Tag: research

Why antibiotics may not help patients survive their viral infections: new research

Most individuals who are admitted to hospitals with acute viral infections are offered antibiotics by their medical doctors or well being care providers as a precaution versus bacterial co-infection.

Nevertheless new exploration indicates this observe could not strengthen their survival rates. 

Scientists investigated the effects of antibiotic use on survival in more than 2,100 individuals in a clinic in Norway among the many years 2017 and 2021, Reuters reported. 

‘SILENT PANDEMIC’ WARNING FROM WHO: Germs KILLING Also Several Men and women Owing TO ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE

The researchers uncovered that offering antibiotics to persons with prevalent respiratory infections was not likely to decrease the hazard of demise in 30 days.

At the top of the COVID-19 pandemic, antibiotics have been recommended for all around 70{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} of COVID-19 people in some nations, Reuters also explained.

Why antibiotics may not help patients survive their viral infections: new research

Researchers discovered that providing antibiotics to people today with prevalent respiratory infections was unlikely to lower the risk of death in just 30 days. (iStock)

This potentially has contributed to the scourge of antibiotic-resistant pathogens recognized as superbugs.

The new facts has not been released in a professional medical journal to date.

CDC Issues Notify ABOUT DRUG-RESISTANT Stomach BUG’S Spread

It suggests that there is “a large overuse of antibiotics,” claimed direct author Dr. Magrit Jarlsdatter Hovind from Akershus University Hospital and the University of Oslo, Norway, according to Reuters.

It suggests there is “a large overuse of antibiotics.”

Microbes have develop into resistant to numerous treatment plans, specified the overuse and misuse of antibiotics. 

Scientists think about this advancement a remarkable threat to world-wide wellbeing, provided that the pipeline of substitute therapies in progress is alarmingly sparse, Reuters also mentioned.

Exploration will be introduced subsequent month

The latest analysis is to be offered at upcoming month’s European Congress of Medical Microbiology & Infectious Ailments in Copenhagen.

It concerned people who examined favourable by using nasal or throat swab for viral bacterial infections these as the flu, RSV or COVID-19. 

All those with verified bacterial infections ended up excluded from the evaluation.

In overall, 63{bf0515afdcaddba073662ceb89fbb62b6b1bf123143c0e06b788e1946e8c353f} of the 2,111 clients received antibiotics for their respiratory bacterial infections throughout their clinic keep. 

The new research involved patients who tested positive via nasal or throat swab for viral infections such as the flu, RSV or COVID-19. 

The new research included patients who tested favourable by way of nasal or throat swab for viral infections these types of as the flu, RSV or COVID-19.  (iStock)

Total, 168 people died within just 30 times — of which only 22 experienced not been recommended antibiotics.

Just after accounting for variables these types of as sexual intercourse, age, severity of illness and underlying diseases among the the patients, the researchers identified these recommended antibiotics throughout their healthcare facility remain have been 2 times as probably to die inside 30 times than those people not provided antibiotics.

“Medical professionals have to dare to not give antibiotics, alternatively of doubting and giving antibiotics just in situation.”

Equally the sicker individuals and individuals with extra underlying illnesses have been extra most likely to get antibiotics and to die, the investigation staff mentioned.

EYE Fall BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION ‘COULD HAVE Happened ANYWHERE’ — Here is HOW TO Shield Towards IT 

Other components this sort of as patients’ cigarette smoking position could have also played a purpose, they stated.

“Medical practitioners have to dare to not give antibiotics, instead of doubting and providing antibiotics just in case,” Hovind explained, in accordance to Reuters.

Should patients admitted to the hospital with common respiratory infections be treated with antibiotics? A new study is seeking to determine the answer.

Need to people admitted to the medical center with widespread respiratory infections be addressed with antibiotics? A new research is searching for to ascertain the respond to. (iStock)

There are limits of a retrospective research this sort of as this 1.

It is why a clinical demo, which Hovind and colleagues a short while ago initiated, is wanted to decide no matter whether patients admitted to the medical center with popular respiratory infections should really be addressed with antibiotics, she claimed, as Reuters documented.

Tackling the shortages of antibiotics

In the meantime, in late January 2023, a team of European individual and client groups told the European Union’s drug regulator that it wants to do far more to deal with shortages of some widely used antibiotics in the region, according to a letter despatched and reviewed by Reuters.

The letter to the European Medicines Company (EMA) comes as antibiotics, like amoxicillin, have been in small offer given that past Oct, as Reuters noted.

There has been a spike in demand for certain drugs linked to the resurgence of respiratory infections after two years of COVID restrictions, said Reuters.

