For many women with breast cancer, struggles with sexual issues becomes a hidden burden, new research shows. Because most patients don’t feel comfortable talking over these issues with a doctor, many turn to online patient-support forums for advice. The new study found that three-quarters of breast cancer patients admitted to some form of sexual dysfunction,…  read on >  read on >

Oral nicotine pouches might be marketed as an alternative to cigarettes, but they do little to curb smokers’ nicotine cravings, a new study finds. The pouches – which contain nicotine powder and other flavorings, but no tobacco leaf – take too long to provide the nicotine “spike” that eases cravings, researchers report in the Nov.…  read on >  read on >

Air pollution could be harming the development of children, reaching into the womb to alter their healthy growth, a new study reports. Researchers say certain air pollutants appear to negatively alter a specific measure of prenatal exposure to hormones. “These findings suggest air pollution may interfere with normal hormone activity during critical periods of prenatal…  read on >  read on >

Controlled forest burns can prevent the sort of high-intensity wildfires that have plagued the Western U.S. and Canada as a result of climate change, a new study argues. A low-intensity fire in the mixed conifer forests of California provides an estimated 60% reduction in the risk of a catastrophic wildfire, and that effect lasts at…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Nov. 13, 2023 (Healthday News) — In a finding that could change the landscape of heart disease care, the wildly popular weight-loss drug Wegovy has proved its mettle in protecting the heart after lowering the risk of cardiac problems in patients by 20%. The results from this large, international study had been eagerly awaited…  read on >  read on >

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 >