Media Coverage
The work done by Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine faculty members (and even some students) is regularly highlighted in newspapers, online media outlets and more. Below you’ll find links to articles and videos of Feinberg in the news.
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Yahoo! News
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‘Still a lot of hurdles’: For LGBTQ+ couples, the path to in vitro fertilization is harder
For same sex couples, in vitro fertilization (IVF) may be necessary to become pregnant. And a single IVF cycle – a period of about three weeks in which eggs are collected from an ovary, fertilized by sperm in a lab and then transferred to a uterus – can cost upwards of $20,000, including medication. IVF and other fertility treatments are expensive for most people who want children. But LGBTQ+ couples face even higher financial barriers, advocates say, because state laws and insurance policies can make it more difficult for them to receive fertility coverage. The restrictions make an already pricey process more daunting for LGBTQ+ couples who tend to earn less yet may face the added expenses of needing sperm donors, egg donors, surrogates or gestational carriers. Many of the mandates set in place that requires insurers to offer coverage to treat infertility are exclusionary and “extremely heterogenous.” “There are some populations that still are not getting their fair shake at getting the treatment that they need. The LGBTQ community for sure,” said Tarun Jain, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University and one of the paper’s authors. “Some states have very specific language that really excludes that community.”
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The Washington Post
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It felt like I had indigestion. I was having a heart attack.
A person would become winded and sweaty after carrying some boxes up and down steps. Further, they felt pain in their shoulder, neck and back that made it difficult to sleep. He also woke up twice during the night sweating. Less than an hour later, he was rushed by helicopter to a hospital with a cardiac catheterization lab, where doctors can identify possible blockages and possibly reopen a clogged artery. Upper body pain is a common if lesser-known indicator of a heart attack. “Anything between the belly button and the forehead could be heart-related symptoms,” said cardiologist Donald M. Lloyd-Jones, immediate past president of the American Heart Association and chair of the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “The classic symptom is that elephant sitting on the middle of your chest — this heavy, crushing pressure, mid-chest,” Lloyd-Jones said. “Never ignore that. It’s the most common warning sign.” Lloyd-Jones’s advice: “If the symptoms seem more common with exertion and they’re better when you rest, that’s a red flag for any doctor to say, ‘Let’s get you in and see what’s going on.’”
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WebMD
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Diabesity: When You Have Diabetes and Obesity
If you have diabetes and obesity, you may hear your combined conditions referred to as “diabesity.” In the WebMD webinar “Diabesity: When You Have Diabetes and Obesity,” Robert F. Kushner, MD, explained what diabesity is, what raises your risk, and how weight loss, lifestyle changes, and medications can help. Kushner is medical director of Northwestern Center for Lifestyle Medicine in Chicago and professor of medicine and medical education at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He’s also a founder of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. “Historically, we’ve treated diabetes as an isolated condition,” he said. “But now we know that having excess body fat, or obesity, is one of the major factors in developing diabetes – controlling your weight may be the key to improving diabetes.” Other research shows that weight loss improves your health (if you already have diabetes), whether the weight loss results from medications or lifestyle factors alone. Another study showed that some people may reach diabetes remission. This is when your blood sugar is under control and you’re not on diabetes medication anymore. “The more weight loss you achieve, the greater likelihood of going into remission,” said Kushner. “Over 80% of people who lost 33 pounds or more reached remission.”
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NPR
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Staying safe in smoky air is particularly important for some people. Here’s how
Smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to spread from the Eastern U.S., to the Midwest. Cleveland and Detroit are now experiencing unhealthy air pollution. But some of the poorest air quality in the world this week has been in New York City. Pulmonologist Dr. Ravi Kalhan of Northwestern Medicine likened it to New Yorkers smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. The health hazards of long-term smoking are well understood, but what are the dangers of short-term exposure to wildfire smoke? Smoky skies can cause itchy eyes, sore throats, headaches and even a little nausea. But it’s the fine particles — particulate matter that’s 2.5 microns or less in diameter — that are the biggest health hazard. These particles can get into your lungs, and for people with lung conditions they can trigger a flare-up. Pregnant people and children — especially children with asthma — are also at increased risk of harm from exposure to wildfire smoke.
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Reuters
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US FDA panel backs approval for Eisai-Biogen Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi
A panel of expert advisers on Friday unanimously agreed that a late-stage trial of Eisai (4523.T) and Biogen’s (BIIB.O) Alzheimer’s drug Leqembi verified the benefit of the treatment for those at an early stage of the disease, clearing the way for traditional U.S. approval. “I believe the benefit versus risk are beneficial, acceptable and in line with this class of therapeutics, especially considering the burden of the disease and the progressive nature of the disease,” said panel member Tanya Simuni, MD, professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Members of the panel generally said the risks for those with two copies of the APOE4 gene were balanced by the drug’s benefits, although they urged the FDA to strengthen language in the drug’s prescribing label recommending genetic testing for the risk gene.
