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good morning. To be honest, I’m a little late in reading The Odyssey. I got distracted by “East of Eden.” Send us news tips and reading material. (email protected)
Uganda closes borders as Ebola virus surges
Following the US and Rwanda, Uganda has also closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo. The decision was made by the local Ebola response team and goes against WHO guidance, according to the Associated Press.
“No country should close its borders or impose restrictions on travel or trade,” a recent WHO statement declared. “Such measures are usually implemented out of fear and have no scientific basis.”
There is no specific treatment or vaccine for the rare type of Ebola circulating in this outbreak, known as the Bundibugyo Ebola virus.
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That many people with Covid-19 will go on to develop long-term Covid, according to a study of some 458,000 patients in 58 hospitals published yesterday in JAMA Network Open. That’s about twice the rate estimated by federal health officials.
The researchers used an algorithm that identified symptoms such as heart problems, fatigue, and chronic pain within the electronic medical record while considering other potential diagnoses. My colleagues at the Boston Globe have written extensively about this paper and the experts’ reactions.
A “functional treatment” for hepatitis B?
In two clinical trials, an experimental drug manufactured by GSK helped about 20% of hepatitis B patients achieve functional cure. (“Functional cure” here is defined as six months without detectable levels of the virus.) Hundreds of millions of people around the world are infected with chronic hepatitis B, which can lead to problems such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
This cure rate “doesn’t seem huge, but it’s actually a huge advance in terms of treating chronic hepatitis B,” Seng Gee Lim, the study’s researcher, told STAT’s Andrew Joseph. Click here to learn more about the results.
Heart patch to cheer up a weak heart
After a heart attack, the organs are unable to regenerate weakened muscles and their ability to pump blood throughout the body is hampered. Ultimately, many people are forced to choose between a heart transplant and an implant.
But a small study reports progress with new methods, reports Elizabeth Cooney at STAT. For 20 patients, thin patches of myocardium made from induced pluripotent stem cells were attached to the outside of the damaged heart chambers.
Initially, scientists envisioned the patch to serve as an LVAD implant or a bridge to implantation. More research is needed, but depending on the results, this method could help some people avoid the next step altogether. Read more about Liz’s science.
Christian insurance alternative lowers costs
The nonprofit Liberty HealthShare, a Christian cooperative where members pay monthly dues to care for each other as an alternative to traditional health insurance, is cutting monthly costs, according to a recent press release. This is the second year in a row that health-related costs have declined, in sharp contrast to the steady increase seen across traditional workplace plans over the past decade.
While this arrangement may sound appealing, keep in mind that health stocks like this do not offer comprehensive coverage and are not regulated like insurance. Additionally, faith-based groups often have lifestyle requirements and regulations. For example, Liberty requires its members to maintain a “Christian” lifestyle, defined as refraining from tobacco use, avoiding most drug use and abuse, exercising regularly, and eating healthy foods that “do not harm the body.” We recommend reading this 2023 ProPublica investigation into Liberty’s financial practices and this 2022 KFF Health News article about how health stocks have been mistaken for ACA plans.
Meanwhile, medical care in the United States remains inadequate.
SEE ALSO: A new report from the Commonwealth Fund finds that the U.S. health care system cannot compete with up to 19 of its peers, including Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, South Korea, and many European countries. This report is based on 2024 data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Some key points are:
- The United States has the lowest number of primary care physicians of the group at 0.3 per 1,000 people, less than half the average of 1.1 per 1,000. Furthermore, the country is slow in producing doctors, with 8.6 medical graduates per 100,000 people each year. Denmark has the highest rate, producing 21 graduates per 100,000 people.
- Health care had the highest spending, accounting for 18% of U.S. gross domestic product in 2024. This is almost double the average for other countries.
- Despite the cost, there is little to prove it. The average life expectancy in the United States is 79 years, one of the lowest. (Spain, Japan and Switzerland have 84 years.) It also has the second highest rate of avoidable deaths.
what we are reading
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NSF puts new research grants on hold for top universities, Nature
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The Biggest Undocumented Disparity in Maternal Health, The Atlantic
- MIT President: “Why are so many optimistic scientists depressed, STAT”
- They started IVF and then split. Now, who will have control over the embryo? new york times
- President Trump’s deal will be tested with new drug launches, STAT