There has been a spike in demand from customers for specific medication linked to the resurgence of respiratory bacterial infections following two decades of COVID constraints, stated Reuters. (iStock)

The letter mentioned measures like substituting amoxicillin with other antibiotics have squeezed provide of some other medications — and that the latest actions in place to offer with the shortages have not contained the crisis.

There has been a spike in desire for selected medicine joined to the resurgence of respiratory infections following two several years of COVID restrictions, putting further force on world supplies. 

At the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, drugmakers minimize output. 

Drugmakers also cut output when demand from customers dipped at the height of the pandemic.

But the letter highlighted escalating problems about prolonged shortages in the area even as the wintertime will come to an end.

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In yet another modern study on a connected subject matter, little ones who contracted reduce respiratory tract infection (LRTI) at two decades of age or younger had been discovered to be far more likely to die prematurely from that identical problem as adults.

These sorts of infections were being joined to a person-fifth of the fatalities.

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The examine was conducted by a team of London scientists and led by Dr. James Peter Allinson of the Countrywide Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial Faculty London. It was printed in The Lancet in early March. 

The 8-10 years examine analyzed info from the Healthcare Exploration Council Nationwide Study of Health and fitness and Enhancement, which followed 3,589 contributors in England, Scotland and Wales all born in March 1946. 

Melissa Rudy of Fox Information Electronic, as effectively as Reuters, contributed reporting to this report.

Maureen Mackey is running editor of life style for Fox News Electronic.

Rutgers building new medical school, research site in New Brunswick NJ

Rutgers University has cemented its approach for a new healthcare faculty and research facility in the coronary heart of New Brunswick.

Rutgers Overall health at the HELIX will be the new one-campus home to Rutgers Robert Wooden Johnson Medical University and a Rutgers translational investigation facility equipped with a range of labs to progress the perform of 80 study groups.

Construction will start out this spring on the very first of a few structures in the New Jersey Wellbeing + Everyday living Science Trade, or HELIX, a general public-private improvement prepared in downtown New Brunswick, following approval Tuesday by the Rutgers University Board of Trustees.

The trustees’ consent adopted the Rutgers Board of Governors’ Feb. 27 approval of a tentative funding system for Rutgers’ part of the HELIX, an believed $567 million.

Cleveland Clinic Gets Its Own IBM Quantum Processor For Advanced Biomedical Research

This appears to be the year that IBM’s Quantum Computing program reaches the tipping point. IBM and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation just announced the first deployment of an onsite, private sector, IBM-managed quantum computer in the United States. However, beyond the placement of a 127-qubit IBM Eagle quantum processor in a cafeteria at Cleveland Clinic’s main campus, this announcement signals a major leap forward for quantum computing applications.

Of course, the most immediate question is, why install a quantum computer in a cafeteria? Although this may seem like a frivolous question, it gets to a major point of this article. The IBM Eagle class quantum processor has been installed in a highly visible location in the Cleveland Clinic so that biomedical researchers and physicians can start thinking about the most productive ways to use this resource. These are very early days for the development of quantum computing applications, so installing the IBM Eagle quantum processor in the cafeteria, visited daily by nearly everyone working at the Cleveland Clinic, seems like an extremely creative way of keeping the machine ever present in the minds of people working at the facility.

Dr Lara Jehi, who became Cleveland Clinic’s first Chief Research Information Officer in 2020, said that there are many areas of interest in medical research with computational ceilings that block further advances. Quantum processing may help break through those ceilings. Researchers at Cleveland Clinic, working with IBM data scientists, combed through the possible avenues for research, discipline by discipline, to identify the projects most likely to bear fruit when matched to quantum processing’s current capabilities. “Quantum is still a nascent technology,” said Jehi.

Jehi divides the current quantum-based biomedical research into two broad groups: quantum chemistry (drug discovery) and quantum machine learning (ML). The quantum chemistry projects focus on finding new drugs or new purposes for existing drugs. These projects are staggeringly complex due to the sheer size of the data sets that need processing. The core tasks in these projects are simulating cell site binding by the candidate drug molecules. These problems have a very large number of dimensions, and quantum processing is known to be extremely well suited to these sorts of problems.

Current quantum chemistry research projects at Cleveland Clinic include:

  • Identifying protein targets by mapping the complex interplay of proteins and solving the foundational challenge of form-changing protein surfaces in structural biology.
  • Accelerating the prediction of molecular docking between drug candidates and proteins.
  • Exploring protein-drug interactions and protein ligand binding through quantum chemistry algorithms to accelerate drug discovery.

