In a move to combat global warming, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Thursday that it will restrict U.S. production and use of hydrofluorocarbons by 85% over the next 15 years. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are potent greenhouse gases often used in refrigerators and air conditioners, and they are vastly more powerful than carbon dioxide. These… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
FDA Approves Pfizer Booster Shots for Seniors, High-Risk Americans
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Pfizer booster shots for people over 65 and for those at high risk of severe COVID-19. Under the emergency use authorization, the booster shots should be given at least six months after a person is fully vaccinated. Wednesday’s move is likely the beginning of a staggered… read on > read on >
Cancer in Hispanics: Good News and Bad
THURSDAY, Sept. 23, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Hispanic people in the United States have lower cancer rates than white people, but they are much more likely to develop certain preventable cancers. “The good news is that overall cancer rates are lower in Hispanic people, but we are seeing very high rates of infectious disease-related cancers,… read on > read on >
Study Probes Relationship Between Migraines and Sleep
Do migraines cause poor sleep or does poor sleep cause migraines? Though it’s hard to say, it does appear that there’s a difference in how well people with migraine think they sleep and how well they really do. A large research analysis published online Sept. 22 in the journal Neurology found that adults and children… read on > read on >
Common Hormone Disorder in Women Costs U.S. $8 Billion a Year
Treating polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) — the most common hormone disorder in women of child-bearing age — is costly. In 2020, diagnosing and treating this disorder cost an estimated $8 billion in the United States, according to a new economic analysis. PCOS disrupts metabolism, and causes irregular menstrual periods and elevated testosterone levels. It affects… read on > read on >
U.S. to Buy 500 Million More COVID Vaccine Doses for Global Donation
The United States will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine that it will donate to countries in need, President Biden announced at a virtual summit on the pandemic Wednesday. The United States is doubling its purchase of the vaccine to 1 billion doses as Biden hopes 70% of the world’s population… read on > read on >
18 Million Americans Can’t Pay for Needed Meds
As many as 18 million Americans can’t afford their prescribed medications, a new nationwide poll finds. That’s 7% of the adult population in the United States. But when it comes to households making less than $24,000 per year, the percentage jumps to 19%, the West Health/Gallup poll revealed. Here are the key findings: The inability… read on > read on >
Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer May Have Long-Term Risk for the Heart
Younger women who undergo radiation for cancer in the left breast have a heightened risk of heart disease years later, a new study finds. Among women who received radiation therapy for left-sided breast cancer, 10.5% developed coronary artery disease over the next 27 years, researchers found. That was close to double the rate among women… read on > read on >
CDC Expert Panel to Weigh In on Vaccine Boosters
An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet on Wednesday to discuss which Americans, if any, should get Pfizer booster shots to rev up their immunity to COVID-19. Their recommendation will follow a decision by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel to only give booster shots to… read on > read on >
Pregnant Women Who Get COVID Vaccine Pass Antibodies to Newborns
One way to help protect newborns from COVID-19 is for women to get their COVID vaccine while pregnant. A new study found that mothers-to-be who had either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine passed high levels of antibodies to their infants. Researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine discovered that 100% of 36 newborns tested… read on > read on >