Healthcare News Recap 10/18/24
October 18, 2024
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Healthcare News Recap 10/18/24

AI Responses Favored by Patients

In a recent study featured in JAMA Network Open, researchers from Stanford University examined how satisfied laypeople are with responses generated by artificial intelligence (AI) compared to those from clinicians.

The research evaluated patients’ satisfaction with AI-generated responses to their inquiries in health records. The results indicated that patients consistently preferred AI responses over those provided by clinicians.

However, satisfaction did not always align with the quality of information and empathy; while cardiology-related questions received the highest satisfaction ratings, endocrinology questions were ranked highest for empathy and the quality of information provided.

Although AI-generated responses demonstrate a satisfactory quality and a minimal risk of harm, the opinions of laypersons regarding these AI responses have not been thoroughly investigated.


Size Adjustments for Alzheimer’s Drug Could Save Medicare Hundreds of Millions of Dollars

A recent analysis suggests that a minor adjustment in the vial sizes of the groundbreaking Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi could potentially save Medicare hundreds of millions of dollars annually.

Approximately 6% of Leqembi (lecanemab) is wasted, as patients are often given doses that are smaller than the amount contained in the drug’s single-use vials.

This waste incurs an annual cost of approximately $1,600 per patient for Medicare, according to researchers in a report released on October 14 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine.

Introducing a 75-milligram vial alongside the existing 200-milligram and 500-milligram options could help Medicare recover up to 74% of the costs associated with wasted Leqembi, potentially saving as much as $336 million annually.

Researchers noted that this analysis could be helpful for other Medicare-covered drugs.


USDA Launches Internal Investigation Into Handling of Listeria Outbreak

U.S. Department of Agriculture officials have initiated an internal investigation into the agency’s response to serious issues reported at a Boar’s Head deli meat facility linked to a deadly listeria outbreak, according to a lawmaker on Tuesday.

Senator Richard Blumenthal stated that USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong is examining whether federal and Virginia state inspectors appropriately addressed numerous reports of problems at the plant, which included mold, insects, leaking water, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors, and equipment. Inspection records from at least the past two years suggested that these conditions could represent an “imminent threat” to food safety.

This action was prompted by a letter from Blumenthal dated September 5, requesting an investigation.

Since May, at least 10 individuals have died and nearly 50 have been hospitalized across 19 states after consuming listeria-contaminated Boar’s Head products, including liverwurst, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Following the recall of over 7 million pounds of deli meat distributed nationwide, Boar’s Head officials closed the Jarratt, Virginia plant and permanently ceased liverwurst production.

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