Northwest Permanente, P.C.

Kaiser Permanente research shows prenatal cannabis use increased sharply in California cities/counties allowing retail sales post-legalization, contrasting with areas banning sales. This rise was separate from a pre-existing trend of increasing use. The study highlights the role of local policies in influencing cannabis use during pregnancy.

A Kaiser Permanente study found that eliminating cost-sharing for contraception under the Affordable Care Act led to increased contraception use and decreased unintended pregnancy and abortion rates.

Autism diagnoses in the U.S. nearly tripled from 2011 to 2022, driven by surges among young adults and girls/women. Diagnoses among 26-34 year-olds rose 450%, and girls saw a 305% increase. Factors include increased advocacy, screening changes, and easing social pressures on females.

U.S. health care waste, driven by administrative complexity, over-treatment, and lack of care coordination, totals $760-$935 billion annually. Solutions include value-based care, streamlined administration, and integrated care systems like Kaiser Permanente, aiming to improve outcomes and reduce costs.

Stanford Medicine’s Spectrum receives $70M NIH grant to accelerate biomedical treatment translation, led by Ruth O’Hara, aiming to improve patient care and population health. The grant, spanning until 2031, supports collaborative research with Kaiser Permanente and the University of Hawaii, and training for future investigators.

SPN-820, an intracellular modulator of mTORC1, showed safety and efficacy in a phase IIa study for major depressive disorder. A Danish study found a 4.5-fold higher risk of sudden cardiac death in schizophrenic patients. The FDA expanded approval of sodium oxybate (Lumryz) for narcolepsy in children aged 7 and up. A cohort study identified eight forms of traumatic and adverse childhood experiences that affect psychiatric risk and cognitive ability differently. Mental illness may increase COVID-19 severity. GIP and/or GLP-1 receptor agonists reduced opioid overdose and alcohol intoxication rates in adults with opioid or alcohol use disorder. Lykos Therapeutics plans an additional phase III trial for MDMA-assisted PTSD therapy after FDA rejection. A psychiatrist recommends dementia tests for Donald Trump. Maternal prenatal cannabis use was not linked to child autism spectrum disorder. Over 2,400 Kaiser Permanente mental health workers went on strike in Southern California. Home-based transcranial direct current stimulation improved depression scores in a phase II trial. A Lancet Psychiatry Commission aims to limit harms of problematic internet usage. The FCC voted to route 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline calls by geolocation.

RSV vaccine (Abrysvo) showed 90% effectiveness against hospitalizations or ED visits in adults 60+ during its first season, with 93% effectiveness against RSV-related ARI ED visits. The study, conducted by Kaiser Permanente, included 5,120 patients, with 99.7% of test-positive cases unvaccinated. The Pfizer vaccine's durability of immunity over successive seasons remains under study.

The Institute for Value-Based Medicine® event focused on innovative cancer therapies, health equity in breast cancer, perioperative therapy in NSCLC, and evolving treatments for lymphoma and RCC. Persistent racial disparities in breast cancer care, emerging perioperative strategies in NSCLC, and cost-effectiveness debates in lymphoma treatments were highlighted. In RCC, better tools for recurrence risk and therapy toxicity management were discussed. Balancing innovation with patient quality of life remains central. At CHEST 2024, Maxine Dexter emphasized physicians' role in public policy, particularly in health crises like the opioid epidemic. The ACCC 41st National Oncology Conference discussed financial toxicity and navigation, highlighting the impact on cancer patients and providers. Women's underrepresentation in cardiovascular clinical trials was also addressed, with a call for better access and education. A study on undocumented Latinx immigrants revealed significant health care barriers, emphasizing the need for culturally relevant resources and infrastructure.

HLTH 2024, Oct 20-23 in Las Vegas, features speakers like Meta's Fred Abnousi, Pfizer's Karin Tollefson, Kaiser Permanente's Greg Adams, and actress Halle Berry discussing healthcare innovations, AI in medicine, and patient experiences, among other topics.

TriClip, Abbott's device, is the second FDA-approved treatment for tricuspid regurgitation (TR), following Edwards Lifesciences' Evoque TTVR system. Numerous other T-TEER and TTVR devices are in development. CMS is evaluating Medicare coverage for T-TEER, accepting public comments until Nov. 2, 2024, with a decision expected by July 2025. Abbott is optimistic about CMS's recognition of TR treatment importance.