The year in health and medicine

Guideline changes

Some new health guidelines made their entrance in 2016, and others underwent updates. The CDC announced its first-ever guidelines for prescription painkillers, encouraging doctors to stop treating chronic pain by prescribing opioids, such as oxycodone (OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin). Long-term use of the drugs carries risks for dependence, addiction, overdose, and death.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) strengthened its guidelines granting access to one's own medical records. Among the rules: you do not have to give a reason for a records request, you can ask for the records by mail or email, and most requests should be granted within 30 days.

Also of note, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force updated its guidelines to screen for depression, now recommending screening in all people 18 or older, including older adults, when there are systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis (as opposed to selective screening based on judgment and patient preference).

New medications

This year also brought the news that we'll have to wait for an antidote to stop rare uncontrolled bleeding episodes linked to some newer types of blood thinners, such as apixaban (Eliquis) and rivaroxaban (Xarelto). In August 2016, the FDA rejected the potential antidote AndexXa (andexanet alfa), saying it wanted more information before it could grant approval. Another of the newer blood thinners—dabigatran (Pradaxa)—already has an approved antidote called idarucizumab (Praxbind).

The newer blood thinners are alternatives to warfarin (Coumadin). People who use warfarin require frequent blood tests to see if the dose needs to be adjusted, but if dangerous bleeding does occur, there's a treatment to reverse it. The newer blood thinners don't require lab monitoring. Apixaban and rivaroxaban do not yet have approved treatments to reverse bleeding.