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1586 Results for search "Safety &, Public Health".

Health News Results - 1586

It's well known that some viruses make the leap from animals to humans, but a new study shows the influenza strain responsible for the 2009 H1N1 pandemic has been particularly prolific in hopping between species.

That strain, called pdm09, has passed from humans to swine about 370 times since the pandemic, researchers report. Further, subsequent circulation in swine prompted the evolution...

The United States has more than 10 times the number of mass shootings than other developed countries, but the factors that account for these events are elusive.

Now, new research suggests that stems from policy, environmental and socio-cultural factors.

"I'm constantly asked, 'What is public health doing about the rise in mass shootings?" said researcher

  • Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • July 27, 2023
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  • Men's use of personal care products has almost doubled since 2004, exposing them to some potentially harmful chemicals, a new study commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) finds.

    Overall, the average American adult uses 12 personal care products a day that contain as many as 112 chemical ingredients. That's a change from the previous average of nine products with 126 unique...

    Women are more likely to develop endometriosis if they have elevated levels of cadmium in their system, a new study reports.

    Twice as many women with slightly or moderately elevated levels of the toxic element wound up with endometriosis compared to women with the lowest levels, researchers say.

    “Although endometriosis is estimated to affect 1 in 10 women, the reason why this cond...

    It's hot out there. If you're working out outdoors this summer, take precautions.

    “If you plan to exercise in the heat, know your fitness level, take frequent breaks, wear proper clothing, wear sunscreen, avoid hottest times of the day and hydrate, hydrate, hydrate,” said Melanie...

    Using skin lightening products can be dangerous without a doctor's supervision because they may contain harmful ingredients.

    Still, nearly a quarter of people in a recent survey said they used the products not for a medical issue, but for overall skin lightening. It's an issue that relates back to colorism, the system of inequality that considers lighter skin more beautiful, researchers s...

    As extreme heat continues to blanket numerous parts of the United States, Americans with dementia may be particularly challenged.

    “Triple-digit temperatures and heat indexes are especially dangerous for someone with a dementia-related illness such as Alzheimer's disease, because the effects of dementia can impair their ability to notice if they are developing heat stroke or dehydra...

    The artificial sweetener aspartame is in the hot seat once more.

    Two separate committees made up of health experts from around the world will soon offer advice on consuming aspartame, a popular sugar substitute that is added to sodas, cough drops, desserts and gum.

    The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • June 30, 2023
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  • More than 7,500 people were killed last year after being struck by vehicles while walking along or across U.S. roadways — the most pedestrian deaths in more than four decades, according to a new report.

    This sobering trend was not surprising to experts who track the numbers. But they were dismayed by the consistent increase — up 77% since 2010.

    “This is unacceptable. It's real...

    The maker of three popular drugs that treat weight loss and diabetes said Tuesday that it has begun legal proceedings against businesses that are selling compounded versions of its products that are not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    In a sta...

    Using gas stoves can increase indoor air levels of benzene, a chemical linked to higher risk of leukemia and other blood cell cancers, a new study reports.

    Analysis of dozens of stoves revealed that a single gas cooktop burner on high or a gas oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit can raise indoor levels of benzene above those typically released by secondhand tobacco smoke, the researchers r...

    Pfizer Inc. warned doctors this week of an impending shortage of Bicillin, its long-acting, injectable form of penicillin.

    The medication is not commonly used for children because alternatives such as amoxicillin are preferred over the Bicillin shot, the company explained in a stat...

    Extreme heat can be dangerous, but you can stay cool and safe this summer if you take the right precautions.

    The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) offers some tips for doing so.

    “No matter your age, it is critical to be able to recognize the signs of heat-related illness,” said

    U.S. health officials are urgently trying to reach people who've recently had medical procedures at clinics in Matamoros, Mexico, because they may be at risk of potentially fatal fungal meningitis.

    Those at risk had procedures done under epidural anesthesia between Jan. 1 and May 13 at River Side Surgical Center and Clinica K-3 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, the U.S. Centers for Disease Contr...

