Don’t be tempted over the next few days of new year’s revelry to drive while distracted or intoxicated — whether under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or prescription drugs. It’s a myth that the start of the year is the deadliest time for motorists across the country. But Jan. 1, statistically and without great explanation,….
Continue ReadingArchives for December 2018
1.3 million reasons why vaping blunder should imperil FDA chief’s job
When the reviews of 2018 get written, here’s hoping that health experts castigate the federal Food and Drug Administration and Scott Gottlieb, its chief, for a major blunder that continues to harm the well-being of the nation’s teenagers and young adults. That’s because Gottlieb and his agency held a regulatory door wide open as the….
Continue ReadingWith more disclosures like these, why would patients want robot surgery?
When surgeons insist on cutting on patients using the million-dollar da Vinci robot system, patients should demand to know why — and to be skeptical to the nth degree whether the device-based operation will be beneficial to them, or if it is yet another way for doctors and hospitals to make medical care exorbitantly expensive….
Continue ReadingIn hectic holidays, don’t ignore cautions on food, teething toys, antibiotics
Here’s hoping the season stays merry for all and that holidays are relaxing, restful, and healthful. A few tips to stay on the right side of health and safety: Be sure to follow best practices when it comes to food hygiene and safety. Do wash fruits and vegetables to rid them of surface contaminants, including….
Continue ReadingAs assisted living facilities increase dementia care, resident safety risks rise
They look like nursing homes, but they’re not. And for the health and safety of our elderly loved ones, we must know the difference. These so-called assisted living facilities, operating with much less regulation and oversight than nursing homes, are raising concerns about the safety and quality of their dealings with a growing number of….
Continue ReadingPrice-fixing scandal ensnares ‘white-hat’ makers of lower-cost generic drugs
To paraphrase what a one-time colleague once wrote about her bosses: Never trust Big Pharma, never trust Big Pharma, never trust Big Pharma. Here’s some of the latest evidence why: Even the industry’s so-called “white hats,” makers of supposedly less expensive and more patient-accessible “generic” drugs, now are ensnared in an ever-expanding investigation of illegal….
Continue Reading30-year Swedish study boosts two approaches to prostate cancer care
A large, long-running study on treating prostate cancer, a leading killer of men, has supported both “watchful waiting” with most men diagnosed with the disease, and aggressive therapies — especially surgery — for patients at higher risk of the disease’s spread. Parsing the results of this research, however, may send men to a key source….
Continue ReadingJohnson & Johnson hid knowledge of talc’s taint with asbestos, reports say
Johnson & Johnson, now facing thousands of lawsuits asserting ties between its famed baby powder and patients’ cancers, has campaigned for decades to keep from wide public view information that its talc was tainted with asbestos, a naturally occurring substance and an established cause of some cancers, news media reports say. Reuters news service published its….
Continue ReadingD.C. residents can still get Obamacare. It’s the law of the land, despite Texas ruling.
If you’re a resident of the District of Columbia and you qualify for help with your health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, don’t wait, you have until Jan. 31 to enroll in Obamacare. It’s still the law of the land and could benefit you and your loved ones, despite a sad and expected federal….
Continue ReadingSimple toys are best for kids, pediatricians say
Moms, dads, grandparents and many others will fork over a lot of money for pricey toys this holiday season. But the doctors who care for children have timely shopping advice: Don’t throw away hard-earned dollars on fancy electronics. Instead, look for simple, tried-and-true toys. Items like dolls, cars, blocks, crayons, and easy games may be….
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