Information technology
NCATS awards $25M to create National Center for Data to Health | Health Data Management
With the grant, the Oregon Health and Science University will lead a group of research organizations in launching a National Center for Data to Health, whose goal is to collaborate on clinical and translational research.
StayWell and Vitals are splitting up MedHelp in acquisitions to expand into consumer healthcare | Medcity News
StayWell is acquiring MedHelp's mobile platform, and Vitals is acquiring its patient communities network.
Pharmaceuticals
The little red pill being pushed on the elderly | CNN
Patients in long-term care facilities receive more than half of all Nuedexta, a drug intended to treat a disorder that involves uncontrollable laughing or crying but that's being prescribed to treat dementia and Alzheimer's symptoms in elderly patients.
FDA advisers endorse gene therapy to treat form of blindness | The Associated Press
The FDA recommended approval for Spark Therapeutics' injectable therapy to treat a rare, inherited form of blindness that affects just 2000 people in the U.S. The therapy would be the first gene therapy in the U.S. to be approved for an inherited disease. It would also be the first that involves giving a corrective gene directly to patients.
A 'holy cow' moment: The FDA approved a record number of generics | Stat News
In fiscal year 2017, the FDA approved the most generic drugs it's ever approved in a single year, hitting 763, up from last year's 651.
In other news
U.S. obesity epidemic reaches record high, new report says | NBC
More than 40% of American adults are obese, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It's difficult to be optimistic at this point," said the chair of the Harvard School of Public Health's department of nutrition.
