EurekAlert! News by Subject: Medicine & Health - News by Subject: Medicine & Health

Medicine & Health

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 27-Dec-2025 14:11 ET (27-Dec-2025 19:11 GMT/UTC)

8-Dec-2025

Immunotherapy works for sepsis thanks to smart patient selection

Radboud University Medical Center
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Immunotherapy for sepsis is effective when doctors tailor the treatment precisely to the patient’s immune system condition. While earlier research showed little benefit of immunotherapy in sepsis, a new study demonstrates that a targeted approach of immunotherapy does improve clinical outcomes. This is reported by a consortium of 33 hospitals in JAMA, led by Radboud university medical center and the Hellenic Institute for the Study of Sepsis.

Journal: JAMA

8-Dec-2025

US medical prices and health insurance premiums, 1999-2024

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: This economic evaluation found that insurance premiums have increased at 3 times the rate of workers’ earnings since 1999, accompanied by escalating hospital prices. Health insurance prices increased at rates close to hospital prices during the COVID-19 pandemic but have since stabilized. This volatility reflects both pandemic-era shifts in health care utilization (e.g., limited clinician visits) and higher retained earnings for insurers.

Journal: JAMA Network Open

8-Dec-2025

Medical cannabis and opioid receipt among adults with chronic pain

JAMA Network
Peer-Reviewed Publication

About The Study: In this cohort study, participation in New York State’s medical cannabis program was associated with reduced prescription opioid receipt during 18 months of prospective follow-up, accounting for unregulated cannabis use.

Journal: JAMA Internal Medicine

8-Dec-2025

International study offers new path to reduce spinal taps in young infants with fevers

Children's National Hospital
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New evidence from a six-country study led by the Montreal Children’s Hospital and Children’s National Hospital shows simple blood and urine tests could spare many young infants with fevers from more invasive procedures.

Journal: JAMA

8-Dec-2025

ASH 2025: Safety and efficacy data from a phase 1 study show promise of next-generation CAR-T cell therapy in patients with refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology
Reports and Proceedings

Safety and efficacy data from a phase 1 multicenter study evaluating rapcabtagene autoleucel, an investigational next-generation CD19-directed CAR-T cell therapy that is manufactured in 48 hours using the T-Charge™ platform, show a manageable safety profile and antitumor activity.

Meeting: 67th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition

8-Dec-2025

$3.2M NIH grant to test and refine a heart pump for long-term use in children

Penn State
Grant and Award Announcement

With a four-year, $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, a team from Pen State College of Medicine will develop a small, durable ventricular assist device (VAD) designed specifically for young, growing children between the ages of one and 11 years old. Currently, there are no heart pumps approved for long-term use for this age group. The device, called the PSU Child VAD, could provide long-term support for children with heart failure while waiting for a heart transplant, greatly improving quality of life and outcomes.

Funder: NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

8-Dec-2025

Study measures behavioral markers of alliance in support groups, viability of machine learning in mental health

University of Kansas
Reports and Proceedings

Researchers at the University of Kansas and University of Southern California led virtual support groups to measure dyadic alliance among participants, specifically what types of nonverbal behaviors notify that two people are making the connections that are vital to such groups. They also tested the feasibility of machine learning playing a role in such mental health settings, which could help address mental health professionals shortages, the authors write.