GSK's Blood Cancer Drug Blenrep Fails to Win FDA Panel Support
The US Food and Drug Administration 's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee voted that the risks from the drug, called Blenrep, outweighed its benefits. Panelists voted 5-to-3 against a combination of Blenrep and the generic cancer drug Velcade and 7-to-1 against the drug in tandem with Pomalyst, marketed by Bristol Myers Squibb Co.
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CBS News
31 minutes ago
- CBS News
Ronald McDonald House in Philadelphia holds summer BBQ for children battling illnesses
It's the smiles and joy that say it all at the Ronald McDonald House. "Just look around in this room today. There is so much magic that is happening," said Chris Callanan, chief development officer of Ronald McDonald House Charities. Thursday night, they held a summer BBQ for children battling illnesses and their families. "A lot of the families are going on a tough medical journey while they are staying with us, and if we can give a smile or a little warmth to them in those difficult moments, that's what it is all about," Callanan said. Jesalyn Snitkoff arrived from Florida at the Ronald McDonald House in December. "In a hard time like this, it's amazing to have a place to call home," Snitkoff said. Snitkoff's 10-month-old baby is in the NICU at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and she says she is grateful for all the help. "It's been an amazing," she said. "The kids always have something to do. They are always entertained, and it makes it really easy to not feel so guilty because we are in and out of the hospital a lot." Swoop stopped by and the Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders danced and did crafts with the kids. The event was sponsored by Hoffman's Exterminating, which has been involved with the Ronald McDonald House for over 25 years. "They are going through some very tough times and there is not much we can do medically," William Hoffman, CEO of Hoffman's Exterminating, said. "But we can sure do it spiritually and that's why we are doing it."
Yahoo
36 minutes ago
- Yahoo
This Popular 'Healthy' Snack May Be Worsening Your Hypertension, Cardiologists Warn
This Popular 'Healthy' Snack May Be Worsening Your Hypertension, Cardiologists Warn originally appeared on Parade. High blood pressure is incredibly common, affecting nearly half of U.S. adults. Certain medications—thankfully—can help people manage hypertension, lowering their odds of further heart health issues. However, cardiologists emphasize that lifestyle tweaks, particularly dietary changes, are crucial to maintaining blood pressure levels within a normal range."Diet plays a key role because what we eat directly affects blood pressure through mechanisms like sodium (salt) balance, blood vessel health and body weight," explains , the clinical chief of cardiology for Sentara Health. "By making healthy food choices, people can lower their blood pressure naturally, sometimes even reducing the need for medication."Unfortunately, sometimes people think they are making a healthy choice by reaching for certain snacks that can actually make hypertension worse. Cardiologists warn that this one snack has a better reputation for heart health than it should. 🩺 💊 This 'Healthy' Snack Can Worsen Hypertension, Cardiologists Say Cardiologists warn that people often overlook the high salt content in pretzels, which check other "heart-healthy" boxes. However, they don't recommend consuming tons of pretzels regularly if you have high blood pressure (or want to avoid it). "Pretzels have a misleading image of being healthy because they are low-fat—they contain less than 2 grams of fat per serving," shares , the chair of cardiology at JFK University Medical Center. "Unlike potato chips, pretzels are baked, which consumers view as a healthier preparation method."Specifically, Dr. Talreja warns that brands that make pretzels typically stamp phrases like "0 grams of saturated fat" on the front of the bag. While the American Heart Association and cardiologists agree that it's important to check the nutrition label for saturated fat, it's not the be-all, end-all clue that a snack is heart-friendly. "Low-fat foods have been historically touted as 'healthy,'" explains, a board-certified cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center. "While there is some truth to this, as saturated fats can be strongly associated with LDL-C levels and fats are calorie-dense and can lead to weight gain, the sodium content, the most important dietary parameter for modulation of blood pressure, may be overlooked. For those who are sensitive to dietary sodium intake, pretzels may not be a healthy choice." Related: The Problem With Pretzels and Hypertension The biggest issue with pretzels is that they contain high amounts of sodium, which can worsen high blood pressure. "The biggest consideration of pretzels when it comes to hypertension is the sodium content," Dr. Berg warns. "A single serving of store-bought pretzels can have more than 300 mg of sodium, which is substantial if patients are attempting to minimize their sodium intake and maintain a goal of less than 1,500-2,300 mg daily."Indeed, the American Heart Association recommends limiting sodium intake to 2,300 mg per day, but advises people with high blood pressure to reduce their intake even further—aiming for a maximum of 1,500 mg per day. "That's less than two-thirds of a teaspoon of table salt total—including everything in packaged, canned, and restaurant foods," Dr. Talreja says. "Sodium can cause your body to retain water, increase blood volume and raise your blood pressure. For people with or at risk for hypertension, high-salt snacks like pretzels can undermine their blood pressure control efforts."To put pretzels in perspective, Drs. Talreja and Feingold both stress that this snack contains around 20% of your daily sodium allotment per serving. Let's double-tap on that for a second. "As often happens with snacks, people easily can consume two to three servings without realizing it," Dr. Feingold points isn't the only hidden heart health risk with pretzels. "Pretzels also are made from white flour, which causes rapid sugar spikes, which can lead to higher blood pressure and vascular inflammation," he reveals. Related: A Simple Tip for Salt Intake The "benefits" listed on the front of