Quantum-assisted ML, an extension of classical artificial intelligence (AI) techniques, seeks to find ways to simplify massive data sets, which consist of patient data from cohorts as large as 150,000 patients, by winnowing the features or dimensions of the data sets that are important to a specific research problem from the features or dimensions that are not important. Current quantum ML research projects at Cleveland Clinic include:

  • Developing a quantum-based physician scheduling algorithm that efficiently and most effectively takes advantage of a physician’s time, expertise, and resources.
  • Exploring the assembly of large genomes through preliminary benchmarking studies to develop a foundational technology for discovery and translation of natural products.
  • Creating optimized radiation therapy treatment plans for individual patients based on patient data.
  • Developing a deeper understanding of cardiovascular risk for non-cardiac surgery patients using perioperative morbidity and mortality data to improve clinical and patient outcomes.
  • Developing optimized clinical trials with accelerated timelines while reducing the number of trial participants and associated costs.

Cleveland Clinic has additional quantum chemistry and quantum ML research projects in the planning stage. “It’s not just about quantum processing being faster; it’s about doing what has been impossible” said Jehi.

IBM currently has six quantum computing centers located around the globe. The quantum processor installation at Cleveland Clinic is the first to be exclusively devoted to biomedical and healthcare research, which is the focus of one of four IBM quantum processing working groups. The other three quantum processing working groups are focused on high-energy physics, high-performance computing (HPC), and finance. IBM is partnering with different companies and institutions for each of these quantum processing working groups.

Aparna Prabhakar, Vice President, IBM Quantum Partner & Alliances, says that IBM has been partnering with Cleveland Clinic for a while now. According to Prabhakar, the goal of the 10-year Cleveland Clinic-IBM Discovery Accelerator partnership, which was announced in 2021, is two-fold. One goal is to identify real-world problems that may benefit from quantum processing. The second goal is to find ways to make the unique abilities of quantum processing available to researchers working in various disciplines without requiring them to understand the underlying quantum technology.

These working groups and partnerships help IBM develop the quantum-based programming tools that data scientists and researchers need to attack many challenges in their respective disciplines. These quantum programming tools abstract away the complexities of quantum processing in the same way that high-level programming languages abstract away the machine instructions, registers, and memory spaces of conventional von Neumann processor architectures.

IBM announced the 127-qubit Eagle quantum processor a year and a half ago. This is the quantum processor that’s been installed at the Cleveland Clinic. At its Quantum Summit late last year, IBM unveiled its 433-qubit Osprey quantum processor and plans to have the first of these processors online by the end of this year. (See “IBM Prepares For Quantum Computing Inflection Point.”) While the company is developing these bigger and faster quantum processors, IBM’s quantum processing working groups are helping to make quantum processing a practical computing tool for multiple disciplines.

