FDA Amends EUAs With Booster Doses for COVID-19 Vaccines
On October 20, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) for the Moderna and Janssen (Johnson and Johnson) COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of a single booster dose for certain populations.
New U.S. Agency Will Propel Healthcare Advancements Directly Into Practice
Biomedical research is what transforms medicine. Oncology nurses see the evidence of that daily, from discoveries like immunotherapy that have revolutionized cancer treatment to novel nursing approaches to managing symptoms and adverse events. And thanks to the studies that brought a COVID-19 coronavirus vaccine to market in record-breaking time, the world understands research like never before, too.
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New Study Supports CRC Screening for People Older Than 75
Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening may be beneficial for certain patients aged 75–85, according to findings from a new study. The researchers reported the results in JAMA Oncology.
The Case of the End-of-Life Evaluation
Ron, your 73-year-old patient, decides to transition to hospice care after receiving lung cancer treatment for three years. His partner finds Ron’s decision to move to hospice difficult to accept and encourages him to look for a clinical trial or try alternative treatments. You suggest that the couple speaks with a hospital chaplain, and Ron agrees. His surprised partner says, “Why do you want to talk with a chaplain? We’ve never been religious!”
Genetic Disorder Reference Sheet: ATM Pathogenic Variants
An estimated 1%–2% of adults have one pathogenic ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene variant (heterozygous) and are considered carriers. People who are homozygous (two altered copies) have ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), a hereditary condition that often appears in childhood and is characterized by progressive neurologic problems that lead to difficulty walking and an increased risk for developing various malignancies. Children with A-T may begin staggering and appear unsteady (ataxia) shortly after learning to walk.
FDA Approves Atezolizumab as Adjuvant Treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
On October 15, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) for adjuvant treatment following resection and platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with stage II–IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with PD-L1 expression on ≥ 1% of tumor cells as determined by an FDA-approved test.
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NIH Provides $185 Million to Advance Understanding of Human Genome Functions
To drive the advancement of our understanding of the human genome, the National Institute of Health (NIH) is providing $185 million in funding over the next five years, the agency announced in September 2021.
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HHS Secretary Releases Proposal to Lower Prescription Drug Costs
On September 9, 2021, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra released the Drug Pricing Plan to combat excessive pricing or prescription drugs and reduce the prices paid by the federal government for such drugs, and to address price gouging in the industry. The plan is a part of an initiative from President Biden’s executive order on Promoting Competition in the American Economy to advance the federal government’s ability to address overconcentration, monopolization, and unfair competition in the economy.
Interprofessional Collaboration Helps Improve Cancer Care
Much of the care we provide is complex and requires the contributions of many knowledgeable and experienced professionals. To satisfy the National Academy of Medicine recommendations of providing safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable, and patient-centered care, healthcare professionals must function as highly collaborative teams.
FDA Reports Worldwide Recall of Lidocaine HCl Topical Solution 4% Because of Super Potency
On October 13, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported Teligent Pharma’s voluntary recall of five lots of lidocaine HCl topical solution 4% in a 50 ml screw cap glass bottle to the user level because the firm’s testing found it to be super potent based on an out-of-specification result obtained at the 18-month stability timepoint.