Support for Rare Cancers; Medical Record Anguish; Walgreens Vows Tobacco Scrutiny

The FDA awarded 11 grants to support research in rare diseases, including cancers.

A grieving mother shares her frustration and anguish over being denied access to her daughter’s medical records after the 3-year-old died of a brain tumor. (Journal of Clinical Oncology)

Merck announced FDA approval of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in combination with chemotherapy, with or without bevacizumab, for the first-line treatment of PD-L1-positive persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer.

Allogene announced that the FDA placed a clinical hold on all trials of the company’s off-the-shelf CAR T-cell products after a patient developed chromosomal abnormalities of undetermined significance in the CAR T cells.

A public/private initiative in Europe will invest about $25 million to integrate artificial intelligence-based technology into clinical decision-making for prostate, lung, and breast cancer. (European Association of Urology)

Many women may be screened for cervical cancer more often than recommended. (University of New Mexico Health Science Center)

Patients with breast cancer often use cannabis before, during, and after treatment without telling their doctors. (Cancer)

Solving the mysterious lack of T-cell lymphomas in patients with HIV. (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center)

The FDA announced the first three e-cigarette products allowed through its Premarket Tobacco Product Application pathway, but rejected applications for flavored products.

Walgreens new CEO promises “real scrutiny” of tobacco product sales as the company scales up its focus on healthcare. (CNBC)

A supposedly “undruggable” cancer protein succumbed to an experimental small-molecule protein degrader in animal models of brain, breast, lung, and colon cancers. (FiercePharma)