Trending News: Passive Testing Venues Successful in HIV Screening

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that it is expanding coverage of next generation sequencing (NGS) for use as a diagnostic for patients with germline breast and ovarian cancers, according to The American Journal of Managed Care. The national coverage decision applies to FDA-approved or cleared laboratory diagnostic tests using NGS. In addition, CMS also gave Medicare contractors more leeway to use NGS for other cancers as well.

Passive testing venues have been largely successful in screening for HIV in San Diego County, California, but high-prevalence areas may benefit from targeted testing efforts, according to Contagion Live. The study analyzed 379,074 HIV tests performed in community-based HIV screening programs between 1998 and 2016 to understand the relationship between screening efforts, HIV prevalence, HIV incidence, and rates of sexually transmitted infections. Researchers determined that standalone testing centers dispersed throughout the county were effective at reaching people with a high risk of infection.

An analysis of approximately 20,000 participants found an antihypertensive medication could help protect some older patients from developing gout, according to MD Magazine. Study results indicated that the use of amlodipine was associated with a lower long-term risk of gout compared with lisinopril or chlorthalidone. The study authors suggest this information could be useful in cases in which gout risk is a concern among patients receiving treatment for hypertension.