Vaccines have become a hot topic in the past few years, but a new survey finds many parents aren’t discussing immunization with their child’s doctor. Though a child’s pediatrician has often been the go-to resource on vaccines, the University of Michigan Medicine poll found that 1 in 7 parents have not discussed vaccines with their… read on > read on >
Fungi found in the soil are causing lung infections nationwide, even in places that doctors aren’t aware are at risk. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not revised maps for environmental fungi since 1969, according to a new study that found one disease-causing fungus — histoplasma, or histo — to be more… read on > read on >
Americans are more likely to carry a loaded handgun than ever before: New research finds about twice as many adults carried in 2019 as did in 2015. “Between increases in the number of people who own handguns and the number of people who carry every day, there has been a striking increase in handgun carrying… read on > read on >
Pfizer’s updated COVID booster shots are proving their mettle against emerging omicron variants, the company announced Friday. The latest version of the vaccine generated virus-fighting antibodies against four more omicron lineages, including the troubling BQ.1.1 variant. Notably, the immune response wasn’t as strong against these newer variants as it is against the BA.5 strain. But… read on > read on >
The Biden administration on Thursday offered assistance to communities and hospitals dealing with a surge in cases of pediatric respiratory illnesses, but it did not declare a national public health emergency. The Children’s Hospital Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics had asked President Joe Biden and Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra for… read on > read on >
It’s sort of like the Goldilocks principle — a room that’s either too dry or too humid can influence transmission of COVID-19 and cause more illness or death, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say. Maintaining an indoor relative humidity between 40% and 60% is associated with lower rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths, they reported… read on > read on >
It might be tempting to buy prescription medication online, but buyers should beware, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. While some pharmacy websites operate legally and can offer convenience, privacy and lower costs, others may be selling unapproved, counterfeit and unsafe medications, the FDA advises. Many unsafe online pharmacies do exist, offering prescription medications… read on > read on >
Whether you survive a bout with cancer may depend, in part, on where you live. Researchers at the American Cancer Society and Clemson University in South Carolina found a 20% higher death rate for all cancer types in the communities with the most racial and economic segregation. For lung cancer, the death rate was 50%… read on > read on >
Researchers report they have created a vaccine to fight fentanyl addiction, in a potential breakthrough in the opioid epidemic. The shot would block the ability of fentanyl to enter the brain and cause the “high” that users crave. It could be used to prevent relapses in people trying to quit opioids, once it gets through… read on > read on >
People battling heart failure should make the time to get their flu shots now, a new study suggests. Not only will the shots help prevent influenza in this high-risk group, but it could also reduce pneumonia infections and cardiac complications, researchers report. “If you have heart failure, you should get your flu shot because it… read on > read on >
