Pesticides and herbicides used in farming appear to increase people’s risk of Parkinson’s disease, a new, preliminary study finds. People exposed to pesticides and herbicides are 25% to 36% more likely to develop Parkinson’s, according to a study to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s upcoming annual meeting in April. The Parkinson’s risk…  read on >  read on >

For nearly a week, prescription drug orders have been disrupted at thousands of pharmacies as the largest health insurer in the United States tries to fully restore services following a cyberattack. The security breach was first detected last Wednesday at Change Healthcare, a division of UnitedHealth Group, and two senior federal law enforcement officials told…  read on >  read on >

Regular standing and walking activities in the classroom can aid in the fight against childhood obesity, a new study shows. Children who took part in the Active Movement program experienced an 8% reduction in their waist-to-height ratio, according to results from British primary schools. Participation in sports also increased by 10% at schools with the…  read on >  read on >

The asthma medication Xolair has proved its prowess against food allergies, with new research showing the medication substantially lowers the chances of severe reactions in patients. Data published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented simultaneously at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology annual meeting in Washington, D.C., showed that multiple injections…  read on >  read on >

In a finding that suggests sooner is better than later, a new trial shows that giving advanced treatment early to Crohn’s patients can dramatically improve their gut health. About 80% of those who got therapy with an immune-suppressing drug called infliximab shortly after their Crohn’s diagnosis experienced an improvement in their symptoms and inflammatory markers…  read on >  read on >

An open question for weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound has been whether folks will keep the pounds off when they stop taking them. Regular exercise could be the key to quitting the drugs without regaining weight, a new Danish study says. “It is actually possible to stop taking the medication without large weight…  read on >  read on >