For the millions of people who live with vitiligo, a disease that robs the skin of its natural color, a newly approved cream called ruxolitinib (Opzelura) is quickly becoming a game changer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ruxolitinib for vitiligo in people aged 12 and older in July. The drug, part of a… read on > read on >
All Food:
U.S. Child Hunger Spiked in Weeks After Child Tax Credits Repealed
Child tax credits had a huge impact in U.S. households that struggle to afford food. And after those credits ended, many low-income American families with children had trouble getting enough to eat. Food insufficiency increased substantially, by about 25%, between January and July after the Child Tax Credit payments stopped on Jan. 15, 2022. Black… read on > read on >
Child Danger: Almost Half of Parents Have Leftover Meds at Home
Getting into prescription or over-the-counter medicines at home is a major source of accidental poisoning for young children. Yet, nearly half of parents say they have leftover prescriptions at home, a new poll shows. “We found that it’s common for parents to keep medicines long after they are expired or no longer needed, which creates… read on > read on >
Sleep-Deprived Kids Will Snack More: Study
Experts studying kids’ sleep and eating habits have learned more about a potential reason for childhood obesity. Kids who are deprived of sleep tend to eat more calories the next day, researchers found. And some of those extra calories come from less-healthy, sugar-laden snacks or treats. “When children lost sleep, overall they ate an extra… read on > read on >
Weight Changes After Parkinson’s Diagnosis May Signal Thinking Declines
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Weight loss soon after a person is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease may be a sign that mental declines are likely to follow, new research suggests. “Early weight loss is a common symptom in people with Parkinson’s disease,” said study author Dr. Jin-Sun Jun of Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital… read on > read on >
Study Debunks Use of Antidepressant Luvox as COVID Treatment
A study testing drugs that are used for other conditions for their potential in treating COVID-19 has found that the antidepressant fluvoxamine (brand name Luvox) offered no benefit, at least at an initial smaller dose. Study participants took 50 mg of the medication twice daily for 10 days, hoping to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 symptoms. A… read on > read on >
FDA Panel Votes for Removal of Drug Meant to Prevent Preterm Births
A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory committee on Wednesday voted to recommend that a controversial drug meant to prevent premature births be pulled from the market. FDA officials have said they want to withdraw the medication, Makena, because of lack of evidence that it works and due to its side effects. The drug was… read on > read on >
Good Sleep Could Keep Illness at Bay as You Age
As men and women enter their golden years, those who regularly fail to get a good night’s sleep face a higher risk for developing not one but two serious chronic illnesses at the same time, new research shows. Researchers from France, Finland and United Kingdom tracked the self-reported sleep routines and health status of nearly… read on > read on >
It Doesn’t Take Much Weight Gain to Raise Odds for Knee Trouble
A person doesn’t have to pack on very many extra pounds before their risk of needing a knee replacement increases substantially, a new evidence review has found. Weight gain of just 11 pounds increases a woman’s odds of needing total knee replacement surgery by one-third, and a man’s by one-quarter, researchers reported Tuesday at the… read on > read on >
There’s a Push to Expand Medicare’s Coverage of Dental Issues
Dental coverage under Medicare could soon start expanding for seniors under a new proposal from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Still, the proposed rules would not provide full coverage for regular dental care, which has been explicitly excluded from Medicare since the program’s founding in 1965. “Traditional Medicare doesn’t cover routine… read on > read on >