Two senior leaders in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s vaccine review office are stepping down, but their departures won’t slow efforts to combat the pandemic, the agency said Tuesday. “We are confident in the expertise and ability of our staff to continue our critical public health work, including evaluating COVID-19 vaccines,” FDA spokesperson Stephanie… read on > read on >
All Food:
One Key Factor Drives Weight Gain in College
College students often put on weight during their freshman year, and a lack of structured exercise may be largely to blame, a new study suggests. Weight gain is so common among first-year college students that it has spawned the phrase “the freshman 15” — though that figure is something of a myth. More often, studies… read on > read on >
Cutting Sugar in Packaged Foods Would Keep Millions of Americans From Illness: Report
WEDNESDAY, Sept.1, 2021Sugar is killing Americans in droves, according to researchers who found that reducing the sweetener in packaged foods and beverages could prevent more than 2 million strokes, heart attacks and cardiac arrests. Less sugary packaged foods and drinks would also curb nearly a half-million heart-related deaths and an even greater number of diabetes… read on > read on >
Kids Piled on Extra Pounds During Pandemic
New research confirms the pandemic has not been good for the waistlines of children. During lockdowns, American kids gained more weight than before the pandemic, and the number who became obese also increased, researchers report. “This increased weight gain occurred in all youth between 5 and 17 years, but was particularly evident in children ages… read on > read on >
Prescriptions Rise for Veterinary Drug for COVID Patients, Even Though It Won’t Help
Despite studies showing that it doesn’t work against COVID-19, prescriptions for the anti-parasite drug ivermectin have climbed sharply in recent weeks as COVID-19 cases surge nationwide, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Prescriptions for what was originally a drug for animals soared to more than 88,000 a week in mid-August from a… read on > read on >
Change in the Kitchen Could Help Men in the Bedroom
The Mediterranean diet can bring many benefits for the human body, including a healthier heart and a sharper brain. But there’s another benefit that might be of particular interest to men. Following a Mediterranean diet can lower a man’s future risk of erectile dysfunction, according to research presented online on Friday at the European Society… read on > read on >
Monoclonal Antibody Combo Keeps High-Risk COVID Patients Out of Hospital
Treatment with two monoclonal antibodies lowers the odds of hospitalization for high-risk COVID-19 patients with mild to moderate illness, according to a new study. “Our conclusion overall at this point is that monoclonal antibodies are an important option in treatment to reduce the impact of COVID-19 in high-risk patients,” said senior author Dr. Raymund Razonable,… read on > read on >
Getting Healthy After Heart Attack Could Add Over 7 Years to Life
Heart attack survivors could gain more than seven healthy years of life if they take the right medications and improve their lifestyle, new research estimates. Unfortunately, studies have found, heart attack survivors rarely get optimal control over their risk factors. The new research echoes that evidence: Of more than 3,200 patients, only 2% had their… read on > read on >
FDA Approves First Nerve-Stimulation Device to Aid Stroke Recovery
A first-of-a-kind nerve stimulation treatment for people who have problems moving their arms after a stroke has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. “People who have lost mobility in their hands and arms due to ischemic stroke are often limited in their treatment options for regaining motor function,” explained Dr. Christopher Loftus.… read on > read on >
FDA Tells Three Small E-Cigarette Makers to Stop Selling Flavored Products
Three small e-cigarette makers have been told by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to stop selling their flavored products. The orders issued Thursday to JD Nova Group LLC, Great American Vapes and VaporSalon require them to remove 55,000 existing or planned flavored products from the market or risk enforcement, the Washington Post reported. In… read on > read on >