A malaria drug that’s also shown effectiveness against rheumatoid arthritis pain has failed to help people with the more common form of arthritis, new research shows. The drug is called Plaquenil (hydroxychloroquine), explained one expert who wasn’t connected to the new study. “Plaquenil was first used to treat malaria but was later found to also… read on >
Palliative care is designed to improve the quality of life and help manage the symptoms of a serious iilness, the U.S. National Institutes of Health says. The focus is on keeping a person comfortable and happy, and can be provided alongside treatment. Palliative care can be provided in nursing homes, outpatient clinics, residences and hospitals,… read on >
Shredded meat and poultry are a great start to a wide range of meals, from chili to Mexican dishes. But it’s important to prepare the meat safely to avoid foodborne illness. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers these suggestions for preparing shredded meat in a slow cooker: Refer to your product’s manual… read on >
Researchers say they are one step closer to testing a heroin vaccine in humans — in what they hope will become an additional weapon in fighting America’s opioid epidemic. Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute, in California, have developed an experimental vaccine that appears safe and effective in animals. It also has a long enough… read on >
If you’ve been on a diet more than once, you know that it can be harder to maintain weight than to lose weight in the first place. In fact, many people feel that dieting is easier and that not regaining the weight is the real challenge. Here’s help to keep off the pounds you worked… read on >
An opioid addiction treatment program for Rhode Island prison inmates appears to have significantly reduced overdose deaths among those who are released, researchers say. The program screens all inmates for opioid addiction and provides medications to treat the addiction. It was launched in 2016 and is the only program of its kind in the United… read on >
Smokers who think cigars or pipes are somehow safer than cigarettes may want to think again, new research indicates. The study tracked the health and habits of more than 357,000 Americans from 1985 to 2011. It found that, compared to people who had never smoked, people who regularly smoked only cigarettes had double the risk… read on >
There’s some good news for expecting moms who are trying to weather a brutal flu season — a new study shows that getting the flu vaccine during pregnancy causes no harm to newborns. Researchers reviewed records on more than 400,000 infants born between 2004 and 2014, and found no increased risk of infant hospitalization or… read on >
An electronic health record, or EHR, is the digital version of the paper records documenting your health care. These online records are an advance in health management in many ways. These records mean fewer and shorter forms to fill out at appointments. Your information gets to all of your providers so they can coordinate your… read on >
American parents are less likely to seek early dental care for their children if they don’t receive guidance from a doctor or dentist, a new national survey finds. The poll of 790 parents with at least one child aged 5 or younger found that one in six of those who did not receive dental advice… read on >
