever forwards. However, age-related illnesses that reduce quality of life and disproportionately impact medical spending, present society with multiple new challenges.   Today's #WorldPopulationDay invites us to see possibilities, beyond problems. But to see this record population boom in a more positive light, our health systems and medical research must further adapt and evolve to keep pace with the demographic shift.   As the ageing population grows, so too must our understanding of the biology of ageing. This includes advancing research in immunosenescence, the natural phenomenon of the declining immune system with age. This is an underlying reason why older adults are at a higher risk of viral and bacterial infections and experience a higher incidence and severity of infectious diseases including the flu, shingles, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and pneumococcal disease.**   At Pfizer, our R&D focus on vaccination aims to minimise the impact of viral and bacterial infections – for use across the entire life course. By expanding access to a broader adult population, research demonstrates that we can generate more value and cost savings for healthcare systems and society overall.†   Elsewhere, Pfizer is accelerating breakthroughs in cancer – including breast, lung, colorectal, multiple myeloma and prostate cancers – as incidence rates increase with age.‡   Our ageing global population forces us to confront the reality of longer life. And it isn’t just about protecting vulnerable older adults here and now; the health system decisions we take today, will have impact on the elderly of tomorrow.   I believe our future can be bright, as long as we continue to drive medical progress and enable our life sciences eco-system to thrive. To turn problems into possibilities, we must nurture the same spirit of innovation that led us here.  #LifeSciences #AgeingPopulation * United Nations. Global issues: population ** Allen JC et al. Understanding immunosenescence and its impact on vaccination of older adults. Vaccine. 2020 † The Socio-Economic Value of Adult Immunisation Programmes. Office of Health Economics. 2024 ‡ Age and Cancer Risk. National Cancer Institute

"The report also concludes: o   A formal COVID-19 diagnosis or positive test is not necessary to consider Long COVID diagnosis. o   Long COVID can cause more than 200 symptoms and affects each person differently. Long COVID is associated with a wide range of new or worsening health conditions impacting multiple organ systems. These can include cardiovascular, respiratory, mental health, gastrointestinal, nervous system, and metabolic symptoms. The report includes a full listing of all symptoms and conditions that have been associated with Long COVID. o The risk of Long COVID increases with the severity of COVID-19 illness. The report estimates that people whose infection was sufficiently severe to necessitate hospitalization are 2 to 3 times more likely to experience Long COVID than are those who were not hospitalized, and among individuals who were hospitalized, those requiring life support in an intensive care unit may be twice as likely to experience Long COVID. However, people with mild disease can also develop Long COVID, and given the much higher number of people with mild versus severe disease, they make up the majority of people with Long COVID. o   There is no curative treatment for Long COVID... As with other complex chronic health conditions, medical treatment for Long COVID is focused on managing symptoms and optimizing quality of life and function. o   Recovery from Long COVID varies among individuals, and the data on recovery trajectories are rapidly evolving. While there is evidence that many people with Long COVID symptoms have improved by 12 months, data beyond that time frame is limited but suggestive that recovery might plateau or progress at a slower rate. o   Socioeconomic status, geographic location, health literacy, and race and ethnicity all affect access to health care — and have contributed to disparities in access to ... therapeutics, including treatments for acute infection and specialized rehabilitation clinics for Long COVID. o   Complex, infection-associated chronic conditions are not new, and Long COVID shares many features with conditions like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and fibromyalgia. o   Although the majority of children, including adolescents, recover fully from COVID-19, some develop Long COVID and experience persistent or intermittent symptoms that can reduce their quality of life. This can result in increased school absences and decreased participation and performance in school, sports, and other social activities. The trajectory for recovery in children and adolescents is better than in adults...” National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, New Report Reviews Evidence on Long COVID Diagnosis, Risk, Symptoms, and Functional Impact for Patients, News Release, 5 June 2024, https://lnkd.in/g66ygD_s Pam Belluck, New Report Underscores the Seriousness of Long COVID, 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘠𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴, 6 June 2024, https://lnkd.in/gUyTTcs8

