Health care workers who serve millions of Americans began a three-day strike on Wednesday after contract negotiations over staffing levels stalled. More than 75,000 members of the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions began walking off their jobs as early as 6 a.m. in Virginia and Washington, D.C., the Washington Post reported. The union, whose contract… read on > read on >
Breast cancer patients who undergo a mastectomy can probably benefit from a shorter course of more intense radiation therapy, a new study indicates. Hypofractionated radiation therapy — which provides a higher dose each session over three weeks — provides the same protection against breast cancer recurrence and post-surgical complications as a standard course of lower-dose… read on > read on >
People with type 1 diabetes lack functional islet cells in their pancreas to produce the hormone insulin and must take daily insulin via injections or a continuous pump to compensate. But if new research pans out, some folks with type 1 diabetes may no longer need to take insulin. The study of six people with… read on > read on >
For sufferers of sleep apnea, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines may guard against having a second heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular crisis, but they have to use it consistently, a new study finds. CPAP works by keeping your airways open during sleep, but because it requires wearing a mask, many people find it… read on > read on >
Federal regulators on Tuesday gave the go-ahead to an updated Novavax COVID vaccine, giving Americans a more traditional alternative to two recently revamped mRNA vaccines. Adolescents and adults who have previously received a COVID vaccine, but who haven’t gotten the newly updated Pfizer or Moderna shots, now have this non-mRNA choice. “The COVID-19 vaccines have… read on > read on >
Recent research has suggested that viruses could play a role in the loss of pancreatic beta cells, which triggers type 1 diabetes. Now, a new trial finds antiviral medications, when given soon after a child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, might help preserve those vital beta cells. Antiviral drugs could be “used alone, or… read on > read on >
New research has discovered 12 gene variants that may be tied to an increased risk of attempting suicide. These genes also may have links with physical and mental health woes, including chronic pain, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), lung conditions and heart disease. The researchers hope this finding, published online Oct. 1 in the American Journal of… read on > read on >
TUESDAY, Oct. 3, 2023 (HealthDay News) – People who experience flooding aren’t just at risk during these severe weather events — they also have a significantly higher risk of dying in the weeks that follow. A new study by Australian scientists looked at a crucial window between three and six weeks after a flood. The… read on > read on >
Pharmaceutical companies that make the 10 prescription drugs chosen to be the first for price negotiations for Medicare patients have agreed to talks with the government. The Biden administration announced Tuesday that the drugmakers, including Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb and Johnson & Johnson, will take part in price negotiations despite ongoing lawsuits over this same… read on > read on >
Drinking dark tea daily may help balance blood sugar levels and stave off type 2 diabetes, the form of the disease most closely tied to obesity. This is the main message from a new study that looked at tea-drinking habits and diabetes risk among people in China. Folks who drank dark tea every day had… read on > read on >