Bay Pines VA Research Program | VA Bay Pines Health Care

Study Area Psoriasis Title/BP Study Number A Multicenter, Open Registry of Patients with Psoriasis who are Candidates for Systemic Therapy Including Biologics “PSOLAR” Study #1573980 Synopsis Observational Study collecting information related to the treatment of psoriasis and evaluates patient and disease characteristics, patient-reported assessments and clinical and quality of life outcomes. Clinical Trials: NCT00508547 Study Team Local PI: Daniel Hogan, MD Lori Sisler lorine.sisler@va.gov 727-385-0223 Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Status Enrolling Study Area Genetics Title/BP Study Number Million Veteran Program “MVP” Study #1612959 Synopsis A national research program to learn how genes, lifestyle, and military exposures affect health and illness. All Veterans can participate in this one-time blood collection project. Study Team Local PI: Allison Williams, RN, Ph.D., ND Gary Smith gary.smith@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext.17284 Lori Sisler lorine.sisler@va.gov 727-385-0223 Status Enrolling Study Area Opioid Abuse Title/BP Study Number Comparative Effectiveness of Two Formulations of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder in Veterans “VA BRAVE” CSP 2014 Study #1612560 Synopsis Treat Veterans with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) to understand whether Buprenorphine a medication to treat OUD, given in a monthly injection form works similarly to or better than buprenorphine oral form. Participation in the study will last 1 year. Clinical Trials: NCT04375033 Study Team Local PI: Maha Lahoud-Bladykas, MD Chris Vallanat christopher.vallanat@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15992 Mariah Alexis mariah.alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Status Enrolling Study Area Opioid Abuse Title/BP Study Number A Randomized, Double-Blind Study Comparing 2 Maintenance Dosing Regimens of Buprenorphine Extended-Release Subcutaneous Injection (RBP-6000) in Treatment-Seeking Adult Participants with Opioid Use Disorder and High-risk Opioid Use ”INDIVIOR” Study #1651131 Synopsis The primary objective of the maintenance phase is to compare the efficacy of 100 mg and 300 mg maintenance doses of extended-release buprenorphine administered every 4 weeks. Clinical Trials: NCT04995029 Study Team Local PI: Maha Lahoud-Bladykas, MD Mariah Alexis mariah.alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Chayla Lee Chayla.lee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10111 Status To be launched Study Area Lung Cancer Title/BP Study Number Veterans Affairs Lung Cancer Surgery Or Stereotactic Radiotherapy Trial “VALOR” CSP 2005 Study #1573963 Synopsis Veterans diagnosed with stage I non-small cell lung cancer who are healthy enough to have surgery, agree to be randomized to either surgery (standard of care treatment) or an alternative non-surgical treatment – Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SBRT). Clinical Trials: NCT02984761 Study Team Local PIs: Edward Hong, MD Ryan Burri, MD Marlena Kern, RN marlene.kern@va.gov (VA cell) 727-219-7174 Status Enrolling Study Area PTSD/Mental Health Title/BP Study Number Veteran Health Behavior Study (Wave 2) Study #1573969 Synopsis Observational trial recruiting Veterans who were deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan to learn more about the bidirectional relationships between sleep quality, PTSD symptoms and Alcohol Use Disorder symptoms. Clinical Trials: NCT04552782 Study Team Local PI: Jessica Keith, PhD Anna Rosenblatt Anna.Rosenblatt2@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext.14728 or 727-317-7361 Camille Compton Lori.Compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 14728 or 10151 Status Enrolling Study Area Infectious Disease Title/BP Study Number Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Multicenter Phase 3 Study to Assess the Efficacy, Safety And Immunogenicity of Vaccination With ExPEC9V Study #1624732 Synopsis Phase III clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Vaccination With ExPEC9V in the Prevention of Invasive Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Disease in Adults Aged 60 Years And Older with a History of Urinary Tract Infection in the Past 2 Years. Clinical Trials: NCT04899336 Study Team Local PI: Kaley Tash, MD Anna Rosenblatt Anna.Rosenblatt2@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext.17051 or 727-317-7361 Cortny Withee Cortny.Withee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext.15900 Status Enrolling Study Area PTSD/Insomnia Title/BP Study Number CSP #2016 National Adaptive Trial for PTSD related Insomnia (NAP) Study #1612520 Synopsis A clinical trial to compare the efficacy of trazodone hydrochloride, eszopiclone, and gabapentin to placebo, as adjunctive therapies in the treatment of insomnia symptoms among Veterans with military related PTSD. Study Team Local PI: Ateiat Philips, MD Stella Inting-Toothman 727-398-6661, ext. 17184 727-776-8687 Stella.inting-toothman@va.gov Status Enrolling Study Area Psoriatic Arthritis Title/BP Study Number Solstice- Guselkumab therapy in patients with active Psoraitic Arthritis (PsA) Study #1634796 Synopsis For Veterans with active psoriatic arthritis who have failed a prior anti-TNF (Humira, Enbrel, etc.) The primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of guselkumab. Study Team Local PI: Priyanka Murali, MD Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Camille Compton Camille.compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 14728 or 10151 Status Enrolling Study Area Psoriatic Arthritis Title/BP Study Number Star- Guselkumab therapy in patients with Psoraitic Arthritis (PsA) who have never been treated with a biologic before Study #1634798 Synopsis For bionaive Veterans who have never been treated with a biologic participants with psoriatic arthritis axial disease. The goal is to evaluate the efficacy of guselkumab by assessing reduction in axial symptoms. Study Team Local PI: Priyanka Murali, MD Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Camille Compton Camille.compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 14728 or 10151 Status Enrolling Study Area Psoriatic Arthritis Title/BP Study Number Affinity- Combination therapy with guselkumab and golimumab in patients with Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) Study #1634801 