Mortality

Menstrual health literacy is alarmingly low – what you don’t know can harm you

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, March 13, 2024

When I ask my menstrual health workshop participants – including clinicians – there’s usually a lot of shrugging and shaking of heads.

Key Points: 
  • When I ask my menstrual health workshop participants – including clinicians – there’s usually a lot of shrugging and shaking of heads.
  • If given multiple choice options, most think that periods either “clean the womb” or somehow “help prepare for pregnancy”.
  • Yes, the blood part can stain clothing, but there is nothing pathological, contaminating, or dangerous about periods.

So, why do we have periods?

  • Periods likely evolved as a kind of preemptive abortion, to protect women from unviable or dangerous pregnancies.
  • As a result, we have low rates of conception, high rates of miscarriage, and extremely high rates of maternal mortality in comparison to other mammals.
  • The menstrual cycle is critical for facilitation of the initial steps of this raison d’être of the female reproductive system.
  • The menstrual cycle is critical for facilitation of the initial steps of this raison d’être of the female reproductive system.

What else don’t we know?

  • Perhaps with the fact that the second phase of the cycle from ovulation to menstruation is a series of highly inflammatory processes.
  • This was only very briefly mentioned in three out of 16 textbooks.
  • We really ought to be taught from puberty how to reduce period pain and blood loss – this is not difficult science.

Why aren’t we taught this stuff?

  • My research shows that the exclusive focus on the female sex hormones in menstrual education is informed by societal influences, such as the myth of the hysterical or hormonal female.
  • This gender myth is still alive and well, although now we tend to blame the (female sex) hormones.
  • Again, there was no scientific reason for this change in focus, although it reflected existing societal beliefs about the inherently irrational behaviour of women.
  • Unfortunately, menstrual health literacy has not yet recovered from this shift in physiological models.

So what?

  • It also becomes much easier to differentiate premenstrual changes from underlying health conditions, since the latter will not be substantially alleviated by anti-inflammatory interventions alone.
  • Teaching the reductive hormonal model of the menstrual cycle unintentionally provides pseudo-scientific evidence for the damaging hormonal or hysterical female gender myth.


Sally King is the founder of Menstrual Matters- the world's first evidence-based info hub on menstrual health and rights www.menstrual-matters.com. Her doctoral research and current research fellowship were funded by the ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council).

United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Supports Accelerated Approval Pathway for Rexlemestrocel-L in End-Stage Heart Failure Patients with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD)

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, March 10, 2024

“We are very pleased with FDA’s feedback that the presented results from our pivotal study of rexlemestrocel-L in end-stage HFrEF patients with LVADs may support an accelerated approval,” said Mesoblast CEO Dr. Silviu Itescu.

Key Points: 
  • “We are very pleased with FDA’s feedback that the presented results from our pivotal study of rexlemestrocel-L in end-stage HFrEF patients with LVADs may support an accelerated approval,” said Mesoblast CEO Dr. Silviu Itescu.
  • “We intend to request a pre-Biologics License Application (BLA) meeting to discuss data presentation, timing and FDA expectations for an accelerated approval filing.”
    Every year in the United States over 100,000 patients progress to end-stage HFrEF.
  • In contrast, in ischemic patients treated with rexlemestrocel-L, IL-6 levels returned to normal by 2 months and remained low through 12 months.
  • Mesoblast intends to request a pre-BLA meeting with FDA to discuss data presentation, timing and FDA expectations for an accelerated approval filing in end-stage ischemic HFrEF patients with LVAD implantation.

Meat is Eating Up The Planet: US Reaches 'Meat Exhaustion Day' Today

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 8, 2024

Eating meat beyond the recommended amount not only has huge human health risks, the industry also causes massive suffering to animals, with 83.3 billion being slaughtered for meat every year.

Key Points: 
  • Eating meat beyond the recommended amount not only has huge human health risks, the industry also causes massive suffering to animals, with 83.3 billion being slaughtered for meat every year.
  • On average, a person in the US consumes almost 3.6 pounds of meat per week.
  • This is the equivalent amount of meat in 14 burgers per person per week, making Americans the biggest consumers of meat in the world.
  • Global meat consumption is eating up the planet, causing animal and human suffering,” says FOUR PAWS CEO and President Josef Pfabigan.

AAFA Statement on Asthma Inhaler Price Caps

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 8, 2024

Boehringer Ingelheim announced it will cap out-of-pocket costs of its COPD and asthma inhaler portfolio at $35 per month for patients who have commercial insurance or no insurance.

Key Points: 
  • Boehringer Ingelheim announced it will cap out-of-pocket costs of its COPD and asthma inhaler portfolio at $35 per month for patients who have commercial insurance or no insurance.
  • “The announced price cap from Boehringer Ingelheim is a step toward improving access to essential asthma medicine and demonstrates that the voice of the asthma patient community is being heard,” states Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of AAFA.
  • “AAFA will continue to advocate that all stakeholders in the drug pricing ecosystem take steps to improve affordability and access for life-saving medicines.”
    Last fall, AAFA shared patient stories and its Asthma Disparities in America report with the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee which then launched an investigation into the high price of asthma inhalers early this year.
  • In addition to pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacy benefit managers, insurance companies, employers, and federal policies all affect the final price paid for medicines.

WTA Foundation and Gates Foundation launch new campaign—Women Change the Game—to urge action on women’s health and nutrition

Retrieved on: 
Friday, March 8, 2024

A key component of the campaign is the first-of-its-kind WTA Foundation Global Women’s Health Fund.

