Kid Homicides Surge in COVID; Physician Work Hours Drop; Vasectomies Up Post-Roe?
Note that some links may require subscriptions. The U.S. child homicide rate has been increasing around 4% each year since 2013, but skyrocketed by 28% during the first year of the pandemic. (JAMA Pediatrics) Firearm injuries among kids also surged by 52% during COVID, according to a research letter in JAMA Pediatrics. An independent review […]
Skipping Antiplatelets Altogether Not Such a Bad Idea for Select TAVR Patients
Following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), the optimal antithrombotic regimen for some people may be no antithrombotics at all, according to provocative registry data from Japan. Compared with the single antiplatelet (SAPT) or dual antiplatelet (DAPT) approaches for TAVR patients without any other indications for antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapy, the non-antithrombotic strategy was not associated […]
Scientists uncover possible neural link between early life trauma and binge-eating disorder: Discovery may lead to therapeutic targets to treat binge eating, obesity
Nearly 3 percent of Americans suffer from binge-eating disorder at some point their lifetimes, and of them, more than eight in 10 survived childhood abuse, neglect, or other trauma. Now, a Virginia Tech scientist has identified how early life trauma may change the brain to increase the risk of binge eating later in life. Research […]
Green tea extract may harm liver in people with certain genetic variations
Long-term use of high-dose green tea extract may provide some protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes, but it also may create liver damage in a small minority of the population. Who is at risk? Research from Rutgers, published in The Journal of Dietary Supplements, provides the first solid clue: two genetic […]
Monks and Meth; China Says Jogger Caused COVID Outbreak; Flu Deaths Close to 3,000
Note that some links may require subscriptions. All four monks at a Buddhist temple in central Thailand were defrocked after testing positive for methamphetamine use. (CBS News) New York City will begin involuntarily hospitalizing its homeless mentally ill residents, Mayor Eric Adams (D) said. (New York Times) A Minnesota woman lost part of her peripheral […]
Opinion | Pharma Reps: A Blessing or a Curse?
Are pharma reps on balance a curse or a blessing to medical practices? On some days it is not unusual to believe the former, that the pharmaceutical representative is another obnoxious intrusion into the ever-decreasing time available to spend with patients. Some doctors habitually see these reps for a few seconds, just long enough to […]
A New Congress Will Face Pressing Healthcare Issues, Regardless of Who Is in Control
WASHINGTON — With some midterm election races too close to call and at least one Senate race headed for a December runoff, it remained unclear on Wednesday which political party would take control of the House or the Senate in 2023. However, observers said that some predictions could still be made about Congress’s potential health […]
Dr. Oz Defeated; State Abortion Rights Win; Please Stop Licking Toads
Note that some links may require subscriptions. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman defeated Mehmet Oz, MD, in a pivotal Pennsylvania Senate race. (New York Times) Voters supported abortion rights in all five states with ballot measures, with Michigan and two other states enshrining rights into their state constitutions; meanwhile, Kentucky voters rejected a measure that would […]
Could a Plant-Based Diet Benefit Men’s Health Below the Belt?
MIAMI — A plant-based or plant-forward diet may offer some protection against prostate cancer and other sexual health issues, according to a systematic review. Twelve of the 23 studies that met the review’s inclusion criteria looked at prostate cancer, and data from large registry trials indicated a link between a plant-based diet and a decreased […]
Online Gender-Affirming Services Can Be Appealing, Though Often Don’t Take Insurance
MIAMI — Some telemedicine companies offering gender-affirming hormone treatment offered an affordable alternative to traditional care models, a researcher reported at the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA) annual meeting. A review of available services from six direct-to-consumer platforms — Folx Health, True U Clinic, QueerDoc, Q, TransClinique, and Plume — found that all […]