Health category, Page 129
Group with consumer-friendly vibe pushes drugmakers’ message
WASHINGTON — As ominous music plays in the background, the narrator of a radio ad echoes objections from drugmakers by warning that a Trump administration proposal to apply international pricing to certain Medicare drugs would be a nightmare for seniors. The one-minute spot is the handiwork of the Alliance for...
Apple Watch may spot heart problem but more research needed
A huge study suggests the Apple Watch can detect a worrisome irregular heartbeat at least sometimes — but experts say more work is needed to tell if using wearable technology to screen for heart problems really helps. More than 419,000 Apple Watch users signed up for the unusual study, making...
Cases of the mumps at Temple University increases to 46
PHILADELPHIA — Health officials say there are at least 46 cases of the mumps at Temple University and three others from surrounding counties, the most cases in the city since 2010. That’s up from 16 cases reported last week. The Department of Public Health for Philadelphia said Friday it recommends...
Pennsylvania collects thousands of ticks for study to combat Lyme
State officials are working to better understand the risk of tick-borne illnesses with a new multi-year study. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is conducting a five-year study that started in July 2018. It’s part of the Pennsylvania Lyme Disease Task Force recommendations for combating the growing cases of Lyme...
Judge won’t let unvaccinated children back in New York school
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — A federal judge, citing an “unprecedented measles outbreak” in suburban Rockland County, New York, has denied a request to let 44 unvaccinated children return to school. Parents of students in the Green Meadow Waldorf School in Chestnut Ridge have sued the county health department. They say...
Scientists back temporary global ban on gene-edited babies
NEW YORK — An international group of scientists and ethicists on Wednesday called for a temporary global ban on making babies with edited genes. It’s the latest reaction to last November’s announcement that gene-edited twins had been born in China, which was widely criticized. Mainstream scientists generally oppose making babies...
U.S. health officials move to tighten sales of e-cigarettes
WASHINGTON — U.S. health regulators are moving ahead with a plan designed to keep e-cigarettes out of the hands of teenagers by restricting sales of most flavored products in convenience stores and online. The new guidelines, first proposed in November, are the latest government effort to reverse what health officials...
New concern on college campuses: ‘drunkorexia,’ combination drinking, eating disorder
My college experience included this life-skills lesson: Drink alcohol on a full stomach, so you don’t get inebriated too quickly. Of course, most college students shouldn’t be drinking at all, but we know from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that close to 60 percent of college students...
Gene-edited food quietly arrives in restaurant cooking oil
NEW YORK — Somewhere in the Midwest, a restaurant is frying foods with oil made from gene-edited soybeans. That’s according to the company making the oil, which says it’s the first commercial use of a gene-edited food in the U.S. Calyxt said it can’t reveal its first customer for competitive...
Duquesne researchers receive $1.5M grant to study link between emotions and physical pain
Duquesne University researchers are using a $1.5 million grant to study how emotions can have an influence on certain types of physical pain. The study will look at chronic bladder pain, a condition that has no known cause and is difficult to treat. The condition affects more women than men....
What you need to know about polyps in your colon
Perhaps one of the most dreaded parts of turning 50 is being handed the order to get a colonoscopy. While regular colon screening can be uncomfortable, Dr. John Kisiel, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, says this screening is a crucial step in catching colorectal cancer and precancerous polyps early. Kisiel says...
‘Diet’ or eating ‘plan’: Either one can lead to improved lifestyle
What’s new in the world of weight loss? For one thing, the word “diet” is often replaced nowadays by terms like “eating plan” or “lifestyle change.” One reason for that is the negative association people have with the idea of a diet, says Julianne Hagan, a licensed dietitian/nutritionist and owner...
Tips for a heart-healthy sandwich
Packing a healthy lunch seems like an easy task, but sometimes all the sandwich choices may seem daunting. Many deli, or processed meats, are packed with preservatives, nitrates and sodium that could raise your risk of heart disease and other health issues. So is there a better choice to build...
Birth control pills recalled for defective packaging
A drug company is recalling some packs of birth control because the pills may be mislabeled and lead to unintended pregnancy. Florida-based Apotex Corp. is recalling four lots of Ethinyl Estradiol USP pills because they may contain defective blisters with incorrect tablet arrangements and an empty blister pocket. According to...
Spring forward — and clean out the medicine cabinet
Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen A. Zappala, Jr. wants residents to consider cleaning out their medicine cabinets while they are setting their clocks ahead this weekend. He says it’s a good way for people to make their homes and the community safer. “The beginning of daylight saving time is the...
California man learns he’s dying from doctor on robot video
FREMONT, Calif. — A California family is devastated that their relative was told he didn’t have long to live by a doctor appearing on a robot’s video screen. San Francisco Bay Area news station KTVU reported Thursday that 79-year-old Ernest Quintana went Sunday to Kaiser Permanente Medical Center’s emergency department...
At least 16 diagnosed with mumps at Temple University
PHILADELPHIA — Health officials say at least 16 cases of mumps have been confirmed at Temple University, the most cases in the city since 2011. The Department of Public Health for Philadelphia said Thursday the effectiveness of the mumps vaccination tends to wane over time so it’s not necessarily a...
Monthly shots control HIV as well as pills in 2 big studies
SEATTLE — Monthly shots of HIV drugs worked as well as daily pills to control the virus that causes AIDS in two large international tests, researchers reported Thursday. If approved by regulators in the United States and Europe, the shots would be a new option for people with HIV and...
West Penn, St. Clair hospitals among IBM Health’s top 100 in nation
Two Pittsburgh hospitals have been named among the best in the country by IBM Watson Health. West Penn Hospital and St. Clair Hospital were named in the 100 Top Hospitals list the company puts out each year. IBM Watson Health recognizes hospitals of all sizes, in five different categories —...
Flat Medicaid rates concern Pennsylvania nursing homes
A group that represents about 500 nursing home operators across Pennsylvania expressed concerns about Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposed budget for next fiscal year, saying flat funding threatens the state’s rapidly aging population. The Medicaid reimbursement rate for Pennsylvania nursing home residents has increased less than $9 a day since July...
Dog-walking can be hazardous for seniors, study suggests
Dogs need to go on walks, and walking is good exercise for older adults. Seniors who combine the two - by walking a dog - are healthier than people who don’t, according to some research. But a new study by University of Pennsylvania researchers offers a cautionary note. Strolling with...
In wake of Luke Perry’s death, a renewed focus on stroke
If you’re wondering how it’s possible that Luke Perry died from a stroke at only 52 years old, you might be surprised. It’s more common to suffer a stroke earlier in life than some may think. Dr. Rick Williamson, director of endovascular neurosurgery at Allegheny General Hospital, said out of...
To combat anti-vaxxers, U.S. needs a national campaign, Washington state official says
The top official overseeing Washington state’s worst measles outbreak in two decades is calling on the federal government to launch a national campaign to counter anti-vaccine groups spreading false information. John Wiesman, Washington state’s health secretary, said in an interview Monday that a national campaign similar to the U.S. government...
Decades-long study: Measles vaccine doesn’t cause autism
The notion that vaccines might cause autism was refuted nine years ago, when a British medical panel concluded in 2010 that Andrew Wakefield, the doctor with undisclosed financial interests in making such claims, had acted with “callous disregard” in conducting his research. But in 2019, professional epidemiologists are still devoting...
Health Happenings
Addiction screenings • Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for free screenings or referrals 1-800-431-1754. Blood drives American Red Cross will host these blood drives: — 12:30-5 p.m. Monday , Levin Furniture Store, Route 30, Greensburg or 12:30- 6:30 p.m., Charter Oak Church,...
