McConnell’s episode and the public health takeaway; crafting the design of the first OTC birth control pill

The handling of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's abrupt medical issue this week is raising concerns among medical experts.

July 27, 2023 Check out STAT+

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J. Scott Applewhite/AP Mitch McConnell's abrupt episode has an important public health takeaway People with sudden symptoms of speech impairment, like Mitch McConnell, should receive immediate medical attention, experts say. By Annalisa Merelli STAT+ | How the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the U.S. got its 'unapologetic' design Opill, the over-the-counter birth control pill from drugmaker Perrigo, was designed to stand out in crowded pharmacy aisles. By Annalisa Merelli Cases of alpha-gal syndrome caused by tick bites on the rise, CDC reports Suspected cases of alpha-gal syndrome in the U.S. jumped 41% between 2017 and 2021. Still, majority of health care providers are in the dark. By Bree Iskandar Molly Ferguson/STAT STAT+ | A conflict of interest behind the warning on Apellis' eye drug? The optics are not good The physician in charge of a committee that flagged a rare but severe side effect involving the Apellis drug has ties to a rival drugmaker. By Adam Feuerstein STAT+ | Scientists inch closer to single-shot gene editing cure for blood disorders A study in mice uses lipid nanoparticles to reprogram stem cells in vivo, "almost like a hit-and-run gene therapy."  By Isabella Cueto Ending health disparities requires full federal government, National Academies panel says The National Academies stressed that improving health equity cannot be accomplished by the government's health agencies alone. By Usha Lee McFarling Sammy Kimball for STAT Biogen's sticky situation, Wegovy's risks, & biotech insider trading This episode, we discuss why Wall Street was less than convinced by Biogen's attempt to assuage concerns about its credibility. By Damian Garde and Meg Tirrell and Adam Feuerstein

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