Doctors Still Overprescribing Fluoroquinolones Despite Risks

July 5, 2022 – When Amy Moser had a simple urinary tract infection in her late 20s, her doctor prescribed Cipro, a powerful antibiotic used to treat anthrax and some of the most fearsome bacterial infections. Nearly 2 weeks after she finished her treatment, her left kneecap dislocated while she was trying on a swimsuit…

REM Sleep Critical to Emotional Health: Study

July 5, 2022 – REM sleep is the darling of the sleep world. Short for “rapid eye movement,” REM fascinates us because it’s when we do most of our dreaming – when, supposedly, all of our inner fears, frustrations, and passions play out. We already have compelling evidence that REM sleep helps us process those…

Vaccine Makers to Update Boosters to Target Omicron Subvariants

By Steven Reinberg and Robin Foster HealthDay Reporters THURSDAY, June 30, 2022 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday that it has asked vaccine makers to update their COVID-19 booster shots to target the Omicron subvariants known as BA.4 and BA.5. The two highly contagious subvariants now account for more than…

New Drugs Target Cancer Cells

Treatments for multiple myeloma have grown a great deal in the past few years. Newer drugs help people with this blood cancer live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. Several drugs have been approved to treat multiple myeloma since 2015. Some can help when the disease comes back after treatment (called a relapse) or when the cancer doesn’t respond…

How Much Health Insurers Pay for Almost Everything Is About to Go Public

By Julie Appleby, Kaiser Health News Friday, July 01, 2022 (Kaiser News) — Consumers, employers, and just about everyone else interested in health care prices will soon get an unprecedented look at what insurers pay for care, perhaps helping answer a question that has long dogged those who buy insurance: Are we getting the best…

This Fourth of July, Aim to Be Free of Food Waste

July 1, 2022 – As one of America’s favorite holidays lurks around the corner, red, white, and blue won’t be the only consistent theme this year. In the U.S., the aftermath of celebratory gatherings is almost always the same: loads of leftover food that is mostly packed or thrown away. “Americans waste a lot of…

SCOTUS Opinion Leak Caused Spike in Search for Abortion Drugs

July 1, 2022 – Word that the U.S. Supreme Court was on the verge of overturning Roe v. Wade led to a dramatic spike in web searches for abortion medications, a new study shows. On May 2, 2022, Politico leaked a draft majority opinion that revealed the court intended to reverse the guaranteed right to…

Scientists Find Brain Mechanism Behind Age-Related Memory Loss

July 1, 2022 – Scientists at Johns Hopkins University have identified a mechanism in the brain behind age-related memory loss, expanding our knowledge of the inner workings of the aging brain and possibly opening the door to new Alzheimer’s treatments. The researchers looked at the hippocampus, a part of the brain thought to store long-term…

Weight Gain and Antidepressants (Including SSRIs)

More than 1 in 10 Americans take antidepressants to treat depression. For the most part, these medications get the job done. Your health care provider may need to tweak your dosage or switch you to a different kind to find the best fit, but most people notice an improvement in 6 weeks or so. Like…

Blink-182 Drummer Travis Barker Hospitalized With Pancreatitis

July 1, 2022 – Travis Barker, drummer for rock band blink-182, was hospitalized this week in Los Angeles with pancreatitis. Barker, 46, husband of celebrity influencer Kourtney Kardashian, recently had a colonoscopy to check for colon cancer. Experts have weighed in on how likely the link is between his colonoscopy and pancreatitis. “It’s possible, but…