MAYO CLINIC

NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre revealed his Parkinson's disease diagnosis during a congressional hearing about misdirected welfare funds in Mississippi. Favre discussed his investment in Prevacus, a company developing a concussion drug, and lamented losing the investment, noting it's 'too late' for him due to his Parkinson's diagnosis. Favre was also accused of receiving $1.1 million for speeches he never gave, using the funds for a volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Brett Favre, former Green Bay Packers quarterback, revealed his Parkinson's diagnosis while testifying before Congress about the misuse of Mississippi welfare funds. Favre discussed losing an investment in Prevacus, a company he believed was developing a concussion drug, which received $2 million of the welfare funds. The company's founder pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

FDA approves at-home, needle-free flu vaccine for self-administration via online pharmacy, aiming to boost vaccination rates. Available for next season, it's a nasal spray for ages 2-49, not pregnant, and not suitable for those with immune issues. CDC emphasizes flu vaccination as the best prevention against severe illness.

Strategies for adaptive healthcare systems include care coordination for high-risk patients, advanced care ecosystems, innovative primary care, and multimorbidity management. Presenters from Mayo Clinic and Karolinska Institutet discuss these topics.

A second health care worker exposed to a Missouri bird flu patient developed respiratory symptoms but wasn't tested, raising concerns about person-to-person transmission of H5N1. The CDC is investigating and will perform serological testing on the patient and household contact to determine if they have antibodies for the virus.

AI in healthcare promises faster, more accurate diagnoses, personalized treatment plans, accelerated drug discovery, streamlined administrative tasks, outbreak prediction, and enhanced telehealth. Challenges include ethical concerns and regulatory frameworks.

Kratom, an herbal substance from Southeast Asia, produces opioid- and stimulant-like effects and is used for managing withdrawal symptoms, pain, and mental health issues. Despite FDA warnings about potential adverse events like liver toxicity and seizures, recent FDA research suggests kratom capsules may be safe in high doses. Kratom is not a controlled substance in the U.S., but several states have banned its active alkaloids. Kratom products are marketed for mood, focus, and energy enhancement, with companies advising caution and responsible use.

Emerging data challenge continuous BTK inhibitor therapy for CLL, with studies showing no significant differences in PFS or OS with dose interruptions. Long-term trials report durable disease control post-cessation. Combinations with BCL-2 inhibitors achieve high rates of uMRD and treatment-free remission. Time-limited BTK inhibitor plus mAb regimens are being tested, focusing on uMRD or CR as primary endpoints. Factors influencing BTK inhibitor cessation include disease genetics, prior treatment status, and depth of response, necessitating further research on long-term impacts and subsequent treatments.

The SAINT study's 7-year data (2017-2024) indicates that the combination of trabectedin, ipilimumab, and nivolumab is likely safe and effective for untreated advanced soft tissue sarcoma, with an overall response rate of 24.7% and disease control rate of 82.5%. Median progression-free survival was 7.3 months and overall survival was 32.0 months. The study emphasizes the need for randomized trials to confirm superiority over standard first-line therapy.

Endomimetics, a UAB startup, received a $2.8 million NIH grant to develop a BionanomatrixTM coating for brain aneurysm-therapy flow diverters, aiming to accelerate aneurysm occlusion and reduce thromboembolism risks.