Improving the nation’s medical research; benzene in acne medications; the viruses in your bathroom – Morning Medical Update

Going from good to great in health research

The United States is the global leader in health and biomedical research. But what’s good could be better, according to a new special publication from the National Academy of Medicine. Experts outlined a path forward with five priorities for the nation to maintain global leadership in medical discovery. First up: Create a strategic national vision. Read more here.

Potential risks in skin medication

Earlier this year, the news was shocking that benzoyl peroxide, used in acne skin cream found in medicine cabinets across the country, could break down to become contaminated with benzene. That chemical is used in industrial processes and is a known carcinogen that is basically unsafe for any form of human contact. Read this report on additional study about this chemical process and this commentary on the data in Dermatology Times, a sister publication of Medical Economics.

Viruses, viruses and more viruses

In other bathroom news, researchers say showerheads and toothbrushes “are teeming with an extremely diverse collection of viruses – most of which have never been seen before.” That sounds awful, but most of them are “phage” viruses that target bacteria, not people. In fact, these phage viruses are getting attention from scientists for potential use against antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections. Read more in this news release.