thewayne | Entries tagged with medical news

There used to be up to a twelve-month embargo on the release of the full papers of NIH research, starting in July that goes away! People were able to access the abstracts for free, but if you needed the full paper, you had to have insider access via library or other research connections. But now you won't need an intermediary!

Of course, there's always a chance that Our Beloved Leader or other Powers That Be will shut this down. But this is THE Director of NIH that announced this, so with luck it will hold.

https://www.nih.gov/about-nih/who-we-are/nih-director/statements/accelerating-access-research-results-new-implementation-date-2024-nih-public-access-policy

It's reported that 86% of health care facilities are affected by this plant that was shut down by damage from Hurricane Helene. Its largest production line is back in service and they're hoping to resume full production volume by the end of the year. So try not to require hospitalization or anything requiring IV fluids until well into 2025. The resumed production line "...could produce, at peak, 25 percent of the plant's total production and about 50 percent of the plant's production of one-liter IV solutions, the product most commonly used by hospitals and clinics."

Among the damage to the site was an access building and the main bridge to the site. From the article: "...a temporary bridge—built with support from North Carolina's Department of Transportation and the federal Administration of Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR)—has allowed the transport of more than 885 truckloads of existing inventory out of the plant since Helene. A second temporary bridge, expected to be completed in early November, will enable further access of traffic and equipment to the site."

Oh, hey! Look! Our do-nothing government doing something useful! Don't anyone show this information to that weird old Florida felon!

Other coping measures aside from oral hydration compounds have been allowing temporary importation and a limited extension of expiration dates on existing stocks.

As I previously posted almost a full month ago, this plant produces 60% of the IV solutions used in the USA, which hits particularly hard people needing dialysis and chemotherapies. You can bet both company and federal inspectors will be all over completed product from this plant until they're very confident that it's safe stuff.

https://arstechnica.com/health/2024/11/as-hospitals-struggle-with-iv-fluid-shortage-nc-plant-restarts-production/

They notified buyers that they'll only be supplying 40% of normal levels, and even that may be optimistic. I'm hoping they at least shipping already completed product to warehouses further away from the storm.

From the article: The plant would "... typically producing 1.5 million bags per day, according to the American Hospital Association. The dozens of sterile solutions Baxter makes at the facility are used for everything from intravenous rehydration and drug delivery to peritoneal dialysis used to treat kidney failure." It was pointed out that veterinary practices use the exact same solutions in their clinics, but order much smaller quantities and are likely to be harder hit.

Baxter said they have been able to contact most - but not all - of their employees. Communications are still rough. One problem with recovering the plant and getting it working again is that a bridge leading to the plant is down, plus the little inconvenience of all of their employees needing to put their lives back together.

https://arstechnica.com/health/2024/10/helene-ravaged-the-nc-plant-that-makes-60-of-the-countrys-iv-fluid-supply/

This is amazingly cool stuff.

Scientists have created a literal fuel cell to help control insulin production. It's an implant, sort of like a tea bag, about the size of a fingernail. If your body produces too much glucose, it permeates the fuel cell and it produces insulin! Your glucose level drops, it turns off!

It works in mice models, they hope to get money for human studies.

https://newatlas.com/medical/sugar-powered-implant-diabetes/

https://science.slashdot.org/story/23/03/30/0322237/sugar-powered-implant-successfully-manages-type-1-diabetes

This is exceptionally clever. It vibrates.

30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, vibrating as it works its way through your digestive tract. The vibrations help to stimulate the peristaltic response, and then the pill is 'ejected' in the morning. Some testers said they could sense the vibrations, but that it wasn't unpleasant or kept them awake.

It will be interesting to see how much this is when it hits the market. My dad had this problem for most of his life, I wish they'd come out with this a couple of years ago.

https://gizmodo.com/constipation-vibrating-pill-prescription-remedy-treat-1850099562

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
8	9	10	11	12	13	14
15	16	17	18	19	20	21
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
29	30

Always strive to learn something useful. --Sophocles

You are coming to a sad realization. Cancel or allow?

Entries tagged with medical news

Nat'l Institutes of Health: ALL their papers will be free to access starting July 1!!!

The IV fluid plant that was damaged in NC is resuming partial production

A plant that makes 60% of the country's IV fluid supply was in the hurricane's path in NC

Self-powered regulator for Type 1 diabetes!

New non-drug pill helps ease constipation overnight

Profile

June 2025

Syndicate

Most Popular Tags

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags