Industry Insights Healthcare

Industry Insights: Healthcare 31st October

Industry Insights: Healthcare 31st October

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Industry Insights Healthcare: 31/10/24

This week’s insights focus on three of the latest developments in the healthcare industry. 

 

Advancing breast cancer care with HER2-targeted therapies

Breast Cancer Awareness Month marks a period of the year in which healthcare professionals and organisations worldwide aim to raise awareness of the importance of diagnosing and treating breast cancer early. In a recent interview with the American Journal of Managed Care, Dr. Michael Hassett, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, speaks about his presentation on targeted therapy innovation as a key strategy for improving outcomes and reducing costs in cancer care. 

In breast cancer, HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) is a crucial target. Scientists have come up with significant innovations in treatment over the past 20 years, but questions remain about which patients need which treatments. Emerging concepts like HER2-low and HER2-ultra-low, as well as targeted treatments for ER-positive breast cancer, promise to transform treatment plans.

Link to the full interview: Link

 

The FDA approves Abrysvo RSV vaccine for adults at increased risk

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pfizer’s Abrysvo RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine for adults aged 18 to 59 years with an increased risk for the disease. This approval expands on the vaccine’s existing indications for older adults and pregnant women, making Abrysvo the only RSV vaccine indicated for adults aged 18 to 49 at increased risk. The vaccine is intended for adults with certain chronic conditions, such as obesity, diabetes and heart failure, who are at higher risk of developing and being hospitalised for RSV-associated lower respiratory tract disease.

Link to the FDA statement: Link

 

Music and sleep hygiene interventions offer effective relief

A study published in the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health found that listening to music and following sleep hygiene advice significantly improved sleep quality and insomnia severity in pregnant women. The study included 98 women who were at least 25 weeks pregnant and reported poor sleep quality. The participants were randomly assigned to either the Music and Sleep Hygiene (MSH) or the Sleep Hygiene (SH) group. Both interventions showed improvements in sleep quality, insomnia symptoms, depression, anxiety and stress levels. Thus, music and good sleep hygiene can potentially replace medications for pregnancy-related insomnia.

Link to the study: Link

 

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.

Elion Medical Communications