Information technology
Glowing human cells may shed light on sickness and health | NPRA nonprofit research group is giving scientists a new way to study the secret lives of human cells. The Allen Institute for Cell Science provided access to a collection of living stem cells that have been genetically altered to make internal structures like the nucleus and mitochondria glow.
After criticism from scientists, Congress eases its pursuit of faster stem cell therapies | STAT
Tapping the brakes on an effort to speed new stem cell treatments to patients by relaxing regulations, Congress this week is considering a modified proposal that is attracting cautious support from the research community.
Pharmaceuticals
FDA agrees to new trials for ecstasy as relief for PTSD patients | The New York TimesBased on promising results, the Food and Drug Administration gave permission Tuesday for large-scale, Phase 3 clinical trials of the drug — a final step before the possible approval of Ecstasy as a prescription drug.
Tighter prescribing rules: An anti-abuse strategy that could hurt patients in pain | Kaiser Health News
As rates of prescription painkiller abuse remain stubbornly high, a number of states are attempting to cut off the supply at its source by making it harder for doctors to prescribe the addictive pills to Medicaid patients.
DEA bans a cousin of deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl | The Wall Street Journal
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration on Tuesday added furanyl fentanyl, a deadly cousin of the synthetic opioid fentanyl, to its most restrictive list of controlled substances.
Sanofi partnership passes first test with delivery of antibiotic compounds | The Wall Street Journal
Sanofi has received its first set of drug compounds from its collaboration with a Harvard University scientist and his venture backers that aims to jump-start discovery of new medicines. The collaboration, a biotech named Warp Drive Bio, said it has delivered a few dozen compounds to Sanofi, and the French drug company hopes to turn them into antibiotics for fighting drug-resistant infections, like flesh-eating bacteria.
Safety, quality and clinical practice
Knowing personalized risk for diabetes may not change lifestyles | ReutersGiving people detailed information about their personal genetic risk of developing diabetes may not inspire them to change their behavior any more than just giving them basic facts about the disease, a recent study suggests.
