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‘Deaths of Despair’ May Have Helped Fuel Trump’s Victory: Study

U.S. voters’ despair over poor health and premature deaths might have tipped the 2016 presidential election...
As Opioid Epidemic Rages, Painkiller Prescriptions Don’t Drop

In a sign that the U.S. opioid epidemic is still not under control, a new report...
Wait Times for Obesity Surgery Are Growing

People who want to have weight-loss surgery are facing much longer wait times now than a...

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- Posted May 29, 2018
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New Medicare Perk: Diabetes Prevention
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- Posted May 16, 2018
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Fewer Money Worries Can Pay Off in Better Health
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- Posted May 15, 2018
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Poll: Americans Fear Crippling Medical Bills More Than Illness
Medical care costs in the United States can be so overwhelming that Americans fear...
- Posted March 29, 2018
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Alzheimer’s Stigma a Barrier to Prevention, Care: Survey
Stigma surrounding Alzheimer’s disease may discourage Americans from learning about their risk and from...
- Posted March 28, 2018
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Insurance Company Hurdles Burden Doctors, May Harm Patients
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- Posted March 19, 2018
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Cutting Co-Pays Helps Heart Patients Take Their Meds
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- Posted March 14, 2018
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More Americans Pushed Into High-Deductible Health Plans
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- Posted February 22, 2018
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Spending More on Health Care? Here’s Why
Americans spent more on health care in 2016, even though their use of health...
- Posted January 23, 2018
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Are You Living with Psoriasis?

A growing knowledge of the skin disease called psoriasis is leading to greater treatment choices, including personalized therapies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.

Psoriasis is an immune system disorder that causes overproduction of skin cells, resulting in scaling, pain, swelling, redness and heat. The condition affects about 7.5 million Americans.

“As we better understand the disease, researchers know more about what specific factors to target in order to develop effective treatments,” FDA dermatologist Dr. Melinda McCord said in an agency news release.

There is no cure for psoriasis, so the main goals of treatments are to stop skin cell overproduction and reduce inflammation. Current therapies include medicines applied to the skin (topical), light treatment (phototherapy), or drugs taken by mouth or given by injection.

Doctors used to take a step-by-step approach, starting patients with mild to moderate psoriasis on topical therapy. If that was ineffective, doctors moved on to phototherapy or drug treatment.