The United States has now donated 200 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to more than 100 countries and territories, making it the largest donor in the world. Those donations include more than 120 million surplus doses from the U.S. stockpile, along with initial deliveries of 1 billion doses the federal government has bought from Pfizer for… read on > read on >
A new study may allay concerns that strenuous exercise could up the risk for developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), an incurable neurological disease. No evidence of rising ALS risk was seen among adults who routinely work up a sweat by playing team sports or engaging in heavy gym workouts. Nor was increased ALS risk associated… read on > read on >
The Pfizer and AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines reduce the risk of death from the Delta variant by 90%, a new U.K. study finds. The Delta variant is now the dominant form of the coronavirus in the United States, the United Kingdom and many other countries. The study collected data from 5.4 million people in Scotland between… read on > read on >
When a pregnant woman is infected with COVID-19, the sex of the fetus may influence immune system activity, researchers say. The new study included 68 mothers-to-be. Thirty-eight developed COVID-19 during their third trimester, while 30 remained virus-free. In both groups, half of the fetuses were male and half were female. In the infected women, male… read on > read on >
Nine of 10 patients with so-called “bubble boy” immune disease who received gene therapy about a decade ago are still disease-free, researchers report. The gene therapy was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to treat the rare and deadly immune system disorder formally known as adenosine deaminase–deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID). It’s… read on > read on >
U.S. cancer patients in poor and rural areas are more likely to die by suicide than those in affluent, urban areas, a new study finds. “People who have received a cancer diagnosis are faced with a number of challenges, such as accessing reliable and affordable care, that can add to existing anxiety or depression associated… read on > read on >
Millions of Americans who received the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines will be eligible for booster shots in the near future — and they’ll be able choose any coronavirus vaccine for their extra dose, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday. The FDA is recommending that: People who received Moderna vaccine can… read on > read on >
Obese people have a tougher time fighting COVID-19, even if they have a milder form of the virus, a new study finds. Researchers looked at more than 500 patients who tested positive for COVID but didn’t require hospitalization. Teens and adults who were overweight or obese had more symptoms, including cough and shortness of breath,… read on > read on >
Smokers may think electronic cigarettes will help them quit, but a new study finds no evidence that’s the case. Researchers found that among Americans who’d recently quit smoking, those who were using e-cigarettes were just as likely to relapse in the next year as non-users were. And the risk of relapse was actually slightly increased… read on > read on >
With all of the fear, grief and isolation the pandemic has brought, it would stand to reason that there would be a big jump in the number of Americans seeking treatment for anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. But that doesn’t seem to be the case, according to a new report from the U.S.… read on > read on >
