Daily Briefing

Around the nation: New screening guidelines help identify colorectal cancer in younger adults


Two new studies published in JAMA suggest that lowering the recommended screening age for colorectal cancer cases has led to more diagnoses in younger adults, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Illinois, New Jersey, and Washington. 

  • Illinois: Two new studies published in JAMA suggest that lowering the recommended screening age for colorectal cancer cases has led to more diagnoses in younger adults. Over the last decade, there has been an increase in colorectal cancer cases among younger adults. In 2021, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) lowered the age it recommended people begin screening colorectal cancer from 50 to 45 in hopes of catching some of these cases earlier. In new studies, researchers found that more people ages 45 to 49 got screened for colorectal cancer after USPSTF updated its guidelines, with screening rates increasing from around 20% in 2021 to 33% in 2023. This increase in screening also helped diagnose more cases of colorectal cancer in younger adults at an earlier stage. "For someone who has been following this for so long, it practically brings tears to my eyes," said Rebecca Siegel, an epidemiologist at the American Cancer Society who worked on the studies. "To see this steep increase in early-stage diagnosis, it means these young lives are being saved." According to STAT, the five-year survival rate for colorectal cancer in the early stages is over 90% but drops to 13% at the most advanced stages. (Chen/Paulus, STAT, 8/4)
  • New Jersey: Recently, Merck announced that it will implement a multi-year cost-savings plan, which includes reductions to its workforce and real estate holdings. According to Merck, the plan is expected to lead to $3 billion in annual cost savings by the end of 2027, which will then be reinvested in new products and the company's pipeline across multiple therapeutic areas. As part of the plan, certain administrative, sales, and research and development (R&D) positions will be eliminated, and the company will reduce its global real estate footprint. "Today, we announced a multiyear optimization initiative that will redirect investment and resources from more mature areas of our business to our burgeoning array of new growth drivers, further enable the transformation of our portfolio, and drive our next chapter of productive, innovation-driven growth," said Merck CEO Robert Davis. (Cloonan, Wall Street Journal, 7/29)
  • Washington: Last week, the Gates Foundation announced plans to invest $2.5 billion in initiatives that support women's health, including specific focuses on maternal, menstrual, gynecological, and sexual health. According to Fierce Healthcare, this is the largest investment the organization has made in women's health R&D. The organization has committed to funding women's health initiatives through 2030 and will support the advancement of over 40 innovations in five critical and chronically underfunded areas, particularly those that affect women in low- and middle-income countries. "For too long, women have suffered from health conditions that are misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or ignored," said Anita Zaidi, president of Gates Foundation's gender equality division. "We want this investment to spark a new era of women-centered innovation—one where women's lives, bodies, and voices are prioritized in health R&D." (Landi, Fierce Healthcare, 8/4)

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