Patient Advocate: ‘Good news’ medical stories of 2023

Today, I’m going to wrap up a year of columns by looking for the nuggets of good medical news: promising research, new technologies and improved treatments that are on the horizon.

Medicine and health are always evolving. Think about the 1918-1920 flu pandemic and the fears our parents had about polio. We can now protect against flu and polio (if we stay up to date on our vaccines). In 2020, we lived in fear of COVID-19, a seemingly intractable virus that was killing millions. Today, we are armed with vaccines that provide protection so that, if folks do catch COVID, it turns out to be not as serious.

Here are my top 5 “good news” health and medicine stories of 2023:

Development of the RSV vaccine

Last year at this time, hospitals were running out of pediatric beds because a dangerous virus called RSV was making babies and young children who lacked immunity to it very sick. RSV also poses a danger to older adults if they contract it and it turns into pneumonia.

This time, taking the same approach that enabled the rapid development of COVID vaccines, researchers quickly rolled out RSV vaccines, and the FDA approved them for older adults in May. There’s also a maternal RSV vaccine to protect infants before they’re born because they are also very vulnerable.

Only 16 percent of adults over 60 have received the vaccine so far. Talk to your doctor about it, especially if you are around young children.

Gene editing for sickle cell disease

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder that affects more African Americans than other populations. Red blood cells, usually round and smooth, carry oxygen throughout the body. In sickle cell disease, the cells became misshapen, causing them to not be as efficient, and they can even get stuck and block blood flow, bringing severe pain, organ damage and stroke.

Earlier this month, the FDA approved the first gene-editing therapy ever to be used in humans to “fix” the problem genes. It’s brand new, very expensive and won’t be widely available anytime soon – but this advancement is encouraging.

Gene-editing technology carries with it many technological challenges and ethical concerns. Imagine, though, if we could actually end a disease rather than just treat its symptoms. As one of the patients in the sickle-cell clinical trial said, “It changed my life.”

Eight habits for a longer life

A study presented in July to the American Society for Nutrition identified behaviors that have the potential to add literally decades to both men’s and women’s lifespans. Based on records from the Veterans Administration, the research found eight key habits – which should come as no surprise to anyone who reads my column regularly!

Here are the secrets to a longer life, according to this study:

Drugs to treat obesity

Estimates of the medical cost of adult obesity in the U.S. range from $147 billion to nearly $210 billion a year, most of it spent on treating related disorders such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Despite decades of effort – from food pyramids to bariatric surgery – obesity remains prevalent.

This year saw the explosion of a new type of treatment for obesity that is getting results. The drug, known generically as semaglutide, mimics a hormone called GLP-1, whose molecules go to the brain, telling it you’re full. It also slows digestion. People taking it for type 2 diabetes noticed they lost weight, and now variations of semaglutide have been FDA-approved to treat obesity.

There are catches: It can be expensive, and people tend to regain some weight when they stop taking it. But the potential for controlling the runaway obesity epidemic is staggering.

Emergence of “the voice of the patient”

The World Health Organization observed “World Patient Safety Day 2023” with this theme: “Elevate the voice of patients!” The WHO said, “Evidence shows that when patients are treated as partners in their care, significant gains are made in safety, patient satisfaction and health outcomes.”

This recognition – that patients and their advocates have a role to play as health-care partners – was long overdue. I organized the first Chicago Patient Advocacy Conference this past June, at which we learned from specialists in the field. TRICARE promoted the importance of their patient advocates in military hospitals and clinics. Artificial intelligence (AI) emerged as a support for patient advocacy.

On that promising note, I wish you all the happiest of holidays and the best of health in 2024!

• Teri Dreher is a board-certified patient advocate. A critical care nurse for 30+ years, she is founder of NShore Patient Advocates ( www.NorthShoreRN.com ). Her book, “How to Be a Healthcare Advocate for Yourself & Your Loved Ones,” is available on Amazon. She is offering a free phone consultation to Daily Herald readers; call her at (312) 788-2640 or email teri@northshorern.com.