Reducing unnecessary blood transfusions | RNA to treat prostate cancer | $5M for Black medical schools

November 17, 2021

ROCHESTER, MN—Eliminating unnecessary allogenic blood transfusions (when a donor and a recipient are not the same person) is critical when donor blood is in short supply. A Mayo Clinic study indicates that hospitals can reduce unnecessary blood transfusions and costs by implementing patient blood management programs. The data analytics study saw a risk reduction of 6% for receiving any transfusion during hospitalization.

ST. LOUIS, MO—A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis indicates that RNA could be a new strategy to treat prostate cancer that has developed resistance to hormonal therapies. The researchers identified an RNA molecule, which they dubbed NXTAR, that suppresses prostate tumors.

DURHAM, NC—Duke University has received a $3.4 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for an initiative it’s leading to prevent malaria outbreaks in the Amazon. The grant will support the research team’s efforts to develop more reliable methods to forecast where and when an outbreak will occur, weeks or even months in advance.

CLEVELAND, OH—University Hospitals is deploying Interactions’ AI-powered virtual assistant to schedule appointments. The tool will seek to alleviate long wait times over the phone or accidental misdirections. It will also allow patients to update their profiles; schedule, reschedule or cancel appointments; or obtain appointment details without needing an agent.

ABBOTT PARK, IL—Abbott Laboratories will give $5 million to fund nearly 300 scholarships over the next five years at four historically Black medical schools, according to a news release. The scholarships are part of a larger initiative by the Illinois-based company to create a more diverse and inclusive clinical trial ecosystem.

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