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NBC News
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Higher taurine levels help slow aging in animals, new research shows
Taurine, an amino acid found in meat and shellfish, is a popular supplement added to energy drinks that are touted to promote sharper brain function. While those claims are unproven, new research suggests the nutrient may help with healthy aging. Low levels of taurine can speed the aging process in several species of animals. Now scientists report that supplementing with the nutrient may slow that process down, leading to longer, healthier lives in animals — and maybe humans, too — an international group of researchers reported Thursday in Science. The new study “provides one more piece of evidence that dietary alterations can have an impact on aging and aging-related pathologies,” said Dr. Douglas Vaughan, the chair of medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, who isn’t associated with the new research.
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WebMD
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Study Says Trouble Sleeping Can Increase Risk of Stroke
Insomnia can lead to an increased risk of stroke, according to new research. The risk goes up with more symptoms, such as trouble falling or staying asleep, or waking up too early, says the study published in the journal Neurology. People with five to eight insomnia symptoms had a 51% higher chance of having a stroke than those with no insomnia, after controlling for other risk factors, said a statement accompanying the study. Poor sleep disrupts metabolism and blood pressure, and causes inflammation, which are stroke factors, Phyllis Zee, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Circadian and Sleep Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, explained. “Poor sleep can impair the natural blood pressure dipping that occurs during nighttime sleep and contribute to hypertension — an important risk factor for stroke and cardiovascular disease,” Zee said.
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NPR
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‘Hidden fat’ puts Asian Americans at risk for diabetes. How lifestyle changes can help
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have higher rates of diabetes than whites, and are prone to developing Type 2 diabetes at younger ages and lower body weights than the general U.S. population. Among Asian subgroups, the risk for diabetes is especially high among South Asians, Filipinos and Pacific Islanders. There’s a known link between overweight and obesity and diabetes risk. But Asians in America are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, compared with the white population – despite having lower average BMIs. While researchers are pushing for more answers, doctors want to help reduce people’s risk now. The SAHELI diabetes prevention course that Shaheen Aamir took is based on research that shows that improving people’s diet, exercise and stress levels is even more effective than drugs commonly prescribed to ward off diabetes. Similar programs exist around the country – but this one is different: It’s adapted for South Asian foods and culture, says Namratha Kandula, MD, MPH, professor of medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and principal investigator of the SAHELI study. “In addition to diet and exercise, we specifically address the stress that comes from being an ethnic minority in this country – what happens when you immigrate to a different environment and lose your social support and social connection,” she says.
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The Washington Post
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There’s No Such Thing as Generic Ozempic or Wegovy
The FDA is warning consumers to steer clear of weight loss drugs sold through compounding pharmacies, some of which are brazenly being marketed as “generic” Ozempic and Wegovy. As the FDA noted in its warning, there are no generic versions of these drugs. The products being offered by some pharmacies and weight loss clinics might not work – and could even be dangerous. That’s a message consumers really need to hear. There’s no easy solution. The dysfunction in the market that’s driving consumers to buy compounded semaglutide has spun so far out of control that it will be hard to rein in. One necessary step is to work faster to ensure a steady supply of this class of drugs. To keep the weight off, Wegovy and products like it need to be taken continuously. When shortages make it hard for people to find their next month’s supply, they start “feeling desperate, and when they feel desperate, they start doing things they wouldn’t normally do,” says Robert Kushner, MD, who specializes in obesity medicine at Northwestern Medicine. That could mean driving 75 miles to the one pharmacy that has the drug in stock, as one of Kushner’s patients was forced to do, or it might mean turning to a compounding pharmacy.
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New York Times
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The Truth About ‘Nature’s Ozempic’
As the demand for Ozempic – the injectable diabetes medication that has become coveted for inducing weight loss – continues to intensify, people across TikTok are posting about alternatives. Some gush about other diabetes drugs, like Mounjaro; some tout so-called “generic” Ozempic from compounding pharmacies. And some are trumpeting what they claim is a cheaper option, readily available in pharmacies and online: “nature’s Ozempic,” better known as berberine. Berberine is a chemical compound extracted from plants like goldenseal and barberry and often sold as a supplement, typically in capsules filled with yellow-tinged powder. The compound has been used in Asia for at least 2000 years, and physicians have long employed it to treat diarrhea and other gastrointestinal complaints. More recently, researchers have looked to berberine as a potential aid in treating conditions like hypertension and insulin resistance. “Generally, it’s a really good compound that has some good evidence behind it,” said Dr. Melinda Ring, an integrative medicine specialist at Northwestern Medicine. But, she said, the online hype around berberine’s weight loss effects is grossly overstated. “Don’t think that you’re going to take this and the pounds are just going to drop off,” she said.
