The Tripledemic, Disease Awareness and More Health News Trends

A look at the health industry news from PR Newswire in November and December that you might have missed.

 

 

By Wendy Brickner, Cliff Moore | Published Jan. 9, 2023

 

Healthcare is always a popular topic for press releases sent via PR Newswire. The announcements cover everything from FDA approvals and new medicines to AI and wellness products. For example, more than 5,900 healthcare-focused releases went out via PR Newswire in November and December alone.

Back in November, we looked at four healthcare trends from September and October: mental health, breast cancer awareness, flu season, and the use of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Some of these topics continued to persist throughout the end of 2022– especially flu season, which escalated to a new trending topic: the tripledemic.

The majority of the trends we noticed in November and December also shared a common positive theme: advances in medicine, especially through new drug treatments. These new treatment options offer promising and exciting possibilities heading into the new year.

Let’s take a look at the healthcare trends we have noticed over the two-month period that closed out 2022.

 

Some of the Most Popular Healthcare Releases:

Over the past two months, these healthcare press releases received a standout number of reads and/or engagement:

• One of the most popular health-related releases from the last two months of the year was about pet health. A Golden Retriever named Pippa was poisoned after eating unbaked bread rolls meant for Thanksgiving dinner. Luckily, she made a full recovery!
• Big news in healthcare acquisitions came in December when the biotechnology company Amgen announced its plans to acquire Horizon Therapeutics plc.
• Planet Fitness and Amazon Halo came together in November to help people on their fitness journeys. The collaboration provided new members with a complimentary Amazon Halo View wellness tracker.
• The maker of Cologuard® tests, Exact Sciences, sent out a press release applauding policy changes that impact Medicare and most commercial insurers. The policy expands healthcare access by removing the costs of a colonoscopy for patients after a positive Cologuard® test.
• In new health product news, Jessica Biel's brand KinderFarms announced the launch of a line of clean children's medicines called KinderMed.

 

 

Healthcare News Trends

Here’s a look at a few of the trends we noticed among healthcare-related press releases in November and December, with a few examples of each.

 

Tripledemic

Ah…ah…AHCOO! It’s that time of year when you hear coughing and sneezing everywhere you go. Is it the flu? Or something else?

We kept hearing the term "tripledemic" in November and December in the news and press releases. What is the tripledemic? It's the number of patients suffering from COVID, the flu, and RSV all surging at the same time. This has been overwhelming for doctors’ offices, hospitals, and even drug stores, which are suffering from a shortage of some over-the-counter medicines. This led to high hospital bed occupancies and stores limiting purchases of some medications.

November and December saw 183 press releases mentioning “tripledemic," "RSV," or "flu" sent via PR Newswire, compared to 130 in September and October, a 40% increase. In addition, press releases mentioning all 3 illnesses together (RSV, flu, and COVID) jumped 966%.

Here are a few examples from November and December:

• Summer Health Adds Messaging-Based Pediatric Care Initiative to Combat the RSV, Flu, and COVID "Tripledemic"
• Tripledemic Leaves Consumers Scrambling for Solutions
• More Than 10 Million Adults Already Affected by "Tridemic"; Real-Time Oxygen Saturation Monitoring of At-Risk Patients Can Help Prevent Adverse Events
• Catalina Reports Impact of 'Tripledemic' on Sales of Over The Counter Flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Remedies
• Sameday Health Launches Single Swab Test for COVID-19, Flu, and RSV
• New Survey Shows Many Americans Are Confused by Testing Options for COVID-19 and Flu

If that wasn’t enough, late in December the CDC alerted the medical community that it was seeing an increase in Strep A cases in children as well. We'll keep an eye on this developing trend in the coming months.

 

American Diabetes Month

American Diabetes Month occurs every November and organizations seek to raise awareness, educate the public, and provide resources about all things diabetes.

