health
A brain cancer breakthrough decades in the making
José A. Alvarado Jr. for STAT
A new medication helped people with brain tumors stave off disease progression for over a year compared to trial participants taking a placebo — a thrilling breakthrough for researchers, patients, and drug developers who've spent decades searching for better treatments. The new drug, Voranigo, received FDA approval last month and could be the harbinger of a new era for pharmaceutical industry interest in treating certain brain cancers.
There are a few catches, of course: Studies suggest the potential for harm to the liver, and the drug is approved only for patients with specific types of brain tumors and with specific mutations of two related genes. (One such patient is Rachel Guberman, pictured above.) Even for those who do qualify, the drug's current list price is nearly $480,000 per year.
Still, the drug is generating significant buzz. "This is the most exciting thing I've ever encountered," said Katherine Peters, a Duke University neuro-oncologist and one of the clinical trial investigators. Read more from STAT's Andrew Joseph.
health tech
Behavioral health groups ask Congress to act on telehealth prescribing rights
A coalition of mental health and addiction treatment groups is begging Capitol Hill for a two-year extension of the emergency telehealth prescribing rights they gained during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a letter delivered to Congressional leadership and the Biden administration this week, the group asked lawmakers to effectively short-circuit a regulation currently being considered by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The rule would re-impose some in-person requirements on patients seeking medications like stimulants for ADHD or buprenorphine, a common and highly effective medication used to treat opioid addiction. It was first proposed in early 2023 and is likely to be finalized before the end of President Biden's term.
The groups include the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, American Psychiatric Association, and American Pharmacists Association, as well as behavioral health startups that have blossomed during the telehealth era, such as Boulder Care, Bicycle Health, and Pelago.
addiction
Key Democrats look to crack down on problem gambling
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) introduced a new bill Thursday meant to guard against the rise of sports books that can be accessed via cell phone, and gambling-related harms more broadly.
The SAFE Bet Act, as the legislation is known, would ban online sports book advertising during live sporting events and prohibit offers meant to induce gambling, including boosted odds and free "bonus" bets. It would also place limits on user deposits within a 24-hour period, prohibit the use of AI to offer individualized promotions to consumers, and require sports books to conduct "affordability checks" on their customers before accepting large wagers.
As states rush to legalize online sports betting, many lawmakers and public health officials have fretted about opening the floodgates to yet another addiction-related health crisis. As I reported in June, gambling behavior, especially when coupled with substance use, is a known risk factor for depression and suicide — and increasingly, addiction professionals feel they have no choice but to fold gambling-related care into their broader treatment portfolio.
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