HealthDay (12/26, Gotkine ) reports, “Buprenorphine dispensing increased among adolescents and decreased among young adults between 2020 and 2023, according to” research. Investigators “found that the overall number of adolescents and young adults dispensed buprenorphine decreased 6.5 percent annually between 2000 and 2023, from 47,759 to 38,907.” HealthDay adds, “The overall decline was driven by significant decreases in prescribing in the larger population of young adults aged 20 to 24 years.” The findings were published in a research letter in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Related Links:

— “2020 to 2023 Saw Increase in Buprenorphine Dispensing for Teens,” Elana Gotkine
, HealthDay, December 26, 2024

Psychiatric News (12/23) reports, “Alexinomia, the fear of saying other people’s names and using names actively in conversation, may be an overlooked symptom of social anxiety disorder, according to a study.” Investigators came to this conclusion after analyzing “data from 190 adults (143 female, 40 male, 7 nonbinary) with a mean age of 30.3 years.” The findings were published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders.

Related Links:

— “Fear of Addressing People by Name May Be Signal of Social Anxiety Disorder,” Psychiatric News, December 23, 2024

The American Journal of Managed Care (12/23, Rath) reports, “Alopecia areata has a greater impact on the mental health and work-related outcomes of non-White individuals compared with White individuals, according to a study.” Investigators found that “Greater risks of depressive episodes…recurrent major depressive disorder…and anxiety disorders…were linked to alopecia areata.” The data indicated that “participants of Black ethnicity had elevated rates of alopecia areata–associated risk of anxiety disorders.” Meanwhile, “mental health risks linked to alopecia areata were observed in urban areas but not rural regions.” The findings were published in British Journal of Dermatology.

Related Links:

— “Alopecia Areata Linked to Mental Health, Socioeconomic, Racial Disparities,” Cameron Santoro, American Journal of Managed Care, December 23, 2024

HealthDay (12/20, Thompson ) reported a study suggests that “seniors with an infection can take antibiotics without fear of harming their brain health.” Antibiotics do not “appear to increase the risk of cognitive decline or dementia in older adults, researchers report.” One investigator said, “Given that older adults are more frequently prescribed antibiotics and are also at higher risk for cognitive decline, these findings offer reassurance about using these medications.” The findings were published in Neurology.

Related Links:

— “Antibiotics Do Not Increase Risks for Cognitive Decline, Dementia in Older Adults, New Data Says,” Dennis Thompson, HealthDay, December 20, 2024

Bloomberg Law (12/20, Phengsitthy , Subscription Publication) reported, “The US government is going after drugmakers such as Bristol Myers Squibb Co., Johnson & Johnson, and Merck & Co. to pay rebates to Medicare if they raise the price of some of their drugs faster than inflation beginning in January.” A number of “Medicare enrollees will pay a lower coinsurance rate for 64 drugs treating cancer, osteoporosis, and substance use disorder between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services said Friday.” According to HHS, “over 853,000 people with Medicare use these drugs annually.” Beneficiaries who take these drugs “in the first quarter of 2025 may save between $1 and $10,818 per day, according to the agency.”

Related Links:

— “Medicare Imposes Savings on 64 Drugs Exceeding Inflation Rate,” Nyah Phengsitthy, Bloomberg Law, December 20, 2024