Five Companies Sign Agreement to Participate in National Health Data-Sharing Network
WASHINGTON — Five healthcare companies took another step toward becoming part of a nationwide network to exchange patient health information on Tuesday. “I feel like we’re watching the Big Bang occur in 2023,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said during an event held at HHS headquarters here. He congratulated “the entities who stepped up early to […]
I Just Got Over COVID. Do I Need an Updated Shot?
Updated COVID shots are becoming available in the U.S. amid what appears to be a surge in cases — leaving some to wonder whether they need an updated shot if they recently recovered from an infection. Official CDC guidance states that people who are currently infected should wait “at least until recovery from acute illness” […]
House Committee Advances Bill to Streamline Prior Authorization
WASHINGTON — In a moment of comity that’s becoming increasingly rare in Congress, the House Ways & Means Committee voted unanimously by voice vote to send to the House floor a bill to improve prior authorization procedures in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. “This kind of opportunity has become all too rare, and I hope that […]
How Technology Is Changing The Way We Deal With Mental Health
Mental health help is now at your fingertips. Text therapy is becoming a popular way to communicate with a therapist, and that comes with both benefits and disadvantages. Meanwhile, some celebrities are reducing mental health stigmas by using social media to open up publicly about their experiences.
Celebrities Open Up About Marriage Counseling
Michelle Obama devoted part of her book “Becoming” to going to couples therapy with Barack, and it turns out the celebrity pair is just one of many going to counseling.
Long COVID Patients Turn to ‘Blood Washing’ Procedure
With long COVID patients becoming increasingly frustrated with the lack of available treatments, some have now taken to traveling to Cyprus, Germany, and Switzerland for experimental “blood washing,” according to a recent investigation by The BMJ and ITV News. Over the past year, people experiencing this often debilitating condition have visited private clinics for apheresis, […]
There’s A Real Risk Of Monkeypox Becoming ‘Established’ Outside Africa, WHO Says
There’s a risk of monkeypox becoming “established” in countries where it is not usually seen, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said most monkeypox cases are appearing among men who have had sexual relations with other men. Some countries are also starting to report possible community transmission of the virus, […]
Guns Have Become the Top Killer of U.S. Kids
Gun-related deaths increased significantly among children and adolescents in 2020, becoming the leading cause of mortality among youth, researchers said. The crude rate of firearm-related deaths among individuals ages 1 to 19 years increased by 13.5% from 2019 to 2020, surpassing motor vehicle-related deaths for the first time since 1999, reported Jason Goldstick, PhD, of […]
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo Named Editor-in-Chief of JAMA
Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo, MD, PhD, was tapped as the next editor-in-chief of JAMA and the JAMA Network, becoming the first person of color and second woman to lead the journal, the American Medical Association (AMA) announced today. Bibbins-Domingo is a professor and chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the first vice dean for […]
Is Veganism Enough To Save The World?
Seems everyone’s becoming vegan nowadays or at least giving it a go. But can cutting out all animal products really contribute to the efforts to curb climate change and save the planet?