Industry Insights Healthcare: 10/10/24
In this week’s insights, we will briefly summarise three of the latest advancements and approvals in the healthcare industry.
The FDA approves the first self-administered nasal spray flu vaccine
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved FluMist (AstraZeneca), a nasal spray flu vaccine, for self-administration by adult patients up to 49 years old and caregiver administration for those aged 2 to 17 years. This approval makes FluMist the only approved self-administered flu vaccine. The vaccine contains a weakened form of live influenza virus strains and is sprayed in the nose to help prevent influenza virus subtypes A and B. The approval allows patients to choose between receiving the vaccine from a healthcare provider, administering it themselves or having a caregiver aged 18 or older administer it.
Further reading: here
New program offers the opportunity for at-home cholesterol screening in the US
The Family Heart Foundation has launched Cholesterol Connect, a program that offers free at-home testing for blood lipid levels. Cholesterol Connect aims to address the dangers of high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and lipoprotein(a) levels, critical risk factors for heart disease, and provide individuals with resources to make informed decisions about their health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US with over 680,000 deaths in 2023. The Cholesterol Connect test is available to anyone in the US at www.cholesterolconnect.org.
Further reading: here
Link to Cholesterol Connect website: here
The FDA approves first schizophrenia treatment in decades
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved xanomeline-trospium chloride (Cobenfy), the first antipsychotic medication for adults with schizophrenia that targets cholinergic receptors instead of traditional dopamine receptors. Cobenfy is the first drug approved for schizophrenia in decades. According to Tiffany Farchione, medical doctor (MD) and director of the Division of Psychiatry, Office of Neuroscience, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, FDA, this approval offers a new alternative to existing antipsychotic medications.
Read the full statement here
At Elion Medical Communications, we keep up with the latest trends in the healthcare industry. Check out our other Industry Insights posts on LinkedIn or learn more at elion.nz/insights.
