Clinical trials sponsored by Big Pharma enrolled eight times as many patients as U.S.-government trials did between 2018 and 2022, new research shows. The study — conducted by researchers at Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle — underscores the lack of investment in federally funded studies and a growing reliance on industry research. The magnitude…  read on >  read on >

More than 14 million seniors a year take a tumble, and those falls can be life-changing.  “The relationship between falls and dementia appears to be a two-way street,” said Molly Jarman, senior author of a new study showing that cognitive decline may increase an older person’s risk for a fall and the trauma that follows…  read on >  read on >

A shorter course of post-mastectomy radiation doesn’t jeopardize a patient’s chances of successful breast reconstruction, a new study finds. About 40 percent of people with breast cancer have mastectomies, followed by five to six weeks of radiation therapy to kill any cancer cells that may remain in the chest wall or lymph nodes. Most opt…  read on >  read on >

A synthetic form of the active ingredient in cannabis helps reduce agitation in people with Alzheimer’s, new research shows. Synthetic THC (dronabinol) also gave patients’ caregivers a boost, according to findings presented Thursday at a meeting of the International Psychogeriatrics Association in Buenos Aires. The findings may provide encouragement for the families of the 7…  read on >  read on >

Toxic lead continues to pose a danger to U.S. consumers despite years of progress to reduce exposure, claims a study spanning four states. “Consumer products were consistently identified as one of the main sources of lead exposure — and the only identified source in 15 percent to 38 percent of cases — in investigations of…  read on >  read on >

The first new type of medication in decades to help fight against schizophrenia was approved on Thursday by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Cobenfy (xanomeline/trospium chloride) could bring patients what they’ve long hoped for: A means of easing the hallucinations and “voices” that disrupt their lives without the weight gain and sluggishness of current…  read on >  read on >

In a sign that climate change may be fueling heat illnesses in kids, a new study reveals that such visits to two Texas children’s emergency rooms spiked 170% between 2012 and 2023. Study leader Dr. Taylor Merritt, a resident pediatrician at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, is to present the findings Sunday at the…  read on >  read on >