food bags can trick us into thinking a snack like pretzels is heart-healthy, when in fact it can worsen blood pressure. Dr. Talreja emphasizes that it's crucial to flip the bag over and has a simple mental math tip to help you determine whether or not to add the snack to your car."A simple guideline is for us to look at the label and calorie information on the back of the box," he says. "If there are more milligrams of salt than calories per serving of a packaged food, it should be considered a high salt product." Related: The Cardiologist-Recommended Diet for High Blood Pressure Cardiologists recommend that people sprint to learn more about the DASH diet for blood pressure control."DASH—Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension—is an evidence-based diet designed to combat high blood pressure through comprehensive nutritional strategies," Dr. Feingold The DASH diet isn't about depriving yourself of meals and snacks. Instead, it's all about loading up on delicious foods that support your efforts to control your blood pressure. Dr. Berg mentions that DASH-friendly foods include: Cruciferous vegetables (Kale, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage) Spinach Skinless poultry Salmon Low-fat/fat-free yogurt (especially Greek yogurt for added protein content) Oatmeal Brown rice Lentils Bananas Bell peppers Beans Berries Related: 3 More Tips for Managing Hypertension Diet is one pillar of managing hypertension. However, cardiologists agree that a holistic approach, including exercise, stress relief and monitoring, is crucial. Scroll on for three more practical tips for keeping blood pressure levels in a healthy range. 1. Make exercise a habit You often hear diet and exercise mentioned in the same breath as two keys to a healthy lifestyle and managing chronic conditions. Hypertension is no different."The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous physical activity," Dr. Berg Berg says that low-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, counts. You'll simply want to ensure that you're walking "briskly" enough to get your heart rate up and breathing heavier. However, you'll still be able to talk. 2. Reduce your stress through breathing exercises Yes, stress can raise blood pressure. "Chronic stress elevates cortisol and activates the sympathetic nervous system, both of which increase blood pressure," Dr. Feingold explains. "Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, triggering the relaxation response and immediately lowering blood pressure."He recommends five to 10 minutes of deep, diaphragmatic breathing daily, preferably at the same time to establish a 2020 meta-analysis in Hypertension found that mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques lowered stress and high blood pressure. 3. Monitor your blood pressure at home Knowledge is power, and Dr. Talreja says that monitoring blood pressure at home can help you flag issues."Home tracking helps catch changes early and shows whether lifestyle or medications are working," he shares. "The best solution is to start a home log and paper, which you can take with you to the doctor's record your heart rate and any unusual events that day, for example, stresses or changes in diet." Up Next:Sources: High Blood Pressure Facts. CDC. Dr. Deepak Talreja, MD, the clinical chief of cardiology for Sentara Health Dr. Aaron Feingold, MD, the chair of cardiology at JFK University Medical Center Saturated Fat. American Heart Association. Dr. Christopher Berg, MD, a board-certified cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center Shaking the Salt Habit to Lower High Blood Pressure. American Heart Association. DASH Diet: A Review of Its Scientifically Proven Hypertension Reduction and Health Benefits. Cureus. American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids. American Heart Association. Effect and Acceptability of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program on Patients With Elevated Blood Pressure or Hypertension: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Hypertension. This Popular 'Healthy' Snack May Be Worsening Your Hypertension, Cardiologists Warn first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Coloradan participating in this weekend's Donor Dash in Denver says transplantation changed his life: 'It saved me'
The 26th annual Donor Dash takes place this weekend in Denver, and among the participants will be a Coloradan whose life was changed drastically by transplantation. A dozen years ago Doug French, 74, was struggling with burning eyes and swelling. He was living with hepatitis C. "It didn't stop me, but it surely slowed me down," he said. While he was holding out hope the newer treatments would assist with his situation, French went to meet with the hepatologist. "He said, 'If you don't get a transplant, you won't survive.' And I went, 'Oh, I see. I got this.' That changed everything." French was living in Colorado at the time and was put on a transplant list in Oregon. So he and his wife moved temporarily to Portland and lived in a hotel for four months before he got the call they were hoping for. A recently deceased organ donor had a liver that was a match. "Waking up from that transplant was a miracle. For the first time in years, my eyes weren't burning from hepatitis C," French said. French recently celebrated 10 years since receiving his new organ, and with his body functioning at a higher level, he has lost 110 pounds. He has always been an avid scuba diver, and in addition to making it easier for him to do one of his favorite hobbies, his new liver has allowed him to take other activity levels to new lengths. He completed his first half marathon in April. That was something he wasn't even thinking about prior to his transplant. "Was it even on the back of your mind: 'One day I'm going to do a half marathon?'" CBS Colorado's Michael Spencer asked French. "Oh no, no, no," said French, who jogged with his nephew-in-law. "During that particular time, I kind of like draw a blank about my life and about my future. I had no idea what was next. It saved me. And I've I can't say enough about how grateful I am," he said. The Donor Dash takes place on Sunday at Washington Park. CBS Colorado is a sponsor of the event and Spencer serve as the emcee of the event. Find out how you can register for the event or help the Donor Alliance at
