Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
A 'Wake-Up Call': Antibiotic Resistance In Kids Is Accelerating, Study Finds
New research indicates that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) rates have increased significantly in children over the last two decades, rendering many first-line treatment options ineffective and now increasingly threatening second-line and last-resort options. (Dall, 7/23)
More health and wellness news —
Black people with multiple sclerosis (MS) die from the disease at a younger age than white people, a new study reports. The death rate among Black patients with MS peaks between ages 65 and 74, while white patients are most likely to die between 75 and 84, researchers report in the September issue of the journal Neurology Open Access. (Thompson, 7/24)
Patients experiencing severe heart attacks may have significantly higher concentrations of micro- and nanoplastics in their blood compared to individuals with stable heart conditions, according to new research. Italian researchers analyzed blood samples from the coronary arteries of 61 patients undergoing angiograms, a procedure that analyzes blood vessels for irregularities. (Quill, 7/23)
Exceptional memory at age 80 and beyond was not due simply to good genes, an analysis of prospective data suggested. The study assessed outcomes for superagers -- people 80 or older with episodic memory at least as good as adults 20 or 30 years younger -- and cognitively average controls. (George, 7/23)
A US study has found a 70% drop in hospital admissions and days off from work or school when people with poorly controlled asthma had their gas stove and hob replaced with electric. Ohio’s publicly owned MetroHealth began the study in December 2024 but funding was terminated early by the incoming Trump administration. It had been designed to investigate if replacing gas cooking improved asthma for 1,200 people living near Cleveland, Ohio. (Fuller, 7/24)
More than a million cartons of eggs are being recalled from retail outlets after Texas farms reported potential salmonella contamination, according to a Wednesday statement from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (Jorgensen, 7/23)
The packaging of certain fruit puree pouches sold at Target, Kroger and Meijer stores nationwide could pose a health risk. On Friday, PT Organics Limited voluntarily recalled a portion of its Pumpkin Tree Peter Rabbit Organics Banana & Strawberry four-ounce (113-gram) pouches after being notified by its supplier about a defect in packaging that could result in “a thin, soft strand of the inner pouch material becoming detached, and leaving the pouch when squeezed,” according to a statement published on the company website. The Food and Drug Administration posted the company’s announcement on July 21. (Sloan, 7/23)