DNA analysis of newborns can detect many more preventable or treatable health problems than standard newborn screening does, a new study shows. Genome sequencing identified 120 babies with serious and treatable health conditions out of 4,000 newborns, researchers reported Oct. 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. By comparison, conventional screening techniques only… read on > read on >
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CDC Lowers Age for First Pneumococcal Vaccine to 50
The recommended first age at which Americans should get the pneumococcal vaccine has been lowered from 65 to 50, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday. “Lowering the age for pneumococcal vaccination gives more adults the opportunity to protect themselves from pneumococcal disease at the age when risk of infection substantially increases,”… read on > read on >
More Kids With Food Allergies Are Needing Psychological Care
Anxiety is driving more children with potentially dangerous food allergies to seek out psychological care, a new study finds. Focusing on one Ohio hospital, the researchers found a more than 50% jump in psychology referrals for kids with food allergies between 2018 and 2023. “Our center has devoted significant resources to address the psychosocial support… read on > read on >
EPA Finalizes Tough New Standards on Lead Paint Dust
In a move that further toughens safety standards for lead paint dust, the Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced the finalization of a rule that declares any detectable amount of the toxin in a home or child care center to be hazardous. “Too often our children, the most vulnerable residents of already overburdened communities, are… read on > read on >
Ozempic, Wegovy Might Help Lower Alzheimer’s Risk in People With Diabetes
Add Alzheimer’s disease to the list of conditions that might benefit from the revolutionary diabetes drug Ozempic, a new study says. People with type 2 diabetes taking semaglutide appeared to have a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s compared to patients taking seven other diabetes drugs, researchers reported Oct. 24 in the journal Alzheimer’s &… read on > read on >
One Day of the Week Has Highest Suicide Risk
A “case of the Mondays” is more perilous than just the return-to-work blues, a new study warns. Suicide risk is highest on Monday in the United States and around the world, an international team of researchers has discovered. “Mondays and New Year’s Day were both associated with increased suicide risk in most countries,” concluded the… read on > read on >
Greater Access to New Weight Loss Meds Could Save More Than 40,000 Lives Per Year
Expanding access to cutting-edge diabetes and weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Zepbound could prevent more than 42,000 deaths a year in the United States, a new study claims. Obesity and all its attendant ills — type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer among them — have had a dramatic impact on American health, researchers said.… read on > read on >
Implant Might Prevent Opioid Overdose
Naloxone can save a person’s life by reversing a potentially fatal opioid overdose, and is now available as an over-the-counter medication. Unfortunately, there’s a very significant catch. A knowledgeable bystander needs to be on hand to deliver the drug, either by nasal spray or injection. Now, researchers have developed an implant that might be able… read on > read on >
Bad Sleep in Middle Age Unhealthy for Aging Brains
If you’re in your 40s or 50s and have trouble getting and staying asleep, that’s not a good sign for brain health as you age, new research suggests. “Our study, which used brain scans to determine participants’ brain age, suggests that poor sleep is linked to nearly three years of additional brain aging as early… read on > read on >
FDA Appoints New Head of Medical Devices
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it has appointed Dr. Michelle Tarver to head its division that oversees medical devices. The appointment of a new director for the Center for Devices and Radiological Health comes at a time of great innovation and change in the medical device field, with AI playing an… read on > read on >