The Urgent Care Association (UCA) recently launched its new map-based career platform for prospective candidates and urgent care employers. UCA’s Urgent Care Compass features the full slate of 15,000 urgent care centers across the United States, enabling career hunters to apply to the roles that attract them the most in the places they prefer to work. What’s different about the new platform is the intuitive mapping feature that offers visual suggestions for candidates to find …
Read MoreNewly Approved DHE Nasal Powder Treats Migraine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved dihydroergotamine (DHE) nasal powder 5.2 mg for the acute treatment of migraine in adults with or without aura. The new product is currently the only DHE nasal powder available for this indication, according to a press release from manufacturer Satsuma. Clinical studies demonstrated that the formulation offers rapid absorption, quick attainment of high plasma DHE concentrations, and sustained levels over time. It was generally well tolerated both …
Read MorePediatric Deaths Climb in the Current ‘Highly Severe’ Flu Season
According to the last weekly report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the current influenza season in the United States has resulted in the highest number of pediatric deaths since the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009–2010. As of the week ending April 26, 2025, at least 216 influenza-associated pediatric deaths have been reported—well above the 207 deaths recorded during the last flu season and especially concerning given that the season isn’t quite …
Read MoreOne Dose of HPV Vaccine Could Be Enough
A large-scale clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute found that one dose of an HPV vaccine is just as protective against infection as the traditional 2-dose regimen. The randomized study, which enrolled more than 20,000 girls aged 12 to 16 years, compared the effectiveness of 1 and 2 does of the bivalent Cervarix (GlaxoSmithKline) vaccine and the 9-valent Gardasil 9 (Merck) vaccine. Participants were assigned to receive either dosing regimen, and both groups …
Read MoreClinicians Vary in Antiviral Recommendations For Children With Flu
In practice, just under half of pediatricians (49.5%) follow national recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for use of the antiviral oseltamivir for children hospitalized with influenza, according to survey results published in Pediatrics. The survey polled 787 physicians from 5 specialties among 7 children’s hospitals in the United States from March 2024 to June 2024. AAP recommends that all children hospitalized for flu receive oseltamivir. Knowing about AAP recommendations increased the pediatricians’ …
Read MoreAI Tools May Take Some Tasks Off The Radiologist’s Hands
A review published last week in Health and Technology found that AI can read and interpret images more effectively and faster than radiologists, suggesting that AI could help make impact on today’s radiologist shortage. Even so, the industry must be mindful of the ethical and legal implications of AI use. To be clear, the authors state that AI can’t replace human radiologists but rather that AI tools can complement their work, offer guidance, and assist …
Read MoreIs There Room For More Antiviral Prescribing in Urgent Care?
A multi-state study analyzed prescribing patterns of influenza antiviral medications in emergency departments (ED) and urgent care (UC) centers and found that many high-risk adults (those with cardiovascular disease, renal disease, weakened immune systems, or individuals older than 70 years) with positive influenza virus test results do not receive antiviral treatment, which the authors believe could help reduce the risk of complications. As published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, researchers found that slightly more than half …
Read MoreFriction Over GLP-1 Compounding Heats Up
Over the past few weeks, glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (GLP-1) drug manufacturers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have been sending cease and desist notices to providers that are still advertising generic, compounded versions of their brand name diabetes and weight loss drugs. A shortage of GLP-1 drugs temporarily allowed compounding pharmacies to produce their own versions, but now with the shortage over, the pharmacies must stop and return to filling prescriptions with the manufacturers’ branded products. …
Read MoreNew Vaccine Project Gathers Industry Insights
The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota has established the Vaccine Integrity Project to offer vaccine recommendations and to review safety and effectiveness data, according to a press release. The project is guided by public health and policy experts—some of which served in previous positions at the Food and Drug Administration and the National Academy of Medicine—who will offer strategies to leverage scientific evidence for vaccine-related practices. To …
Read MorePrescription Home Delivery Amps Up Among Major Retailers
In the midst of ongoing retail pharmacy store closures, Amazon is pushing ahead on same-day home delivery of prescription medications, aiming to have delivery within reach of about half the U.S. market by the end of the year, according to MedPage Today. The offering seems like a natural complement to Amazon’s growing list of partners delivering telehealth visits and subscription-based digital health services. Walmart launched same-day deliveries less than a year ago and now reaches …
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