NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

The overturning of Roe v. Wade and subsequent abortion bans have led to IVF suspensions and mistrust in medical data sharing, potentially hindering clinical research on female reproductive health and exacerbating gender disparities in clinical trial participation.

The Institute of Herbal Medicine at UP Manila developed an ampalaya tablet to combat type 2 diabetes, proven effective in reducing blood sugar levels through clinical trials. This herbal medicine, distinct from supplements, offers a natural, safe alternative for diabetes management.

The Early Tracking of Childhood Health Determinants (ETCHED) study, conducted by NIDDK's PECRB, began enrolling pregnant women (aged 18+, AI/AN or Hispanic ethnicity) in April 2022 at VHMC, Phoenix. The study aims to follow 750 mothers and their offspring for 23 years to investigate maternal risk factors' impact on offspring's birth weight, weight, and adiposity. Secondary objectives include studying maternal factors' role in child growth, neurodevelopment, and gut microbiome changes. Data collection includes demographics, medical history, and biospecimens. The study is approved by NIH IRB and involves extensive community outreach.

Gen X women, lacking guidance on perimenopause and menopause, are turning to social media and telehealth for solutions, challenging uninformed doctors and outdated medical practices.

A workshop on disability trends among U.S. working-age populations (25-64) will be held Oct 15-16, 2024, focusing on measurement, social/economic factors, and COVID-19 implications. It aims to identify research and data priorities, considering labor force participation and public programs, and will discuss interventions and social safety net policies.

The CABINET trial showed cabozantinib significantly improved progression-free survival in previously treated patients with advanced extrapancreatic or pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors compared to placebo. Adverse events were consistent with cabozantinib's known safety profile, supporting its use as a new treatment option.

UAB researchers explore how polygenic risk scores can refine treatment decisions for hypertension, integrating genetic and imaging data to enhance risk assessment and tailor treatments.

Broad Institute researchers optimized 10 polygenic risk scores for 10 common diseases, including heart disease, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes, aiming to predict disease risk before symptoms appear. The study, published in *Nature Medicine*, focused on diverse populations and found that about 20% of participants had high risk for at least one of the diseases. The research highlights the potential for polygenic risk scores to be used in preventive medicine and clinical practice, though challenges remain in their application across diverse ancestries.

Novo Nordisk CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen agreed to work with PBMs and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions to reduce semaglutide prices. The hearing also discussed the role of drug pricing in R&D, with concerns raised about financial incentives for innovation. Jørgensen highlighted Novo Nordisk's significant investment in R&D, including $4.2 billion in diabetes and research in 2023. The hearing emphasized the complexity of drug pricing issues, requiring broader stakeholder engagement.

A new drug, MED6-189, targets both the apicoplast and vesicular trafficking pathways in drug-sensitive and resistant strains of _Plasmodium falciparum_, preventing resistance development and showing efficacy in humanized mouse models and against other zoonotic Plasmodium parasites.