A drug used “off-label” for multiple sclerosis (MS) is more effective than a standard medication at preventing symptom flare-ups, a new clinical trial has found. The drug, called rituximab, is approved in the United States for treating certain cancers and autoimmune diseases. It is not approved for treating MS, but some doctors do prescribe it… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – Pharmacies must fill prescriptions for medications that could potentially end a pregnancy, the Biden administration said Wednesday. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department Office for Civil Rights sent guidance to more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies, reminding them that pregnancy discrimination is illegal because it is considered a form of sex discrimination… read on > read on >
(HealthDay News) – Unvaccinated Americans should soon have a fourth COVID vaccine option. On Wednesday, Novavax’s offering was the latest to receive emergency use approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advisors to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet next week to decide who should be eligible for the shot.… read on > read on >
Phthalates, chemicals that are typically used to strengthen plastics, are in millions of products people use every day, but a new analysis confirms their link to a higher risk for preterm births. The largest study to date on the topic analyzed data from over 6,000 pregnant women in the United States to better understand the… read on > read on >
While many people suffer from depression after a stroke, a new study suggests depression often occurs beforehand and may be a warning sign. “The study underscores why doctors need to monitor for symptoms of depression long term in people who have had strokes,” said study author Maria Blöchl of the University of Münster, in Germany.… read on > read on >
Not having health insurance can be deadly if cancer strikes: A new study shows that people without it are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with late-stage cancers and face lower survival rates than their insured peers. The difference was particularly marked for six cancers — prostate, colon, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, oral cavity, liver and esophagus… read on > read on >
As rates of teenage anxiety and depression climb in the United States, parents and teachers are rushing to solve the mental health crisis. Some have proposed mindfulness training in schools as a therapeutic tool, but a review of studies out of the United Kingdom indicates it may be time to consider other options. For the… read on > read on >
About eight months after Ari Toumpas, a transgender woman, began the process of transitioning both socially and medically, she began to think about her voice. A language teacher and graduate student at Ohio State University, Toumpas had been trying some vocal feminization exercises she had discovered online, but was not having success. A referral from… read on > read on >
Preterm infants who are breastfed do better in school and are less likely to develop attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), says a new study. Preemies have a higher risk of doing poorly in math, reading and other academic skills, previous studies have shown. They’re also at greater risk for ADHD. But starting them off with… read on > read on >
From the ongoing pandemic and the monkeypox outbreak to the charged political landscape, New York City mom and entrepreneur Lyss Stern has been increasingly anxious. Stern worries that she will pass all of this fretting down to her 8-year-old daughter, and a new study suggests she just might. “Children may be more likely to learn… read on > read on >
