News from NYU Langone Health
100 Great Neuro And Spine Programs. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (1/10) Becker’s recognizes NYU Langone Health as the nation’s top-ranked institution for neurology and neurosurgery by U.S. News & World Report, citing its exceptional patient care, education, and research, supported by over 330 faculty and 150,000 outpatient visits annually, and featuring specialized programs such as the Multiple Sclerosis Comprehensive Care Center, Fresco Institute for Parkinson’s and Movement Disorders, and the Comprehensive Stroke Center, alongside one of the largest Comprehensive Epilepsy Centers in the US.
NYU Langone Health Acquires Rothman Orthopaedics Of Greater New York. (Healio)
Healio (1/10) NYU Langone Health and NYU Langone Orthopedics announced the acquisition of Rothman Orthopaedics of Greater New York, integrating 13 orthopedic specialists and surgeons and expanding outpatient locations to Midtown East, Harrison, and Tarrytown; Andrew Rubin, senior vice president, clinical affairs and ambulatory care, said, “We’re thrilled to welcome the patients and staff from Rothman Orthopaedics of Greater New York to the NYU Langone Health network,” while Joseph D. Zuckerman, MD, the Walter A. L. Thompson Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, added, “We’ve had a long-standing relationship with the team at Rothman Orthopaedics, and now that they have officially joined our faculty, we can bring the same great orthopedic care to even more people in the New York metro area.”
COVID Vaccination Rates Rose In NYS, U.S. In ‘24 As Long Island Deaths, Hospitalizations Fell. (Newsday (NY))
Newsday (NY) (1/12) Dr. Leonard Krilov, an infectious disease consultant and former chairman of pediatrics at NYU Langone Hospital-Long Island, said that while COVID-19 is now “milder in most people,” it remains potentially dangerous for older adults, leading healthcare providers to focus more on promoting the vaccine among this group, as vaccination rates among those 65 and older in New York have risen significantly, contributing to a decrease in hospitalizations and deaths, with Long Island experiencing a notable drop in COVID-19 fatalities from 2024 compared to previous years, according to CDC and state data.
Acute Mind-Altering Effects Of Psilocybin Managed With Clinician Oversight. (Cancer Network)
Cancer Network (1/10) Michael P. Bogenschutz, MD, professor, Department of Psychiatry, Center for Psychedelic Medicine, discussed the potential adverse effects of psilocybin use in cancer patients, based on a pooled analysis of two phase 2 trials published in Nature Mental Health, saying that while acute mind-altering effects can occur, they typically resolve within six hours post-administration.
Parenting In Later Life: How Old Is Too Old? (Medscape)
Paywalled* Medscape (1/10)* Arthur L. Caplan, PhD, the Drs. William F. and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor, Department of Population Health, Division of Medical Ethics, calls for an ethical discussion on the controversial topic of whether there is an age limit for becoming a parent, especially as it pertains to single women over 60 and older men like Al Pacino, who recently became a father at 83; Caplan questions the potential health risks, the likelihood of older parents not being present during crucial years of a child’s life, and the increased chance of genetic disorders.
Test Of ‘Poisoned Dataset’ Shows Vulnerability Of LLMs To Medical Misinformation. (Medical Xpress)
Medical Xpress (1/10) A study by medical researchers and AI specialists at NYU Langone Health demonstrated how easily large language models (LLMs) can be manipulated by injecting misinformation into training datasets, revealing that even 0.5% tainted data resulted in increased medically inaccurate responses, such as false claims about COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness; the team, who generated 150,000 misleading medical documents using ChatGPT, also found that reducing tainted data to 0.01% still led to 10% incorrect LLM answers, and while they developed an algorithm to identify and validate medical data, they said there’s no feasible method for purging misinformation from public datasets.
Onetime ‘Miracle Baby’ Who Survived Multiple Surgeries Gives Birth, 30 Years Later, At Same Mineola Hospital. (Newsday (NY))
Newsday (NY) (1/10) Stephanie Sicurella, born with esophageal atresia and other internal abnormalities at Winthrop Hospital, now known as NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, gave birth to her first child, Dominic Francis Bruno, over 30 years later, with her former pediatric surgeon, Charles Coren, MD, clinical associate professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery, present; Sicurella, who underwent multiple surgeries as a child and had a bedside nurse for 20 years, said, “Having him also in the room with my son – full life, full circle.”
