Georgetown University

Athletic trainer Kenya Moore noticed a player's disorientation after switching ADHD meds, leading to heat stroke. Experts warn that medications for ADHD, anxiety, and depression elevate heat stroke risk in athletes, calling for more research. Heat illness diagnoses and deaths have risen with global temperatures, with stimulants potentially increasing risk by constricting blood vessels and inhibiting sweating. Awareness and precautions are crucial, especially as mental health medication use rises.

New study finds 80% of pregnant women become iron deficient by third trimester, advocating for routine iron checks during pregnancy for maternal and fetal safety, despite current US guidelines not recommending regular checks.

Vaccine manufacturing is critical for future pandemic preparedness, requiring global collaboration and optimized processes. Inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines highlights the need for manufacturing in low- and middle-income countries. Challenges include diverse vaccine platforms and regional infrastructure differences, necessitating significant process optimization. Collaborative efforts like BioNTech/CEPI in Rwanda aim to address these issues.

In BRight Minds in Healthcare Delivery, Alex C. Nisenbaum discusses with Rajni Natesan, CEO of Clarified Precision Medicine, the impact of AI and ML on healthcare delivery, addressing challenges like AI trustworthiness, patient data sharing, regulations, and data ownership.

The CheckMate 77T trial showed perioperative nivolumab extended median event-free survival (EFS) in resectable NSCLC to 40.1 months. NEOSTAR and CA209-159 trials revealed neoadjuvant nivolumab or nivolumab plus ipilimumab provided durable long-term survival benefits, especially for patients achieving pathological response. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) clearance and PD-L1 status were key biomarkers influencing outcomes, suggesting personalized treatment approaches.

Brian King, head of FDA’s Center for Tobacco Control, faces House hearing over agency’s failings, including prioritizing politics over science, arbitrary actions, and systemic issues. The CTP’s refusal to authorize safer nicotine products, despite evidence of their effectiveness, has led to public demand for urgent FDA reform. The hearing aims to pressure the CTP to authorize life-saving products and initiate structural reform for public health protection.

Experts urge immediate action to prepare for a potential H5N1 bird flu pandemic, including vaccine development, stockpiling, and deployment to high-risk groups. The CDC reports 14 U.S. human cases since 2022, with recent spread among mammals raising pandemic concerns. The U.S. has 4.8 million stockpiled H5N8 vaccine doses, but better-matched H5N1 vaccines are needed. Long-term strategies include building population immunity and comprehensive human-animal health protection.

Summit Therapeutics announces HARMONi-2 Phase III trial results for ivonescimab in advanced NSCLC, showing significant PFS improvement over pembrolizumab. Ivonescimab demonstrated a median PFS of 11.14 months vs. 5.82 months for pembrolizumab, with comparable safety profiles. HARMONi-7 trial initiation planned for early 2025.

Summit Therapeutics announces Phase III HARMONi-2 trial results showing ivonescimab's superior PFS (11.14 months vs. 5.82 months for pembrolizumab) in advanced NSCLC, with comparable safety profiles. The company plans to initiate HARMONi-7 in early 2025, a multi-regional Phase III trial for first-line PD-L1 high metastatic NSCLC.