WARM UP:

One Joke: 

Why did the gingerbread man go to urgent care? (Answer at bottom)

One Fact: 

Heterochromia, when a person has two different colored eyes, affects about 6 in 10,000 Americans.

One Quote:

“Energy is contagious, positive and negative alike.  I will forever be mindful of what and who I am allowing into my space.”

–Alex Elle

One Guess…Name That Drug: 

• Description:  Most commonly prescribed statin.  In 2020 it was the most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 114 million prescriptions.  Available in generic form.

• Indication: Hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease.

• Mechanism of Action:  Inhibits HMG-CoA reductase, an enzyme in the liver that plays a role in producing cholesterol.

• Side Effects:  Common side effects include joint pain, diarrhea, heartburn, nausea, and muscle pains.  Serious side effects may include rhabdomyolysis, liver problems, and diabetes.

Drug Answer: Click here to find out!  

HEALTHCARE HEADLINES:

**  Guns are the leading cause of death among kids in the U.S.  A new federal study shows about half of unintentional firearm injuries occurred at home, usually when someone was playing with or showing the gun to another person.  The vast majority involved guns that were unlocked (76%), and most of those unlocked firearms were also loaded (91%).  In 30% of deaths, guns were found around nightstands and other sleeping areas.

** The first pill developed specifically for postpartum depression is now available in the U.S.  Zuranolone, being sold under the brand name Zurzuvae, is a once-daily, 14-day therapy that has been shown to “provide rapid improvement” in symptoms, per company press release.  About 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression.  The medication will cost $15,900 per course before insurance, raising some concerns about how many women will be able to access it.

TOGETHER WITH FULTON:

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WATER COOLER WONDERS…the stuff we found interesting this week:

** Year In Review: Check out the year’s five best feel good videos.

** Christmas Countdown:  It’s getting harder to spread holiday cheer…even for Santa.  According to The Hustle, the majority of Santas reported earning $5k-$10k in 2022.  Hourly pay for most jobs fell between $100-$200.  Amazingly, 60.5% of the Christmas pros attended Santa school (it’s a thing). 

FOCUS ON WELLNESS:

Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has raised the alarm about a national loneliness epidemic.  About half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.

So can technology solve our loneliness epidemic?  

An Israeli company, Intuition Robotics, believes they can help combat loneliness with their AI-powered robot, ElliQ.  The robot has been brought to over 800 seniors in New York and is currently available for purchase through the company’s website.

The small robot, inspired by Pixar, has a light up head that swivels and talks.  ElliQ is meant to simulate human interaction and can engage in small talk with a “unique, compassionate personality,” per the company.  It also has the ability to provide reminders, read audiobooks, offer stress reduction exercises, and lead cognitive games.

The jury is still out as to whether ElliQ can actually meaningfully alleviate loneliness at scale, however.  New York’s efforts found that 96% of ElliQ users thought it was helpful for reducing loneliness.  The pilot found that the average user engaged with the robot 37 times a day, for nearly 23 minutes.  But another study indicated that some seniors thought ElliQ’s tone was rude and having a robot in their house felt invasive at times.

THANKS FOR READING!

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JOKE ANSWER: He was starting to look crummy.