Managing epilepsy is an increasingly expensive process in the United States, with prices of brand-name anti-seizure drugs nearly quadrupling over eight years, a new study finds. From 2010 to 2018, the cost of brand-named epilepsy drugs, including meds like Vimpat (lacosamide), rose 277% overall, researchers found. Over the same period, the cost of generic drugs… read on > read on >
Suicide rates are rising more slowly in states that have expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a new study finds. “Suicide is a public health problem, and our findings indicate that increasing access to health care — including mental health care — by expanding Medicaid eligibility can play an important role in addressing… read on > read on >
Adult flu shots have slumped in states with low COVID-19 vaccination rates, suggesting that COVID-19 vaccination behavior may have spilled over to flu-vaccine behavior, new research indicates. University of California, Los Angeles researchers point to declining trust in public health agencies caused by controversy over COVID-19 vaccines as a possible reason for the falloff in… read on > read on >
Treating precancerous anal growths in people with HIV slashes their risk of anal cancer by more than half, according to a new study. Researchers found that treating these growths — called high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) — is a safe and effective way to reduce the risk of anal cancer. “We’ve now shown for the… read on > read on >
A centuries-old mystery as to the origins of the Black Death has been solved, according to an international team of scientists. They said the plague pandemic that killed up to 60% of people in Europe, the Middle East and northern Africa in the mid-1300s originated in central Asia in what is now Kyrgyzstan. Plague first… read on > read on >
At least 13 infant deaths have been reported in Fisher-Price’s Infant-to-Toddler Rockers and Newborn-to-Toddler Rockers since 2009, while there has been one death reported with a Kids2 Bright Starts Rocker, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and both companies warned in new alerts issued Tuesday. Rockers should never be used for sleep, and infants… read on > read on >
The key to a long life may be your attitude. Researchers at Harvard studied the impact of optimism on women’s lifespans, finding that optimism was associated with greater longevity, such as living past age 90. Lead study author Hayami Koga, a PhD candidate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health in Boston, decided… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, June 15, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — In honor of Father’s Day, here’s a health quiz: If asked whether you just got a haircut, have you ever said, “No, I got them all cut.” If your son said, “I’m hungry!” Would you reply, “Hello, Hungry – I’m Dad.” If your daughter asked you… read on > read on >
There was a significant rise in both the number and rate of abortions in the United States between 2017 and 2020, the Guttmacher Institute reported Wednesday. The research group, which supports the right to abortion, said there were more than 930,000 abortions nationwide in 2020, compared with about 862,000 in 2017, which was the fewest… read on > read on >
As a bill that would expand Medicare coverage for telehealth services makes its way through the U.S. Senate, a new study of people with advanced cancer suggests the practice could improve the lives of patients. The use of telehealth skyrocketed during the pandemic: A U.S. Health and Human Services report found that usage grew 63-fold,… read on > read on >
