Two years after U.S. approval of the first over-the-counter (OTC) birth control pill, new research shows many people who face barriers to medical care are turning to it. The study, published Monday in JAMA Network Open, included data from 986 people ages 15 to 45 across 44 states. All had obtained the pill — known… read on > read on >
For the first time, people can get their annual flu vaccine without leaving the comfort of home. FluMist, a nasal spray flu vaccine made by AstraZeneca, is now available for at-home use through a service called FluMist Home, the company announced. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first approved FluMist in 2003 for use… read on > read on >
Want to keep your brain healthy as you age? Regularly volunteer some of your time to your community, neighborhood, friends or family, a new study suggests. People who regularly lend a hand slow their rate of aging-related brain decline by 15% to 20%, researchers report in the October issue of the journal Social Science &… read on > read on >
Taking acetaminophen while pregnant might increase a child’s risk of autism or ADHD, a new evidence review says. Analysis of 46 prior studies involving more than 100,000 participants found “strong evidence” that prenatal exposure to acetaminophen could increase the risk of developmental brain disorders like autism and ADHD, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal… read on > read on >
Cities can be designed in ways that promote walking, providing residents with built-in health benefits, a new study says. People who live in more walkable cities do indeed get more daily steps, researchers reported Aug. 13 in the journal Nature. Average steps increase or decrease by about 1,100 per day when people move between cities… read on > read on >
Urinary tract infections tend to be extremely painful and disruptive, prompting sufferers to urinate more frequently with a horrible burning sensation. But a new mouse study has shed some light on why UTIs cause frequent and painful urination, the first step to creating a treatment for these symptoms. UTI infections appear to affect nerves in… read on > read on >
Forecasters say it will bypass a direct hit on the continental U.S., but the first hurricane of 2025 — Erin — is a strong reminder to have an emergency plan and know what to do if severe weather strikes. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reminds… read on > read on >
Diabetes risk appears to cluster in households, a new study says. Three-quarters of people at risk for developing type 2 diabetes are living under the same roof as another person who either already has diabetes or carries risk factors for the condition, researchers will report at the upcoming annual meeting of the European Association for… read on > read on >
A Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in Central Harlem has now caused four deaths and sickened 101 people, New York City health officials confirmed. The bacteria that cause the illness, called Legionella, were found in 12 cooling towers across 10 buildings, including NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem. Cooling towers help regulate temperature in large buildings, but if they… read on > read on >
Drugmaker aims to pursue other applications in mental health, neurological, and pain disorders read on >
