Nearly 13 million U.S. adults a year skip or delay filling needed prescriptions due to high price tags, new research shows. This figure includes more than 2.3 million Medicare beneficiaries and 3.8 million privately insured working-age adults who didn’t get needed medications each year in 2018 and 2019 because of cost, according to a nationally…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 lockdowns brought surprising news to scientists studying pollution: Cars spew much more ammonia into the air than previously thought. Ammonia is a common air pollutant that’s a major cause of lung and heart disease, especially in cities. “The tricky question has always been: How do we separate out ammonia concentrations owing to traffic from…  read on >  read on >

If you’re getting together with others outdoors, a windy day might be best, researchers say. The investigators found that when people socialize outside, the risk of coronavirus infection is as much as 45% greater when there’s hardly any breeze than when there are stronger winds. “The issue is really about an increased danger of infection…  read on >  read on >

Children and teenagers vaccinated against the mumps virus have accounted for one-third of infections in recent years, a new U.S. government study finds. The reasons are unclear, and experts stressed that routine childhood vaccination remains the best weapon against mumps — a contagious infection that is usually mild, but can cause serious complications. After the…  read on >  read on >

Quitting smoking is especially important during pregnancy, and now a new study suggests that when it comes to kicking the habit, cash may be just the incentive some women need. The study results suggest progressive financial rewards for smoking abstinence “could be implemented in the routine health care of pregnant smokers,” the French researchers said.…  read on >  read on >