Vets Lack Vitamin D, Follow-up Testing Most patients fail to reach therapeutic levels even after deficiency identified, study finds

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AACE/58221?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-05-31&eun=g721819d0r

Opioids: Can a Genetic Test Identify an Addict in the Making? If addiction is 'hardwired' genetic tests may provide useful information

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Genetics/GeneticTesting/58207?xid=NL_breakingnews_2016-05-31&eun=g721819d0r

Retinopathy Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/AACE/58217?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-05-28&eun=g721819d0r

a gene that confers resistance to a last-resort antibiotic has been detected in the U.S.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/58196?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2016-05-28&eun=g721819d0r

Most Drugs Aren’t Tested On Or Approved For Pregnant Women, Analysis Shows.

reports that “when it comes to drug safety, pregnancy is a largely research-free zone, women’s health experts say.” Only eight drugs “are currently approved by the FDA for prenatal use; from 1995 to 2011, the agency OK’d only one pregnancy-related drug.” Almost all drugs prescribed to pregnant women ares off-label. As a result, treatment for pregnant women “often is based on informed guesswork rather than solid evidence, in which medications that have never been approved for use during pregnancy, and whose long-term dangers may not be known, become the standard of care,” such as Zofran (ondansetron) for morning sickness. https://www.propublica.org/article/most-drugs-not-tested-pregnant-women-anti-nausea-cure-why-thats-a-problem

Certain Lifestyle Factors May Offset Genetic Risk Of Breast Cancer.

reports that the study indicated “that those women who are at greatest risk of developing breast cancer due to factors beyond their control, are the same women who most steeply reduce their risk when they maintain a healthy weight, stay away from hormone replacement therapy, don’t smoke and drink little to no alcohol.” http://time.com/4349231/here-are-the-things-women-can-do-to-avoid-breast-cancer/

Roughly One-third Of US Hospitals Follow CDC Guidance To Curb Antibiotic Overuse, Analysis Finds.

reports an analysis published last week in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases found only 39 percent of 4,100 US acute care hospitals studied “had an antibiotics stewardship program that met all seven of the core elements recommended by the” CDC. The CDC says “hospitals should dedicate appropriate resources, appoint a single leader to run a program, and appoint a pharmacy leader who can focus on improving antibiotic use,” among other recommendations. On Wednesday, the National Quality Forum released a “Practical Playbook” that used the study’s results to provide guidance to hospitals on creating or improving their antibiotics stewardship program. http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20160525/NEWS/160529934