Twelve companies have been issued warning letters about selling over-the-counter skin lightening products containing hydroquinone, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday. The products are unapproved drugs that are not recognized as safe and effective, according to the FDA, which has received reports of serious side effects including rashes, facial swelling and skin discoloration…  read on >  read on >

When people have legal access to marijuana, they’re less likely to take certain prescription drugs, new research suggests. U.S. states where recreational marijuana is legal have seen large drops in the use of prescription drugs for pain, depression, anxiety, sleep, psychosis and seizures, the researchers found. “These results have important implications,” said study co-author Shyam…  read on >  read on >

As doctors learn more about COVID-19 infection, they are finding that in rare cases, it appears tied to a disturbing eye condition. Retinal vein occlusion is a blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from the retina, which causes blurred vision. It usually occurs in people suffering from diabetes, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure,…  read on >  read on >

Disability activist Gem Hubbard regularly shares her insights about life in a wheelchair with more than 75,000 Instagram followers, under the handle @wheelsnoheels_, and her YouTube videos boast more than 3.7 million hits. Hubbard, who hails from the U.K., is “increasingly known internationally for her work in furthering the horizons of people with and without…  read on >  read on >

People who suspect they may have COVID-19 could soon find out with a simple breath test that delivers results in three minutes. On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency use authorization for a device called the InspectIR Covid-19 Breathalyzer. The test, which must be administered by a trained operator, demonstrates a…  read on >  read on >

Eating a healthy plant-based diet may help you head off type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. Healthy plant-based foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee/tea, vegetable oils and legumes. Unhealthy plant-based foods include refined grains, fruit juices, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sweets/desserts. “Our findings support the beneficial role of healthy plant-based diets in diabetes prevention…  read on >  read on >

Alcohol abuse is a known cause of liver disease. But one in four adults worldwide has a liver condition not connected to drinking that ups the risk of heart disease, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs when abnormally high amounts of fat are deposited in the liver,…  read on >  read on >