FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Pregnant women addicted to opioids have both a compelling reason to change and a harder time getting medications to battle their substance use disorder. Now, a new plan from the Biden administration would expand the use of medications to treat addiction in pregnantContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) — New government data shows that the chickenpox vaccine has virtually eliminated deaths and severe cases of the virus in U.S. children and teens. In the analysis, released Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 97% fewer chickenpox casesContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2022 (HealthDay News) – In an unanimous vote on Thursday, a panel of U.S. vaccine experts recommended that COVID shots be added to the list of recommended vaccinations for children and adults. Now it’s up to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention to decide whetherContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Americans will now have another choice if they want a COVID booster shot. On Wednesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Novavax Inc.’s protein-based vaccine as a first booster dose. Until now, it had only been approved as a two-dose primary series.Continue Reading
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Using marijuana increases the risk of developing the heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation (a-fib), a new study suggests. It’s been known that drugs such as methamphetamine, cocaine and opiates can directly affect the heart and cause abnormal rhythms like a-fib, but weed canContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A study testing drugs that are used for other conditions for their potential in treating COVID-19 has found that the antidepressant fluvoxamine (brand name Luvox) offered no benefit, at least at an initial smaller dose. Study participants took 50 mg of the medicationContinue Reading
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Just a few years ago, “Friends” actor Matthew Perry almost died from opioid overuse that nearly destroyed his colon and almost killed him. Now, he’s sober and wants to tell his story. Perry has written a memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big TerribleContinue Reading
TUESDAY, Oct. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The federal government is pumping millions more dollars into an effort to expand the United States’ network of community mental health centers. Up to 15 states now can apply for $1 million grants to help plan new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC)Continue Reading
TUESDAY, Oct. 18, 2022 (HealthDay News) — It’s a troubling equation: Many Americans with the highest rates of hospitalization for influenza have the lowest uptake of the annual flu vaccine. That’s why the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is stepping up outreach to minority communities, including Black, HispanicContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) — It’s official: Older Americans with hearing loss can now stroll into a big box store or pharmacy — or just visit a website — and buy hearing aids without a prescription. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved this new class ofContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) – While a large number of Hispanic Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine at this point, a new study suggests barriers may still stand in the way for those who might want to get shots. Researchers identified four keyContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Pregnancy can be a big motivator for women to stop smoking. Now a new study suggests that at least some pregnant smokers start cutting back even before they know they’ve conceived. The findings, researchers say, suggest there may be biological mechanisms during pregnancyContinue Reading
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) – New, more contagious Omicron variants are starting to spread across the United States, new government data show. Luckily, they’re related to the Omicron variant BA.5, so recently updated booster shots should provide some protection against the new variants, known as BQ.1. and aContinue Reading
FRIDAY, Oct. 14, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Indications are that this year’s flu season is going to be particularly nasty, making the annual influenza vaccine even more important than usual, infectious disease experts say. People already are landing in the hospital with severe cases of influenza, about a month aheadContinue Reading