5/18
Public Health
Opioids and hepatitis C: How OxyContin fed a new epidemic
Opioids and hepatitis C: How OxyContin fed a new epidemic
A new study from LDI senior fellow Abby Alpert, with David Powell and Rosalie Pacula, links OxyContin reformulation to a national epidemic of hepatitis C, which kills more than 20,000 Americans a year and infects tens of thousands more.
To get smokers to quit, tap into their biology
To get smokers to quit, tap into their biology
How quickly nicotine clears the bloodstream determines which treatment will work best, a tool scientists at Penn Medicine are using to advance the field of tobacco research.
Community outreach at Penn Medicine
Community outreach at Penn Medicine
Community outreach is an integral component of Penn Medicine’s three-part mission of research, patient care, and education, and countless members of the Health System family reach out on an individual basis.
The art of talking about science
The art of talking about science
Paul Offit of Penn Medicine and CHOP offers five tips for better communicating tough scientific topics to the public—and standing up for science in the process.
Risk and healthy behavior in the American adaptation of a telenovela
Risk and healthy behavior in the American adaptation of a telenovela
Researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center compare the CW Network show “Jane the Virgin” and the original Spanish-language telenovela “Juana la Virgen” and find an increase in risky adolescent behavior in the adaptation.
‘Enhanced Recovery’ protocol reduces opioid use in spinal surgery patients
‘Enhanced Recovery’ protocol reduces opioid use in spinal surgery patients
A new study shows that a comprehensive “Enhanced Recovery After Surgery” protocol for spine and peripheral nerve surgery patients significantly reduces opioid use.
One-third of gun injuries in America are treated in non-trauma centers
One-third of gun injuries in America are treated in non-trauma centers
New research suggests ways to expand efforts beyond trauma centers to prevent recurrent gun injuries.
25 years of integration, innovation, and ideals
25 years of integration, innovation, and ideals
2018 marked 25 years since the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) was first established—a milestone that would undoubtedly make the institution’s founder, Benjamin Franklin, proud.
The ACA in 2019: Will it face a reckoning?
The ACA in 2019: Will it face a reckoning?
Wharton’s Mark Pauly, Eric Clemons and Robert Field discuss what lies ahead for the Affordable Care Act in 2019.
Penn Dental Medicine offering free emergency care to furloughed federal workers
Penn Dental Medicine offering free emergency care to furloughed federal workers
As the federal government shutdown continues, Penn Dental Medicine is opening its doors to furloughed federal workers, offering them free care for emergency dental needs.
In the News
Philadelphia Gay News
UPenn hosts free online panel for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion
The Eidos LGBTQ+ Health Initiative, led by José Bauermeister and Jessica Halem of the School of Nursing, will host a free online panel in April on the integration of LGBTQ+ people in the workforce.
FULL STORY →
Philadelphia Inquirer
Mayor Parker’s plan to ‘remove the presence of drug users’ from Kensington raises new questions
Shoshana Aronowitz of the School of Nursing and Ashish Thakrar of the Perelman School of Medicine comment on the lack of specificity in Philadelphia’s plan to remove drug users from Kensington and on the current state of drug treatment in the city.
FULL STORY →
FactCheck.org
Posts mislead about COVID-19 vaccine safety with out-of-context clip of FDA official
Jeffrey S. Morris of the Perelman School of Medicine says that many adverse medical events, even those clearly unrelated to vaccines, have been reported an order of magnitude more for COVID vaccines during the pandemic than any time before.
FULL STORY →
WHYY (Philadelphia)
Philadelphians hope a cleaner city will reduce gun violence. Will Oh or Parker make it a reality?
A $3 million blight reduction project in Philadelphia is informed by Penn research showing that cleaning up trash and revitalizing vacant lots can reduce gun violence rates by as much as 29%.
FULL STORY →
Business Insider
Universal basic income is working—even in red states
Researchers at Penn concluded that a basic income program in Stockton, California, could have profound positive impacts on local public health.
FULL STORY →
CBS Philadelphia
NJ’s Camden County deploying virtual reality to teach students about naloxone
Penn partnered with New Jersey’s Camden County to create a virtual reality training video for administering the opioid-reversing drug Narcan.
FULL STORY →