OHSU scientists identified a promising target on the NMDA receptor in the brain for treatment of a devastating autoimmune disease. Eric Gouaux, Ph.D., says, “We found that antibodies don’t bind everywhere. They don’t coat the receptor like a layer of paint. Instead, they bind to just a few very specific areas.”

A discovery by OHSU scientists who identified a promising target on the NMDA receptor in the brain for treatment of a devastating autoimmune disease. Eric Gouaux, Ph.D., says, “We found that antibodies don’t bind everywhere. They don’t coat the receptor like a layer of paint. Instead, they bind to just a few very specific areas.”

Continued coverage of OHSU research that finds the rates of opioid use during pregnancy has risen two-fold over the past decade.

A story in Woman’s World on how the new at-home HPV test compares with pap smear cancer screenings quotes Amy Cantor, M.D., who notes it depends on risk factors such as age, history of abnormal pap smears and risk of cervical cancer. She says, “There are many women who can skip the speculum exam and instead use HPV testing.”

The Lund Report covers the doubling of urgent care clinics in the past decade as primary care services suffer. Eric Wiser, M.D., said the OHSU Primary Care, Gabriel Park clinic in southwest Portland has 24-hour nurse triage but still sends some people to urgent care. He says, “We have imaging some days, but not every day. We don't have availability every day for urgent visits either.”

In a story in Straight Arrow News on how clinicians are transitioning to a cash-based clinic model where patients pay them directly, bypassing health insurance entirely, Jane Zhu, M.D., says, “It’s been growing really unfettered over the past several years.”

Medscape covers The Obesity Association’s new standards of care on the pharmacologic treatment of obesity and overweight in adults. Jonathan Purnell, M.D., says, “We welcome the addition of these standards to the growing body of recent statements helping to position obesity medications as standard therapy in the comprehensive care of patients living with complicated overweight and obesity.”

A study led by Molly Kornfield, M.D., finds laws restricting access to abortion may disproportionately affect pregnancies conceived through fertility treatment; Kornfield says: "People with highly planned and desired pregnancies may not be who we typically think of when we discuss the impacts of abortion restrictions, but their health and safety are being considerably impacted."

In a WebMD article on whether exercise is “a new breast cancer drug,” Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., says exercise also helps you tolerate cancer treatment better; if you experience less side effects, you are more likely to complete treatment, which leads to better health outcomes.

Media outlets highlight the importance of continued state funding of Graduate Medical Education, following the monthly media availability with President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A., featuring Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education Joyce Hollander-Rodriquez, M.D.