Opinion: Even with new law, clinical trials lack data on older adults
By
Kristen Fischer
Apr 17, 2024
Older adults are not represented adequately in clinical trials of medications for disorders that are common in the population. The legal framework to better represent them is in place, but not enough is...
First human trial of Pfizer’s bivalent booster finds shot safe, effective
By
Alicia Lasek
Oct 14, 2022
New data from a trial in humans shows that the omicron-adapted COVID-19 booster made by Pfizer and BioNTech is safe and effective in older adults, according to the drugmakers.
Memory care cuts antipsychotic med use in more than 50% of residents
By
Lois A. Bowers
Nov 18, 2019
Person-centered memory care led to a significant reduction in the use of off-label antipsychotic medications in a large long-term care study.
Build vaccine trust, vaccination rates among CNAs: HHS releases guide
By
Alicia Lasek
May 25, 2021
A comprehensive new guide and toolkit are aimed at helping nursing home administrators tackle issues of vaccine hesitancy among certified nursing assistants, as well as barriers to vaccination.
Lawmakers push to keep ‘ineffective’ new opioids from market
By
Alicia Lasek
Mar 08, 2023
Congressional lawmakers have renewed efforts to give the Food and Drug Administration more power to deny drug applications for opioids that are not proven clinically superior to and lower risk than currently...
WHO: Some superbugs became more antibiotic resistant during the pandemic
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 12, 2022
Bacteria that cause healthcare-associated bloodstream infections gained increased resistance to last-resort antibiotics, according to a new report.
Feds gauging threat to vaccine, test and treatment efficacy in face of omicron variant
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 01, 2021
The United States is prepared to address any potential threat to the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments posed by the new variant, according to the White House and federal health officials.
Nursing homes more prepared for the coronavirus than for H1N1: survey
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 26, 2020
Despite the COVID-19 troubles currently facing eldercare facilities, things could have been much worse for some, a Michigan survey suggests.
Antibiotic overkill leads to widespread side effects such as C. diff, large study finds
By
Alicia Lasek
Apr 02, 2023
“We’re talking about hundreds of thousands of adverse events severe enough that these patients needed additional care from a doctor,” an investigator said.
Staff vaccination rate tied to resident deaths in COVID-19 hot spots, national data show
By
Alicia Lasek
Dec 10, 2021
Estimates reveal that if a large sample of U.S. nursing homes had averaged 83% staff vaccination coverage this summer, at least 700 fewer residents would have died from COVID-19 over a two-month period.