HRA Pharma Rare Diseases funds online hub for Cushing’s Syndrome

Posted on March 19, 2021 by MaryO

This sounds a lot like what we have been doing for the last 20 years…

HRA Pharma Rare Diseases, an affiliate of global consumer healthcare company HRA Pharma, has announced it is funding an online platform containing information and news on Cushing’s Syndrome.

The ‘Cushing’s Hub’, developed by Springer Healthcare Education, is set to make all information on the rare condition available in one place for medical professionals to access.

Cushing’s Syndrome affects less than one in 10,000 people in the EU, and is categorised as a rare and severe condition caused by prolonged high levels of cortisol in the blood.

The new hub is managed by an independent editorial board consisting of three international Cushing’s Syndrome experts – Professor Frédéric Castinetti from France, Dr Niki Karavitaki from the UK and Associate Professor Dr Greisa Vila from Austria.

According to HRA Pharma Rare Diseases, the ‘Cushing’s Hub’ is the first online platform dedicated to all aspects of the rare condition.

“As a company which is dedicated to improving the lives of those with rare diseases, we felt it was crucial to support the development of a platform that can help healthcare professionals in the diagnosis, management and follow up of Cushing’s Syndrome. We are confident the platform will help improve the lives of many,” said Evelina Paberžė, COO of HRA Pharma Rare Diseases.

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Nasal Swab Test for COVID-19 Risky for Sinus Surgery Patients

Posted on March 19, 2021 by MaryO

There is an absence of online information regarding the risks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) testing for patients with a history of sinus and/or pituitary surgery, according to a research letter published online March 4 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.

Noting that blind NPS testing poses a risk to patients with sinus pathology, Taylor Fish, from the University of Texas Health San Antonio, and colleagues examined online preoperative and postoperative patient information regarding the potential risks of SARS-CoV-2 NPS testing for individuals with a history of sinus or skull-base surgery. The top 100 sites for searches on “sinus surgery instructions” and “pituitary surgery instructions” were identified. The authors also noted the presence of any of the following terms on the webpages: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, or nasopharyngeal swab.

Searches for sinus surgery instructions and pituitary surgery instructions returned 6,600,000 and 1,200,000 results, respectively. The researchers identified 79 websites that displayed the date of the last update, and nine of these had been updated since the declaration of COVID-19 as an international health emergency on Jan. 30, 2020. None of the top 200 websites (53 academic, 93 private practice, and 54 other sites) contained warnings for high-risk patients or information pertaining to SARS-CoV-2 NPS testing.

“Otolaryngologists should inform at-risk patients about blind NPS testing and alternative diagnostic methods,” the authors write. “Health care professionals ordering or administering testing must prescreen patients with a history of sinus and skull-base surgery prior to NPS testing and use alternative testing.”

One author disclosed financial ties to the medical device industry.

Abstract/Full Text

From https://www.physiciansweekly.com/nasal-swab-test-for-covid-19-risky-for-sinus-surgery-patients/

Filed under: Cushing's, pituitary, Treatments | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

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