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Good morning. Here are some plans to consider for Thursday: Attend STAT’s Breakthrough Summit East. I am eager to hear the conversation between reporter Lizzy Lawrence and former FDA Commissioner Rob Califf, which will conclude a full day of events. If you’re in New York, you can still get tickets to attend in person. Otherwise, join me online. We also have a special promo code for latecomers.
NIH Grant Awards Lagging Once More
Nearly halfway through the fiscal year, the NIH has spent significantly less of its budget. As of March 3, the agency’s spending was 74% below the average from 2021 to 2024. According to STAT’s Anil Oza, this shortfall is mainly due to the agency funding fewer new awards and instead renewing existing multiyear projects.
Experts suggest various reasons for this delay, including a fall shutdown, staff layoffs, unclear guidance for grant reviewers, and delays in announcing funding opportunities. Last year around this time, there was a similar deficit, but the agency managed to spend its entire budget by the end of the fiscal year in September. Researchers and others monitoring the agency’s spending are still trying to assess the impact of policy changes from the Trump administration. More details from Anil can be found on the current situation.
New Insights on Restraints During Ventilation
It’s a distressing scene: a loved one in a hospital bed, intubated and restrained to prevent self-injury. Hand restraints during mechanical ventilation are common in ICUs worldwide, yet their effectiveness has been under-researched. A randomized clinical trial involving over 400 participants, published today in JAMA, investigates whether an aggressive or conservative approach to patient restraint yields better outcomes.
The study reveals no significant difference in the likelihood of delirium or coma between patients whose doctors used a conservative, tailored restraint approach and those who were universally restrained two weeks following intubation. Safety outcomes, such as unplanned ventilator removal or actions by agitated patients, showed no difference either. The study authors conclude that a more cautious restraint strategy can be safely implemented. They also point out that their results did not account for the psychological stress or mental health issues related to restraint experienced by patients and their families.
Typing With Your Mind: A New Frontier
A recent study demonstrates that a brain-computer interface allows two individuals with paralysis to type using their minds. The brain implant deciphers attempted finger movements to type on a virtual keyboard, with one patient achieving 80% of the typing speed of an able-bodied person.
“This study represents a significant advancement for the field,” said Tyler Singer-Clark, a biomedical engineering Ph.D. student and member of the BrainGate consortium, in an interview with STAT’s O. Rose Broderick. Despite the progress, as Rose previously reported, the field faces substantial regulatory challenges. For further details on the latest developments, read more on the science behind this study.
Federal Judge Halts Major ACIP Revisions
A federal judge has temporarily blocked significant parts of health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s efforts to overhaul U.S. vaccine policy. The preliminary ruling indicates that Kennedy’s restructuring of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and the changes to the childhood vaccine schedule were likely illegal.
Judge Brian E. Murphy stated in his decision, “There is a method to how these decisions historically have been made — a method scientific in nature and codified into law through procedural requirements. Unfortunately, the government has disregarded those methods and thereby undermined the integrity of its actions.” For more on this ruling and its impact on the upcoming ACIP meeting, which was set to begin tomorrow, read further.
Workplaces Urged to Prioritize Mental Health
According to a poll released today by the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in four individuals has considered leaving their job due to its effect on their mental health. Out of more than 2,100 participants, about half believe their employer prioritizes mental health. Other notable findings include:
- Approximately 80% of respondents desire mental health condition training at work, including how to recognize and respond to crises, manage stress and burnout, and understand available resources.
- Less than a third of participants receive mental health training at work. Those who do report feeling more supported by their management and are less concerned about mental health stigma at work.
- Only 28% of managers have received training to facilitate mental health discussions with their teams.
Who May Not Require Blood Pressure Medication
In a shift toward reduced medication, a research letter published yesterday in the Annals of Internal Medicine suggests that 11% of people aged 65 to 79 with stage 1 hypertension (130-139 mm/Hg systolic or 80-90mm/Hg diastolic) may not need blood pressure medication if their risk is otherwise low.
The update accounts for age and risk assessed by the new PREVENT risk calculator. National health survey data from 2013 to 2020 identified that the individuals who would no longer require medication were mostly female nonsmokers in their mid-60s with low cardiovascular risk scores.
These PREVENT risk equations are integral to recent guidelines that lower the age for initiating lipid-lowering treatments. Much like blood pressure medications, statins are seen as underutilized. Initially proposed to dramatically lower heart attack and stroke rates, decades later, their widespread implementation is challenged. The focus has shifted to personalized, risk-based care, as the researchers concluded: “Our findings among older adults underscore the guideline shift toward personalized, risk-based care.” — Elizabeth Cooney
What We’re Reading
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13 years, 6 doctors and a lawsuit: The road to an endometriosis diagnosis, New York Times
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Influencers push ‘parasite cleanses’ but doctors say to steer clear, NPR
- Opinion: Semaglutide is going off-patent in India. But will people who need it be able to get it? STAT
- My fitness tracker is a secret weapon against my chronic illness, The Verge
- White House digs in on ‘most-favored nation’ drug pricing despite Congress’ cool reception, STAT
