Pfizer Inc. announced Tuesday that a final analysis shows its experimental antiviral pill Paxlovid sharply reduced hospitalizations and deaths among people at high risk for severe illness. The latest results, which reinforce an earlier analysis released in November, show that Pfizer’s drug cut hospitalizations and deaths by nearly 90 percent when taken within three to…  read on >  read on >

Pandemic lockdowns may have led fewer Americans to seek pain treatment last year, but folks who did seek help had higher-than-usual odds of receiving dangerous opioid painkillers, a new study says. And that could lead to a worsening of the opioid epidemic, researchers suggest. “It is likely that more patients may have become addicted to…  read on >  read on >

Stress about the COVID-19 pandemic may be eclipsing holiday joy for many older Americans, a new poll reveals. About half (47%) of 50- to 80-year-olds polled reported a mixed experience of joy and stress. One in five said they feel a lot of stress, while 38% said they have little to none. Those between 50…  read on >  read on >

“It’s not rocket science,” “It’s not brain surgery” — but just how smart are rocket scientists and brain surgeons, anyway? There’s a good chance you’re just as intelligent, a new study finds. This was an observational study that does not represent the worldwide range of aerospace engineers and neurosurgeons, the British researchers said. But the…  read on >  read on >

People with HIV have an added risk of heart failure, so they and their health care providers need to be alert for early signs such as shortness of breath, fatigue, leg swelling, coughing and chest pain, according to a new study. “Cardiovascular disease has been an important concern for people with HIV for many, many…  read on >  read on >

For certain leukemia patients, some welcome findings: New research confirms long remissions after treatment with the drug ibrutinib and chemotherapy. The study involved 85 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). All were 65 or younger, and 46 had more aggressive, unmutated IGHV subtype of the disease. “Patients with lower-risk CLL, which is marked by mutated…  read on >  read on >

A gene therapy that could provide a permanent cure for sickle cell disease continues to show success through a third wave of patients, researchers report. The therapy, LentiGlobin, restored normal blood function in 35 sickle cell patients who had the one-time procedure, according to clinical trial findings published Dec. 12 in the New England Journal…  read on >  read on >