As air pollution worsens, fruits, flowers and the creatures that pollinate them could pay a price. That’s the takeaway from British researchers who used special equipment to control levels of two common pollutants — diesel exhaust and ozone — in a field of black mustard plants, and then monitored pollinating insects over two summers. “We… read on > read on >
Did you watch your waistline expand during lockdown? You’re not alone. Nearly half of U.S. adults piled on excess pounds during the first year of the pandemic, making a national obesity crisis even worse, a new study shows. “Obesity was an epidemic before the pandemic, and little was known on body weight changes in the… read on > read on >
Two years into the pandemic, coronavirus treatments like monoclonal antibodies and antiviral pills have been approved to treat COVID-19, but it’s hard to keep track of which ones still work, experts say. For example, the monoclonal antibody cocktails are approved for emergency use in treating COVID-19, but some aren’t work against the highly contagious Omicron… read on > read on >
U.S. insurers are paying millions of dollars a year to cover the cost of ivermectin for COVID-19 patients despite a lack of proof the anti-parasitic drug is effective against the virus, a new study finds. Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the World Health Organization say ivermectin pills — typically used to treat… read on > read on >
Parents struggling with infant feeding issues may have another reason to persevere: New research ties feeding problems with an increased risk of developmental delays. For the study, the mothers of nearly 3,600 children were surveyed about feeding problems at 18, 24 and 30 months of age, such as gagging, crying during meals or pushing food… read on > read on >
Unvaccinated pregnant women are putting themselves and their baby at risk for serious complications of COVID-19, according to new research out of Scotland. For women who have the virus within 28 days of their delivery date, those complications include preterm births, stillbirths and newborn deaths. Infant deaths are four times higher among unvaccinated women, the… read on > read on >
A three-month sexual abstinence rule for blood donations from sexually active gay and bisexual men should be dropped by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, critics urge as the country struggles with a blood shortage. Right now, based on the slight chance of infection with HIV, men who have sex with men must abstain from… read on > read on >
The nomination of former U.S. Food and Drug Administration head Dr. Robert Califf to again lead the agency now heads to the full Senate for a vote, after a Senate committee on Thursday voted 13-8 for approval. Among those who voted against Califf’s nomination were Democrats who expressed concerns about his links to pharmaceutical companies,… read on > read on >
Arthritis can keep a cat from doing many of the things that kitties love to do. But now there’s hope: The first treatment to ease arthritis pain in cats has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Solensia (frunevetmab injection) is the first monoclonal antibody drug approved by the FDA for use in… read on > read on >
Images of people eating and drinking are a staple of social media, but new research finds such posts from celebrities often puts the spotlight squarely on junk food. Profit isn’t always the reason why, investigators found: Celebrities often highlight unhealthy food favorites without getting paid for it. “Ninety-five percent of photos that contain foods and… read on > read on >