Synopsis For Veterans with active psoriatic arthritis, who have failed prior treatment of anti-TNF (Humira, Enbrel, etc.) and are interested in a dual therapy of guselkumab AND golimumab. Study Team Local PI: Priyanka Murali, MD Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Camille Compton Camille.compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 14728 or 10151 Status Enrolling Study Area Cardiology Title/BP Study Number Pragmatic Evaluation of Events and Benefits of Lipid-Lowering in Older Adults (PREVENTABLE) Trial Study #1612747 Synopsis PREVENTABLE is a multi-center, randomized, parallel group, placebo-controlled superiority study that will evaluate if taking a statin could help older adults live independently for longer by preventing dementia, disability, or heart disease. PREVENTABLE will randomly assign Atorvastatin 40 mg daily or matching placebo once daily to 20,000 community-dwelling adults ≥75 years of age without clinically evident cardiovascular disease, significant disability, or dementia, and follow them for up to 5 years. Clinical Trials: NCT04262206 Study Team Local PI: Dennis Hall Chayla Lee Chayla.lee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10111 Cortny Withee Cortny.Withee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15900 Status Enrolling Study Area Infectious Disease Title/BP Study Number CSP #2001 Investigation of Rifampin to Reduce Pedal Amputations for Osteomyelitis in Diabetics (VA INTREPID) Study #1613455 Synopsis VA Cooperative Study #2001 is a prospective, randomized, double-blind investigation of the addition of 6 weeks of rifampin, 600 mg daily, vs. matched placebo (riboflavin) to standard-of-care, backbone antimicrobial therapy for Diabetic Foot Osteomyelitis. The primary endpoint is amputation-free survival. Clinical Trials: NCT03012529 Study Team Local PI: Melissa Abercrombie, MD Cortny Withee Cortny.Withee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15900 Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Status Enrolling Study Area Infectious Disease Title/BP Study Number CSP #596 Optimal Treatment for Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection (OpTION) Study #1613094 Synopsis The primary objective of this study is to determine whether 1) standard fidaxomicin treatment and 2) standard vancomycin treatment followed by taper and pulse vancomycin treatment are superior to standard vancomycin treatment alone for sustained clinical response at day 59 for all treatments, for participants with either their first or second recurrence of C. difficile infection. Clinical Trials: NCT02667418 Study Team Local PI: Kaley Tash, MD Cortny Withee Cortny.Withee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15900 Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Status Enrolling Study Area Cardiology Title/BP Study Number CSP2002 VA-IMPACT Investigation of Metformin in Pre-Diabetes on Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular OuTcomes Study #TBD Synopsis VA Cooperative Studies Program #2002 will determine whether treatment with metformin, compared with placebo, reduces the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with pre-diabetes and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Study Team Local PI: Manjunath Harlapur, MD Stella Inting-Toothman (727) 398-6661, ext. 17184 (727) 776-8687 Stella.inting-toothman@va.gov Sarah Crim sarah.crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Status To be launched Study Area Lung Cancer Title/BP Study Number LungLife AI Inc. Study #1651410 Synopsis The objective of this study is to use blood draws to validate a device developed by LungLife AI Inc in detecting circulating tumor cells for patients presenting with pulmonary nodules. The test aims to aid in the detection of early-stage lung cancer. Clinical Trials: NCT05171491 Study Team Local PI: Stephen Clum, MD Camille Compton Lori.compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10151 Mariah Alexis Mariah.alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Status Enrolling Study Area Prostate Cancer Title/BP Study Number Identification of Targetable Prostate Cancer Alterations Through Tumor DNA Screening Study #1573965 Synopsis This is an observational, non-interventional study of screening veterans receiving care within Bay Pines VA Healthcare System who carry the diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer, metastatic or recurrent, for the presence of DNA mutations in tumor or germline DNA which could provide access to therapies with potential to significantly prolong survival. Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Mariah Alexis Mariah.Alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Status Enrolling Study Area Prostate Cancer Title/BP Study Number VA STARPORT: Veterans Affairs Seamless Phase II/III Randomized Trial of Standard Systemic Therapy with or without PET-directed Local Therapy for Oligorecurrent Prostate Cancer Study #1616760 Synopsis This is an interventional study for patients with oligorecurrent prostate cancer to determine whether adding metastasis-directed therapy to standard systemic therapy improves disease outcomes further. This study also determines if certain mutations present in tumor DNA can predict if Veterans will benefit from PET-directed local therapy. Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Status Enrolling Study Area Lung Cancer Title/BP Study Number A Phase III, Randomized, Placebo-controlled, Double-blind, Multi-center, International Study of Durvalumab with Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) for the Treatment of Patients with unresected Stage I/II, lymph-node negative Non-small Cell Lung Cancer (PACIFIC-4/RTOG-3515) Study #1600510 Synopsis This is a study assessing the efficacy and safety of durvalumab versus placebo with standard of care Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) in patients with unresected clinical Stage I/II lymph node-negative (T1 to T3N0M0) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Status Enrolling Study Area Bladder Cancer Title/BP Study Number A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial to Study the Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) in Combination With Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) versus CRT Alone in Participants with Muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC). Study #1573968 Synopsis This is a trial for muscle-invasive bladder cancer to compare intact event-free survival in participants from Arm A (pembrolizumab + chemoradiotherapy) and Arm B (placebo + chemoradiotherapy). Study Team Local PI: Andrew Leone, MD Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Status Enrolling Study Area Lung Cancer Title/BP Study Number A Phase 2 Trial of MRTX849 Monotherapy and in Combination with Pembrolizumab in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with KRAS G12C Mutation Study #1679339 Synopsis This is a study assessing the efficacy and safety of MRTX849 alone and in combination with Pembrolizumab as a first-line treatment in patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer with a KRAS G12C mutation. Patients will be randomized to different arms depending on their Tumor Progression Score (TPS). Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Mariah Alexis Mariah.Alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Status Enrolling Study Area Bladder Cancer Title/BP Study Number An observational study of efficacy and utility of Cxbladder tests in the identification of low vs high risk patients and the detection of urothelial carcinoma in patients presenting with hematuria Study #1683093 Synopsis This is an observational study recruiting patients presenting with blood in the urine, who are undergoing investigation for the presence of Urothelial Carcinoma. This study is designed to compare the Cxbladder tests versus standard of care procedures. Study Team Local PI: Andrew Leone, MD Mariah Alexis Mariah.Alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Status To be launched Study Area Head and Neck Cancer Title/BP Study Number Randomized Phase II/III Trial of Radiation with High-Dose Cisplatin (100 mg/m2) Every Three Weeks versus Radiation with Low-Dose Weekly Cisplatin (40 mg/m2) for Patients with Locoregionally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN) Clinical Trials: NCT05050162. Study #1682403 Synopsis This study for patients with locoregionally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is to determine whether radiation with low-dose cisplatin weekly is superior in terms of acute toxicity to radiation with high-dose cisplatin every 3 weeks. Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Mariah Alexis Mariah.Alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Status Enrolling Study Area Prostate Cancer Title/BP Study Number A Single-arm, Open-label, Phase II Study of Checkpoint Inhibitors in Men with Progressive Metastatic Castrate Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) Characterized by a Mismatch Repair Deficiency or Biallelic CDK12 Inactivation (CHOMP). Study #1612473 Synopsis The purpose of this study is to determine the response rate to the anti-PD1 antibody, pembrolizumab in Veterans with mCRPC characterized by either mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) or biallelic inactivation of CDK12. Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Status Enrolling Study Area Prostate Cancer Title/BP Study Number An open-label, multicenter phase II study to compare the efficacy of carboplatin as first-line followed by second-line olaparib versus olaparib as first-line followed by second-line carboplatin in the treatment of patients with castration resistant prostate cancer containing homologous recombination deficiency (COBRA). Study #1612483 Synopsis To determine progression free survival (PFS) to initial therapy (PFS-1L) with carboplatin vs. olaparib in the treatment of patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) containing inactivation of the homologous DNA repair pathway, including BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, BARD1, BRIP1, CHEK1, FANCL, RAD51B, RAD51C, and RAD54L. Study Team Local PI: Ryan Burri, MD Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Status Enrolling Study Area Prostate Cancer Title/BP Study Number VA Multi-Omics Analysis Platform for Prostate Cancer and Sequencing (VA MAPP-SEQ) Biorepository Study #1713735 Synopsis Biorepository for men with the potential to be diagnosed with prostate cancer or having a diagnosis of prostate cancer scheduled to undergo surgical/non-surgical procedure on the prostate gland or metastatic tissue. The purpose of this study is to create a centralized biorepository for future research for Veterans with prostate cancer. Study Team Local PI: Andrew Leone, MD Hayley Maither Hayley.maither@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15925 Kameron Wheelock Kameron.Wheelock@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17842 Mariah Alexis Mariah.Alexis@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10152 Status Enrolling Study Area Pulmonary/COPD Title/BP Study Number A Phase III, Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Chronic-dosing, Parallel-group, Placebo-controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety to Two Dose Regimens of MEDI3506 in Participants with Symptomatic Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) with a History of COPD Exacerbations (TITANIA). Study #1672631 Synopsis For Veterans 40 years and older with a diagnosis of COPD who have a history of exacerbations within the past year. The goal is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MEDI3506 300 mg every 8 weeks and 300 mg every 4 weeks dose regimens. The study is to be conducted. Study Team Local PI: Ravi Patel, MD Sarah Crim Sarah.Crim@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 17975 Lori Camille Compton Lori.Compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10151 Chayla Lee Chayla.Lee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10111 Status Enrolling Study Area Cardiology Title/BP Study Number A Multi-Center Study Evaluating Participants who Received CanGaroo® Envelope, TYRX™ Envelope, or No Envelope During CIED Implantation. Study #1605396 Synopsis The purpose of this study is to look at the differences of healing and complications in patients who have had previous heart device procedures done. The study will compare the results of the previous procedure (a type of envelope used or no envelope used). Clinical Trials: NCT04645173 Study Team Local PI: Afolabi Sangosanya, MD Cortny Withee Cortny.Withee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 15900 Lori Camille Compton Lori.Compton@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10151 Chayla Lee Chayla.Lee@va.gov 727-398-6661, ext. 10111 Status Enrolling

