This Week in Health News: 15 Stories You Need to See

A roundup of the most newsworthy healthcare press releases from PR Newswire this week, including a survey on nicotine use in young people, a new directive for ALS treatment coverage and a holiday cheer hotline from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help healthcare journalists and consumers stay on top of the week’s most newsworthy and popular releases, here’s a recap of some major stories from the week that shouldn’t be missed.

The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story. Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.

1. Unhooking Gen Z: Truth Initiative Launches “Outsmart Nicotine” and Enhanced EX^® Program 
   Despite a strong desire to quit, many young people are struggling and in need of proven resources and support. For young adults ages 18-24, often dubbed the “JUUL Generation,” e-cigarette use remains alarmingly high with nearly 1 in 5 young adults at risk of lifelong nicotine addiction and many dual-using cigarettes or other nicotine products like oral pouches.
2. AbbVie Completes Acquisition of Aliada Therapeutics 
   “With the acquisition now complete, we look forward to advancing potentially disease-modifying therapies such as ALIA-1758 for Alzheimer’s disease and bolstering our neuroscience discovery and development efforts by leveraging Aliada’s novel CNS drug delivery platform,” said Dawn Carlson, M.D., M.P.H., vice president, neuroscience development at AbbVie.
3. Moonpig and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital Team Up to Spread Holiday Cheer to Those in Need 
   Moonpig, world leading personalized greeting card company, is excited to announce a partnership with St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital to raise money to understand, treat, and cure childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases this holiday season. The collaboration allows consumers to choose from a curated collection of 35 cards.
4. After a Divisive Election, Most U.S. Adults Ready to Avoid Politics This Holiday 
   A majority of U.S. adults hope to avoid political discussions during the holidays and, in some cases, family members they disagree with, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. More than 7 in 10 adults (72%) said they hope to avoid discussing politics with family over the holidays.
5. Make-A-Wish kids bring even more holiday cheer with return of motivational hotline 
   The Holiday Wish Line encourages people to take a break from their daily challenges and enjoy heartfelt messages that foster togetherness and celebrate the holiday spirit. While the holiday season can bring joy, it can also create anxiety and pressure due to societal and personal expectations for a “perfect” holiday experience. The hotline inspires a joyful season for everyone who calls.
6. Lung Cancer Research Foundation Announces 2024 Scientific Research Grant Awards 
   LCRF awarded its grants for projects that demonstrate profound promise to make a sustained and lasting impact on lung cancer research and outcomes. These grants are made possible by Research ALK+ve Lung Cancer UK, the LRE Foundation, and numerous generous donations from LCRF’s supporters.
7. UMass Memorial Health Integrates AEYE Health’s AEYE-DS Autonomous AI Screening for Diabetic Eye Care into EMR System 
   This integration intends to enhance diabetic eye care by improving screening processes and adherence, reduce ophthalmology wait times, and boost quality and performance markers.
8. As Kids and Teens Struggle with Mental Health, New Resources Help Parents Provide Support 
   The “Sound It Out” campaign, created by the Ad Council in partnership with Pivotal, premiered new public service advertisements (PSAs) reminding parents and caregivers of the important role they play in supporting young people’s emotional wellbeing.
9. AARP Showcases Pioneering AgeTech Innovations at CES 2025 
   CES 2025 will feature the AgeTech Summit from AARP, where thought leaders, industry experts, and advocates will gather to explore the transformative potential of technology for aging. The AgeTech Collaborative from AARP will showcase how emerging technologies can make aging easier for individuals and their families.
10. The REACH Institute Addresses Rising Cases of Youth Depression with New Program For Primary Care Providers 
    The new course, CBT for Depression in Pediatric Primary Care, taking place virtually on Jan. 24, 2025, is part of a broader training series aimed at equipping pediatric primary care providers—including pediatricians, family physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants—with practical skills to address mental health challenges in children and teens.
11. Caregiving Stress Linked to High Blood Pressure in Younger Black Women 
    A new analysis finds that the stress of being a caregiver is associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension in 21 to 44-year-old Black women, a group known to have a higher prevalence of the condition compared to women of other racial and ethnic groups.
12. Syrian American Medical Society Announces Plans For The Future As Syria Enters New Era 
    “SAMS stands ready to lead the effort to rebuild Syria’s healthcare system in this new era,” said SAMS’ President Dr. Mufaddal Hamadeh. “Our mission is to ensure every Syrian can access equitable, dignified care and to restore hope in a unified Syria through collective efforts.”
13. The year in review: Garmin releases 2024 Garmin Connect Data Report 
    Garmin released its 2024 Garmin Connect™ Data Report, highlighting overall health and fitness trends from its customers around the world. From detailed health and wellness stats – like how well customers slept or how their bodies responded to stress – to fitness-driven data like average daily steps, insights from the Garmin Connect community show 2024 was another very active year.
14. Groundbreaking Directive Ensures ALS Patients on Medicare Advantage Gain Access to Qalsody 
    The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a first-of-its-kind directive requiring Medicare Advantage plans to approve coverage for Qalsody, a treatment for people living with genetic SOD1-ALS. “This is a victory for the entire ALS community,” said Calaneet Balas, president and CEO of the ALS Association. “It’s critical that FDA-approved treatments are made accessible rather than being labeled as ‘experimental.'”
15. Zocdoc Reveals 2024 Patient Preferences and Trends in Second Annual What Patients Want Report 
    In its second annual edition, Zocdoc’s report includes findings on how social media may be influencing health behavior, trends in in-person care, the characteristics patients are using to vet their providers, and much more.

For more news like this, check out all of the latest health-related releases from PR Newswire.

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