Shout-out to Michael Azzolin!

Congrats to the GPhA member and CEO of PharmD on Demand, who was named by Governor Kemp as one of the eight members of the Georgia Board of Pharmacy. Extra: Michael also serves on the board of the Georgia Pharmacy Foundation!

Rude, but effective

Eating less (sorry, “reduced caloric intake) is one way to stay healthier. How can you get kids to do that? Let them bring their technology to the dinner table. So found a nutrition scientist at the University of Illinois.

When 119 young adults consumed a meal while playing a simple computer game for 15 minutes, they ate significantly less than when they ate the same meal without distractions.

Stopping the resistance

Another target in the War on Superbugs™: Stop them from evolving.

Bacteria can become resistant by collecting genetic material that’s shed by existing resistant cells:

But bacteria aren’t able to catch wayward bits of DNA without the right equipment; the “bugs” must first enter a state called “competence” to build the machinery required to scoop genetic material from their surroundings.

So the new trick: Prevent the bacteria from entering this “competent” stage, thus preventing resistance from spreading.

New opioid resource for work

The DEA has launched Operation Prevention — a website chock full of guides for preventing opioid abuse at the workplace. You can, it says, “Become a leader who inspires personal progress and productivity with versatile learning resources that stress the importance of prevention.”

I once was (color) blind…

…but now I see (more colors). Using a contact lens that uses color-correcting films — just like the existing eyeglasses, but in a contact lens form.

What, not science-y enough? How about this, from the inventor: “Our contact lenses use metasurfaces based on nano-metric size gold ellipses to create a customised, compact and durable way to address these deficiencies.”

Train and punish

Hospitals in central Texas found a way to reduce the number of opioid prescriptions: a “multipronged program” that consisted of educating surgeons about the opioid epidemic, encouraging them to keep prescriptions to five days, and then cutting the pay of those who didn’t listen after monitoring their opioid prescribing practices.

Bonus: Includes the shocking revelation, “Opioid prescriptions have been a known driver of the opioid epidemic.”

Elsewhere: “Old Dominion” edition

Virginia has passed a law capping the out-of-pocket price of insulin at $50 a month. (Colorado and Illinois enacted $100 price caps; Washington state is considering a similar bill.)

Coronavirus update

It’s not stopping and not contained: The pandemic continues to spread, and quickly. It’s currently in at least 34 states, and at least 565 people have tested positive (including five in Georgia); 22 Americans have died so far. Eventually “Coronavirus may infect up to 70% of world’s population.”

Testing shortage: Despite what you may have heard, no, not everyone who wants a CoviD-19 can get one. There’s a shortage of test kits, some don’t work, and some hospitals are refusing to give them.

Insurance issues: Again, despite what you may have heard, no, not every insurance plan does not have to cover coronavirus testing. ACA-compliant individual plans (i.e., those bought through the Obamacare marketplaces) must, but most employer plans aren’t required to. Good news: Most major insurers have said they will cover CoviD-19 testing with no co-pay.

Netflix and chill: It’s time to consider “social distancing,” and if you don’t need to travel by air, bus, or cruise ship, just don’t.

The good news: The elderly are by far the most at risk (10% to 15% mortality); young and healthy people “have done extremely well in terms of recovery so far.”

And in case you’re curious….

The Long Read: “Let’s learn from this history” edition

The U.S. is lagging the rest of the world in its coronavirus response. Here’s “What went wrong with the coronavirus tests in the U.S.”