According to the CDC and the National Diabetes Statistics Report, about 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, and 1 in 5 of those don’t know they have it.  Furthermore, 1 in 3 adults have prediabetes and 8 out of 10 don’t know they have it.

Plenty of material was sent over the wire in November and December related to diabetes awareness, detection, and care:

• Beyond Type 1 and Nick Jonas Launch #SeeTheSigns Campaign for World Diabetes Day 11/14
• Together with EASE: IEHP Partners to Promote Awareness and Early Childhood Detection of Diabetes
• FDA Approves First Drug That Can Delay Onset of Type 1 Diabetes
• Diabetes is Up 15% Nationwide in Past 10 Years
• Seven Leading Health Organizations Announce New Collaboration to Enhance and Support Diabetes Care in Primary Care
• Lilly and EVA Pharma Announce Collaboration to Enhance Sustainable Access to Affordable Insulin in Africa

 

World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day is celebrated on December 1 of each year. According to the World AIDS Day website, 38 million people have the virus across the globe. And since its identification in 1984, HIV and AIDS-related sicknesses have claimed the lives of 35 million people.

In the final months of 2022, PR Newswire distributed some noteworthy releases regarding this important ongoing public health issue:

• FDA Approves New HIV Drug for Adults with Limited Treatment Options
• MISTR Expands Telehealth Platform to Include Long-Term HIV Care
• World AIDS Day Brings to Light AIDS Epidemic's Disproportionate Impact on Black and Brown Lives
• Saks Debuts 2022 Holiday Campaign Supporting the Elton John AIDS Foundation
• IMG Helps Commemorates World AIDS Day at Art Basel by Bridging the Gap Between Sex Education and Visual Art with National Recording Artist Trina

 

Alzheimer's Disease Awareness

According to the Alzheimer's Association, more than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's. PR Newswire sent out 162 press releases in November and December that mentioned "Alzheimer's."

There were a couple of events that led to an uptick in mentions of "Alzheimer’s disease" in press releases in the November-December timeframe. First, November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month in the U.S. Also, the Clinical Trials and Alzheimer's Disease Conference (CTAD) was held November 29-December 2 in San Francisco. Many of the press releases from CTAD mentioned the promise of the Alzheimer’s drug lecanemab, which hopes to slow down the progression of the disease. This new treatment received FDA approval on Jan. 6, 2023.

Examples from the last two months of 2022:

• Eisai Presents Full Results of Lecanemab Phase 3 Confirmatory Clarity AD Study for Early Alzheimer's Disease at CTAD
• Gene Mutation May Explain Brain Cell Plaque Buildup in Alzheimer's Disease
• Presentation of MRI data at Clinical Trials and Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) conference demonstrates potential of neflamapimod to positively impact the cholinergic degenerative process in early Alzheimer's disease (AD)
• ADDF Statement on Gantenerumab Data Presented at CTAD
• Edward Jones Announces Significant Progress Toward Its $50 Million Commitment To Help Find a Cure for Alzheimer's
• Cure Alzheimer's Fund Honors the Scientists Working to Find a Cure

 

Takeaways

November and December saw a focus on several severe diseases that impact millions of Americans: AIDS, Alzheimer’s Disease, and diabetes. Along with this, the healthcare industry ended 2022 with some very important topics and discoveries. 2023 will be more of the same with even more innovations in healthcare happening every day. Health will also continue to be on the minds of consumers into the new year as many people start 2023 with a focus on fitness and wellness. 

 

 

About the Authors

Wendy Brickner is a Senior Customer Content Specialist in PR Newswire's Customer Content Services department. She has been with the company since 2007. Outside of work, her favorite things are traveling, spending time with family and friends, and relaxing with her giant Golden Retriever, Roosevelt.

 

 

Cliff Moore is a Senior Customer Content Specialist in PR Newswire's Customer Content Services Department and has been with the company since 2013. When not assisting clients with their press release needs, he enjoys all things pop culture, plants, hosting gatherings, and playing any game you can think of.