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Medicine
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
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.
Members of Penn Med community elected to honor medical society
On Tuesday, the Perelman School of Medicine inducted 25 medical students, three residents, three faculty, and two alumni into its chapter of the honor medical society Alpha Omega Alpha.
‘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.
Leafing through the pages of medical library history
Rare gems, anatomical and botanical volumes, and the original library catalog are all housed in the Historic Medical Library at Pennsylvania Hospital, the first of its kind in the country.
Why is CBD oil everywhere?
From body balms to cocktails, CBD oil has exploded on the market, despite a lack of clinical trials and wildly different dosages among products. Marcel Bonn-Miller explains the science behind the fad.
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.
Dermatologists prescribe the most antibiotics, but which uses are driving the trend?
A new study shows study finds antibiotic use for acne is decreasing, while use associated with surgery is on the rise.
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.
Energizing the immune system to eat cancer
An Abramson Cancer Center study identifies a method of priming macrophages to boost an anti-tumor response wherein macrophages attack and eat cancer cells.
In the News
The New Yorker
The mystery of the Havana Syndrome
The Perelman School of Medicine’s Douglas Smith offered commentary on the concussion-like symptoms experienced by American diplomats in Havana in the winter of 2017. While some have suggested that their symptoms were psychosomatic, Smith said that “there was not one individual on the team [at Penn] who was not convinced that this was a real thing.”
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CBS News
Eating more fish or taking omega-3 fish oil supplements can cut heart attack risk, studies find
To lower one’s risk of heart disease, the Perelman School of Medicine’s Helene Glassberg recommended eating more fish over taking fish oil supplements. “Get it in your diet if you can, from omega-3 fatty fish like salmon or sardines,” said Glassberg. “This is the best way to get it and not spend $30 on a bottle of supplements at a health food store.”
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