Nearly $400 million for exceptional medical research projects including projects to improve First Nations health

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By means of the Health care Exploration Upcoming Fund, just about 200 ground-breaking healthcare research projects will share in far more than $382 million in grants, together with extra than $32 million to enhance To start with Nations wellness.
 
The assignments will aid Australia’s fantastic professional medical researchers, which include clinician researchers, learn new techniques to diagnose, deal with and treatment for people today with a wide variety of health and fitness circumstances. They will also assist early and mid-career researchers and give more Australians entry to clinical trials.
 
Investigation assignments on cardiovascular disease, major and preventive well being care, respiratory health conditions, maternal well being, mental wellbeing and To start with Nations health and fitness, will get funding to development essential perform.
 
Two ground breaking Initially Nations-led assignments to receive funding are:
 

  • College of Newcastle – $2. million – Gulibaa (Coolamon) Challenge.
    This will be a co-made product of treatment supporting Aboriginal moms across NSW to be smoke-cost-free in being pregnant and further than. The task will co-style and design, embed in Aboriginal Group Controlled Overall health Providers, and assess a group-based mostly smoking cessation method.

 

  • The Sax Institute – $1.5 million – Balanced Ageing for Aboriginal individuals.
    This job will evaluate the implementation and uptake of prevention courses to aid wholesome ageing among Aboriginal persons. The Institute will collaborate with Aboriginal Community Managed Health Expert services which run holistic and culturally risk-free preventive wholesome ageing programs for their communities.

 
Of the 193 assignments funded, 19 grants value far more than $32.3 million are relevant to Initial Nations well being and a more 13 grants value far more than $16.9 million are associated to mental health.
 
All tasks to get funding can be found in this article.
 
Offers attributable to Minister Butler:
 
“I’m so pleased to announce that almost $400 million in funding will aid Australia’s researchers remedy the health and fitness difficulties which problem our local community.”
   
“This funding is about strengthening opportunities for Australian well being and professional medical analysis. It will enable commercialise proof-of-principles, and deepen worldwide exploration ties now and in the long term.”
 
“As the Albanese Governing administration renews the focus on Closing the Gap, it is well timed that significant exploration funding will handle overall health troubles that are important to the overall health of our First Nations persons.”
 
Estimates attributable to Assistant Minister McCarthy:
 
“The Australian Federal government will get the job done each individual working day to Near the Hole for Initially Nations persons and these cutting-edge investigate jobs will support make a significant variation.
 
“Working alongside proficient and skilled researchers offers these types of an essential opportunity to uncover remedies to complex health problems in the city, cities and the bush.
 
“Support for the Healthier Ageing for Aboriginal Persons venture is an important expense in comprehending how to aid and treatment for our elders.
 
“The expenditure in two, ground breaking Initial Nations-led initiatives together with pregnant moms and elders is a testament of our dedication to see a more healthy way of life, from start to aged age.”

Leading American medical journal continues to omit Black research, reinforcing a legacy of racism in medical knowledge

The leading U.S. medical journal, read regularly by doctors of all specialties, systematically ignores an equally reputable and rigorous body of medical research that focuses on Black Americans’ health.

The American Medical Association created a segregated “whites only” environment more than 100 years ago to prohibit Black physicians from joining their ranks. This exclusionary and racist policy prompted the creation in 1895 of the National Medical Association, a professional membership group that supported African American physicians and the patients they served. Today, the NMA represents more than 30,000 medical professionals.

In 2008, the AMA publicly apologized and pledged to right the wrongs that were done through decades of racism within its organization. Yet our research shows that despite that public reckoning 15 years ago, the opinion column of the AMA’s leading medical journal does not reflect the research and editorial contributions by NMA members.

Invisibility in the opinion column of one of the most prominent medical journals in the U.S. is another form of subtle racism that continues to lessen the importance of equitable medical care and health issues for Black and underserved communities.

