A growing number of American adults say they have a physical or mental disability, a new study finds. Of more than 400,000 adults who responded to a 2019 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey, 27% reported a disability. That’s a 1% increase since 2016, and represents about 67 million Americans, according to researchers…  read on >  read on >

Transplant patients and certain other folks may need four shots of COVID-19 vaccine for optimal protection, new research suggests. People with weakened immune systems who’ve received both doses of two-dose COVID-19 vaccines aren’t adequately protected against severe illness. They should be given a third shot plus a booster, according to the study. “These findings indicate…  read on >  read on >

A measure designed to lower prescription drug costs for seniors has been added to President Joe Biden’s social safety net and climate change bill that Democratic leaders hope to bring to a House vote this week. For the first time, the measure would enable the federal government to negotiate prices for medications covered by Medicare,…  read on >  read on >

Researchers may have unearthed a surprising risk factor for often-fatal brain bleeds: Sleepless nights. In a study of about 70,000 adults, researchers found that people with a genetic predisposition to insomnia were at somewhat higher risk of a brain aneurysm. An aneurysm is a weak spot in an artery wall that bulges out and fills…  read on >  read on >

An Arizona man infected his dog and cat with the new coronavirus, according to a new case study that researchers say is the first in the United States to use genetics to document such transmission. The owner wasn’t vaccinated, did little to protect his pets, and had houseguests who weren’t vaccinated. The owner recovered from…  read on >  read on >

It’s a finding that stands to reason: A new study shows the pandemic has triggered anxiety and depression in many doctors. Researchers used surveys to assess the mental health of more than 5,000 doctors in Spain, Italy and the United Kingdom at two points during the pandemic — June 2020 and November/December 2020. Doctors in…  read on >  read on >