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What your patients are reading: Week of May 20, 2024
May 24, 2024
![card-image](https://cdn.epocrates.com/specialty/fhevtoe66bch/7p9dQQ0SyXy92XI9AHpfYh/8b3cf2871891ebf9b5e96d94aab8e6eb/Patient_reading_news.png)
Victims of U.K.'s infected blood scandal will start getting compensated this year
This week U.K. officials announced compensation plans for the tens of thousands of British citizens infected by contaminated blood or blood products provided by the National Health Service more than 25 years ago. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday apologized for the scandal, which he characterized as the “decades-long moral failure at the heart of our national life.” A recently published report that found civil servants and doctors exposed patients to unacceptable risks by giving them blood transfusions or blood products tainted with HIV or hepatitis from the 1970s to the early 1990s. (Hui, 2024)
Nestle to launch meals designed for weight-loss medication patients
Patients using popular GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic will soon have access to a new line of frozen pizzas, sandwiches, and protein-enriched pastas created to complement their nutritional needs while on these medications. Nestle says that its new Vital Pursuit brand of foods set to appear in supermarket shelves in October will have more protein, iron, and calcium for individuals taking appetite-suppressing GLP-1 agonists. Vital Pursuit products will be priced at $4.99 and under, just slightly more expensive than a DiGiorno four cheese personal pan pizza, currently sold at Target for $4.79. (DiNapoli, 2024)
Acne medication linked to brow wax burns, TikTok user cautions
Abbie O'Connor, 18, is warning followers via TikTok after experiencing a painful eyebrow wax. She said it was immediately clear during her appointment that something was wrong. Weeks prior, she had started tretinoin for acne treatment. According to Dr. Kiran Mian, Medical and Aesthetic Dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology & Laser Surgery, "Tretinoin, or any retinoid medication, can cause this type of burn from waxing. Retinoids increase skin cell turnover. The way they do that is by making our skin cells less adhesive or sticky. This is why the skin can become more sensitive to the pulling sensation associated with waxing, causing skin to get removed or denuded more easily." (Andaloro, 2024).
ADHD drug shortages should improve in coming months
Roughly 6 million teens and adolescents have been diagnosed with ADHD, the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children, according to the CDC. Despite improvements to the ADHD medication shortages that have stubbornly persisted over the past few years, doctors and patients say that they still struggle to get prescriptions filled. The FDA reports that nine manufacturers have ADHD medications in stock, up from six last September. One major manufacturer of ADHD medications, Teva Pharmaceuticals, has resolved its supply shortages apart from a 5-mg dose of one of its popular drugs, which remains in short supply. Many manufacturers point to the unprecedented demand for ADHD drugs as part of the reason behind the supply strain. An FDA spokesperson told NBC News that the agency expects additional supply in the coming months after US Pharma Windlas, a new manufacturer, recently began distributing doses. (Lovelace Jr., 2024)
Rising sea levels, failing septic systems could spell environmental disaster for southern U.S.
Swelling sea levels are driving water tables higher, compromising septic systems in coastal communities around the country and presenting a public health hazard. Septic systems must sit above an adequate amount of dry soil to filter contaminants from wastewater before it reaches local waterways and underground drinking water sources. According to a Washington Post article, communities dotting coastlines in the southern U.S. are racing to replace septic systems at the greatest risk, but the repairs are costly and time intensive. In many states, researchers are studying the potential effects of what some call a largely unseen, unquantified environmental disaster. “We don’t even know the scale of the problem,” said Rob Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University. “I think it’s everywhere. And it can’t get better as long as sea levels are rising. The only question is how quickly it can get worse.” (Dennis, 2024).
Sources:
Hui, S. (2024, May 21). AP. Victims of UK's infected blood scandal to start receiving final compensation payments this year. https://apnews.com/article/uk-infected-blood-scandal-compensation-4ca631d06569230d905711b21dab33cb
DiNapoli, J. (2024, May 21). Reuters. Nestle set to sell $5 pizza, sandwiches for Wegovy, Ozempic users. https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/nestle-set-sell-5-pizza-sandwiches-wegovy-ozempic-users-2024-05-21/
Andaloro, A. (2024, May 17). People. Woman Emerges from Eyebrow Wax with Burns. Why Her Acne Medication Is to Blame (Exclusive). https://people.com/woman-emerges-from-eyebrow-wax-with-burns-from-acne-medication-exclusive-8641858
Dennis B, et al. (2024, May 22). The Washington Post. The drowning South: a hidden threat. https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/interactive/2024/septic-tanks-rising-waters-environment-health/
Lovelace, Jr., B. (2024, May 19). NBC News. ADHD drug shortage shows signs of letting up, but some patients still struggle. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/adhd-drug-shortages-fda-easing-affecting-patients-rcna152570
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