M. Alexander Otto began his reporting career early in 1999 covering the pharmaceutical industry for a national pharmacists' magazine and freelancing for the Washington Post and other newspapers. He then joined BNA, now part of Bloomberg News, covering health law and the protection of people and animals in medical research. Alex next worked for the McClatchy Company. Based on his work, Alex won a year-long Knight Science Journalism Fellowship to MIT in 2008-2009. He joined the company shortly thereafter. Alex has a newspaper journalism degree from Syracuse (N.Y.) University and a master's degree in medical science -- a physician assistant degree -- from George Washington University. Alex is based in Seattle.
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Cardiology groups push back on hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin for COVID-19
Both drugs are known to cause torsade de pointes and increase the risk of other arrhythmias, say the AHA, ACC, and HRS.
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NCCN panel: Defer nonurgent skin cancer care during pandemic
The group’s melanoma recommendations focused on deferring nonurgent care until after the pandemic passes.
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Rethink urologic cancer treatment in the era of COVID-19
Prioritize regimens “with a clear survival advantage,” but many treatments can be stopped or delayed, editorialists say.
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FDA grants emergency authorization for first rapid antibody test for COVID-19
Labeling for the new antibody test indicates that the results should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose or exclude SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Skin manifestations are emerging in the coronavirus pandemic
“COVID-19 can feature signs of small blood vessel occlusion. These can be petechiae or tiny bruises, and transient lividoid eruptions.”
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Vascular biomarkers predict pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis
But it was “a major fishing expedition.”
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AASLD: Liver transplants should proceed despite COVID-19
Immunosuppression may be protective; the advice comes from a document a recently released from AASLD to help hepatologists and liver transplant...
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Visceral fat predicts NAFLD fibrosis, progression in HIV
Visceral adiposity is "a novel clinical predictor of accelerated" for progression of fibrosis in people with HIV.
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Cardiac symptoms can be first sign of COVID-19
Among those affected, acute myocardial injury is either apparent at presentation or develops after hospitalization.
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A point-of-care urine test is on the way for PrEP adherence
Nearly perfect accuracy, sensitivity seen.
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COVID-19 update: Transmission 5% or less among close contacts
New insights from China, CDC