Advanced clinician drug spending tripled in dermatology

The rising number of dermatology-specific advanced practice clinicians is associated with a growing share of dermatology drug spending, specifically for specialty medications, according to a study.
Advanced practice clinicians (APCs), which include nurse practitioners and physician associates, account for 37% of the dermatology workforce and 27% of patient visits as of 2020 — numbers that are expected to grow in the coming years, Edward L. Kong, PhD, from the department of economics at Harvard Medical School, and Arash Mostaghimi, MD, MPA, MPH, from the department of dermatology at Brigham and

Low vitamin D levels linked to 33% higher risk of hospitalization for severe respiratory infections

Severe vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher rate of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia, according to a new study led by the University of Surrey. Scientists found that those with a severe deficiency (below 15 nmol/L) were 33% more likely to be admitted to hospital for treatment than those with sufficient levels of vitamin D (at least 75 nmol/L).