As many patients already know, urinary tract infections (UTIs) can recur despite the use of antibiotics. So, it’s welcome news that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Pivya (pivmecillinam) to fight bacterial UTIs. “UTIs are a very common condition impacting women and one of the most frequent reasons for antibiotic use,” Dr.… read on > read on >
As bird flu continues to spread among dairy cows in the United States, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday it will start requiring testing of the animals if they are moved across state lines. The “USDA has identified [bird flu] spread between cows within the same herd, spread from cows to poultry, spread between… read on > read on >
Nearly 40% of Americans live where the air is polluted enough to harm them, a new report warns. In the American Lung Association’s “State of the Air” report, released Wednesday, the number of people living with levels of air pollution that could jeopardize their health climbed from about 119 million in 2023 to 131 million… read on > read on >
A budget-busting 3.6 million Medicare recipients could now be eligible for coverage of the weight-loss drug Wegovy, a new KFF analysis says. That’s because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of Wegovy (semaglutide) to reduce the risk of heart attacks and stroke in certain patients, the study says. The FDA’s ruling… read on > read on >
America’s mental health woes essentially serve as an annual economic downturn for the nation, a new study says. Mental illness costs the U.S. economy $282 billion every year, equivalent to the average economic recession, researchers report. That estimate amounts to about 1.7% of American annual spending, and is about 30% larger than previous attempts to… read on > read on >
About six out of 10 working-age adults hit with a cancer diagnosis say it put real pressure on their financial survival, a new report finds. “Today’s findings reiterate the critical role access to affordable, quality care and paid family medical leave plays in reducing the financial toll of cancer on those diagnosed — particularly while… read on > read on >
The first-ever minimum staffing rule has been set for nursing homes, the Biden administration announced Monday. Central to the final rule, first proposed in September, is a requirement that a registered nurse be in every skilled nursing facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It also mandates that there be enough staff to… read on > read on >
Measles infections continue to spread across the country, with 125 cases now reported in 18 states, new U.S. government data shows. That is more cases than were reported in all of 2022, the most recent annual peak for measles infections, the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. So far this year, there have… read on > read on >
Two common PFAS “forever chemicals” have been deemed hazardous substances by the Environmental Protection Agency. The new designation, enacted under the country’s Superfund law, will let the EPA investigate and clean up leaks and spills of these harmful chemicals, agency officials said Friday. It will also mean polluters can be charged for the clean-up of… read on > read on >
A strong relationship can help a breast cancer survivor thrive in the aftermath of their terrible ordeal, a new study finds. Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer places tremendous stress on the women and their partners, researchers said. Those women in a solid relationship with their partner tend to have less depression and fatigue following… read on > read on >
