The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine booster restored close to full protection against COVID-19 in a late-stage trial involving 10,000 people, the company announced Thursday. They said the booster was 95.6% effective and that they plan to submit the latest data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and regulators in other nations. “These results provide further evidence… read on > read on >
It’s a drug that’s been supported by some conservative media figures, but taking ivermectin to treat or prevent COVID-19 might land you in the hospital, a new study warns. Interest in the drug surged last summer as the highly contagious Delta variant took over the United States. But instead of protecting against the virus, the… read on > read on >
Though most U.S. dentists say non-opioid painkillers effectively manage dental pain, nearly half still prescribe potentially addictive opioid painkillers, a new survey reveals. In all, 84% of the 269 respondents said NSAID-acetaminophen combos are as effective as opioids or even more so, but 43% also said they regularly prescribe opioid medications. The findings were published… read on > read on >
Onions from Mexico have been linked to a salmonella outbreak that’s sickened 652 people in 37 states, federal health officials said Wednesday. So far, there have been 129 hospitalizations, but no deaths. Investigators have traced one source of the outbreak to whole red, white and yellow onions that were imported from Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed… 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 >
The White House on Wednesday unveiled a national plan to roll out coronavirus vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds that is designed to make getting shots as easy and comfortable as possible for both kids and their parents. Rather than mass vaccination sites, the Biden administration plans to have pediatric COVID shots delivered in settings that… read on > read on >
Affordable over-the-counter hearing aids could soon bring relief to millions of Americans suffering from hearing loss, under a landmark proposal announced Tuesday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The proposal would create a category of hearing aids that could be sold directly to consumers, without either a medical exam or a fitting by an… read on > read on >
China and the United States are super powers of salt consumption. The two world leaders emerged with the highest salt levels in processed meat and fish products among five countries assessed in a new study. High salt levels in food is a major cause of high blood pressure and its related risks of heart and… read on > read on >
While they’re helping to ease reflux, some heartburn drugs may also be reducing the severity of gum disease, new research suggests. For the study, researchers assessed probing depth in the gums (the gap between teeth and gums) in more than 1,000 patients with gum disease who were or weren’t using drugs called proton pump inhibitors… read on > read on >
Health officials say they are trying to track down the source of 10 reported cases of Legionnaires’ disease within a one-mile radius in a Long Island, N.Y., neighborhood. The patients range in age from 35 to 96. As of Saturday, one had died, two remained hospitalized and seven had been released from the hospital, CBS… read on > read on >
