On August 8, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that B. Braun Medical Inc. is voluntarily recalling two lots of 0.9% sodium chloride for injection USP 1,000 ml in E3 containers within the United States to the consumer level. The voluntary recall has been initiated due to the potential for particulate matter and fluid leakage of the respective containers.

On August 6, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that Smiths Medical is issuing a correction recall for its CADD-Solis Ambulatory Infusion Pump because of multiple issues related to outdated software. The FDA said that the recall involves correcting certain devices, not removing them from where they are used or sold. 

Lawmakers in Congress haven’t left themselves much choice if they want to fund the government and prevent a government shutdown in a few months: They’ll need to kick the can down the road. The House left Washington last week, and the Senate will soon follow, with scant progress made toward passing the 12 annual spending bills, or appropriations, that keep vital agencies and government programs running. Current federal financing expires September 30, the end of the 2024 fiscal year.

Precision symptom science helps clinicians identify specific individuals at risk for symptoms and develop targeted strategies to prevent or mitigate the severity of the symptoms. In March 2024, I was one of eight PhD-prepared nurse scientists selected to participate in a workshop hosted by ONS and supported by the Oncology Nursing Foundation to develop the next generation of precision symptom scientists. 

On August 6, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported that Baxter International Inc. is voluntarily recalling one lot of heparin sodium in 0.9% sodium chloride injection to the consumer level because of the potential for elevated endotoxin levels. 

On August 6, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved vorasidenib (Voranigo®), an isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (IDH1) and isocitrate dehydrogenase-2 (IDH2) inhibitor, for adult and pediatric patients aged 12 and older with grade 2 astrocytoma or oligodendroglioma with a susceptible IDH1 or IDH2 variant, following surgery including biopsy, subtotal resection, or gross total resection.

More than 7% of patients participate in cancer clinical research trials, a new study shows—higher than the 5% historically reported. The findings, which were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, are the first to use national accreditation information from the Commission on Cancer to more accurately estimate participation rates.

If you’re interested in identifying best practices and finding new and better ways to support patient care, scientific study and clinical research need nurses to serve in a variety of roles, including PhDs, DNPs, nurse researchers, and direct-care clinical nurses. In fact, all nursing roles contribute to the research cycle, speakers said during a 2024 ONS Congress^® session about the integration of and collaboration between nursing researcher roles.

When my mother died 10 years ago, I found an index card on which she had written a saying she titled “A High Calling.” It described parents’ important role in raising the next generation, their children. That message also applies to the preparation of the next generation of a profession, such as oncology nursing—beyond formal prelicensure education.

On August 2, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to afamitresgene autoleucel (Tecelra^®), a melanoma-associated antigen A4 (MAGE-A4)–directed genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy, for adults with unresectable or metastatic synovial sarcoma who have received prior chemotherapy, are HLA-A*02:01P, -A*02:02P, -A*02:03P, or -A*02:06P positive and whose tumor expresses the MAGE-A4 antigen as determined by FDA-approved or -cleared companion diagnostic devices.