Key Points: 
  • A key component of the campaign is the first-of-its-kind WTA Foundation Global Women’s Health Fund.
  • “It is unacceptable that so many women and girls don’t have access to adequate nutrition and basic care,” said Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
  • “The WTA Foundation was founded on the idea of equal opportunity, and that’s exactly what Women Change the Game is about.
  • For more information about Women Change the Game and the WTA Foundation’s Global Women’s Health Fund, visit www.womenchangethegame.com .

United in the Fight Against Colorectal Cancer

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 7, 2024

A recent report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) underscores the urgent need for action, revealing alarming trends: colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men under 50 and second among young women, trailing only breast cancer.

Key Points: 
  • A recent report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) underscores the urgent need for action, revealing alarming trends: colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men under 50 and second among young women, trailing only breast cancer.
  • Despite these escalating rates, there has been a lack of progress in developing effective treatment options for colorectal cancer patients, and persistent health disparities in incidence, mortality, and survivorship rates continue to exist.
  • United in Blue serves as a visual reminder for policymakers, emphasizing the necessity of increasing research funding for colorectal cancer and implementing a comprehensive plan to address the needs of the community.
  • Fight CRC’s United in Blue installation is sponsored by Amgen and Exact Sciences.

Late-Breaking Data Highlighting Benefits of Ultrafiltration Therapy Using the Aquadex System for Heart Failure Patients was Presented at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics Conference

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 7, 2024

MINNEAPOLIS, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nuwellis, Inc. (Nasdaq: NUWE), a medical technology company focused on transforming the lives of people with fluid overload, announced results from two new clinical data analyses from the AVOID-HF trial, which demonstrate the benefits of its Aquadex System in reducing heart failure readmissions at 30 days. Results from the analyses were presented in a late-breaking session at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics (THT) conference in Boston.

Key Points: 
  • Results from the analyses were presented in a late-breaking session at the Technology and Heart Failure Therapeutics (THT) conference in Boston.
  • Key findings demonstrating the benefits of AUF include:
    Fewer heart failure events and heart failure hospitalizations: AUF patients had significantly fewer heart failure events within 30 days compared to ALD (90% vs 77.3% p=0.0138) and fewer heart failure hospitalizations for the AUF patients compared to the ALD patients (90.0% vs. 79.2% p=0.0321) within 30 days.
  • Key findings from the analysis include:
    Top predictors for 90-day heart failure events: Using ML, the study identified the top 10 predictors for 90-day heart failure events.
  • Strong results for super-responders: 90% of patients categorized as super-responders to AUF therapy within this model did not experience any 90-day heart failure events.

Arch Biopartners Announces Dosing of First Patient in Phase II Trial for LSALT Peptide Targeting Cardiac Surgery Associated-Acute Kidney Injury

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 7, 2024

TORONTO, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Biopartners Inc. , (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF), announced today that patient recruitment and dosing has begun in Turkey for the Phase II trial for LSALT peptide targeting the prevention and treatment of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI).

Key Points: 
  • TORONTO, March 07, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arch Biopartners Inc. , (“Arch” or the “Company”) (TSX Venture: ARCH and OTCQB: ACHFF), announced today that patient recruitment and dosing has begun in Turkey for the Phase II trial for LSALT peptide targeting the prevention and treatment of cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI).
  • LSALT peptide is the Company’s lead drug candidate for preventing and treating inflammation injury in the kidneys, lungs and liver.
  • The Arch Biopartners team is currently working with hospital sites in Canada to prepare for their participation in this Phase II trial.
  • The CS-AKI Phase II trial is an international multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of LSALT peptide.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Promotes Tool to Help Diagnose Malnutrition in Hospitalized Adults

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 7, 2024

Many of these patients went undiagnosed because health care providers had no universally accepted tool to check, until now.

Key Points: 
  • Many of these patients went undiagnosed because health care providers had no universally accepted tool to check, until now.
  • A malnutrition tool, referred to as AAIM, can help registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) accurately diagnose malnutrition, according to two scientific papers from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
  • Armed with this tool and the accurate assessment of malnutrition, RDNs can provide medical nutrition therapy to improve patient outcomes and reduce health care costs.
  • Details about the AAIM tool can be found in the paper Predictive validity of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics/American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition indicators (AAIM) to diagnose malnutrition tool in hospitalized adults: a cohort study , now in press in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Immix Biopharma Announces “Be Proactive in AL” AL Amyloidosis Awareness Initiative

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, March 5, 2024

LOS ANGELES, CA, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immix Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMMX) (“ImmixBio”, “Company”, “We” or “Us” or “IMMX”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company trailblazing cell therapies in AL Amyloidosis and autoimmune disease, today announced its new AL Amyloidosis awareness campaign Be Proactive in AL™.

Key Points: 
  • LOS ANGELES, CA, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Immix Biopharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMMX) (“ImmixBio”, “Company”, “We” or “Us” or “IMMX”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company trailblazing cell therapies in AL Amyloidosis and autoimmune disease, today announced its new AL Amyloidosis awareness campaign Be Proactive in AL™.
  • The campaign seeks to increase awareness about the critical need to recognize and diagnose AL Amyloidosis early, while also educating AL Amyloidosis patients about available treatment options.
  • AL amyloidosis is a life-threatening immunological disorder in which an abnormal protein called amyloid builds up in tissues and organs.
  • “Today, it is common for AL Amyloidosis patients to see 3 or 4 different physicians and wait months to years before being definitively diagnosed with AL amyloidosis,” said Dena Heath, Amyloidosis Research Consortium Board Secretary and Facilitator, Northern California Amyloidosis Support Group.