Oct 25, 2019

AI reshapes how doctors treat breast care patients

An algorithm is helping researchers map the medical history of breast cancer patients so they can better predict, treat and maybe even prevent it, The New York Times reports.

The big picture: This database covers more than 100,000 patients over 30 years, from Massachusetts General hospital. That's a lot more data than oncologists can get from clinical trials, the Times notes.

Why it matters: AI could help us understand how tumors responded to different treatments. Machines could also make it easier for clinicians to identify patients with specific disease characteristics and to enroll them in clinical trials.

The other side: Science Magazine published an article Thursday explaining how black patients were susceptible to racial bias in treatment when a popular algorithm predicted who would benefit from extra medical care.

Risk scores underestimated the needs of black patients compared to white patients.

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Marisa Fernandez

Doctors safely use CRISPR on cancer patients

A researcher performs a CRISPR/Cas9 process at the Max-Delbrueck-Centre for Molecular Medicine. Photo: Gregor Fischer/picture alliance via Getty Images

Three cancer patients in the U.S. were the first to be safely injected with the gene editing tool CRISPR as a form of immunotherapy to fight their illness, AP reports.

Reality check: It's too soon to know whether the treatment will help, doctors say. The patients, who all failed multiple standard treatments, had varying results after two to three months.

Go deeperNov 7, 2019

Caitlin Owens

Getting patients to price shop is hard

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The Trump administration argues its new price transparency rules will help patients shop for cheaper care and encourage insurers to make such shopping attractive.

Yes, but: Research shows most patients don't shop for care, even when tools exist to make it easier.

Go deeperNov 22, 2019

Caitlin Owens

Researchers criticize $225,000 annual price of Pfizer's new heart-failure drug

Illustration: Rebecca Zisser/Axios

Some of the researchers who helped develop a new heart-failure drug are criticizing its high price, Bloomberg reports.

The intrigue: Pfizer, which makes the drug, says that it's targeted at a small population, justifying the high price. But critics say that the condition isn't that rare, setting up Pfizer to reap in a fortune from the medication.

Go deeperNov 20, 2019