FRIDAY, Nov. 10, 2023 (Healthday News) — In a sign that suggests many American parents have become dubious about the safety of childhood vaccines, new government data shows that immunization exemptions for kindergartners have reached their highest levels ever. The latest statistics continue a decline in routine vaccinations for kids that increases the risk for…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY, Nov. 10, 2023 (Healthday News) — The first vaccine to prevent infection with the chikungunya virus was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday. The single-dose shot, known as Ixchiq, is approved for adults who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus. “Infection with chikungunya virus can lead to…  read on >  read on >

A kinder, more thoughtful workplace can lead to better heart health among older employees, a new study finds. Older workers’ heart health risk factors decreased significantly when their office employed interventions designed to reduce work-family conflicts, researchers report in the Nov. 8 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Specifically, their heart risk factors…  read on >  read on >

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 8, 2023 (Healthday News) — A new drug to treat postpartum depression will cost nearly $16,000 for a 14-day course of treatment, a price tag that has doctors worried that some patients won’t be able to afford the medication. Zurzuvae (zuranolone) was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration back in August,…  read on >  read on >

An old scourge, syphilis, is returning with a vengeance in the United States, affecting not only adults but also the most vulnerable — newborns. Rates of congenital syphilis soared 10-fold between 2012 and 2022, according to new data released Tuesday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The congenital syphilis crisis in the…  read on >  read on >

Many people with type 2 diabetes also struggle with depression, and this combination can lead to premature death, researchers say. “More than 35 million Americans have diabetes, and more than 95 million have prediabetes, making diabetes one of the leading causes of death in the U.S.,” said study co-author Jagdish Khubchandani. He is a professor…  read on >  read on >