A treatment commonly used to tackle an often painful Achilles tendon condition doesn’t actually work, British researchers warn. At issue is “Achilles tendinopathy,” a degenerative wear-and-tear disease that affects the critical tissue linking calf muscles to the heel. Patients have sought pain relief with a treatment — embraced by a number of famous athletes —…  read on >  read on >

If you’re a parent, here’s another reason to encourage your kids to get a good education: Children’s educational successes or failures can impact their parent’s physical and mental health, new research suggests. For the study, researchers at the University at Buffalo in New York analyzed data from the ongoing U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent…  read on >  read on >

Prescriptions for U.S. children fell by about one-quarter during the COVID-19 pandemic, with prescriptions for antibiotics alone plunging by more than 50%, a new study finds. The findings are a “national picture of prescription drug dispensing to children before and during the pandemic. It will be important to monitor whether the reductions we demonstrate are…  read on >  read on >

All U.S. students, teachers and staff should wear masks when in school, regardless of their vaccination status, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said Monday. That guidance runs counter to recommendations released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month: Those guidelines said teachers and students who are vaccinated can enter…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 vaccination rates in Canada have now beaten those in the United States. As of Saturday, more than 49% of eligible people in Canada were fully vaccinated, and 70% had received at least one dose of vaccine, according to figures from the Our World in Data project, The New York Times reported. The rates in…  read on >  read on >

A Chinese researcher has died after catching a rare infectious disease called the Monkey B virus, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention officials say. In March, the 53-year-old veterinarian dissected two dead monkeys as part of his work in a Beijing research institute specializing in nonhuman primate breeding. He developed nausea, vomiting and fever…  read on >  read on >

When you’re hospitalized, you’ll want qualified medical professionals treating you, but does it matter if your doctor is a man or a woman? It might. A new study in Canada found that patients cared for by female physicians had lower in-hospital death rates than those who had male doctors. “Our study overall shows that female…  read on >  read on >

The coronavirus pandemic has left plenty of Americans saddled with medical bills they can’t pay, a new survey reveals. More than 50% of those who were infected with COVID-19 or who lost income due to the pandemic are now struggling with medical debt, according to researchers from The Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit organization that advocates…  read on >  read on >