A new shot to prevent HIV infection has just been approved — and it only needs to be taken twice a year. On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved lenacapavir, a long-acting injection that was shown to be nearly 100% effective in clinical trials. Made by Gilead Sciences and sold under the… read on > read on >
A senior scientist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has resigned, warning that changes in leadership may weaken the country’s vaccine program. Dr. Fiona Havers, who led the CDC’s tracking of hospitalizations from COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus), stepped down this week. “Unfortunately,” she said in an email to colleagues,… read on > read on >
Talk therapy can help stroke survivors who are in the throes of depression or anxiety, a new study says. About half of patients (49%) fully recovered from a post-stroke mood disorder after participating in talk psychotherapy, researchers reported recently in the journal Nature Mental Health. Overall, 71% of stroke survivors experienced a significant improvement in… read on > read on >
Magic mushrooms might be key to quelling depression among people battling cancer. A single dose of psilocybin provided sustained reductions in depression and anxiety among cancer patients diagnosed with major depression, according to small-scale study published June 16 in the journal Cancer. “One dose of psilocybin with psychological support to treat depression has a long-term… read on > read on >
Days after ousting all 17 members of the panel that makes U.S. vaccine recommendations, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has begun remaking it. On Wednesday, he named eight appointees, three of whom are critics of mRNA coronavirus vaccines, The Washington Post reported. “All of these individuals are committed to evidence-based medicine, gold-standard science and… read on > read on >
A “vicious circle” might exist between screen time and troubled children, a new evidence review says. Screen time — particularly on video games — appears to contribute to emotional turmoil among children, researchers say. Those troubled kids are then more likely to turn to screens to make themselves feel better, according to a study published… read on > read on >
Women will flock to an HPV test they can perform at home in private, a new study indicates. Cervical cancer screening more than doubled when women were offered a mail-in self-collection test for human papillomavirus (HPV), researchers reported June 6 in JAMA Internal Medicine. Virtually all cervical cancer is caused by HPV, according to the… read on > read on >
Emergency surgeries are gnawing away at U.S. health care spending, with racial disparities fueling the bill, a new study says. Emergency surgeries cost about 33% more than planned procedures, averaging $13,645 more per patient, researchers write. And costs for these emergency procedures are even higher among Americans of color, results show. Emergency surgeries are needed… read on > read on >
Why does your cat purr when you pet it — or meow when dinner’s late? A new study from the Wildlife Research Center at Kyoto University in Japan suggests the answer could be in its genes. Researchers looked at the androgen receptor gene in 280 spayed or neutered mixed-breed cats. They compared the DNA to… read on > read on >
A new injection to prevent HIV is expected to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this month. If approved, the shot — lenacapavir — would be given twice a year and could be a big step forward in the fight against HIV. Drugmaker Gilead Sciences tested the shot in a… read on > read on >
