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Access To Treatment

All articles tagged with #access to treatment

health1 year ago

"Surge in Youth Antidepressant Prescriptions Post-COVID Raises Concerns"

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a surge in mental health-related prescriptions, with a 12% increase in 2022 compared to 2019, outpacing the growth in overall prescriptions. The pandemic has exacerbated the country's mental health crisis, with a significant rise in anxiety and depression levels, particularly among marginalized communities. Financial barriers and a shallow labor pool have made it difficult for some individuals to access mental health medications and treatment. The pandemic has also highlighted the need for increased support for mental health programs and reinforced social support systems.

via USA TODAY|
#access-to-treatment#health#medication-use
healthcare2 years ago

Advancements in Sickle Cell Therapies: Promising Breakthroughs and Accessibility Challenges

The recent approval of two groundbreaking gene therapy treatments for sickle cell disease by the FDA has brought hope to patients, but there are significant barriers to accessing these treatments in the countries where the majority of sickle cell patients live, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The high price tags of the therapies, reaching millions of dollars, make them unaffordable for governments with limited healthcare resources. Additionally, the complex and resource-intensive process of administering the treatments, including stem cell transplants and gene editing, requires medical infrastructure that is lacking in many African countries. The lack of routine screening, limited access to basic medications, and the high cost of existing treatments further exacerbate healthcare disparities for sickle cell patients in Africa. Efforts are being made to develop cheaper and easier approaches to treat sickle cell globally, but widespread access to gene therapies remains a challenge.

via The New York Times|
#access-to-treatment#africa#gene-therapy
health2 years ago

Advancements in Sickle Cell Treatment: Hope, Hesitancy, and Access Challenges

The FDA is considering the approval of exa-cel, a gene-editing therapy using CRISPR, to treat sickle cell disease, a debilitating blood disorder that primarily affects Black individuals. While the treatment offers hope for patients by eliminating the need for bone marrow transplants, concerns about potential side effects, costs (estimated at $2 million), and access to the therapy have arisen. Some Black patients and doctors express hesitancy due to historical medical distrust and uncertainty about long-term effects. Despite these concerns, doctors remain optimistic about the treatment's potential to significantly improve the lives of sickle cell disease patients.

via NBC News|
#access-to-treatment#crispr#gene-therapy
health2 years ago

"Advocating for Inclusion: Down Syndrome Families Push for Alzheimer's Trial and Treatment Access"

Families of individuals with Down syndrome are advocating for access to Alzheimer's trials and treatments, as Alzheimer's is the most common cause of death for people with Down syndrome. Advocacy groups are urging companies like Eisai and Eli Lilly to include people with Down syndrome in clinical trials for Alzheimer's treatments. However, neurologists caution against immediate use of these drugs in the Down syndrome population due to safety concerns. Advocacy groups are also seeking changes to Medicare policies to ensure reimbursement for treatments. While safety trials are being planned, it could be several years before results are available, prompting advocates to push for the removal of barriers to FDA-approved drugs.

via Reuters|
#access-to-treatment#advocacy-groups#alzheimers
healthcare2 years ago

Online Shaming: Patients and Doctors Fight Back Against Insurance Denials

Patients and doctors are resorting to publicly shaming health insurance companies on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram to reverse prior authorization denials for tests, drugs, and treatments. Prior authorization is a cost-cutting tool used by insurers that requires approval before proceeding with medical procedures. Patients argue that the process creates hurdles and delays access to necessary treatments, sometimes resulting in dire consequences. While the federal government has proposed reforms to increase transparency and speed up response times, these changes would only apply to certain categories of health insurance. Some major insurers are voluntarily revising their prior authorization rules, and many states are passing laws to limit its use. Patients and doctors believe that venting online can be an effective strategy, although the success rate of reversing denials through this method remains unclear.

via NBC News|
#access-to-treatment#health-insurance#healthcare
health2 years ago

Alarming Alzheimer's Rates: St. Louis Leads Missouri with 1 in 10 Adults Affected

St. Louis has the highest rate of Alzheimer's dementia cases in Missouri, with 13% of residents 65 and older affected. A new study from Washington University's School of Medicine reveals that social factors such as income, race, and education impact access to treatment and diagnosis. Patients in less affluent neighborhoods and people of color are less likely to receive care from the memory clinic. Racial disparities in Alzheimer's risk have also been observed, with Black Americans facing double the risk compared to white Americans. Stigma, distrust of the medical community, and social determinants of health contribute to these disparities. Early diagnosis is crucial as new drugs are approved, but patients from marginalized communities often arrive at memory clinics with more advanced dementia, reducing the effectiveness of treatment. Multiple approaches, including community education and policy changes, are needed to address these disparities.

via St. Louis Post-Dispatch|
#access-to-treatment#alzheimers#health
health2 years ago

Prioritizing Pain Management in the Opioid Epidemic

Chronic pain affects millions of people worldwide and is likely to increase in the coming decades. The multifactorial nature of pain is often not recognized by the medical establishment, and accessing the right combination of treatments is not easy. Integrative care involving pain psychologists, physical therapists, and spinal specialists can be more effective in treating chronic pain than single interventions, but health-care policies and insurance systems are often a barrier. Approaches that fail to prioritize the many complex drivers of chronic pain and even deny its existence are causing unnecessary suffering for millions. Reform is needed to ensure that people experiencing chronic pain are able to access treatments that are most likely to help them.

via Nature.com|
#access-to-treatment#biopsychosocial-model#chronic-pain