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Good morning. During a four-hour deep brain stimulation surgery, a woman played her clarinet non-stop, assisting the surgeon in refining the electrode placements in her brain. Quite the pun, isn’t it?
420
That number reflects the anti-science legislation introduced in state legislatures across the U.S. this year. These bills challenge long-standing public health measures such as vaccine requirements, milk safety regulations, and fluoride use, aligning with Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s agenda to “Make America Healthy Again.” An investigation by the Associated Press reveals that this surge in legislative actions is legitimizing conspiracies propagated by Kennedy and the anti-vaccine movement. You can read the article, featuring heartrending accounts from parents of an 8-year-old boy who succumbed to a vaccine-preventable illness this spring.
“I believed vaccines would safeguard our children,” shared Erik Dahlberg, the grieving father. “Sadly, that was not the case because vaccination is a communal responsibility.”
New initiative seeks to safeguard abortion providers
Yesterday marked the debut of Reproductive Futures, a legal organization established to act as the “legal frontline” for abortion care in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision, focusing on enhancing existing shield laws and advocating for similar protections in additional states. Founder Julie F. Kay has been involved in legislative efforts — including a new California law that permits the mailing of abortion medications without the patient, provider, or pharmacist’s names visible on the packaging for confidentiality purposes.
“Telemedicine over the past two years in shield states has equipped our legal team with insights into the strengths of these laws and possible enhancements for both providers and patients,” Kay relayed in an email. The group will refrain from litigating against restrictive states since other organizations are already doing that, allowing Reproductive Futures to concentrate solely on shielding telemedicine abortion, emergency care, and post-abortion services while developing proactive legal strategies.
Some medical professionals in shield states have already faced scrutiny from rigid states for providing abortion medications via telemedicine. “None of these cases appear to have a solid legal foundation, but they serve to intimidate the provision of telemedicine from shield states to under-resourced regions,” Kay stated, emphasizing that Reproductive Futures will provide pro bono legal defense for telemedicine practitioners.
Understanding the distinction: Neurology vs. Psychiatry
In discussions surrounding the separation of neurology and psychiatry, an academic perspective isn’t always expected. However, in a recent First Opinion submission, neurologist and pain specialist Shaheen E. Lakhan shares his personal narrative. He reflects on his father’s debilitating stroke, which left him paralyzed and only capable of communicating through blinking. Lakhan further explores family struggles that had initially seemed disconnected: his brother’s psychosis, his mother’s dementia, and his own migraine challenges.
“My experiences revealed gaps in the conventional understanding of brain care,” Lakhan asserts. He contends that medicine should not compartmentalize the mind and the brain. Dive deeper into his insights and proposed pathways here.
Key takeaways from Europe’s major cancer conference
STAT’s Andrew Joseph covered ESMO this week in Berlin, hosted by the European Society for Medical Oncology. Here are some pivotal highlights:
- Merck presented impressive findings on their innovative drugs — during one presentation about bladder cancer treatment, the audience erupted in cheers. However, this also reveals a financial dilemma for the company, as investors demand clarity on what will follow Keytruda, its flagship cancer treatment. “Filling the void left by a juggernaut is challenging,” Drew mentions.
- The professional organization has also issued its inaugural guidance on utilizing large language models in oncology. It notes a concerning lack of quantitative evidence concerning the safety and effectiveness of AI tools used for symptom tracking, decision-making, and supporting administrative tasks, advising a cautious case-by-case approach.
- New research indicates that mRNA-based Covid vaccines could enhance the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy drugs by mobilizing the immune system to target tumors. The study showed that advanced cancer patients receiving a vaccine within 100 days of starting immunotherapy had improved survival rates compared to those who did not.
Q&A: Moderna’s advancements in cancer treatment
In other cancer-related news from Drew, Moderna has faced a challenging financial year, with its stock value declining and several rounds of layoffs, compounded by the Trump administration’s disavowal of its mRNA technology. Just yesterday, the firm revealed that its experimental cytomegalovirus vaccine failed in a Phase 3 trial.
Nonetheless, the company continues to quietly advance its pipeline, focusing on cancer therapies and treatments for rare diseases. “We are optimistic about the significant impact our technology can have on cancer,” disclosed Kyle Holen, head of therapeutics and oncology, during his conversation with Drew at ESMO. For further insights on the progress of the company’s oncology initiatives amidst financial adjustments, check out their discussion here.
Current readings of interest
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U.S. Ph.D. enrollments decline as concerns about Trump’s budget cuts loom, Nature
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Is a new variant of mpox virus set to expand beyond California? Many individuals at risk remain unvaccinated, Healthbeat
- First Opinion: Discerning causation from correlation, STAT
- ‘I’m on fire’: Testosterone is rekindling women’s sexual desire — and more, New York Times
