Consumers are growing more knowledgeable about the potential health effects of nail polish, and manufacturers have taken action. They have started removing potentially toxic ingredients and labeling their products as being free of those substances. However, these labels aren’t always accurate, and reformulated products aren’t necessarily safer, according to a report in Environmental Science & […]
‘An ambulance is NOT a taxi to A&E’, report says
‘An ambulance is NOT a taxi to A&E’: Report calls for paramedics to treat more patients roadside to save the NHS £300 million each year Lord Carter of Coles led the review, which examined 10 ambulance trusts The Labour peer said the move could alleviate pressure on UK hospitals ‘Too many are being unnecessarily taken to […]
Pills for appendicitis? Surgery often not needed, study says
A new study says surgery isn’t always needed for appendicitis and that antibiotics instead can often do the trick. The results from Finland contradict decades of thinking about the best way to treat an inflamed appendix. The condition has long been thought to be a medical emergency because of the risk for a burst appendix, […]
ACA expansion did not improve access to complex surgeries for low-income/minority patients
A first look at the Affordable Care Act (ACA)’s Medicaid expansion finds that despite expectations, there was no increased use of complex surgical procedures at high volume hospitals—a proxy for high quality hospitals—among ethnic/racial minorities and low-income populations. The findings came from comparing surgery records from high-volume hospitals in three states that opted in to […]
The paradox of ‘suicide in happy places’ seems not to exist
Several years ago, a research paper made headlines by finding that the happiest states in the United States also had the highest suicide rates. This seemingly paradoxical conclusion caught the attention of a trio of researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder and University of California Irvine for a different reason: could there be more […]
Mouse models may not accurately mimic severity of gonorrhea infection
There is an urgent need to develop a vaccine to prevent gonorrhea infection due to rapidly increasing incidence and growing antibiotic resistance. BUSM researchers (in collaboration with University of Toronto researchers) have been investigating the use of animal models of gonorrhea, to study how the infection evolves and for potential use to determine the efficacy […]
Polio is not going away without a fight – it’s vital we step up our defences
The global initiative to eradicate polio has been extraordinarily successful. Over the last thirty years the number of polio cases across the world have dwindled from over 350,000 cases a year to just 20. The terrible toll on victims, such as lifelong paralysis and disability, are a fading memory for many countries, and it’s estimated […]
Doctors Often Not Discussing Risk Factors With Patients
TUESDAY, Aug. 21, 2018 — Patients report that doctors are routinely not discussing known risk factors for common causes of death, according to a survey conducted by ImagineMD. ImagineMD conducted a survey of 3,000 patients to examine whether doctors adequately address the leading causes of preventable death in America with their patients. Respondents were categorized […]
Doctors Not Talking About Newer Meningitis Vaccine
MONDAY, Aug. 20, 2018 — Many U.S. doctors aren’t telling teenaged patients and their parents about a newer vaccine for potentially deadly bacterial meningitis infections, a new study finds. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the brain and spinal cord. It is uncommon in the United States, but sporadic outbreaks occur — often on college […]
Amputation May Not Be Best Option for Severe Circulation Problems
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 15, 2018 — Trying to restore blood flow may be better than amputation for patients with a serious leg circulation problem called critical limb ischemia, a new study contends. Critical limb ischemia is the most severe form of peripheral artery disease (PAD) and can lead to ulcers, gangrene and amputation, the researchers said. […]