After supporting a number of significant clinical trials in psychiatry more than ten years ago, NIMH abruptly shifted its approach and began allocating 90% of its money to neuroscience. The policy is still in place even though this “has yet to deliver major clinical gains.” Clinical advancement has been halted as a result of the devaluation of mental clinical trials and the meticulously designed, essential methodologies they demand.

A small group of patients (n=34) using opioids for fibromyalgia were randomized to wear green, blue, or unfiltered glasses for 4 hours per day for 2 weeks. There was no impact on pain scores. Those wearing green glasses trended (nonsignificantly) toward lower anxiety scores. The green glasses group did have lower opioid use.

At the time of this study, in 2016, dementia was seen in 10% of those over age 65 in the US, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in 20%, with increased risk for every 5 year advance in age. Risk was 80% higher for non-Hispanic Black individuals and approximately 40% higher in Hispanic persons, compared with White individuals. Dementia and MCI were inversely correlated with years of education, though.

In this randomized study of 1,000 patients with delirium admitted to the ICU, patients receiving haloperidol showed no significant difference in survival compared with patients who received placebo.

Dr. Steven Schlozman, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, conducted research on the impact of horror films and found that those who enjoy them are the most terrified. It must be particularly difficult to turn away from a truly terrifying doctor on TV if fear is something that people naturally find to be a little exhilarating. Thankfully, these scary clinicians beloved by fans are fictional and entertaining to watch — of course, with your eyes covered.

The FOENIX*-CCA2 trial, a global phase 2, open-label trial examining 103 patients with unresectable, locally progressed, or metastatic iCCA harboring FGFR2 gene rearrangements including fusions, was the basis for the approval of futibatinib (Lytgobi, Taiho Oncology). Patients in this trial received 20 mg of futibatinib orally once daily until disease progression or intolerable toxicity; the primary end goal was achieved with a 42% objective response rate as determined by an impartial central evaluation. With 72% of responses lasting at least six months, the median response time was 9.7 months.