The competition is on
Those whose wallets were gouged by the makers of EpiPen will soon have a new, and “very, very low cost,” alternative to the expensive life-saving allergy medicine, said Spencer Williamson, CEO of Kaleo, maker of the epinephrine injector Auvi-Q, to USA Today. Auvi-Q was originally introduced at a higher price than EpiPen, but was popular with younger people because of its smaller size. However, its previous manufacturer recalled the product due to incorrect dosing concerns. Auvi-Q will be available in 2017 and Kaleo is reportedly meeting with drug wholesalers, pharmacy benefit managers and insurers in an effort to set the price low for consumers.
HBO takes the fight to opioids
The opioid crisis has proven that even the most unexpected person can fall victim, and H&HN has covered the topic extensively. Even John Oliver addressed the issue during a 20-minute segment on HBO’s "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver." He pointed to pharma companies like Purdue for its irresponsible marketing tactics propelling the epidemic forward. He made a good point in suggesting we have to stop asking what happened and start asking what we need to do? For more opioid coverage, check out our October cover story on pain management. Watch the entire segment below.
Uh-oh, is that moon full?
“In hospitals all over America, doctors and medical staffers — supposedly pragmatic professionals rooted in science — are convinced that full moons are harbingers of chaos in their emergency rooms and delivery wards,” writes Kristin Grind in the Oct. 17 Wall Street Journal. Though many scientific studies have debunked the idea, it remains so ingrained in health care professionals’ and the public’s minds that, Grind notes, “some hospitals bulk up on staff — and discourage doctors from taking the day off — to prepare for wild nights.”
A model nose
Even though we’ve written about 3-D printers several times in H&HN Daily, we continue to be amazed by how physicians are using them to help their patients. Case in point: A woman arrived at Long Island Jewish Medical Center complaining of blinding headaches and sinus pain. An MRI revealed she had a deviated septum and fractured nose from a childhood accident, and she needed surgery. First, 3-D technology produced a simulated nose in color for both the patient and surgeon to see and feel. The model soothed the patient’s nerves and guided the physician during the procedure. Afterward, her medical team presented her with a 3-D-printed rose and two weeks later, her headaches and sinus pain were completely gone.
World Series newborns
You may have heard that the Chicago Cubs are playing the Cleveland Indians in the World Series this week, two teams with a history of not playing in the World Series. To honor that achievement, hospitals from both the Cleveland Clinic and Advocate Health Care’s system, which is located in the Chicago area, are outfitting their newborns with onesies emblazoned with the respective home team's names, according to CNN. But, the article points out, they are not the first to do so. When the Pittsburgh Pirates were in a Wild Card race in 2013, St. Clair Hospital in Lebanon, Penn., did the same thing. The Weekly Reading team, based in Chicago, is for the most part rooting for the Cubs, which regular readers know has a historical connection to the University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System. If you know of any others, let us know by tweeting to @HHNmag or on Facebook.
