1) Covid-19 and other viruses. Readily available vaccines and antiviral treatments are paving the way for most Americans to return to their pre-pandemic lives, but the “triple threat” of coronavirus, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is on the rise. ” continues to challenge hospital capacity during peak season. Treatments remain underutilized and uptake of the latest vaccines remains unacceptably low among vulnerable populations, particularly residents of care homes.
Coronavirus variants will continue to emerge, and I expect federal health officials to authorize new targeted vaccines next fall and double down on distribution of tools to reduce severity. We will report on these trends, as well as progress in understanding and, hopefully, treatment of COVID-19 over the long term.
2) Climate change and health. The World Meteorological Organization has declared 2023 to be the hottest year on record on Earth. Americans are experiencing firsthand the myriad health impacts of climate change, from extreme heat to wildfire smoke.
I will continue to report on the impacts of the climate crisis on human health and possible solutions. For example, the healthcare sector itself is a major source of carbon emissions, but there have been laudable efforts to reduce its impact. We aim to discover and share more inspiring stories in this space.
3) Mental health and drug addiction. Last year, I wrote about how social media is exacerbating depression in teens and ongoing efforts, including legislation, to reverse this devastating trend. We will continue to follow this topic.
The opioid epidemic also continues to rage, and while we applaud the Food and Drug Administration's decision to make the overdose antidote naloxone available over-the-counter, policy changes will not enable access. We report on community-level efforts to make naloxone more affordable and available, and grassroots efforts to address another growing mental health crisis: loneliness.
4) Gene therapy. of FDA recently approved Two new treatments for sickle cell disease. This is a major step forward in combating this serious and debilitating disease. Approximately 100,000 Americans And there are about 8 million people worldwide. One of the approved treatments is the first commercially available treatment based on gene editing technology known as CRISPR.
Although I have not yet written on this topic, I look forward to speaking with experts and learning more about other medical applications of CRISPR.
5) Treatment of obesity. I look forward to more studies being published on the promising new obesity drug known as GLP-1, including a direct comparison of the two approved drugs, semaglutide and tirzepatide. These drugs are also being studied for other conditions, from addiction to Alzheimer's disease. Additionally, there is increasing pressure on the federal government to cover costs for Medicare beneficiaries. These deliberations will be among the most important in US health policy.
6) Regulatory Approval. Federal authorities are also expected to make a number of high-profile regulatory decisions in 2024. The FDA may approve psychedelic drugs to treat severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. The state could follow California's example and ban certain food additives, such as brominated vegetable oils and No. 3 food coloring.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is poised to issue a major ruling that could restrict access to the abortion drug mifepristone. All of these decisions will have far-reaching effects on the health of Americans.
7) Medical technology. The artificial intelligence revolution in healthcare is here and growing every day. Last year, I covered some notable AI tools that are already helping improve safety in care. There are many other applications and I plan to write about them. We also track the evolution of telemedicine post-pandemic and track emerging technologies such as wearable devices.
8) Healthcare workers. Well before the coronavirus pandemic, researchers announce dire predictions Regarding the shortage of medical workers. The problem has become even more acute as hospitals and nursing homes struggle with burnout and employee retention. How did we get here? What can we do? Let's find out.
9) Public health infrastructure. Similarly, state and local public health agencies were struggling with resources even before the coronavirus outbreak. The situation in many health departments is worsening as a result of budget cuts and staff shortages. We want to highlight the consequences of underinvestment. sexually transmitted diseases and a decline in childhood immunizations.
10) Policies that broadly impact the well-being of Americans. Health is determined not only by the medical care you receive, but also by other conditions in your life, such as where you live and what food and educational resources are available to you. I will return to the social determinants of health, including the growing “food as medicine” movement and the interrelationship of public health and public safety.
Lastly, I would like to introduce myself to our readers. Many of my columns are inspired by my readers' experiences. We would also like to thank our readers for providing their professional expertise. Last week's column on nursing home vaccinations featured two nonprofit leaders. One of them contacted me online. submission form Another colleague did so. please write to me If you have personal or professional experience to share in any of these 10 fields (or others). I would love to learn from you.
I will be away next week. The next installment of The Checkup will arrive in your inbox next week on January 18th.
