Frosty Roads Pose Danger In Mid-South
Residences in the Mid-South have fallen victim to an intense winter squall that left roadways blanketed with snow. Despite some snow thawing on treated roads, the freezing cold nocturnal temperatures are predicted to cause perilous refreezing. This could pose a considerable threat to commuters. As a result, officials have urged locals to be extremely careful when traversing these risky conditions.
Recent Unveilings by the FDA
Parallelly, the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) has been announcing crucial news. The body called for applications for research on the abuse potential of botanical kratom in humans. This decision is a response to rising worries about the increased consumption of this plant substance without any significant clinical trials.
Noteworthy Endorsements
Notably, Casgevy, a CRISPR/Cas9 gene therapy for cells, received FDA approval for treating transfusion-reliant beta-thalassemia in patients 12 years and older. This green light represents the second clinical use for Casgevy, following its application in sickle cell disease treatment. Vertex Pharmaceuticals and their partner, CRISPR Therapeutics, developed the innovative therapy, which uses the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system that won the Nobel prize. The cost of this treatment is stated as $2.2 million per patient.
Additional Sanctions and Warnings
The FDA also gave the green light to the DermaSensor device, which aids health care workers in evaluating skin cancer lesions. However, the device must undergo further after-market testing. On top of that, Pembrolizumab, branded as Keytruda, received approval for use with chemoradiotherapy in treating advanced cervical cancer, offering new hope for patients.
Concerning food safety, the FDA issued a warning about oysters from Sonora, Mexico, that are contaminated with Norovirus. They advised the public against eating these oysters. Lastly, the FDA authorized Fibresolve, a software for analyzing lung CT scan images, to assist in diagnosing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. All these actions mark the FDA’s continuous commitment to protect public health by regulating food safety and medical products.
