June 6 RxAdvocate June, 2024 — Newsletter
June Stories:
- Lyme Disease
- FDA Approves First Interchangeable Biosimilars for Macular Degeneration
- Sun Safety: From Sunscreen to Sunglasses
- Tour de Pier: Riding for Love, Joy, and a Cure
- Happy Father’s Day
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through bites from blacklegged ticks. Tick bites are possible anywhere and anytime of the year but are most likely between April to October in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and upper-Midwest areas of the United States.
There is not currently a vaccine available for Lyme disease so the best ways to minimize risk is prevention and early treatment. Prevention strategies include avoiding woods or brush areas with tall grasses, treating clothes and gear with permethrin 0.5%, showering within 2 hours of possible exposure and completing a whole-body tick check. If a tick is found, remove the attached tick as soon as possible and call your health care provider if rash, fever, or other symptoms are experienced.
Late May 2024, the FDA approved the first two interchangeable biosimilars to Eylea, Yesafili, and Opuviz.
These products are used to treat Neovascular age-related macular degeneration, macular edema following retinal vein occlusion, diabetic macular edema, and diabetic retinopathy.
Through blocking vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), these products help preserve vision in those with the conditions above. Biosimilars are critical to making healthcare more affordable and accessible.
Sun Safety: From Sunscreen to Sunglasses
With summer approaching, sun safety is in season. Protecting your skin from the sun throughout the year is important. Exposing your skin to the sun can cause sunburns, skin aging, skin cancer, and even eye damage.
Applying a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF, protecting your eyes with sunglasses, limiting your time in the sun between the hours of 10 AM and 2 PM, and covering your skin with clothing such as long sleeve shirts, hats, and pants are a few ways to help protect yourself from sun exposure.
Although all sunscreens can help protect your skin from sunburn, only broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of at least 15 can help protect your skin from skin cancer and early skin aging. The FDA continues to evaluate sunscreen products to ensure their effectiveness and safety. It is important to read your sunscreen label carefully to ensure you get the most benefit from sunscreen use – please see the Read More Here link for what to look for on your sunscreen label.
Tour de Pier: Riding for Love, Joy, and a Cure
I recently received sad news that my friend Ashley Wilson passed away at age 44. She had been battling kidney cancer for over a year. No one would ever know because of her positive outlook on life. On Sunday, May 19th, I flew out to California (where I once lived) to meet my friends for the 12th annual Tour de Pier in honor of Ashley. I joined “Ashley’s Fighters” to ride in the most inspiring cycling fundraiser along with thousands of riders who show up for this cancer fundraising event.
Ashley was supposed to be riding at this event and be a “hero” on stage representing her team that she named “Ashley’s Fighters”. Sadly, she passed away just a few weeks before the event. Needless to say, this year’s event was quite emotional, however, she was there in spirit and her memory was kept alive! Our team raised over $14,000 and the event raised nearly $1.5 million to help find a cure!
It was such an inspiring, heartwarming day honoring so many heroes and legends affected by this disease. I will continue to ride on for them and to fight cancer.
Written by Claudia Weir
Happy Father’s Day
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