Last fall, STAT’s Anil Oza wrote about the science on water fluoridation in response to criticisms of the practice from Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick to head HHS. Now Anil reports on a new study that found a slight decrease in children’s IQ scores as their levels of fluoride exposure increased.

You read that right. But wait: The study authors acknowledged that many of the papers included in their meta-analysis had a “high risk of bias,” and none were conducted in the U.S. The report, published yesterday in JAMA Pediatrics, is part of a larger effort to understand the literature on fluoride and IQ. 

Two editorials — one praising the study, another critiquing it — show “the general divide within the field, at large,” a researcher told Anil. Read more about the controversial research.

Can an epilepsy drug do more than reduce seizures?

From my colleague Adam Feuerstein: In a first-of-its-kind Phase 3 study, Stoke Therapeutics will assess the effect of its experimental treatment on seizures, but also evaluate potential improvements in cognition and behavior of patients with Dravet Syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy.

The company said today that it reached an agreement with the FDA, along with regulators in Europe and Japan, for it to green-light the Phase 3 study of zorevunersen in the middle of the year.

“To show improvement in cognition would set us apart from every other drug that is approved for Dravet. It’s never been done before,” Stoke CEO Ed Kaye told STAT in December, after the company presented promising new data from a mid-stage study.

The Phase 3 study, dubbed EMPEROR, will evaluate zorevunersen against a sham comparator in approximately 150 participants with Dravet aged 2-18. While reductions in seizure frequency — the study’s primary goal — can usually be measured after three to four months, Stoke will run the study for a full year so that it can fully assess secondary endpoints that will track changes in cognition and behavior.

“EMPEROR is unlike any study ever conducted for Dravet syndrome. It is going to be longer and more involved than studies of anti-seizure medicines, but the potential impacts of disease modification, as we have been discussing, are monumental,” said Kim Parkerson, Stoke’s head of neurology clinical development.

from AXIOS:

Rise of HMPV in China stokes new concerns

By Adriel Bettelheim

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

Cases of human metapneumovirus sweeping through parts of China are stoking concern about a new health crisis, though authorities and experts say prospects for a sequel to the COVID-19 pandemic are remote.The big picture: HMPV is similar to respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and thought to account for about 1 in 10 respiratory illnesses in children. Though most cases are mild, some patients can develop a lower respiratory tract infection like pneumonia, according to the Cleveland Clinic.Children, seniors and immunocompromised individuals are most at risk, and there’s no antiviral or vaccine.Driving the news: Health authorities in China are taking steps to track and contain the spread of infections, per the Independent. While they’ve characterized the developments as an annual winter occurrence, official media acknowledged cases of HMPV in kids under 14 are on the rise.A spokesperson for the World Health Organization said data from China show a recent rise in acute respiratory infections, ABC News reported.Cases of HMPV have been recently detected in India and Malaysia, among other countries.In the U.S., the CDC said that as of Dec. 28, 1.94% of weekly tests were positive for HMPV.Read moreMore docs ask patients about social needsBy Maya Goldman Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios Doctors are increasingly asking their patients about their needs for food and housing during medical appointments, but the frequency of such screening remains low, a new study shows.The big picture: Asking about so-called social determinants of health doesn’t necessarily mean patients in need are being referred to social service organizations that can help, but it’s an important first step.What they found: 27% of physician practices studied screened for five common social risk factors in 2022, according to a study published Friday in JAMA Network Open.That’s up from 15% in 2017.Both the 2022 and 2017 studies surveyed physician practices on whether they asked patients about their experiences with interpersonal violence, access to transportation, food insecurity, housing instability and utility needs.By the numbers: Nearly three-quarters of practices responding to the 2022 survey screened for at least one social risk, up from 67% in 2017.Federally qualified health centers were more likely than other types of practices to screen for social needs.More here   Louisiana reported the first human death in the U.S. from bird flu, in a hospitalized patient with underlying conditions. (Axios) The FDA released guidance on how manufacturers should test pulse oximeters in response to complaints they’re less accurate in people with darker skin tones. (Stat) UPS is focusing on specialized health services to offset a stagnating core package-delivery business. (Bloomberg) There were fewer FDA drug approvals in 2024, but some long-awaited treatments crossed the finish line. (Endpoints News)