Health News

Can social interactions affect spread of disease? Mathematical modeling explains the connection

Most real-world systems, such as biological, social, and economic schemes evolve constantly. The dynamics of such systems are characterized by significantly enhanced activity levels over short periods of time (or “bursts”) followed by long periods of inactivity. This is true of social communities, in which the pattern of connections between individuals progresses over time, and […]

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Hospital communication-and-resolution programs do not expand liability risk

To be more transparent and to promote communication with patients after medical injuries, many hospitals have implemented a new approach called the communication-and-resolution program (CRP). Through these programs, hospitals openly communicate with patients after adverse events, investigating specifics, providing explanations, and, when necessary, taking responsibility and proactively offering compensation. Medical centers that have adopted this […]

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Gender inequality could be driving the deaths of girls under five

Levels of gender inequality across the world are associated with disproportionate death rates among girls under five years old, according to a study led by Queen Mary University of London. The analysis of data from 195 countries suggests that the unequal treatment of females in society could be interfering with the natural biological advantage they […]

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Brexit will affect the UK’s ability to tackle illicit drugs trade, warn experts: Exclusion from key EU agency ‘presents substantial risks to public health and safety’

Exclusion from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) because of Brexit will have serious consequences for public health in the UK, warn experts in a letter to The BMJ this week. The EMCDDA is responsible for conducting surveillance, establishing best practice, facilitating data exchange, providing leadership on new psychoactive substances, and […]

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Reclassification recommendations for drug in ‘magic mushrooms’: If phase III clinical trials are successful, researchers suggest categorizing the drug as schedule IV

In an evaluation of the safety and abuse research on the drug in hallucinogenic mushrooms, Johns Hopkins researchers suggest that if it clears phase III clinical trials, psilocybin should be re-categorized from a schedule I drug — one with no known medical potential — to a schedule IV drug such as prescription sleep aids, but […]

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Hidden costs of cobalt mining in DR Congo

In past years, the demand for cobalt has been on the increase due to its many applications. For one thing, the metal is a crucial component of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for smartphones and electric cars. Around 60% of the world’s cobalt supply comes from the mineral-rich Katanga Copper belt, in the Democratic Republic of the […]

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Shifting focus from life extension to ‘healthspan’ extension: Disparities in longevity should be addressed, expert urges

Clinicians, scientists and public health professionals should proudly “declare victory” in their efforts to extend the human lifespan to its very limits, according to University of Illinois at Chicago epidemiologist S. Jay Olshansky. In an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Olshansky writes that the focus should shift to compressing the […]