Some new cautions have been issued on some key aspects of children’s health care. The federal government is increasing its warnings on anesthetic use for children and expectant moms, while a newspaper investigation is raising issues with common newborn screenings and their inconsistency and inaccuracy. Meantime, a health news site is adding to questions about….
Continue ReadingGenetic Testing
As cancer care advances, costs and concerns keep rising, too
Although doctors and hospitals report potentially sunnier news by the day about novel cancer treatments, it’s also worth keeping in mind that difficult obstacles like data misinterpretation still must be worked out to avoid endangering patients. The therapies themselves as well as cancer care overall can be crushing in their costs. And some experts also are….
Continue ReadingIn health care, long-lasting “facts” can be open to challenge
Facts line up in some challenging ways: Cranberry juice doesn’t work on urinary tract infections Despite longtime belief in its potency, cranberry juice doesn’t help women with urinary tract infections (UTIs), new research confirms. Experts administered cranberry capsules to 185 female nursing home patients for a year. The standardized doses were equal to drinking 20….
Continue Reading“Accurate” medical tests can still be mostly wrong
It sounds so simple that many Americans, especially with modern DIY technology, may want to try: To get healthier, why not go out and get every possible diagnostic test done? Especially if all it takes is a drop or two of blood: Wouldn’t this increase early detection of disease and make for quicker treatment and better….
Continue ReadingTantalizing tales don’t always deliver useful health information
Some recent health headlines have made stories sound so enticing they’re hard to resist: Are there genetic superheroes walking among us who can provide invaluable clues to preventing deadly diseases? What’s the secret of a big, long lost research study and could it have changed contemporary views on the risks of dietary fat? Should many….
Continue ReadingIt may be time for deep-dive reading on medical science’s horizons — editing the human genome, understanding inflammation’s role in health
Scientific research can move with such speed that it can be tough to keep up with it, as steady advances pile on each other until progress once thought unheard of becomes commonplace. That’s why it can be enlightening to find timely, long-form reporting for savvy but not necessarily technical audiences on topics like human gene….
Continue ReadingFDA Says Cancer Detection Kit Is More Harmful than Helpful
The DIY movement is all the rage these days, but when it comes to one company’s cancer detection kit, you’re better off not doing it yourself. As reported last month by Bloomberg News, the FDA deemed Pathway Genomics Corp.’s cancer detection kit marketed to healthy people to be high-risk. It said the kit could harm….
Continue ReadingGenetic Testing for Cancer Can Help … and Confuse
The more we know about genetics, the better we get at diagnosing and treating disease. At least that’s the way it’s supposed to work. But the line from someone’s genetic profile to a personalized cancer treatment is hardly straight. Genomic tests look for thousands of gene mutations that might cause or promote cancer growth, but….
Continue ReadingMore Muscle for Medical Sleuths
This summer, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) began a campaign to define, explain and find support for disorders whose origins and treatments are unknown. The Undiagnosed Disease Network is composed of six medical centers around the country focused on the most difficult-to-solve medical cases. They will conduct clinical evaluation and scientific investigation in cases….
Continue ReadingAdventures in Genetic Testing
Last month we reported that the FDA had clamped down on 23andMe, a consumer genetic testing service whose results might be less than accurate. 23andMe isn’t the only such service hoping to make money off your DNA, and it’s human nature to want to know what you’re made of. Kira Peikoff wanted to know, and….
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