MDNN: ADHD and Eating Disorders, Opioid Funding, Overworked Nurses

Hi, I’m Matt, I’m Cecilia, and this is MD Magazine News Network - it’s clinical news for connected physicians.

[Matt]: ADHD symptoms have a direct relationship to both binge and restrictive eating. According to a new study from the University of Birmingham that included 142 patients aged 18 to 32 years old, negative mood and deficits in a patient’s awareness of and reliance on internal cues that indicate hunger or fullness mediate the relationships. Researchers noted the findings could have important implications for prevention and early intervention programs, which might usefully focus on mood regulation in individuals with ADHD symptoms at risk for developing disordered eating.

[Cecilia]: Oh, some more good news in the wake of the opioid epidemic: doctors are getting paid to prescribe them. A new study reports the marketing of opioids to physicians through non-research payments, including speaking fees and meals, is associated with greater opioid prescribing. Linking data of payments from pharmaceutical companies with information about claims from physicians who wrote opioid prescriptions for Medicare beneficiaries, researchers reported that physicians who received any opioid-related payments from the pharmaceutical industry in 2014 had 9.3% more opioid claims in 2015 than physicians who received no such payments. In speaking with MD Magazine, one analyst suggested regulations that would limit the amount of interactions held between pharmaceutical companies and physicians. Either way, this is a bummer.

[Matt]: Yeah, we’re all screwed. In nursing news, a new study from researchers at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing found that one-third of surveyed nurses work past their scheduled work shift — which is commonly 12 hours. Total surveyed nurses worked a mean 24 minutes longer than their scheduled shift, with 33% reporting having worked longer than initially scheduled. Another 35% said the amount of overtime needed from nurses in their unit had increased in the past year. Researchers concluded that collaboration between care providers statistically suffered in units with longer overtime shifts and more nurses working overtime. There was no research provided as to whether those comfortable white nurses shoes alleviate any of these issues, but I’m assuming they don’t.

[Cecilia]: Twelve hours, Matt, 12 hours. And now for our weekly segment FDA Roundup, let’s go to Jenna, who we’re pretty sure has never been compensated by an opioid pharmaceutical company. Jenna, have you?

[Jenna]: I wouldn’t worry about it, guys. Now here’s your FDA headlines from this past week, sponsored by PainStomper — your once-daily drug for all of life’s aches.

The FDA made history last week as it approved Gilenya for an expanded indication that made it the first treatment of multiple sclerosis in pediatric patients. The Novartis therapy was previously approved for the treatment of adult patients with relapsing MS, and is now indicated for treating children and adolescents 10 years and older with the relapsing form of the disease.

The agency also approved an expanded indication for once-daily oral therapy Truvada in combination with safe sex practices, to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 in at-risk adolescents. Truvada was previously approved as an HIV PrEP therapy for adults in 2012.

Lastly, the Cobas Zika virus blood test has been approved for an additional claim that will allow for the screening of multiple individual blood or plasma donations that have been pooled together. The FDA approval follows screening recommendations made by an advisory committee in December.

This has been Jenna, live from PainStomper Studios, with your FDA Roundup. Back to you guys.

[Matt]: For these stories and more, visit us online at MDMag.com. I’m Matt, and I’m Cecilia. Thank you for watching.