National Health Reporter Sabrina M. of The Washington Post says research into #chronicconditionsaffectingwomen is significantly #lacking, and The National Institutes of Health and other agencies should do more to investigate issues that lead to worse medical treatment for women, a new report from the The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine says. #Women are #disproportionatelyaffected by #chronicillnesses, including #Alzheimer’s disease and #depression, according to the study requested by NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health and published Wednesday.  But inadequate research in women’s health “hinders a comprehensive understanding of the impact on women” of these and other chronic illnesses, the report’s authors write. Further research is needed, particularly for #Blackwomen, who are more likely to die of a chronic illness than White women, the study says. The experts highlight the necessity for improved #diagnostictools tailored for chronic conditions in women, noting distinct differences in symptom presentation for women and men, such as #heartdisease and #diabetes. Experts say women’s diseases may present uniquely, potentially leading to misdiagnosis when using tools primarily designed for male patients. American Heart Association American Diabetes Association Alzheimer's Association®Karen Dale #DEI #SocialDeterminantsOfHealth

Where we direct our intention, time and energy expands. Research that informs the healthcare delivery system in a way that that equitably addresses the health needs of women is overdue. A piece of advice from my colleague @Lisa Fitzpatrick spend “the time to listen, engage with people and develop a deep knowledge about their concerns.”Our voice, experiences and health outcomes matter. #equityforwomenshealth

"Advancing women's health through better diagnostics and testing access is a crucial effort we support." —Joen Johansen, CEO, MDC Associates “At MDC Associates, we recognize the critical importance of advancing women's health through improved diagnostics and increased access to testing, especially in rural areas. The White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research underscores the need for innovative solutions in oncology, infectious diseases, and more. We proudly support bringing new FDA-regulated IVDs and devices to market that address these vital areas.” #womenshealth #health #diagnostics #IVD #medicaldevices

How to End the Futile Blame Game Over Failed Long COVID Research The health outlook for Long COVID sufferers is no better today than it was when the condition was first recognized in early 2020. This has been attributed in large measure to the disappointing results of clinical research, particularly when compared to the magnitude of the problem. Now with hundreds of published results emerging from federally conducted or sponsored research, outraged experts and patient advocates say that there is little to show for it. The critique is that the pace of the work is slow and opaque, and that little has emerged that directly impacts prevention or patient care. The biomedical community has been under steady attack for lack of progress in prevention and treatment underlying a failure to help patients. There is a lot at stake in getting the U.S.’s Long COVID research strategy right. With a national prevalence of the disease in the range of 5% to 15%, an estimated 10 to 35 million working-age adults have Long COVID, and it may be keeping as many as 4 million people out of work. There is a desperate need for effective treatments to mitigate their devastating frustration, suffering, functional impairment, and disability. But what if the medical research community spends years and hundreds more millions of dollars digging a dry hole? The answer is not to dig deeper but to dig elsewhere with a more promising outlook and sharper tools. Larry Cole - click on image below to continue reading this article.

I’m thrilled to share that FeelBetter is starting a new prospective research study with Brigham and Women's Hospital, building on the success of our retrospective research study. "Many polypharmacy problems aren’t detected until patients end up in the ER and, in seniors with several chronic diseases and conditions, the simultaneous use of multiple medications ultimately contributes to 10-30% of hospitalizations,” said Lisa Rotenstein, MD MBA MSc, the principal investigator of the study. “Our previous study showed that its platform can be used to identify which patients are at the highest risk of polypharmacy-related adverse events. Based on retrospective data, we’re excited to prospectively examine how the platform can potentially be used to improve patient outcomes, healthcare utilization, and cost efficiencies.” #Polypharmacy #medicationmanagement #AI #ACO #VBC #PrecisionHealth #PopulationHealth

In 2019, noncommunicable diseases accounted for approximately 40 million deaths — mostly in low-and-middle-income countries — with that number expected to surpass 100 million deaths per year by 2025. With an aging population, Southeast Asia will see an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases, including cancer, and an increased demand for long-term care to address them. In a new Asia Society Policy Institute report, Alexandra Zenoff, MPH argues that investing in primary health care systems is crucial for improving health equity in Southeast Asia, where many rural populations don’t have access to specialized treatments like cancer care. Featuring Thailand as a case study, the report explores how innovations in health care workforce training could expand and improve equitable access to cancer care. Thanks to BeiGene for its support of this important initiative. #cancer #healthequity #southeastasia  https://lnkd.in/dbpqX3Ax