As rhetoricians and researchers who study scientific communication, we look at the ways scientific writing perpetuates or addresses racial inequity. Our recent study traced how research is referenced by medical professionals and colleagues, known as citations, of flagship journals of the NMA and AMA: the Journal of the National American Association and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Invisible research

Our research began with a question: Has the AMA’s 2008 apology had any effect on the frequency with which JAMA opinion writers draw on insights and research of JNMA scholars and authors?

We studied opinion columns, also referred to as editorials, precisely because they are useful indicators of current and future research as well as priorities and agendas. The purpose of editorials is to critically analyze and sift through various opinions and evidence. Effective editorials in scientific journals are especially rich forums for debate within the medical community.

Medical publications like JNMA and JAMA do not simply convey knowledge. They also establish professional community values through the topics that are studied and who is credited for ideas related to research. When writers choose to reference or cite another scholar, they are acknowledging and highlighting that expertise.

Leading American medical journal continues to omit Black research, reinforcing a legacy of racism in medical knowledge
Influential medical journals serve to inform and shape health care.
Harlie Raethel for Unsplash

As such, citations play an important role in the visibility of research. Articles and authors with more citations are more likely to have a greater effect on the scientific community and patient care. Opinion pieces can shape the broader conversation among medical professionals, and citations can widen that circle of communication.

Invisible racism

We traced how frequently JAMA and JNMA opinion writers referenced one another from 2008 to 2021 by reviewing the 117 opinion pieces published in JNMA and 1,425 published in JAMA during this 13-year period. We found that JAMA opinion columns have continued to, in effect, uphold racial bias and segregation by ignoring JNMA findings.

A Black medical professional adjusts gloves in front of a mirror.
The work of Black medical proessionals is being overlooked in national medical journals.
Piron Guillaume for Unsplash, CC BY-ND

Even when focusing on race, racism and health disparities, topics that JNMA has explored in great detail, JAMA opinion columns did not reference JNMA colleagues or research. Only two JNMA articles were credited and referenced in the 1,425 JAMA opinion pieces that we reviewed.

Editors at JAMA did not respond to our requests for their comments on our analysis.

Racial equity in medicine

The story of the AMA and NMA is not only a reminder of the racist history of medicine. It demonstrates how the expertise of Black professionals and researchers continues to be ignored today. The lack of JNMA citations in JAMA research undercuts the AMA’s own work on racial equity and potentially compromises the quality of medical knowledge published in its journals.

For example, a recent study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that scientists from underrepresented groups innovate, or contribute novel scientific findings, at a higher rate than those from majority groups.

An article published in the weekly medical journal of the Public Library of Science noted that diverse research teams are often more successful in developing new knowledge to help treat women and underrepresented patients with greater precision.

Dissolving systemic bias

One way to intentionally tackle racial bias and segregation in medical knowledge is by deliberately referencing Black researchers and their work. To change this dynamic of racial bias, medical journals must pay attention to how much and how often the Black medical establishment is referenced. Health issues in underserved communities would likely become more visible and achieve greater quality of care in keeping with the AMA’s commitment to social justice.

Journal editors could tell writers and editorial staff to prioritize citation practices. Individual authors might conduct research and evaluate their reading habits to intentionally include research from the Black medical community.

However, this work must go beyond individuals. Undoing decades of collective habits and embedded racism requires collaborations that work across systems, institutions and disciplines.

One hand holds a bottle of pills and the other hand holds three white pills.
Racial disparities in health care often result in lower-quality medical treatment and worse health care outcomes for Black Americans.
Towfiqu Barbhuiya for Unsplash, CC BY-ND

For example, libraries, databases, and search engines that help researchers find and evaluate medical publications might review today’s research tools. It is hard to contribute to a research conversation if your work is invisible or can’t be found.

Many tools, like impact factors, rank research according to how influential it is. If research begins in a category of less importance, it can be harder for the technology to rank it equitably. JNMA’s work was already marginalized when the tools that rank research were developed.

Thus, search results can hinder efforts of individual authors to work toward equitable citation practices. Black researchers and their research of Black health were excluded from the beginning, and existing systems of sharing knowledge and drawing attention to important studies incorporate that structural racism.

The AMA apology in 2008 and its recent progress on addressing racism in its publication process are promising steps. Influential medical journals serve to inform and shape health care. Who is referenced in these journals matters to the medical establishment, research funders and, ultimately, to the patients that are served by innovations in medicine.

Attention to citation can help reduce systemic bias in medical knowledge to achieve greater fairness in health care and, in the long run, help increase attention and resources that will help solve health issues in underserved communities.