A look at the ethical challenges with new stem cell research, growing concerns over antimicrobial resistance, checking on your mental health after a year into the pandemic, and more
The Next Step in Stem Cell Research?
A new step in stem cell research, growing human cells in monkey embryos, has renewed the debate over the ethics of mixed-species embryonic studies. The first human-pig hybrid, or chimera, was produced in 2017, and human cells have also been implanted in pig embryos. Chimeric embryos are typically destroyed early, at 20 days of development in this case; however, some scientists caution that this type of research has significant ethical and legal implications—particularly the possibility that others may extend the work and questioning whether these embryos can be considered nonhuman.
Those currently conducting such studies hope they will help address the shortage in organs for transplantation and improve our understanding of human health, disease, and aging. Scientists and experts in ethics and humanities are urging open public discourse over whether the advances and potential benefits balance against the potential ethical and regulatory conflicts.
Source: BBC News
Infection Prevention — Superbugs Persist as a Super Threat
The drugs we have today can’t kill the bacteria that have evolved into antimicrobial- resistant “superbugs,” and it seems the antibiotics being developed for tomorrow won’t be able to put them in check either. According to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO), these antibiotics aren’t new enough; most of the 43 antibiotics currently in development, and those few which have been approved recently, are based on existing drugs—the same ones causing the problem due to their misuse and overuse. Thus, these new drugs actually could accelerate resistance instead.
Adding more fuel to the fire is the fact that drug companies are slowing or abandoning antibiotic development altogether. The effects are already being felt in poorer countries, especially in very young and old populations. Some studies estimate that in another 30 years, antimicrobial resistance will result in tens of millions of deaths annually. Source: Reuters
Medication Safety — No Cure for Vaccine Disinformation
Social media platforms are a battleground between facts and fallacies, where some people spin the news to push their own agendas. Just one recent example: The top post on Facebook about the recent pause placed on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine came not from a trustworthy news organization or a public health agency, but from a conspiracy theorist peddling false information. Although Facebook routinely screens for misinformation, a post like this can fool their algorithms because it did not contain incorrect facts—only presented them in a way that reinforces skepticism and fear about vaccination.
People and groups who take advantage of trending and controversial topics to spread disinformation make it harder for readers to discern truth from falsehoods—and that much harder for government officials and health experts to reassure the public that vaccines are safe and effective.
Source: NPR
Mental Health — This is Your Brain on Pandemic
Have you been feeling more stressed or distressed than usual in the last year? You aren’t alone. Mental Health America screened 1.5 million Americans from January to September 2020 and found that 80% of respondents increasingly reported high anxiety and depression over the course of the pandemic.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report last summer suggests that this pandemic-related mental stress is affecting young people more than those age 65 and older. It may be worth checking in on yourself regarding your mental health. If you are experiencing persistent (lasting more than 30 days) low energy or low-grade physical pain, such as back pain or headaches; have stopped enjoying activities that you used to find fun; or haven’t been managing stress well, you may want to consider seeking help. And if you’re having suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.
Source: AARP
Long-Term Care — Pandemic Pen Pals
Unable to continue her usual volunteer activities due to COVID-19 restrictions, retiree Kirby Feldmann found another way to make a difference and fill her free time: writing letters to residents in nursing homes, five days a week. While employees at long-term care facilities were initially baffled to receive messages from a stranger, who wasn’t writing to anyone in particular, they began sharing her daily notes—and they caught on in a big way.
Her words now reach hundreds, if not thousands of people, relating stories and observations from her life; sharing photos of her and her husband, or perhaps a bird on her windowsill; and brightening people’s days by reminding them that they are not forgotten. Her usual sign-off conveys her outsized heart: “Keep a smile on your face, and know that you are loved by many.”
Source: AARP
Improving Diagnosis — More Talk, Less Tech
Screen time has been up for everyone during the pandemic, including kids. We know technology is better in moderation, and Marci Melzer, a speech pathologist who studies “technoference”—paying more attention to a device than people around you—says it’s even more important for young children to have two to three hours of in-person talking and listening to people.
If kids in their developing years don’t learn spoken language by engaging with other people, they won’t know how to express their feelings in words, and this could lead to a misdiagnosis of autism. So rather than using technology as a reward or punishment, consider finding ways to use it to connect with them, for example, by filming them doing an activity, watching the video, and then discussing it.
Source: Rochester First
Maternal Care — Community Perspectives Improve Care
In a recent Health Affairs blog article, authors highlight the fact that maternal mortality review committees (MMRC) often leave out an important voice: that of individuals engaged in community care. MMRCs are tasked with examining the causes of pregnancy-related deaths (maternal deaths during or within a year following pregnancy) and taking action to prevent them, but because these multidisciplinary teams primarily include specialists from within the hospital, they may not always see the bigger picture.
As one example, in studying a case, hospital representatives might focus on commu- nication failures among care teams as contributing to a patient’s death, while a com- munity-based nurse might point to a lack of mental health screening and ongoing support to mitigate postpartum complications. The perspectives of health workers from the community bring nuanced awareness and sensitivity to each patient’s unique circumstances—helping identify contributing factors that would otherwise be over- looked, as well as opportunities for prevention outside the hospital, closer to home. Source: Health Affairs.
