Two recently approved treatments offer newfound hope for patients in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, but most people who could benefit will likely be deemed ineligible, a new study finds. Alzheimer’s affects about 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older. But only about 8% to 17% of older adults with early signs of the… read on > read on >
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Appeals Court Upholds Restrictions on Abortion Pill
THURSDAY, Aug. 17, 2023 (HealthDay News) – The abortion pill mifepristone should remain legal in the United States, but with significant restrictions on access to it, a federal appeals court ruled Wednesday. The decision, issued by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in New Orleans, effectively sets the stage for a showdown… read on > read on >
Skipping Radiation May Be Safe for Some With Early Breast Cancer
Many women with early breast cancer undergo breast-conserving surgery along with radiation to kill any errant cancer cells, but some may be able to safely skip radiation, new research suggests. “If the tumors are low-risk, as defined in part by being caught early/small and in part by having favorable molecular features, the risk of recurrence… read on > read on >
Could Ativan Pose Harm to People Battling Pancreatic Cancer?
Sometimes patients with pancreatic cancer are prescribed the benzodiazepine lorazepam (Ativan) for anxiety, but that may be harming their health. A new study found this treatment was linked to worse outcomes, with shorter survival times and faster disease progression. Alternatively, those who took alprazolam (Xanax) had a significantly longer progression-free survival than patients who did… read on > read on >
‘Do Your Own Research’: Was It Dangerous Advice During the Pandemic?
The idea of “doing your own research” didn’t begin with the pandemic, but new research suggests that those who follow that ideology have been more likely to believe COVID misinformation. “We had heard the phrase a lot before,” prior to the pandemic, said researcher Sedona Chinn, a professor of life sciences communication at the University… read on > read on >
A New Treatment Option for a Form of Sudden Hair Loss
A new type of medication, JAK inhibitors, can effectively treat moderate to severe alopecia areata, a hair loss condition that has been historically hard to treat. A study of its effectiveness, by Dr. Brett King and Dr. Brittany Craiglow of Yale University, was published in August in a supplement to the Journal of the American… read on > read on >
Ignore That New TikTok Trend: Eating Borax Is Dangerous
Despite what you see on TikTok, don’t consume the laundry powder borax to relieve pain and inflammation or boost bone health. Even though videos on the social media site tout it as a treatment, this substance is not safe to consume and could cause kidney failure and multi-organ damage, one expert says. Dr. Karthik Ramani… read on > read on >
Race, Income Big Factors in Deaths After U.S. Hurricanes
Death rates skyrocket during extreme weather events among the most vulnerable Americans, especially those from minority groups. A study looking at hurricanes over more than three decades showed that their impacts varied and were driven by differences in social, economic and demographic factors such as race. “Really, we wanted to understand what the comparative impact… read on > read on >
Vaping Can Hamper Breathing in the Young
When teens vape, their lungs pay a price, researchers report. The warning stems from a detailed analysis of smoking habit histories shared by just over 2,000 U.S. teens during a series of recent annual surveys. The upshot: When compared with teens who’ve never vaped, those who reported using electronic cigarettes in the month prior to… read on > read on >
Fracking Tied to Lymphomas, Asthma in New Study
Research into a possible link between childhood health problems and natural gas wells in western Pennsylvania is wrapping up with some answers. Children who lived near these wells were more likely to develop rare lymphoma, the research found. In addition, residents of all ages near the wells had increased risk of severe asthma reactions, the… read on > read on >