Also reporting were WNBC-TV New York (1/10) and WINS-AM New York (1/10).
Designing Care For The Underserved Creates Higher-Value Health Solutions. (American Journal of Managed Care)
The American Journal of Managed Care (1/12) During a discussion, Brita Roy, MD, MPH, clinical associate professor, Departments of Population Health, and Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation, described strategies to engage minoritized populations in medical trials by employing community members as coordinators, thereby transforming perceptions of clinical trials from fear to opportunity; Roy also advocated for prioritizing healthcare equity under the new administration by addressing socioeconomic disparities, ensuring access to quality education and healthcare, and designing healthcare systems for underserved populations, saying, “a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Also reporting are the American Journal of Managed Care (1/12) and Philanthropy News Digest (1/12).
“Results Vary Significantly”: Here’s What People Who Have Gone Through The Process Of Freezing Their Eggs Want Others To Know. (BuzzFeed)
BuzzFeed (1/11) Brooke Wertz, MD, MPH, assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Langone Health Fertility Center, discussed the complexities of egg freezing, noting that while “the earlier you undergo egg freezing, the better chance is of the egg thaw working,” age remains the most significant variable affecting success; NYU Langone Health’s data showed a 49.5% IVF success rate for women under 35 using their own eggs in 2022, declining to 14% for those over 40, with Dr. Wertz explaining that “older patients will need more eggs to increase the chance of getting a healthy egg.”
Discovering A New Receptor For Nerve Growth Factor: Nigel Bunnett, PhD, BSc. (Neurology Live)
Neurology Live (1/10) Researchers at NYU Langone Health’s Pain Research Center, led by Nigel Bunnett, PhD, professor, Department of Neurosurgery, chair, Department of Molecular Pathobiology, have identified a new receptor for nerve growth factor (NGF) called neuropillin-1 (NRP1), which, along with G Alpha Interacting Protein C-terminus 1 (GIPC1), plays a critical role in pain signaling, potentially leading to safer chronic pain treatments by avoiding side effects associated with monoclonal antibodies targeting NGF.
Dr. Marc Siegel Warns Of Long-Term Health Risks From Wildfires. (Fox News)
Fox News (1/11) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation “discusses health concerns for Californians facing wildfire smoke and air quality issues on ‘The Faulkner Focus.’”
In a separate embedded video, Fox News (1/12) Marc K. Siegel, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation “has the latest on health ailments he is seeing in California wildfire victims on ‘Fox News Live.’”
Ketamine’s Evolution Over The Decades. (CNN)
CNN (1/9) The death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry has brought attention to ketamine, with CNN exploring its transformation from a battlefield anesthetic to a party drug, and now to a potential breakthrough in mental health treatment, while also examining the risks within an unregulated landscape; Joseph J. Palamar, MPH, PhD, associate professor, Department of Population Health, is featured in the discussion.
35 Simple Health Tips Experts Swear By. (New York Times)
The New York Times (1/12) Sophie M. Balzora, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Inflammatory Bowel Disease, advises keeping distractions like magazines and phones out of the bathroom to prevent prolonged toilet time, which studies suggest may elevate the risk of hemorrhoids.
Can Medical Schools Funnel More Doctors Into The Primary Care Pipeline? (KFF Health News)
KFF Health News (1/13) Julia Lo Cascio, medical student, remains committed to primary care pediatrics despite a nationwide trend of medical students choosing higher-paying specialties, with the Association of American Medical Colleges projecting a shortage of up to 40,400 primary care doctors by 2036; Lo Cascio said, “No matter what else has happened in school, in life, in the world, and medically, your pediatrician is the person that you can come back to,” expressing her desire t be such a figure for others, while contrasting the tuition-free education at her school with that of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where most graduates pursue lucrative specialties.
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island
Physician Advises Caution In Snowy Conditions. (News 12-TV Long Island (NY))
12-TV (1/9) The frigid weather with ongoing snowfall has increased the risk of falls, according to Jerry A. Rubano, MD, assistant professor, Department of Surgery, regional director of trauma, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, who advises vigilance while walking, saying, “I can tell you with that small snow the other day we had at least six or seven people come in with falls and fractures...that have to get admitted to the hospital,” adding that such cases are more frequent than heart attacks during the winter.