Author: healthadmin

WASHINGTON — David Morens, a former top official at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was indicted Tuesday on charges of concealing records from a Freedom of Information Act request. Trump administration officials said in court documents that Morens concealed and falsified records to undermine arguments about the origins of the virus that caused the coronavirus pandemic, in exchange for kickbacks such as wine and future meals at high-end restaurants. Morens was a senior adviser to former NIAID Director Anthony Fauci, who is not directly named in the indictment. “As alleged in the indictment, Dr. Morens and his…

One of the crucial breakthroughs that distinguished quantum physics from classical physics was the realization that matter behaves quite differently on very small scales. Among the most important discoveries was wave-particle duality, the idea that particles can also behave like waves. This concept became popular through double-slit experiments. When electrons were fired through two narrow apertures, they produced a pattern of alternating light and dark bands on the detector. This pattern revealed that each electron behaves like a wave, with its quantum wavefunction passing through both slits simultaneously and interfering with the electron itself. Scientists later confirmed this effect in…

MIT researchers have identified an unexpected effect in photophysics that could lead to a faster and more detailed way to image living tissue. Under certain conditions, a laser signal that normally appears scattered and chaotic can reorganize into a narrow, highly focused “pencil beam.” Using this self-forming beam, the research team generated 3D images of the human blood-brain barrier approximately 25 times faster than current gold standard methods while maintaining similar image quality. This method also allows for real-time observation of drug uptake by individual cells. This could help scientists assess whether treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and…

New research published in journal psychological science The association between eating meat and experiencing depression was very weak, suggesting that there is likely no causal relationship. After analyzing data from tens of thousands of people over several years, scientists found that avoiding meat does not appear to be a significant risk factor for developing depression. This provides evidence that people who choose a vegetarian or vegan diet do not need to worry that their dietary choices will directly cause poor mental health. In recent years, there has been increased public interest in the potential impact of plant-based diets on mental…

Earlier this year, when the FDA asked Amgen to pull its rare disease drug Tabneos from the market, the California drugmaker rejected the request. Now, U.S. regulators are applying even more pressure. The FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) has proposed rescinding approval of Amgen’s oral drug, citing new information showing that data was “manipulated” to facilitate the green light for Amgen’s oral drug. In the letter (PDF), CDER also singled out Amgen subsidiary Chemocentrics, saying Tavneos is ineffective and that its application for approval as a treatment for ANCA-related vasculitis contains false statements. Additionally, CDER noted cases…

After recalibrating its production strategy in the late 2010s to better align with the realities of the CAR-T market, Gilead Sciences’ Kite Pharma is gearing up to hit the ground running for approval of its next-generation multiple myeloma cell therapy later this year. And looking further afield, Kite is eyeing the potential of in vivo CAR-T, which could further simplify the manufacturing and logistical constraints of this class and bring medicine to more patients, said Laura Alquist, Kite’s senior vice president and global head of technology operations, when she spoke with Fierce at the recent U.S. Biomanufacturing Summit in San…

NASA’s Curiosity rover has identified a wide range of organic molecules on Mars, including compounds that scientists believe are key ingredients in the origin of life on Earth. The discovery came from the first chemical experiment performed on another planet. The results showed that the surface of Mars can store molecules that could serve as potential signs of ancient life. However, this experiment cannot determine whether these organic compounds came from past life on Mars, natural geological processes, or meteorites that hit Mars. To see real evidence of past life, scientists will need to bring Martian rock samples back to…

AstraZeneca’s three-in-one inhaler Breztri Aerosphere has passed another significant milestone, inching towards the British drugmaker’s goal of reaching $80 billion in sales by 2030, after breaking the blockbuster sales benchmark in 2025. On Tuesday, the FDA approved Breztri for a second indication, approving the triple combination of budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate as maintenance treatment for asthma in adults and children 12 years and older. Breztri was first approved in the United States in 2020 as a maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The new agreement opens up a substantial market for Breztri, one of several respiratory products…

Tory Starr worries about the people who receive medical care at Open Door Community Health Center on California’s north coast. “These are people who work in restaurants. They’re teacher’s aides,” said Starr, a registered nurse who became Open Door’s chief executive officer more than six years ago. These patients are “the very heart and soul of rural America,” he says. He said patients could quickly lose services if remote medical centers don’t get a share of the billions of dollars Congress has allocated to reform health care in rural America. About 50% of Opendoor’s 60,000 patients are on Medicaid. Medicaid…

Haleon has launched a soccer-focused marketing campaign ahead of the FIFA World Cup in the United States, putting midfielder Tyler Adams at the center of an advertisement about the support its products provide. The consumer health company, which spun off from GSK in 2022, sells products such as painkiller Advil and antacid Tums. Haleon is introducing the brand in a 30-second ad created as part of the company’s “For the Assist” campaign in partnership with the U.S. Soccer Federation. The federation oversees the U.S. men’s national team, which will compete in June’s FIFA World Cup. In the Haleon ad, a…