Columns

Looking back, I see how I’ve always had an inclination to write a lot. Even in high school 25 years ago, when a test question required me to write a paragraph or two, I would write pages. This was back when I had to use a scribe to write…

I celebrated a birthday recently, kicking off the final year of my 60s in memorable fashion. As I got ready at home to join our grandson, James, for a Mother’s Day breakfast in his class at school, I opened the bathroom door. Sprawled out over the entire…

On May 2, members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) held their first strike since 2007-2008. The WGA is a joint partnership of labor unions on the East and West coasts, each composed of writers in film, television, radio, and online media. When writers and the studios…

Children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) who are treated with Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) tend to have more dramatic gains in motor function when it’s given earlier in the course of disease, a new study reports. The findings suggest the best improvements are seen among babies treated in…

Alterations to the composition of intestinal microbes — called the gut microbiome — in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients may contribute to certain metabolic disorders that are commonly seen in patients, according to a recent study. Scientists identified a number of altered gut bacteria in children with SMA…

A second-generation gene therapy, administered directly into the brain, led to faster and more pronounced improvements on motor function in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) compared with a benchmark vector similar to the approved gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi). That’s according to new data…

It seems that I have a problem with knowing when to speak up right away and when to wait a brief moment before I say something. In a recent column, I explained how I have feelings of remorse when I say or do something I think was taken…

In real-world settings, the one-time gene therapy Zolgensma (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi) is well tolerated and improves motor function outcomes in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) — especially when given at ages younger than 8 months — a study in Israel found. Treatment with Zolgensma also was found…

Actor Ethan Hawke has a TED Talk titled “Give yourself permission to be creative.” In it, he speaks not just to professional and aspiring artists, but to every person’s need for human expression. He talks about how creativity exists in things like leadership, and how embracing our…

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with Evrysdi. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy. I was expecting my insurance to turn up their nose at renewing my Evrysdi (risdiplam) prescription to treat my…