GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

AI-driven Biomedical Data Translator tool suggests guanfacine for a girl with SHINE syndrome, improving her symptoms. AI's role in translational medicine is promising but faces challenges like data quality and bias, requiring ethical use and human oversight.

Speakers: Thomas W. Carton, PhD, MS (Chief Data and Strategy Officer, Louisiana Public Health Institute) and Anitha S. John, MD, PhD (Medical Director, Washington Adult Congenital Heart Program, Professor of Pediatrics, Children’s National Hospital, George Washington University). Title: Congenital Heart Initiative: Redefining Outcomes and Navigation to Adult Centered Care (CHI-RON) Study. Date: Nov 1, 2024, 1:00-2:00 p.m. ET. Join via: https://duke.zoom.us/j/98497890732?pwd=e7TpB50WhY3FjT60uHPaVPHMiFVjzW.1, Passcode: 612794.

Sunil Adige, MD, highlights the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month for early detection through mammograms and the evolution of personalized medicine, which tailors treatments based on cancer biomarkers and next-generation sequencing, offering more effective and less adverse treatment options.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month emphasizes early detection, personalized treatment, and addressing disparities. Personalized medicine uses NGS testing and targeted therapies like capivasertib. HER2 ultra-low classification expands T-DXd eligibility. Research aims to reduce treatment toxicities, especially in Black women. Early detection strategies include mammograms and recognizing symptoms. Post-treatment care focuses on regular oncologist visits and managing long-term AEs.

New research confirms a link between excessive sweating (primary hyperhidrosis) and sensitive skin, with those affected sweating four times more than needed and experiencing heightened skin sensitivity beyond sweaty areas. The study, published in the Journal of the Drugs and Dermatology, suggests a complex connection involving abnormal nerve signals, potentially leading to new treatment approaches.

FDA approves FluMist nasal spray by AstraZeneca for home use, available through third-party online pharmacy later in flu season.

Black and Hispanic family doctors more likely to serve Medicaid patients, supporting previous studies on minority doctors returning to communities of color. Researchers emphasize the need for more diverse medical workforce to reduce health inequities.

The 2024 NIDA International Forum, held in Montreal, featured over 200 attendees from 73 countries, focusing on addiction research, treatment, and policy. Key sessions included updates on NIDA's strategic priorities, discussions on drug policy reforms, medical cannabis education, opioid stigma in pharmacies, and real-world interventions. The event also highlighted international research collaborations and the importance of addressing substance use in humanitarian settings.

Misaligned incentives and bureaucracy hinder drug development, despite shared goals among stakeholders. Over-complexity in clinical trials, such as study overdesign and regulator-phobia, impedes progress. Emphasizing mission focus, genuine partnerships, flexibility, innovative thinking, and aligned incentives can drive systemic change, ensuring the clinical trial ecosystem delivers effective drugs for patients.

Latigo Biotherapeutics appoints Tim Lugo as CFO and adds Beth Seidenberg and Jim Tananbaum to its board, aiming to advance non-opioid pain medicine development.