An unnamed person in Texas had been diagnosed with the H5N1 avian flu after close contact with infected dairy cattle, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday. It’s only the second case ever confirmed in the United States (the first was in Colorado in 2022), and preliminary analysis of the strain in… read on > read on >
In a letter sent to teaching hospitals and medical schools across the country, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that written consent must be obtained from patients before performing sensitive procedures such as pelvis and prostate exams. The agency noted that it “is aware of media reports, as well as medical… read on > read on >
A new warning is being issued over a heart pump whose use could perforate the heart. The device has already been linked to over 100 injuries and 49 deaths. These left-sided Impella heart pumps are made by Abiomed, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson MedTech. Abiomed posted the new warning on the devices on the… read on > read on >
Vaccine protection against mpox fades quickly in the human immune system, even in people who’ve received the full two-dose regimen, a new real-world study shows. Antibody levels fell to low or near zero within the first few months of getting the vaccine, unless the person had previously received a smallpox vaccine, scientists reported Saturday at… read on > read on >
For folks who have battled alcohol dependency for years, any treatment that could curb or block alcohol cravings would be a huge advance. Now, research in mice is giving a glimmer of hope that just such a therapy might be possible. A compound — so far dubbed LY2444296 — appears to block a key brain… read on > read on >
Researchers say they are close to perfecting a bioengineered, 3D printed replacement human ear that looks, feels and resists injury like the real thing. Such an advance would greatly benefit people with congenitally malformed ears from birth, or those who have had an ear lost or damaged through injury, says a team at Weill Cornell… read on > read on >
A monthly long-acting injection of buprenorphine can be an easier and more effective therapy for people struggling with opioid addiction, but treatment centers aren’t much interested in using it, a new study discovers. Only one-third of treatment facilities (33%) offer long-acting buprenorphine injections to patients, according to findings published recently in the Journal of the… read on > read on >
Telehealth might be a more effective way of treating alcoholism than in-person therapy sessions, a new study reports. Alcoholics who receive treatment through telehealth were more likely to engage in more therapy visits and stick to anti-alcohol medication longer than those who venture out for alcohol use disorder therapy, researchers found. These results are “particularly… read on > read on >
Folks are turning to Twitter for advice on contraception, but it doesn’t look like they’re getting answers from informed authorities, a new study finds. Only about 6% of tweets on reversible birth control methods come from official news or health care sources, according to a review of thousands of posts. On the other hand, more… read on > read on >
Stem cells derived from a patient’s own fat can safely help improve sensation and movement after a spinal cord injury, a new, small study finds. Patients treated with these stem cells experienced increased sensation from pinpricks and light touches, increased muscle strength and better sphincter control, results show. “In spinal cord injury, even a mild… read on > read on >
