The U.S. government has shut down or paused several major anti-smoking efforts. Public health leaders say the cuts could reverse decades of progress that have smoking rates in the country at all-time lows. Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made major cuts to tobacco control offices at the U.S. Centers for… read on > read on >
The Trump administration has decided not to expand Medicare and Medicaid coverage for popular obesity drugs, blocking a Biden administration initiative that could have helped millions of Americans access the medications. Catherine Howden, a spokeswoman for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), said that expanding coverage for these drugs “is not appropriate at… read on > read on >
Lung cancer screening can save the lives of former and current smokers, but most aren’t taking advantage of it, a new study says. Fewer than 1 in 5 people eligible for lung cancer screening go through with a chest CT scan, according to research published April 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.… read on > read on >
More people die from heart problems during heatwaves where high temperatures stretch through both the day and night, a new study says. Heatwaves that offer no relief at night — known as compound heatwaves — are much more deadly than soaring daytime temperatures alone, researchers reported April 1 in the Journal of the American College… read on > read on >
Smoke from wildfires driving you mad? You’re not alone, a new study says. Short-term exposure to air choked with wildfire smoke increases people’s risk of mental health problems, according to findings published April 4 in JAMA Network Open. Hospital emergency rooms experience surges in patients with mental health conditions on days when smoke pollution is… read on > read on >
Don’t be surprised if you get a bill for that note your doctor sent you through his clinic’s patient portal. About 1 in 7 patients have been billed for messages sent to them through a patient portal, according to a new study published April 4 in JAMA Health Forum. “Even though we don’t know the… read on > read on >
A notorious hospital-associated infection has been spreading through hospitals much more readily than people suspected, a new study says. The bacterium Clostridium difficile – commonly called C. diff – spreads within intensive care units more than three times as much as previously thought, researchers reported in JAMA Network Open. C. diff can spread covertly from… read on > read on >
Ozone air pollution increases the risk of asthma among preschoolers and kindergarteners, a new study says. Relatively small increases in ozone smog in a child’s first two years of life is associated with an increased risk of asthma and wheeze at 4 to 6 years of age, researchers reported April 2 in JAMA Network Open.… read on > read on >
Wondering what recovery is really like after knee replacement surgery? Dr. Ayesha Abdeen, chief of hip and knee replacement surgery at Boston Medical Center, breaks down exactly what to expect — from managing pain in the first few days to getting back on your feet and returning to the activities you love. Total knee replacement… read on > read on >
A federal judge has stopped the Trump administration from cutting $11 billion in public health funding — at least for now. U.S. District Judge Mary McElroy, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, said Thursday that she would grant a temporary restraining order. The request came from 23 states and the District of… read on > read on >
