Understanding cultural differences in salt usage may help lower consumption
Almost all adults in the U.S. consume more sodium (salt) than recommended, yet the sources and use of sodium vary among people of different races and ethnicities, indicating the need for culturally customized advice about sodium intake, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed […]
5 Signs You Should Get A Colonoscopy Before You Turn 45
SDI Productions via Getty Images The recommended age to begin colonoscopy screening is 45, but some people should start sooner. It’s been frequently reported that colorectal cancer rates are increasing in young people in the United States. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, cases of colorectal cancer in people 55 and under have […]
Use These Antibiotics for Close Contacts of Invasive Meningococcal Disease, CDC Says
Rifampin, ceftriaxone, or azithromycin are recommended as first-line alternatives to ciprofloxacin prophylaxis for close contacts of people with meningococcal disease in areas where the disease is highly resistant to ciprofloxacin, according to new guidance from the CDC. Health departments should consider using other antibiotics for prophylaxis when, over the course of the past 12 months, […]
This May Be The Best Temperature Range For Sleep, According To A Study
miniseries via Getty Images While colder temperatures are generally recommended for sleeping, a new study found that older adults may do better in warmer temperatures. Feeling rested and ready for the day is the goal every morning, but how often it happens is another thing entirely. Many things can impact just how well (or not) […]
CDC Advisors Endorse Maternal RSV Vax to Protect Newborns
The CDC’s advisors on Friday recommended a maternal respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine to protect infants from serious infections. By an 11-1 vote, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended that pregnant women receive a single dose of Pfizer’s prefusion F protein (RSVpreF) vaccine (Abrysvo) at 32 to 36 weeks’ gestation to prevent lower […]
All Thumbs Up for OTC Birth Control Pill at FDA Advisory Meeting
In a unanimous vote, advisors to the FDA recommended the agency approve what could become the first-ever over the counter (OTC) birth control pill. All 17 members of the joint Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee and the Obstetrics, Reproductive, and Urologic Drugs Advisory Committee said the widespread benefits of switching daily norgestrel tablets 0.075 mg (Opill) […]
FDA Panel Rejects Broad Olaparib Indication in Metastatic CRPC
In a near-unanimous vote on Friday, outside advisors to the FDA recommended a narrow indication should the agency approve olaparib (Lynparza) plus abiraterone (Zytiga) as initial treatment for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). In an 11-1 vote (with one abstention), the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee (ODAC) recommended that any approval be restricted to patients with […]
FDA Panel Backs Full Approval of Paxlovid for COVID-19
An FDA panel recommended the agency grant full approval to nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) for treating high-risk COVID-19. By a vote of 16-1 on Thursday, the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee said the totality of evidence supports the traditional approval of the oral antiviral, which has been widely used since late 2021 under an emergency use authorization to […]
Second RSV Vaccine for Older Adults Gets Thumbs Up From FDA Advisors
A panel of FDA’s outside advisors recommended the agency approve GSK’s respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine for older adults, a day after backing Pfizer’s RSV vaccine candidate for that same population. By votes of 12-0 on efficacy and 10-2 on safety, the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) said the available data support […]
Mass Shooters’ Common Traits; FDA to Let Gay Men Give Blood; Restaurant Health Fee?
Note that some links may require subscriptions. FDA advisors recommended completely phasing out the original monovalent COVID-19 vaccines in favor of the updated bivalent shots, and also weighed in on the agency’s plan for annual COVID-19 boosters. Nearly all mass attackers were male and experienced at least one significant stressor in the past 5 years, […]