Fauci’s West Nile Virus; Nobel Prize for mRNA; Nurse Dies in Hurricane Flood

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Anthony Fauci, MD, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), detailed his experience with the one virus — West Nile — that “fought back and nearly took me down.” (New York Times)

The Nobel Prize in medicine was awarded to Victor Ambros, PhD, of the University of Massachusetts, and Gary Ruvkun, PhD, of Harvard Medical School, for the discovery of microRNA. (CNN)

A Tennessee nurse died trying to save a man from floods driven by Hurricane Helene. (AP)

Misinformation and conspiracy theories may have caused confusion and hampered the response to the hurricane. (Washington Post)

Why have field hospitals meant for residents injured by Helene seen so few patients? (NBC News)

The longest living person with the rare genetic disease progeria, Sammy Basso, died at age 28. (Reuters)

Medical resident Will West, MD, took his life earlier this year; his suicide note warns that others also may be vulnerable. (Washington Post)

An FDA inspection of a Thermo Fisher plant found shortfalls in manufacturing of Sanofi’s and AstraZeneca’s respiratory syncytial virus drug nirsevimab (Beyfortus). Sanofi said the FDA findings have been addressed. (Reuters)

The Drug Enforcement Administration warned about a surge in online pharmacies selling pills contaminated with fentanyl and methamphetamines.

The health benefits of water fluoridation may have declined, a study finds, but researchers aren’t calling to stop the addition of the cavity-fighting mineral in water systems. (NBC News)

A physician argued that ChatGPT may outperform doctors in an aspect of their work he’d previously thought safe from competition: their bedside manner. (New York Times)

Former President Trump appeared to be backpedaling on his “favored nations” plan to tie U.S. Medicare drug prices to those of other developed countries. (STAT)

The CDC launched a new “community snapshot” that includes a metric to rate overall illness from COVID, influenza, and other illnesses in every state.

Can gift cards help people with methamphetamine addiction kick their habit? A growing number of states say “yes.” (NPR)

NPR spoke with activists arguing for a ban on in vitro fertilization.

American Medical Association President Bruce Scott, MD, called on Congress to add more Medicare-supported graduate medical education slots.

Exact Sciences said the FDA greenlit its Cologuard Plus test, a multi-target stool DNA test for adults ages 45 and older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer.