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What your patients are reading: Week of September 11, 2023

September 15, 2023

FDA and CDC greenlight new COVID boosters

On Monday, the FDA approved updated COVID boosters from Pfizer and Moderna. The CDC issued a statement the following day recommending at least one dose for everyone ages 6 months and older (Mandavilli, 2023). The shots are formulated to target the XBB.1.5 subvariant and arrive as COVID cases are climbing in the U.S. Officials hope that the boosters can curb a possible spike in winter illness (Lovelace Jr., 2023).

Why are adults taking 'liquid gold' bovine colostrum as a supplement?

The supplement, which comes from the udders of cows right after they give birth but before their milk comes in, supposedly has the potential to enhance immunity, improve digestion, promote better sleep quality, and expedite muscle recovery. A 30-day supply can cost as much as $70. Part of its growing appeal on social media is that it's completely natural, but experts say there's limited evidence of the benefits of bovine colostrum in humans. While the substance is generally safe when taken in recommended doses, it's not regulated by the FDA and may come with side effects such as bloating, gas, or diarrhea. There's also a risk of contamination in colostrum products, especially if they aren't sourced from reputable manufacturers (Salathe, 2023).

Experts say decongestants used by millions of Americans are no better than a placebo

Advisers to the FDA voted unanimously on Tuesday against the effectiveness of phenylephrine—the key drug found in popular versions of Sudafed, Dayquil and other medications. Drugmakers reformulated their products with phenylephrine after a 2006 law required pseudoephedrine-containing medications be sold from behind the pharmacy counter. If the FDA follows through on the panel’s recommendations, Johnson & Johnson, Bayer and other drugmakers could be required to pull their oral medications containing phenylephrine from store shelves, which may force consumers to switch to behind-the-counter pseudoephedrine products or phenylephrine-based nasal sprays and drops (Perrone, 2023).

A boy saw 17 doctors over 3 years for chronic pain until ChatGPT found the diagnosis

TODAY.com reports that a four-year-old boy named Alex suffered chronic pain for years despite visits to 17 specialists. Nobody could provide a diagnosis until his mother Courtney, in desperation, consulted OpenAI's ChatGPT. ChatGPT's diagnosis: tethered spinal cord syndrome. Courtney then scheduled an appointment with a neurosurgeon who examined Alex's MRI images and confirmed the diagnosis. A few weeks ago, Alex underwent surgery to fix his tethered cord syndrome and is still recovering (Holohan, 2023).

Clinician turned social media creator pays it forward after Hurricane Idalia floods her home

Dr. Meghen Martin, a pediatric physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL, and social media content creator, recently sustained six inches of flood water at her home during Hurricane Idalia. Her large social media following stepped up when she started a GoFundMe page, quickly raising $40,000. But she's decided to share the wealth with her community. So far, she’s given away nearly $10,000 to neighbors in need (Royer, 2023).

Sources:

Mandavilli, A. (2023, September 12). The New York Times. C.D.C. Recommends New Covid Vaccines for All Americans. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/12/health/covid-cdc-vaccines.html

Lovelace Jr., B. (2023, September 11). NBC News. FDA clears new Covid boosters: 5 things to know. https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/fda-clears-new-covid-boosters-5-things-know-rcna102577

Salathe, S.R. (2023, September 13). People. Why are Adults Taking Bovine Colustrum as a Supplement? Experts Explain the Appeal -- and Whether It's Worth It. https://people.com/bovine-colostrum-latest-nutrition-trend-social-media-7967008

Perrone, M. (2023, September 12). The Hill. Popular nasal decongestant doesn't actually relieve congestion, FDA advisers say. https://thehill.com/homenews/ap/ap-health/ap-popular-nasal-decongestant-doesnt-actually-relieve-congestion-fda-experts-say/

Holohan, M. (2023, September 11). TODAY.com. A boy saw 17 doctors over 3 years for chronic pain. ChatGPT found the diagnosis. https://www.today.com/health/mom-chatgpt-diagnosis-pain-rcna101843

Royer, J. (2023, September 7). NBC News Channel 8. Doctor turned social media creator pays it forward after Hurricane Idalia floods her home. https://www.wfla.com/news/pinellas-county/doctor-turned-social-media-creator-pays-it-forward-after-hurricane-idalia-floods-her-home/