STAT+: Pharmalittle: We're reading about picking an FDA chief, a menopause film controversy, and more

And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. Not a moment too soon, yes? This is, you may recall, our treasured signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda is still shaping up. Nonetheless, we hope to manicure the leafy Pharmalot grounds, catch up on our reading, and hold another listening party with Mrs. Pharmalot, where the rotation is likely to include this, this, this, this and this. And what about you? With a holiday nearing on this side of the pond, this could be a good time to make plans for get-togethers or, conversely, consult the latest advice on avoiding unpleasant family members. You could tune out the pre-holiday noise and simply hit the road for a few hours to see what you can see. Or you could bolster your local economy by indulging in some winter shopping. Fill your boots, as they say. Well, whatever you do, have a grand time. But be safe. Enjoy, and see you soon….

President-elect Donald Trump will likely choose Johns Hopkins surgeon and writer Martin Makary to lead the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Reuters reports, citing two sources familiar with the matter. Makary raised concerns about a number of public health issues during the Covid-19 pandemic, touting the protection from natural immunity and opposing Covid vaccine mandates. As a doctor, Makary was a co-developer of the Surgery Checklist, a routine for surgeons that improved patient outcomes and has been spread around the globe by the World Health Organization. His most recent book, “Blind Spots”, was published in September. In interviews promoting the book, he spoke against what he called “massive overtreatment” in the U.S. that he called “an epidemic of inappropriate care.” He has advocated for reexamining the use of hormone replacement treatment in menopausal women, reducing overuse of antibiotics, and reforms to medical education. Makary, who lives in Baltimore, has served as an adviser to Paragon Health Institute, a conservative health care think tank.

A dozen experts on women’s health are demanding the Federation of State Medical Boards remove a new documentary about menopause from its continuing medical education program over concerns the movie makes misleading and inaccurate statements about menopausal therapies, STAT reports. The film, called “The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause,” was released several weeks ago and can be seen on the Public Broadcasting System. Nearly an hour long, the documentary attempts to cover a host of issues surrounding menopause — from scientific causes and medical research to historical cultural views, racial disparities in health care, and medications that are prescribed. The Federation of State Medical Boards a nonprofit that represents dozens of state boards around the U.S., accredited the film for physicians, but the group of academics and researchers argued in a Nov. 8 letter to the organization that the documentary contains “non-stop, dangerous disinformation.”

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