Howie and Harlan are joined by Harvard internist Jerry Avorn to discuss his research on the pharmaceutical industry and his work promoting evidence-based prescribing. Harlan highlights new results from the American Heart Association meeting, including a one-time CRISPR-based therapy for high cholesterol; Howie reports on an outbreak of infant botulism.

Show notes:

Research from the American Heart Association Meeting

"Phase 1 Trial of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing Targeting ANGPTL3"

"First-in-human trial of CRISPR gene-editing therapy safely lowered cholesterol, triglycerides"

"Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy Inhibition with Alirocumab: The CAVIAR Trial"

"PCSK9 medication plus statin may help lower cholesterol after heart transplant"

"Investigational daily pill lowered bad cholesterol as much as injectables"

Jerry Avorn

Science Direct: Academic Detailing

Jerry Avorn: "Principles of Educational Outreach ('Academic Detailing') to Improve Clinical Decision Making"

Alosa Health

FDA: Accelerated Approval

Jerry Avorn: Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take

FDA: Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Advertisements

H.R.5952 - Prescription Drug User Fee Act of 1992

FDA: FY 2025 FDA Budget Summary

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Open Payments

H.R.3590 - Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

"Aducanumab Discontinued as an Alzheimer's Treatment"

FDA: ELEVIDYS

Brigham and Women's Hospital & Harvard Medical School: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics

Amazon.com: Featured comments on Rethinking Medications

Infant Botulism

California Department of Public Health: "Outbreak of Infant Botulism Linked to ByHeart Infant Formula"

California Department of Public Health: Infant Botulism Treatment and Prevention Program

CDC: "Infant Botulism Outbreak Linked to Infant Formula, November 2025"

"ByHeart recalls all baby formula sold nationwide as infant botulism outbreak grows"

California Department of Public Health: What is BabyBIG?

California Department of Public Health: Postponement of BabyBIG Fee Increase

California Department Of Public Health: Invoice and Purchase Agreement for BabyBIG

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