U.S. life expectancy jumped last year; FDA approves first mesenchymal stromal cell therapy to treat SR-aGVHD in pediatric patients; popular vitamins won’t prevent falls or fractures in older adults – Morning Medical Update

U.S. life expectancy jumped last year

According to the latest U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report, U.S. death rates fell in 2023, and life expectancy jumped up by nearly a year. Experts noted that this jump is part of the bounce-back from the COVID-19 pandemic, although life expectancy is still not quite at pre-pandemic levels, and the recovery seems to be losing steam. Decreasing death rates for nearly all leading causes of death in the U.S. contributed to the lower overall death rates, with rates associated with COVID-19, heart disease and drug overdoses dropping in 2023. The Associated Press has more, and the CDC report can be found here.

FDA approves first mesenchymal stromal cell therapy to treat SR-aGVHD in pediatric patients

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the approval of Ryoncil (remestemcel-L-rknd), an allogenic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapy for the treatment of steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (SR-aGVHD) in pediatric patients older than 2 months. Ryoncil marks the first FDA-approved MSC therapy.

“Today’s decision marks an important milestone in the use of innovative cell-based therapies to treat life-threatening diseases with devastating impacts on patients, including children,” said Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER). “This first mesenchymal stromal cell therapy approval demonstrates the FDA’s commitment to supporting the development of safe and effective products that could improve the quality of life for patients with symptoms that are unresponsive to other therapies.” View the full FDA announcement here.

Popular vitamins won’t prevent falls or fractures in older adults

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends against relying on supplemental vitamin D and calcium to reduce the risk of falls or fractures in generally healthy older adults. The task force still recommends adults take vitamin D or calcium for their overall health but advises that they seek alternative solutions to prevent fracturs and reduce the risk of falling. In 2018, the task force recommended against the use of the supplements to prevent fractures in postmenopausal women, but they did not have enough evidence to advise the same for men. Their latest recommendation would update their guidance to include recommending against supplementation in men 60 years or older. CNN Health has more here. The task force’s final recommendation statement is available here, and is available for public comment on their website through January 21, 2025.