CMS Plan to Cover Follow-Up Colonoscopy; Second Go for Ocaliva in NASH; Drusen & IBD

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to cover follow-up colonoscopy following a positive at-home fecal test.

Intercept Pharmaceuticals said it will again seek an indication for obeticholic acid (Ocaliva) in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), stating that a new analysis of its phase III trial should allay the FDA’s prior concerns.

Italian researchers proposed a novel blood test for better diagnosing both the presence and severity of NASH and liver fibrosis. (Gut)

No increased risk of liver injury was detected following vaccination with Pfizer/BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine. (Journal of Hepatology)

In children with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), certain reductions in body mass index were linked with normalization of alanine aminotransferase levels. (The Journal of Pediatrics)

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) released a new clinical practice update on diagnosing and managing NAFLD in lean individuals. (Gastroenterology)

And AGA released new guidance on managing subepithelial lesions found during routine endoscopy. (Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology)

In a Swedish registry-based study of patients undergoing primary ventral hernia repair, all forms of open mesh repair were associated with lower reoperation rates compared to open suture or laparoscopic repair. (Hernia)

Patients with appendicitis reported high levels of satisfaction and low levels of regret whether they selected either appendectomy or antibiotics. (Annals of Surgery)

A phase III trial showed positive results for dupilumab (Dupixent) in children ages 1 to 11 with eosinophilic esophagitis, drugmakers Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi announced.

Inflammatory bowel disease and retinal drusen may share underlying risk factors, according to a paper in Scientific Reports.