Nine of 10 patients with so-called “bubble boy” immune disease who received gene therapy about a decade ago are still disease-free, researchers report. The gene therapy was developed at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), to treat the rare and deadly immune system disorder formally known as adenosine deaminase–deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID). It’s… read on > read on >
Obese people have a tougher time fighting COVID-19, even if they have a milder form of the virus, a new study finds. Researchers looked at more than 500 patients who tested positive for COVID but didn’t require hospitalization. Teens and adults who were overweight or obese had more symptoms, including cough and shortness of breath,… read on > read on >
Smokers may think electronic cigarettes will help them quit, but a new study finds no evidence that’s the case. Researchers found that among Americans who’d recently quit smoking, those who were using e-cigarettes were just as likely to relapse in the next year as non-users were. And the risk of relapse was actually slightly increased… read on > read on >
With all of the fear, grief and isolation the pandemic has brought, it would stand to reason that there would be a big jump in the number of Americans seeking treatment for anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. But that doesn’t seem to be the case, according to a new report from the U.S.… read on > read on >
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 20, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Scientists already knew radiation exposure and a lack of gravity stress the bodies of astronauts. But new research may offer a better idea of what’s driving some of that. It’s a clue that could help them measure the physical impact of space travel to detect problems… read on > read on >
The White House on Wednesday unveiled a national plan to roll out coronavirus vaccines for 5- to 11-year-olds that is designed to make getting shots as easy and comfortable as possible for both kids and their parents. Rather than mass vaccination sites, the Biden administration plans to have pediatric COVID shots delivered in settings that… read on > read on >
As COVID-19 has surged throughout the United States for the past year and a half, some may have picked up an old bad habit or started a new one. How do researchers know this? They discovered that cigarette sales jumped during the first 15 months of the pandemic, exceeding their own estimates by 14%. It’s… read on > read on >
Flu activity in the United States is 23% higher so far this season than in 2020, sales of flu medications at Walgreens suggest. The significant increase shown by the company’s analysis of its own data reflects the historically low levels of flu last year as people stayed home, wore masks and got a record number… read on > read on >
The answer to helping kids with “lazy eye” before it’s too late could be a hand-held screening device, a new study suggests. Amblyopia can’t be treated with glasses or contact lenses after a child’s vision reaches maturity, and without treatment, it can lead to poor school performance and impairments in depth perception and fine motor… read on > read on >
The number of Americans seeking treatment for anxiety and depression has soared during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating what a leading medical association terms a “mental health tsunami.” That’s the key takeaway from a nationwide survey of psychologists by the American Psychological Association (APA). “[The findings] highlight what we have been saying since the early days… read on > read on >
