A Texas woman has died after using tap water in a sinus rinse, leading to a rare but often fatal brain infection, health officials report. The 71-year-old woman died from a condition called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), which is caused by a microscopic organism called Naegleria fowleri. This brain-eating amoeba can live in warm freshwater… read on > read on >
Prompt treatment with a drug combo can effectively manage chronic kidney disease in people with type 2 diabetes, a new clinical trial shows. Patients prescribed the combination of finerenone and empagliflozin experienced a 52% decrease in their urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, researchers report in the New England Journal of Medicine. An elevated ratio is a sign… read on > read on >
Artificial intelligence (AI) can boost radiologists’ ability to quickly and accurately assess people’s X-rays, a new study says. Some radiologists became 40% more efficient at reviewing images with the help of a custom-built AI program, researchers reported June 5 in JAMA Network Open. “This is, to my knowledge, the first use of AI that demonstrably… read on > read on >
Attorneys general from four states are asking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lift restrictions on mifepristone, a pill used in medication abortions. The request came Thursday from top officials in California, Massachusetts, New Jersey and New York. They said in a petition that the current rules make it too hard for doctors… read on > read on >
Immunotherapy combined with chemo can give people a fighting chance against stomach and esophageal cancers, a new clinical trial says. People treated with durvalumab and chemotherapy were much more likely to go into remission, according to clinical trial results published June 1 in The New England Journal of Medicine. “This is a major step forward… read on > read on >
A repurposed diabetes drug can be an effective tool against fatty liver disease, a new clinical trial has found. Dapagliflozin helped people reduce fat levels in their liver and avoid liver scarring that comes with the condition, which doctors call metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, or MASH, researchers reported June 4 in The BMJ. In fact, about… read on > read on >
Only 4.5 percent often or always discuss these experiences with colleagues; discussion linked to lower odds of burnout read on >
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ordered a fresh safety review of mifepristone, a drug commonly used in medication abortions. He asked Dr. Marty Makary, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to “review the latest data.” The FDA has not said when the review will begin or… read on > read on >
People who get weight-loss surgery experience an improvement in their mental health, but not because of the weight they lose, a new study says. Rather, these patients face much less societal stigma over their weight, and it’s that – not the actual weight loss – that boosts their mental health, researchers reported today in the… read on > read on >
As many as 1 in 5 women say they’ve sought care at fake medical clinics with an anti-abortion agenda, a new study says. Between 12% to 20% of 18- to 44-year-old women in four states – Arizona, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Jersey – say they’ve sought care at a pregnancy crisis center, according to report… read on > read on >
