Weekly Health Digest: Schizophrenia Treatment, RSV Vaccines, Bird Flu Vaccines, HIV Prevention, Breast Cancer

FDA Approves the First New Schizophrenia Drug in Decades

By Ellen Barry and Christina Jewett, New York Times

The FDA has approved a drug that targets psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia for the first time in decades. Current antipsychotics on the market address some symptoms such as hallucinations and delusions. Patients treated for schizophrenia report side effects, however, like weight gain and decreased feelings of pleasure. 

Pharmaceutical company Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) released information about their latest antipsychotic, called Cobenfy. The new drug takes a different approach by altering levels of neurotransmitter acetylcholine, unlike competing treatments that target dopamine. Because Cobenfy functions differently, it may help patients who are not responding to other medications, said Adam Lenkowsky of BMS. 

Cobenfy’s clinical trials offered promising results, with a significant reduction in schizophrenia symptoms. The drug is said to be highly effective, but the FDA is unsure of its long term side effects. Cobenfy may be a useful addition to the preexisting psychiatric medications, filling the gap in existing treatment options for schizophrenia. More research is necessary to understand the drug’s impact over time, but BMS remains hopeful for the future of psychotic disorders upon release of their medication.

— by Harika Adusumilli

Making an RSV Vaccine Was Hard. Getting People to Take It Is Even Harder.

By Annika Hom, WIRED

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccinations have been shown to reduce hospitalizations and deaths due to infection. The United States rolled out vaccines last year, but researchers are seeing a lack of use in Black and Hispanic Americans. Data from the CDC showed that only 24 percent of Black Americans and 17 percent of Hispanic Americans have been vaccinated against RSV as of September 2024. Studies cite lack of access to vaccines, lack of information about vaccination, and concerns over safety as reasons for these trends. Researchers are looking into these disparities to increase vaccine use within these communities.  

Carina Marquez, an associate professor at University of California San Francisco and advocate for preventative medicine, will conduct a five-year study with the National Institute for Health (NIH) aimed at finding ways to motivate these communities, especially Hispanic Americans, to get vaccinated beginning in October 2024.

A goal of the study is to understand how differences such as language, amount of time spent in the US, and insurance affect the choice to get vaccinated against RSV.  Marquez hypothesizes that older members of the Latino community get their health knowledge differently than their younger peers. Friends, family, and the community may be more useful for communicating with older Latinos than social media, a common way to reach younger members. This reliance on community means social networks need to be considered when planning interventions in this community. 

— by Lauryn Palacio

US to double emergency bird flu vaccines as more people, herds become infected

By Eduard Cuevas, USA Today

The U.S. is doubling its stockpile of emergency bird flu vaccines as more cases are reported. Three vaccine manufacturers were awarded 72 million dollars to increase pandemic preparedness resources against H5N1 avian influenza. This additional funding is expected to bring the country’s stockpile to 10 million doses by next spring, says David Boucher, an infectious disease preparedness director at the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Officials have identified 16 people with H5N1 avian influenza this year, all reporting mild symptoms including eye redness. No human-to-human transmission has been reported, and most cases have occurred from exposure to infected livestock. The chances of farm workers becoming infected increases, however, as more livestock become ill. California is America’s largest milk producer, raising particular concern about infected cow herds in the state. State officials have quarantined dairy farms with infected cattle and established milk testing zones to monitor the spread of the virus.

Moreover, the CDC is distributing seasonal flu vaccines to farm workers to reduce the risk of potential mutations or cross-infection of bird flu and seasonal flu in the body. Emergency bird flu vaccines are unlikely to be needed unless human-to-human transmission occurs. The CDC says that despite the recent cases in dairy and poultry workers, the risk to the general public remains low.

— by Stephanie Oehler

Gilead Agrees to Allow Generic Version of Groundbreaking HIV Shot in Poor Countries

By Stephanie Nolen, New York Times

Gilead Sciences has approved the sale of its groundbreaking drug, lenacapavir, in 120 countries at a lower price. Lenacapavir is a twice-yearly injectable that provides near-total HIV protection. This has the potential to help end the H.I.V. pandemic. 

The deal includes the sale of the drug in low-income countries, such as those in Sub-Saharan Africa, which often have the greatest burden of HIV. Middle- and high-income countries, however, were left out of the deal, despite accounting for nearly 20 percent of HIV transmission. Lenacapavir will be sold at higher prices in these countries. 

This agreement, targeting low-income countries and not others, mirrors the sale of other pharmaceutical drugs for cancer, hepatitis, and COVID-19. The healthcare gap, therefore, increases in these middle-income countries, where only the wealthy have access to such medications, despite the deals’ intentions to redress inequity.

The approval of lenacapavir at a lower cost in low-income countries is, nevertheless, a significant step forward. Individuals living under the poverty line in middle-income countries, however, are still left vulnerable.

— by Aanya Ravichander

Breast Cancer Continues to Rise Among Younger Women, Study Finds

By Roni Caryn Rabin, New York Times

A recent report by the American Cancer Society highlighted the steady increase of breast cancer rates in women, particularly in those under age 50. Breast cancer rates have been increasing by 1 percent annually from 2012 to 2021, with a particular increase in American/Pacific Islander women of all ages. It is estimated that 1 in 50 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer by age 50.

This study adds to mounting evidence that cancer is more than just a chronic disease associated with aging. In fact, there is an increase in all cancer rates among younger American women. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has lowered the age for initiating mammography scans from 50 to 40 due to this shift and associated challenges of early-onset cancer.

Deaths from breast cancer, however, have decreased by 10 percent in the last 10 years, thanks to improved screening and treatments. Still, access is not equitable for American women, leaving Black, Native American, and Alaska Native women particularly vulnerable. 

Other factors related to lifestyle and diet, like obesity, have been associated with breast cancer development. Eating a healthy diet, as well as staying physically active, may help with breast cancer prevention in many cases, but, in some instances, this might not completely stop breast cancer development. Other factors, such as environmental factors, also play a role, but they still remain uncertain.

— by Alexa Morales

Items contributed by: Harika Adusumilli, Lauryn Palacio, Stephanie Oehler, Aanya Ravichander, Alexa Morales