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People with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) being treated with Spinraza (nusinersen) received most of their injections at recommended times, according to real-world data from two large U.S. databases. In an electronic health records (EHR) database, adherence to treatment was similar in the maintenance and loading phase of…

Have you ever felt like there could be someone spying on you by listening to your private conversations? Well, perhaps that sensation is being caused by your virtual assistant. Yes, I’m talking about those helpful little devices that sit on the corner of the table or dwell in your…

The best advice I could ever give someone is simple: Get more dogs. I guess if cats are more your thing, that’s OK, too. What’s important is that no matter the animal, they bring you joy. After all, that’s what pets are — endless amounts of joy and unconditional…

Researchers in Japan are conducting a study to better understand the natural history of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and how well disease-modifying therapies work in the real-world setting. The Biogen Japan-sponsored study will draw on data from the Japan Registry for Adult Subjects of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (jREACT-SMA),…

As it is still early in 2023, this is a good time for me to evaluate what things I’m doing right and what things I can improve upon. And to ask myself what specific actions I can take to make more of a difference. I emphasize “actions,” because…

In the fall of 1996, as my husband, Randy, battled a stressful job situation, our surprise pregnancy packed an additional wallop. It also sparked much-needed joy, once we recuperated from the news flash. Jeffrey’s birth two weeks early, as Randy’s job mercifully ended, provided a perfect boost. He was…

The staff at the fictional Manhattan magazine waits with bated breath. It’s a make-or-break moment for reporter Vivian Kent, who’s on a call with Kacy Duke, the personal trainer once in the inner circle of Russian-born con artist Anna Sorokin. Kent had been working on the story of Sorokin’s exploits for…

Leah Zelaya, a 15-year-old with a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), was chosen by the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) to be its 2023 MDA National Ambassador. As national ambassador, the Brooklyn, New York, teenager represents all those living with a neurological disease in the U.S. She…

Spinraza (nusinersen) treatment is safe in children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and does not cause unwanted immune responses, a study confirmed. The study, involving case reports on three children with SMA who developed elevated levels of white blood cells after Spinraza treatment, also found no changes in…

Like my mother before me, I’m an avid collector. Books, rings, blankets I’ll probably never use — as a child, I even collected those souvenir spoons found in historical gift shops across the U.S. I like stuff, and I like to display my stuff. In “May I Suggest #5:…