Ashley Blachford, Author at Journal of Urgent Care Medicine

Analysis Associates Moms’ Antibiotic Use With Kids’ Health

Antibiotic use in pregnant moms may be associated with negative long-term health outcomes in their children, according to a new analysis in the Journal of Infection. By studying nearly 22 million children from industrialized countries, researchers found that exposure to antibiotics any time during pregnancy was associated with increased risk of immunologic, metabolic, and neurobehavioral adverse health outcomes in children. Among the 23 outcomes investigated, they found antibiotic exposure was associated with, for example, cancer …

Pacemakers Recalled After 2 Deaths in Ambulatory Settings

On December 16, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a recall of certain Boston Scientific Accolade pacemaker devices. According to FDA, the devices present an increased risk of permanently entering Safety Mode, which limits the pacemaker’s functions, preventing it from being able to regulate the heart’s rhythm and rate in some patients. FDA says the risk comes from a manufacturing issue, in which the battery underpowers the system. The recalled devices are in …

Poliovirus Showing Up in Wastewater in 5 European Countries

Countries around the world are reporting wastewater detections of poliovirus. The United Kingdom recently reported 3 wastewater detections of poliovirus type 2, while Germany reported 6 wastewater detections in 6 different cities. Other detections in Finland, Spain, and Poland have been reported recently as well. In general, the European countries that have reported virus detections since September have strong disease surveillance and high routine immunization levels. Meanwhile, Pakistan has reported 3 wild poliovirus type 1 …

Urgent Care Leader Lamelas Named Ambassador to Argentina

Peter Lamelas, MD, MBA, one of urgent care’s industry leaders, has been appointed by President Elect Trump as the US Ambassador to Argentina. As the founder of MD Now Urgent Care, the Cuban-born physician and entrepreneur grew the brand to 59 centers, which were acquired in 2022 by HCA Healthcare. Certified in emergency medicine with more than 20 years of experience, Lamelas was also a founding member of the Urgent Care Association (UCA) and joined …

RSV Vaccine Found Effective in First Season of Use

Use of nirsevimab was found to be 89% effective against acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and 93% effective against hospitalization among children younger than age 5 in a recent study published in JAMA Pediatrics. The study examined data in 7 academic pediatric medical centers in the United States from 2017 to 2020 and data from the 2023-2024 RSV season. It was only in July 2023—right before the 2023-2024 RSV season—that nirsevimab first became available. …

CVS Accelerates Pace of MinuteClinic Closures

Looking comprehensively at the ongoing announcements from CVS, it becomes clear that the healthcare giant is recasting its retail pharmacy and in-store clinic strategy. With the recent announcement that CVS is shutting down all of its MinuteClinics in Utah this month, the company’s clinic closures are rapidly adding up—with more closures expected by February 2025. In terms of retail operations overall, CVS pledged to whittle away approximately 300 store locations per year, adding up to …

Could the Obesity Trend Be Diminishing?

In 2023, the United States saw a slight decrease in obesity prevalence among adults, according to a new research letter describing body mass index (BMI) data from 2013 to 2023 in JAMA Health Forum. In spite of conflicting trends forecasting increasing obesity rates (ie, BMI equal to or greater than 30) over the next decade, researchers found the mean population BMI rose annually from 2013 to 2021, then plateaued in 2022 at 46%, followed by …

Private Equity Courting Walgreens For Acquisition

Earlier this week, several media outlets reported that Walgreens is in negotiation discussions for a potential sale to private equity firm Sycamore Partners. With Walgreens’ debt and flagging in-store clinics, a major overhaul seems likely regardless. A few weeks ago, the retail pharmacy giant said it would be closing 1,200 locations over the next few years after reporting a $3 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2024. A deal with Sycamore Partners would take …

New HPV Strategy Includes Self-Collection Screening Tests

A new draft recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) suggests that testing for human papilloma viruses (HPV) every 5 years starting at age 30 is a preferred screening strategy, emphasizing the need for testing for high-risk HPV with vaginal samples as opposed to the traditional cervical cytology pap tests. The USPSTF notes that the HPV test is more effective than a pap test as a cervical cancer screening tool for ages 30 …

AI Tool Correctly Detects Epileptic Syndrome in Infants By Watching Videos

An artificial intelligence (AI) model accurately detected infantile epileptic spasm syndrome through the assessment of smartphone videos captured by families, according to a study published in a medRxiv preprint that has not been peer reviewed. Among the results, the AI model had 82% sensitivity and 90% specificity. The infantile epileptic spasm syndrome diagnosis is considered a neurologic emergency, according to MedPage Today, and experts believe the AI platform has potential as a screening tool. Infants …

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