Editor's Note Almost two thirds of the world’s population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine since December 2020. Vaccinations prevented 19.8 million out of a potential 31.4 million deaths related to COVID-19 worldwide in their first year, according to September 2022 findings published in The Lancet…

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The Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has announced that the National Prescription Drug 'Take Back Day' is this Saturday, October 28. The day allows the public to dispose safely of prescription drugs. On that day, the public is invited to dispose of unneeded medications at almost 5,000 local drop-off locations nationwide,…

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Editor's Note The sustainability team at Seattle Children's Hospital has reduced anesthesia-related emissions by 87%, a Becker's Hospital Review October 26 webinar reported. According to the webinar presenters, the team at Seattle Children's first gathered electronic medical record (EHR) data from their anesthesia gas machines, then implemented steps to limit…

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Editor's Note A large study led by researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, identified 10 predictors of opioid overdose after prescription for chronic pain, as published by CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) on October 23. While there are screening tools to identify patients at higher risk of addiction or…

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Editor's Note Scientists from UC Davis used dynamic total-body positron emission tomography (PET) to show the body's immune response to COVID-19 in recovering patients, Science Advances October 12 reports. The research article, titled "First-in-human immunoPET imaging of COVID-19 convalescent patients using dynamic total-body PET and a CD8-targeted minibody," was published…

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Editor's Note Forbes Advisor released a ranking of the best and worst states for healthcare based on 24 metrics and four key categories: healthcare access, outcomes, cost, and quality of hospital care, Forbes October 13 reports. The article also noted that as many as 70% of Americans are unsatisfied with…

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Editor's Note In this investigative study done by the Boston Medical Center (BMC), patients were shown more likely to agree to participate in clinical studies when approached by research staff of the same race or ethnicity as them. The findings were published in JAMA Ophthalmology on October 19.  The study…

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Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Pfizer have announced an agreement to extend patient access to the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid, Healthcare Purchasing News October 16 reports. According to the article, Pfizer is readying the drug for more availability in the commercial market in November…

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Editor's Note An artificial intelligence (AI) tool called CLOT (Children’s Likelihood of Thrombosis) developed at Vanderbilt University Medical Center accurately identified pediatric patients at high risk for blood clots in a clinical trial. The findings were reported in JAMA Network on October 13. The researchers analyzed the electronic health records…

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Editor's Note A new Sentinel Event Alert from The Joint Commission focuses on the continuing dangers of surgical fires, why they occur, and how to take preventative measures. The alert was issued on October 18. Some highlights include: There is no national repository collecting data on surgical fires, and little…

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