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What We’re Reading: Pain Reliever Pregnancy Warning; COVID-19 Record Increases; Blood Type and COVID-19 Risk
The FDA strengthens its guidance for pain reliever use in pregnant women; the United States sees its greatest increase in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases since August; studies point to association of blood type and COVID-19 risk.
FDA Issues Strengthened Guidelines on Pain Reliever Use Among Pregnant Women
The FDA announced in a Drug Safety Communication that it is requiring label changes for common nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil and Aleve, the Associated Press reports. According to the announcement, pregnant women should avoid this class of drugs during the last 4 months of pregnancy. Previous warnings cautioned against use during the last 3 months of pregnancy. The FDA said the drugs can cause a rare but serious complication that may harm the fetus and can lead to kidney problems in the fetus, which can result in low levels of amniotic fluid in the womb. However, the warning does not apply to low-dose aspirin when recommended by a doctor.
US Tops 60,000 COVID-19 Cases for First Time Since August
The United States reported 60,000 new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections for the first time since early August on Thursday, according to The Washington Post. Over 36,000 individuals are currently hospitalized with the disease, and data show the crisis is not localized to certain regions. Rising cases are being reported almost everywhere in the country, with 44 states now reporting higher caseloads than in mid-September. In particular, more rural states like Wisconsin and Illinois have both reported newly reported caseloads greater than during the states’ first waves in April and May. Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Montana, and Colorado also have reported new highs.
Studies Suggest Association Between Blood Type, COVID-19 Risks
Two studies published in the journal Blood Advance suggest blood type may play a role in the risk of becoming infected with COVID-19 or developing life-threatening complications from the illness, NBC News reports. However, the results do not mean that any single blood type is more protective or more dangerous when it comes to the virus. The results also will not change how doctors treat patients with COVID-19. Individuals with any blood type should continue to take the same precautions like wearing a mask, social distancing, and washing hands effectively.
Urticaria Diagnosis Challenged by Overlapping Pruritic Skin Conditions
April 23rd 2025Urticaria is complicated to diagnose by its symptomatic overlap with other skin conditions and the frequent misclassification in literature of distinct pathologies like vasculitic urticaria and bullous pemphigus.
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New Research Challenges Assumptions About Hospital-Physician Integration, Medicare Patient Mix
April 22nd 2025On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Brady Post, PhD, lead author of a study published in the April 2025 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care®, challenges the claim that hospital-employed physicians serve a more complex patient mix.
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Personalized Care Key as Tirzepatide Use Expands Rapidly
April 15th 2025Using commercial insurance claims data and the US launch of tirzepatide as their dividing point, John Ostrominski, MD, Harvard Medical School, and his team studied trends in the use of both glucose-lowering and weight-lowering medications, comparing outcomes between adults with and without type 2 diabetes.
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ACOs’ Focus on Rooting Out Fraud Aligns With CMS Vision Under Oz
April 23rd 2025Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are increasingly playing the role of data sleuths as they identify and report trends of anomalous billing in hopes of salvaging their shared savings. This mission dovetails with that of CMS, which under the new administration plans to prioritize rooting out fraud, waste, and abuse.
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