3 health stories to know this week

Hello, health and wellness enthusiasts. My name is Kaitlin, your guide to the news you may have missed this week and how it could impact your life.

Here’s what my team explored:

☀️ It’s a salmonella summer

Bummer news: , and (yes, the one you always wanted for a pet) have all been linked to salmonella outbreaks this month. that can cause gastrointestinal illness (like diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps), and typically is seen in undercooked eggs, or meat and poultry. It’s particularly dangerous for immunocompromised people, the elderly and young children, who can suffer more severe symptoms like high fevers, lethargy and blood in the urine or stool.

What it means for you: As of June 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention However, the agency reminded people to eat cookies that have been baked per their instructions, as “any raw cookie dough made with unpasteurized eggs or raw flour can have germs like Salmonella and E. coli.” Cucumbers contaminated with salmonella , per the CDC, but you can check their website to see if you have any in the fridge that should be tossed. (If they haven’t already gone fuzzy and moldy, that is… and make sure to check your freezer, too!)

As for bearded dragons, the CDC may have some bad news for your family, as these reptiles “are not recommended as pets for children younger than 5, adults aged 65 or older, and people with weakened immune systems because these people are more likely to get a serious illness from germs that reptiles carry,” per .

Want more? I put together on foodborne illnesses.

⚕️ A new Alzheimer’s drug just moved forward

The new Alzheimer’s drug Donanemab, from Eli Lilly, has been , indicating it may soon be approved for treating mild dementia caused by Alzheimer’s. The panel unanimously agreed that the drug’s benefits — a 35% in 18 months, in people between 60 and 85 — outweighed the risks, such as brain swelling and bleeding.

Why it matters: So far, there’s only one drug on the market — Leqembi — that is shown to slow memory problems and cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s. Leqembi, from the Japanese pharmaceutical company Eisai, received , which means Medicare now covers it. However, it’s important to note that while this treatment can give people more time before the disease progresses — potentially allowing them to retain independence and time with loved ones for months longer than they would have without it — it’s not a cure, and neither is Donanemab.

As for Donanemab, it wasn’t an easy approval process: the FDA had concerns about the study design because Eli Lilly grouped patients based on their levels of a brain protein (called tau) which might require complex brain scans before prescribing the drug. Additionally, the study’s protocol for stopping treatment when amyloid levels dropped (indicating plaques in the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease) raised questions about the best time to stop or restart the drug.

Ultimately, however, there aren’t many medical options for those suffering from Alzheimer’s — and one more drug on the market should be, for many people, a hopeful step forward.

💉 Moderna’s combo shot wins over separate ones

Moderna’s latest medical innovation is packing a one-two punch. The pharmaceutical company announced that its generated a stronger immune response in adults aged 50 and over when compared to taking separate shots for each virus. The company aims to launch this combo vaccine by the 2025 respiratory disease season, pending FDA approval.

What it means for you: If you skip your flu shot each year because of the side effects, there’s good news: Moderna found that its combo shot showed similar side effects (like injection site pain and fatigue) when compared to existing flu vaccines on the market.

While this double shot won’t do anything to combat vaccine hesitancy, it’s possible that this combination shot may move the needle for people who only get one of these shots each year, especially if they have perceived notions about poor side effects from getting two shots sequentially. (For example, an FDA study previously looked into whether for older adults, but experts say there’s no definitive conclusion.)

Experts do agree that it’s important to get your COVID and flu vaccinations if you want your body to have the best shot at fighting off these viruses. The World Health Organization announced in January that they saw , even as cases across the globe surged.