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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WTTW
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Chicago Doctor Donates Kidney to Virginia Woman She’s Never Met to Inspire Others
More than 90,000 people in the United States are waiting for a kidney donation, but Dr. Aleksandra Gmurczyk helped take two people off the waitlist when she donated her own kidney to a woman she had never met and launched a kidney-paired donation. Gmurczyk wanted to donate to help educate patients. She often sees patients who have kidney failure, which renders their kidneys unable to filter waste and toxins out of their bloodstream. Many undergo dialysis, a taxing treatment that helps remove waste and extra fluids from the blood. “The reason why I wanted to donate is that … I can go to them and say, ‘I donated my kidney, and I believe that people who receive a kidney transplant live longer, healthier lives, and I believe in this so much that I donated,’ “ she said.
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Chicago Tribune
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Northwestern Medicine, Illinois secretary of state spotlight need for livesaving organ donations
Northwestern Medicine nephrologist and assistant professor of nephrology and hypertension at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine Dr. Aleksandra Gmurczyk regularly sees patients with failing kidneys. She’s noticed that many of those she treats would rather stay on dialysis than undergo a kidney transplant. Gmurczyk said she believes that some patients’ distrust for the medical system leaves them unconvinced that a transplant could improve their health. Gmurczyk donated one of her kidneys eight weeks ago in hopes of inspiring others to donate their organs. One single donor can save or improve the lives of up to 25 people, said Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias. While more than 7.5 million Illinois residents are registered donors, he said, about 4,000 people remain on the transplant waiting list today, and 300 people die waiting for a transplant every year in the state.
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JAMA
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It Takes an Average of 17 Years for Evidence to Change Practice – the Burgeoning Field of Implementation Science Seeks to Speed Things Up
Colorectal cancer screening with an at-home stool test is more convenient than a colonoscopy, but an abnormal result on the former still requires a follow-up with the latter. However, studies have shown that in safety-net health care systems, only around half of patients with an abnormal at-home stool test result get a follow-up colonoscopy within a year. Implementation science is really trying to close the gap between what we know and what we do. Clinical psychologist Rinad Beidas, PhD, was puzzled when she saw children with anxiety who weren’t receiving the standard treatment of cognitive behavioral therapy. “Why aren’t clinicians in the community using evidence-based practices?” ASPIRE trial, is the Adolescent and Child Suicide Prevention in Routine Clinical Encounters. ASPIRE is just one example of how implementation science has been developing steadily in recent years, said Beidas, chair of the Department of Medical Social Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. The journal Implementation Science, of which she is an associate editor, was launched in 2006, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) held its first conference on the subject in 2007, she said.
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New York Times
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All About Ashwagandha, the Stress Relief Supplement of the Moment
The ashwagandha plant – a staple of Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years – has gone mainstream in 2023. Yet experts say it’s still not clear if, and how, it works. From it’s long history up to present day, ashwagandha has been used to treat insomnia and bolster the immune system, as well as to reduce stress. There are a few theories, though, about why people may report less stress after taking ashwagandha, based on what experts know about adaptogens overall. Dr. Melinda Ring, clinical associate professor of general internal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said that the plant could potentially suppress dopamine receptors in the brain, which go into overdrive when we’re stressed. Ashwagandha is also thought to help regulate cortisol levels, she added. There’s also the power of the placebo effect – people can persuade themselves that their anxiety is abating. As for the numb feeling that TikTok users claim to get, it’s possible that some people experience an easing of their stress and anxiety as blunting emotions overall, Dr. Ring said. “But in my experience, and in the 1,000 years that it’s been used, that is generally not the effect,” she said.
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New York Times
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Millions of Americans May Soon Lose Medicaid Coverage. Here’s how to Prepare.
Throughout the pandemic, millions of Americans on Medicaid have been shielded from losing healthcare coverage. Medicaid provides health coverage for low-income Americans; for the past three years, states suspended their typical process of redetermining whether someone remained eligible for coverage. Many people will continue the same Medicaid coverage they’ve had for years, but millions could lose their current coverage – either because they don’t qualify for Medicaid anymore, or even if they do continue to qualify, because the administrative hurdles to renew their coverage are so high. In particular, people with disabilities, people who are not native English speakers and people who changed addresses during the pandemic may struggle to wade through the red tape, said Lindsay Allen, a health economist and Medicaid policy researcher at Northwestern Medicine.
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Reuters
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US FDA approves over-the-counter sale of overdose reversal drug Narcan
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved over-the-counter sales of Emergent BioSolutions Inc’s Narcan, allowing for easier availability of the life-saving medication used to reverse opioid overdoses. The formal decision makes Narcan the first naloxone-based drug available without a prescription. Currently, a 4-milligram, two-dose pack of the nasal spray has a wholesale price of about $120, according to 46Brooklyn, a drug pricing non-profit. “For people who need it most, it needs to be at a lower price point than what it is currently available,” said Maryann Mason, PhD, associate professor of emergency medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The approval could allow for access to the drug in areas that have concentrated overdose problems and few pharmacies, she said. Naloxone rapidly reverses or blocks the effects of opioids, restoring normal respiration, especially when given within minutes of the first signs of an overdose.
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New York Times
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Exercise May Help Counteract the Toll of Poor Sleep
In an ideal world, experts say, you would get both ample exercise and ample sleep. But a new study suggests that exercise could potentially help counteract the health consequences of not getting a proper amount of sleep. The new research builds upon a large body of work showing just how critical both sleep and fitness are for overall health. “What this tells us is that if you can’t manage your sleep optimally right now, we should be scheduling time to get moderate or vigorous physical activity,” said Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, a former president of the American Heart Association and the chair of the department of preventive medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. And not everyone has the same need for sleep, which means that some people can function well or feel sufficiently rested with fewer hours.
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NBC 5 Chicago
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Strep Is on the Rise in Kids. Parents Should Be Aware of These Less Common Symptoms.
A recent explosion in strep infections, many of which are presenting with few or atypical symptoms, is concerning experts around the U.S. Strep throat – caused by the bacteria Group A streptococcus and common in children and teens – can occur any time of the year, but peak season usually starts in December and goes through April. And while it is typical to see strep throat spike around this time of year, this is the worst it has been in a long time, experts warn. “It is important to recognize strep because if we treat it, then you can prevent complications,” said Dr. Alin Abraham, MD, health system clinician of general internal medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. The sore throat and other symptoms of strep throat usually go away on their own within five to seven days, says Abraham. But it’s still necessary to seek treatment from a healthcare provider in order to treat the bacterial infection itself. If left untreated, it can lead to complications like abscesses, ear or sinus infections, rheumatic fever and kidney problems, the experts note.
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TODAY
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Should parents get to control whether teens use social media? It’s already law in one state
After Utah became the first state to require parental consent in order for minors to use social media, parents, teens and experts are sharing their thoughts on government-enforced mandates for social media use. Sara Houston Katsanis, MS, a research assistant professor focusing on pediatric consent and social media at Northwestern University, says the mandates are “quite extreme,” adding that “teenagers will find ways to access what they are interested in, especially if it’s touted as something forbidden.” “I don’t disagree that social media is a problem and tech addiction is a problem among teenagers and among children,” Houston Katsanis tells TODAY.com. “Rather than trying to restrict what children have access to, let’s work with communities to limit the need for phones.” Numerous studies have found links between an increase in social media use and adverse mental health outcomes in teens, including depression, anxiety and low self-esteem.
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Chicago Tribune
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Mike Adamle, the former’s Bears running back and sportscaster, deals with slowly advancing dementia: ‘I’ll wake up one day, and there goes another part of me’
Adamle’s mind is slowly eroding, a result of the brain-rattingl concussions he suffered playing for Northwestern and the NFL Chiefs, Jets and Bears. He has post-traumatic epilepsy. His doctors also believe he’s showing symptoms of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a disease also tied to brain trauma and frighteningly common among former football players. Dr. Stewart Shankman, a professor and Northwestern Medicine’s chief of psychology in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, said he’s hopeful mental issues someday no longer will be stigmatized but rather viewed like other chronic diseases. “Nobody has to come out that they have diabetes or come out that they have thyroid problems,” Shankman said. “They just take their medicine and move on. But we need to be moving forward by having more awareness.”
