Researchers at St. Louis University reported that an early-stage trial testing an experimental nasal flu vaccine in children and teens began enrolling participants this week. In the 50-person study, half of the participants will receive the investigational nasal vaccine and the other half will receive an inactive saline solution. All of the study’s participants are […]
National Institutes of Health
NIH study finds daily aspirin does not prolong healthy lifespan
In a 19,114-person trial supported by the National Institutes of Health, researchers found that daily low-dose aspirin did not prolong independent living in healthy older adults. Initial findings from the Aspree trial, which began in 2010, were published in The New England Journal of Medicine this week. The study involved participants who did not have […]
NIH launches precision medicine project to collect health data from one million volunteers
The National Institutes of Health will open national enrollment next week for its All of Us research program, aiming to collect health data from at least one million volunteers across the country. The project, which has been in beta for the last year, will request health and lifestyle data from volunteers using online surveys and […]
Study: PET imaging agent could help predict depression drug’s efficacy
Researchers have identified a positron emission tomography imaging agent that could identify the patients that are more likely to benefit from a drug designed to treat major depressive disorder, according to a study published this month in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine. The C-DASB tracer targets a protein, 5-HTT, found in the part of a person’s […]
NIH launches $1.1B initiative to accelerate treatment options for opioid addiction
At the 2018 National Rx Drug Abuse and Heroin Summit today, National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins announced that the agency is launching the ‘Helping to End Addiction Long-term’ initiative. The NIH expects to spend nearly $1.1 billion in 2018 on research dedicated to expanding treatment options for people who are addicted to […]
NIH study finds islet transplants improve quality of life for people with Type I diabetes
A Phase III trial funded by the National Institutes of Health found that quality of life for people with type I diabetes improved dramatically following transplantation of insulin-producing pancreatic islets, according to data published this week in the journal Diabetes Care. The 48-patient trial involved participants with hypoglycemia unawareness, a condition that renders them unable to […]
MIT study reveals the problem with bioresorbable stents
Bioresorbable coronary scaffolds, designed to avoid the risks associated with the long-term implantation of metal stents, once captured the attention of medtech giants like Abbott (NYSE:ABT) and Boston Scientific (NYSE:BSX). But companies have since linked the use of these biodegradable polymer-based devices to a heightened risk of myocardial infarction and thrombosis, prompting Abbott to pull its Absorb […]
NIH: Asthma flare-ups not prevented by temporary increases to inhaled steroid dose
Temporarily increasing the amount of inhaled steroids that young children take when their asthma symptoms worsen does not prevent severe flare-ups, according to a new study from the National Institutes of Health. The findings buck traditional medical practice involving kids with mild-to-moderate asthma. Asthma flare-ups are common among children with asthma and most doctors recommend […]
With weeks left in flu season, the FDA is already working on next year’s vaccine
There are still weeks left in this year’s flu season, according to the FDA, but the agency is already planning on how to better protect the nation’s public health next year. An initial report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention concluded that this year’s flu vaccine sported a 36% efficacy rate. Although that’s […]
Congress doles out $300m to fund diabetes research
Congress today approved a two-year extension of the Special Diabetes Program, giving the National Institutes of Health $300 million to fund research into new therapies and technologies for people with Type I diabetes. The program, which has historically garnered bipartisan support, was last reauthorized in 2015 when lawmakers budgeted $150 million over two years for […]
