About a third of America’s pharmacies have closed since 2010, amounting to an “unprecedented decline” in neighborhood drug stores, a new study finds. The drop began in 2018, primarily driven by store closures among chain pharmacies during a period of consolidation in the industry, researchers found. This has made it much more difficult for people… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
American Seniors Struggle to Pay Medical Bills More Than Peers in Other Wealthy Countries
American seniors still pay more for health care than their counterparts in most other wealthy countries do, despite coverage by Medicare, a new study finds. They are also more likely to postpone or skip needed care because of cost concerns. “In the U.S., nearly all older adults are covered by Medicare and can access, at… read on > read on >
20th Century Lead Exposures Took Grim Toll on Americans’ Health
Decades of lead exposure from car exhaust altered the mental health of millions of Americans, making them more prone to depression, anxiety and ADHD, a new study claims. Lead was first added to gasoline in 1923 to help keep car engines healthy, researchers said. But lead is toxic to brain cells, and there’s no safe… read on > read on >
Smoking/Vaping Combo Lowers Odds for Quitting Nicotine
People who smoke and vape are less able to break free of their nicotine addiction than folks who only have one of those habits, a new review concludes. Instead, these “dual users” are more likely to eventually drop vaping and continue smoking tobacco, results show. The findings point to the insidious pull of nicotine and… read on > read on >
Switch From Animal to Plant Proteins Greatly Boosts Heart Health
Moving away from meat to plants as a main source of protein will do wonders for your heart, new research finds. The 30-year study found that folks with the highest ratio of plant-based protein to animal-based protein cut their odds of developing cardiovascular disease by 19%. They also had a 27% lower risk for coronary… read on > read on >
Cervical Cancer Deaths Fell Dramatically After Advent of HPV Vaccine
A new study provides good evidence that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine may be achieving its goal of slashing rates of cervical cancer. “We observed a … 62% drop in cervical cancer deaths over the last decade, likely due to HPV vaccination,” said study senior author Ashish Deshmukh. “We cannot think of any other reason… read on > read on >
Smoker or Former Smoker? Here Are 4 Key Things You Need to Know
MONDAY, Dec.2, 2024Doctors have potent new weapons against the deadliest cancer in America and they want to make sure they’re on the radar of current and former smokers. “Lung cancer screening is the most powerful tool we have to lower cancer [deaths],” said Dr. Timothy Mullett, medical director of the Markey Cancer Center Network and… read on > read on >
Twice-Yearly Injection 96% Effective in Preventing HIV Infection
People whose partners have HIV must remember to take antiretroviral pills every single day or risk infection themselves. But researchers have come up with a way to avoid that daily hassle – an injectable drug that patients would only have to receive twice a year. What’s more, the new drug works even better than the… read on > read on >
Biden Will Move to Have Medicare, Medicaid Cover GLP-1 Weight-Loss Meds
The outgoing Biden administration will propose that pricey GLP-1 obesity medications such as semaglutide (Wegovy), and tirzepatide (Zepbound) be covered by Medicare and Medicaid. However, the move would have to be approved by the new Trump administration. Right now, a law passed by Congress two decades ago prevents the Medicare and Medicaid from covering any… read on > read on >
Wildfire Smoke Exposure Linked to Dementia Risk
People in Southern California with relatively high exposures to wildfire smoke over a decade also had significantly higher risks for dementia, a new study warns. In fact, the fine-particle pollution created by these fires seems more closely tied to brain trouble than similar pollutants from factories and car exhaust, the researchers noted. Over the long-term,… read on > read on >