Another battering for vitamin D tests | Precision medicine for PNETs | Monogenic screening in type 1 diabetes

Dear LabPulse Member,

A massive new meta-analysis published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on July 8 found no evidence to support a benefit for supplementation with a wide range of vitamins to prevent cardiovascular disease events. What's the take-home message for labs? Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, told LabPulse.com that data supporting the common use of vitamins and other supplements are lacking and tests for vitamins are "grossly overused."

This follows the publication of a meta-analysis in June showing no benefit for vitamin D on cardiovascular outcomes and, conversely, a call in July for screening pregnant women and babies for vitamin D to prevent high blood pressure in early childhood.

Other recent journal news includes studies on how to improve the understanding of diseases in various therapeutic areas and develop more precise treatments. A molecular profiling study funded by the Neuroendocrine Tumor Research Foundation shed light on biomarker tests for discriminating between indolent and aggressive pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PNETs). The lead author of the study believes it would be straightforward to adopt such testing in labs.

Meanwhile, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center have been working on identifying monogenic variants in type 1 diabetes. They are now calling for all people younger than 18 with type 1 diabetes to undergo a new kind of genetic screening, based on a study that followed patients for four years.

Regulatory updates include U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance of an expanded use for the FoundationOne CDx genomic profiling tumor test with the cancer drug olaparib (Lynparza) in the maintenance treatment of BRCA-mutated first-line ovarian cancer. Separately, the agency announced it is holding a meeting of its Patient Engagement Advisory Committee to discuss the cybersecurity of devices. IVD products are among the types of lab equipment at risk of getting hacked. Mark your calendars for September 10.

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