In a letter sent to teaching hospitals and medical schools across the country, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said Monday that written consent must be obtained from patients before performing sensitive procedures such as pelvis and prostate exams. The agency noted that it “is aware of media reports, as well as medical… read on > read on >
Folks are turning to Twitter for advice on contraception, but it doesn’t look like they’re getting answers from informed authorities, a new study finds. Only about 6% of tweets on reversible birth control methods come from official news or health care sources, according to a review of thousands of posts. On the other hand, more… read on > read on >
U.S. rates of suicide by all methods rose steadily for adolescents between 1999 and 2020, a new analysis shows. During those two decades, over 47,000 Americans between the ages 10 and 19 lost their lives to suicide, the report found, and there have been sharp increases year by year. Girls and minority adolescents have charted… read on > read on >
The contraceptive injection Depo-Provera and two drugs used for menopause relief could be linked to a heightened risk for brain tumors in some women, a new study warns. Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) increased the risk of intracranial meningioma 5.6-fold if used for longer than a year, researchers report in the BMJ. “In countries for which the… read on > read on >
Following oral arguments presented on Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court looked poised to rebuff a legal challenge to women’s access to the abortion pill. Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen now used for the majority of abortions nationwide. In the case now before the Supreme Court, the plaintiffs claim the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did… read on > read on >
Chemicals found in common household products might damage the brain’s wiring, a new study warns. These chemicals — found in disinfectants, cleaners, hair products, furniture and textiles — could be linked to degenerative brain diseases like multiple sclerosis and autism, researchers report. The chemicals specifically affect the brain’s oligodendrocytes, a specialized type of cell that… read on > read on >
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments Tuesday in a case that could determine nationwide access to the abortion pill, a new study finds requests for the medication made outside the traditional health care system surged after Roe v. Wade was overturned. There were about 26,000 more self-managed medication abortions than expected, based… read on > read on >
Most parents are torn about letting their middle or high school students take a sick day. “In some cases, the decision to keep kids home from school is clear, such as if the child is vomiting or has a high fever,” said Sarah Clark, co-director of the Mott Poll from University of Michigan Health C.S.… read on > read on >
Babies who die unexpectedly in their sleep often are subjected to many hazards that could have contributed to their deaths, a new study reports. Multiple unsafe sleep practices are at play in three-quarters (76%) of Sudden Unexpected Infant Deaths (SUID), according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. These include sharing a bed with… read on > read on >
Many teens – especially girls – are affected by body dysmorphic disorder, a condition in which they become obsessed with perceived flaws in their personal appearance, a new study shows. BDD affects about two in every 100 teens (1.9%), according to a report published March 17 in the Journal of the American Academy of Child… read on > read on >
