Editor’s note: The blog will shift in ’23 to more episodic publication. Just a reminder: 2023 will begin what could be consequential changes in aspects of older Americans, notably those age 65-plus and covered by Medicare. As part of law of the Inflation Reduction Act passed by Democrats in the Congress and pushed by the….
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Half of those hurt or killed in crashes used drugs or alcohol
As federal, state, and local officials seek to slash the nation’s spiking road toll of injury and death, law enforcement authorities need to crack down on the scary prevalence of motorists who get behind the wheel while intoxicated by marijuana or alcohol. Indeed, as NPR reported: “A large study by U.S. highway safety regulators found….
Continue ReadingWatchdog agency taking fire for big problems safeguarding food and drugs
In regular places, when alarms blare and it becomes clear that a big, important something is broken and threatens folks’ well-being, those with common sense race to make needed fixes. Washington, D.C., is different. And members of Congress, the White House, and top federal bureaucrats already may be dodging a desperately needed reckoning for the….
Continue ReadingBig investors aid struggling vaping pioneer in $1.7 billion settlement
While regular folks will count their pennies and fret about affording gifts for loved ones during an inflation-plagued holiday season, plutocrats have given the hoi polloi a rare glimpse of the major loot they see in the business of peddling health-wrecking e-cigarettes and vaping. The concerning disclosures are emerging as part of the financial struggles….
Continue ReadingAs STD epidemic rages, the sexually active scorn a familiar protection
In some not-so-great news for the nation’s sexual well-being, the rubber has hit the road for too many guys. The familiar and oft-ridiculed prophylactic could play a significant role in battling an epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) that has engulfed the nation, the Washington Post reported. But condom use has declined significantly, for example,….
Continue ReadingWalmart, with $3.1 billion plan, joins big pharmacies in settling opioid suits
Walmart has offered to pay $3.1 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits filed against the deep-pocketed retailing giant, accusing it of complicity through its nationwide pharmacy operations in the lethal opioid abuse and overdose crisis. The Bentonville, Ark., -based company insists it committed no wrong and the states, counties, cities, Indian tribes, and others who….
Continue ReadingA busy holidays reminder: It’s use-it-or-lose-it time with health savings accounts
Just how much do you love the company for which you work? Is it enough to want to fork over hundreds or even thousands of dollars that you could spend to benefit the health of you and your loved ones? Before the hectic holidays engulf us all, your personal finances can benefit if you check….
Continue ReadingNation’s biggest drug stores seek to settle opioid suits for $10 billion
While critics keep throwing up a false narrative about “ambulance chasing,” self-enriching lawyers, their labors and the civil legal system have proven yet again their effectiveness in wringing financial justice for those harmed by health care giants. The nation’s largest pharmacy chains have tentatively agreed to pay $10 billion in settlements for dispensing an avalanche of….
Continue ReadingFungi posing bigger health risks, as drugs’ potency wanes, experts warn
People around the planet must be more wary of the fungus among us, because the too often overlooked pathogens are becoming “increasingly widespread, resistant to treatment, and deadly.” That’s the view of the World Health Organization, as reported by the New York Times and other media organizations. WHO has sought to heighten awareness about an….
Continue ReadingSavvy consumers are getting flu and covid shots (hint, hint)
As many as 4 in 20 patients infected with the coronavirus report they have not fully recovered after months and 1 in 20 of those with the disease say they have not recovered at all. The viral illness, which has claimed more than 1 million lives and has infected more than 97 million of us,….
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