Citing the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and the need for protection against it, U.S. federal health officials are shortening the recommended time between the second dose of the Moderna vaccine and a booster shot from six months down to five. “The country is in the middle of a wave of the highly contagious… read on > read on >
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Aduhelm: Will Medicare Cover the Controversial Alzheimer’s Drug?
Following a months-long and unprecedented review, Medicare officials expect to announce within the next couple of weeks whether the program will cover the controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm. The drug’s benefits are in question and its annual price tag tops $28,000. The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) tend to cover with little fanfare… read on > read on >
Moderna CEO Says 4th COVID Dose May Be Needed Next Fall
A fourth COVID shot may be needed for most people by next fall because of what will likely be waning immunity, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said Thursday. While the booster that millions of Americans received this past fall should hold strong through this winter’s Omicron surge, Bancel said the efficacy of boosters will probably decline… read on > read on >
White House Finalizes Plan to Send Americans Free COVID Rapid Tests
The final touches are being put on the White House’s plan to deliver 500 million free coronavirus rapid at-home test kits to households across America. The administration will launch a website where people can request the rapid tests, said four people familiar with the plan who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the Washington Post… read on > read on >
Pot Use Raises Risks After Severe Form of Stroke
If you have any risk factors for stroke and you like to smoke pot, a new study suggests you should stop toking. Researchers found that people with an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, a rare, severe type of bleeding stroke, who had used marijuana three to 30 days before their stroke were twice as likely to develop… read on > read on >
More Evidence That State Lotteries Didn’t Boost Vaccination Rates
Although some U.S. states put up big amounts of cash to influence residents to get their COVID-19 vaccinations, it didn’t appear to make much any difference in immunization rates. Investigators who found that to be true in an earlier study in Ohio looked to 15 additional states for this latest research. The Boston University School… read on > read on >
New MRI Technique Might Help Spot MS Sooner
FRIDAY, Jan. 7, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Researchers in Austria say a new MRI technique may lead to faster diagnosis and treatment for people with multiple sclerosis. The technique can detect biochemical changes in the brains of people with MS early in their disease, according to findings published Jan. 4 in the journal Radiology. “MRI… read on > read on >
Members of Biden’s Transition Team Call for New COVID Plan
Former members of President Joe Biden’s transition team are calling for a new long-term strategy that envisions a world in which humans learn to live with the new coronavirus. Six former advisers published three opinion articles Thursday in the Journal of the American Medical Association detailing what needs to be done now to make that… read on > read on >
Beyond Chicken? KFC to Serve Up Plant-Based Meals
First, there was Beyond Meat. Next up? Beyond Fried Chicken. KFC announced Wednesday that it will begin offering a plant-based chicken in some of its meals on Jan. 10, from the same company known for its meat-free burgers, Beyond Meat. Beyond Fried Chicken was developed by Beyond Meat exclusively for KFC, according to a news… read on > read on >
CDC Warns of Rise in Rabies Linked to Bats
Three people died recently in the United States recently from rabies linked to bats, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. They bring the total number of U.S. rabies cases in 2021 to five. That’s a sharp rise over prior years — no reported rabies cases in people were reported in the… read on > read on >