American taxpayers have foot the bill for billions of dollars spent treating gunshot wounds, a new study says. Treatment for firearm injuries cost U.S. hospitals an estimated $7.7 billion between 2016 and 2021, with the largest share falling on urban hospitals that serve the highest proportion of Medicaid patients, researchers report in JAMA Health Forum.… read on > read on >
Farm workers have a higher risk for kidney disease, mainly due to exposure to high heat and agricultural chemicals, a new small-scale study says. Workers on a grape farm near the Arizona-Sonora border had high levels of arsenic, cadmium and chromium in their urine, and those were linked to increased signs of kidney injury, according… read on > read on >
Trial data show eyeglass lenses slow myopia progression versus single vision control lenses read on >
The $50 million in grants will examine how genetics and environment interact read on >
A new Commonwealth Fund report offers the first state-by-state ranking of how vulnerable individual health and health care systems are to climate risks. The report analyzed all 50 states and Washington, D.C., looking at factors like extreme heat, flooding and air quality, as well as policies to combat these threats. Vermont was ranked the best… read on > read on >
The White House has struck a deal with pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. to lower the cost of prescription drugs for the Medicaid program. The agreement — announced at the White House Tuesday by President Donald Trump and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla — comes as the administration pushes for similar deals with other major drug manufacturers.… read on > read on >
The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is protecting women from the cervical-cancer-causing virus — including those who don’t get the jab, a new study says. Depending on which vaccine they received, HPV infections fell by 76% to 98% over 17 years among vaccinated women, researchers reported in the journal JAMA Pediatrics. But infections also fell by… read on > read on >
Air pollution could be making matters worse for people with sleep apnea, according to a new study. Sleep apnea patients have more episodes of reduced or stopped breathing during their slumber in areas with heavier air pollution, researchers reported Tuesday at an European Respiratory Society meeting in Amsterdam. Further, these sleep apnea episodes increased as… read on > read on >
People with aching knees might receive relief from a course of low-dose radiation therapy, a new study suggests. People with mild to moderate wear-and-tear knee arthritis felt less pain and had better mobility after radiation treatment, researchers reported Sunday at a meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology in San Francisco. “People with painful… read on > read on >
The early warning signs of multiple sclerosis appear to be the same for everyone, regardless of their background. The pain, mood changes, brain decline and neurological problems associated with early MS can appear years before diagnosis, but appear to affect all types of people in similar ways, according to a new study. “Our study shows… read on > read on >
