A budget-busting 3.6 million Medicare recipients could now be eligible for coverage of the weight-loss drug Wegovy, a new KFF analysis says. That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Wegovy (semaglutide) to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke in certain patients, the study says. The FDA’s ruling… read on > read on >
“Dream it, be it” might sound like a cliche, but a new study says there’s something to the notion. Teenagers who set ambitious goals for themselves tend to be more successful as young adults, researchers reported recently in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Teens who set higher educational and career goals “tended to… read on > read on >
Many people with tough-to-treat depression may be trying psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, as an alternative to antidepressants. Thinking that it’s a “natural” drug, folks might assume it comes without side effects. That assumption would be wrong. People in a new study who took psilocybin often experienced headache, nausea, anxiety, dizziness and elevated… read on > read on >
America’s mental health woes essentially serve as an annual economic downturn for the nation, a new study says. Mental illness costs the U.S. economy $282 billion every year, equivalent to the average economic recession, researchers report. That estimate amounts to about 1.7% of American annual spending, and is about 30% larger than previous attempts to… read on > read on >
Black and Hispanic Americans are gaining a better understanding of CPR, with a growing number expressing confidence they could use it to save a life, a new survey finds. About 44% of Black Americans now feel confident performing conventional CPR, up from 30% just three years ago, the American Heart Association (AHA) survey has found.… read on > read on >
Acne, psoriasis, eczema, vitiligo, alopecia: Any one of these common skin ailments can render a child vulnerable to stigma and bullying at school, new research confirms. “These chronic skin conditions can be tremendously life-altering, including shaping psychosocial development,” noted study corresponding author Dr. Amy Paller. She’s chair of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of… read on > read on >
Long-term daily use of aspirin has been known to prevent colon cancer, but up to now it’s been unclear why that is. Now, researchers think they understand how aspirin acts against colon cancer, a new study says. Aspirin appears to boost aspects of the body’s immune response against cancer cells, according to findings published April… read on > read on >
About six out of 10 working-age adults hit with a cancer diagnosis say it put real pressure on their financial survival, a new report finds. “Today’s findings reiterate the critical role access to affordable, quality care and paid family medical leave plays in reducing the financial toll of cancer on those diagnosed — particularly while… read on > read on >
The gender of your doctor may play a part in your prognosis: New research shows that hospitalized patients are less likely to die if they’re treated by a female physician. About 10.15% of men and 8.2% of women died while under the care of a female doctor, versus 10.23% and 8.4% when treated by a… read on > read on >
Last summer was a record-breaker for heat emergencies, so the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Monday launched a new online heat forecaster to help folks better prepare as summer nears. The HeatRisk Forecast Tool is a joint effort between the CDC and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service to… read on > read on >