    Consider yourself a lifesaver if you opt for an electric vehicle next time you buy or lease a new car.

    Electric cars can save millions of lives and reduce health care costs by improving air quality so people can breathe better and freer, according to a new report by the American Lung Association. Zero-emission electric vehicles don't emit exhaust gas or other pollutants into the atmospher...

    Wildfires that have been spreading throughout Canada in recent weeks are now spewing tons of smoke southward into the United States.

    The smoke was so thick on Tuesday that New York City's skyline could not be seen clearly and air quality alerts were issued to residents from parts of the N...

    Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT someday may make a big difference for people seeking answers to questions such as "How can I stop smoking?" They may even offer resources to someone who was sexually assaulted.

    But they're not quite there yet, a new study reveals.

    Researchers wanted to see how well ChatGPT performed for people seeking information and resources ...

    With the United States facing a high number of drug shortages, a Chinese company may help to boost the supply of one in particular, the chemotherapy agent cisplatin.

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is working with the Chinese drugmaker Qilu Pharmaceutical to import the widely used cancer drug. The Canadian pharmaceutical company Apotex will distribute the medication in 50-milli...

    It's tempting to treat little skin bumps on your own, but that delays proper diagnosis and treatment that may work better, federal regulators cautioned.

    Among the many types of skin conditions a person can contract are a virus called molluscum, which look like white, pink or flesh-colored bumps.

    Products marketed as treatments for molluscum have not been approved by the U.S. Food an...

    Patients taking semaglutide for type 2 diabetes or weight loss should be careful about where they're getting the medication, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Tuesday.

    Shortages of the drug, ...

    Providing sick leave to restaurant workers could help prevent the spread of foodborne illness because ill workers are key drivers of outbreaks at restaurants, a new government report shows.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published data on Tuesday covering 800 outbreaks of foodborne illness at restaurants between 2017 and 2019.

    The cases were reported by 25 stat...

    Be cautious when heading to Florida's beaches this summer, an expert warned, as a 5,000-mile floating mass of sargassum seaweed has begun washing up on the state's shores.

    It can be low risk in some instances, but it also has the potential for triggering serious respiratory health issues.

    “The sargassum itself is not dangerous. It can have different jellyfish and sea creatures i...

    Emergency departments aren't perceived as safe for professionals or their patients, according to an international survey from the European Society of Emergency Medicine (EUSEM).

    More than 90% of emergency professionals surveyed said they felt at times the number of patients exceeded the capacity the emergency department (ED) had to provide safe care. Overcrowding was a problem, they said...

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved a second nasal spray for reversing an opioid overdose.

    To be sold as Opvee, the spray contains the medication nalmefene hydrochloride and will be available to Americans aged 12 and older with a prescription, the FDA said.

    "The agency continues to advance the FDA Overdose Prevention Framework and take actionable steps that enc...

    Cases of vision loss and deaths are mounting in an investigation into eye drops contaminated with a rare strain of a drug-resistant bacteria.

    In all, four people have died, with one new death now being reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Meanwhile, ...

    Most cases of mpox are spread from skin-to-skin contact, but it is possible to catch the virus by touching a contaminated surface in a house or a hospital room, according to a new study.

    Researchers studying this found temperature made a difference. The virus could survive at room temperature on a surface for up to 11 days. At 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit), it could survive f...

    Public health officials are urging people at risk of contracting mpox, the virus previously called monkeypox, to get vaccinated.

    They are concerned that a slowdown in infections since last summer may not continue.

    “There's a very real risk of there being a surge in mpox cases over the next few months. Most likely, it won't be anywhere near as big as it was last year, and that is ...

    Black and Hispanic communities in the United States are more often poor — and also more likely to have harmful levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in their drinking water, a new study reveals.

    Sources of PFAS pollution — including major manufacturers, airports, military bases, wastewater treatment plants and landfills — are disproportionately sited near watersheds t...

    Cases of mpox around the world have dropped dramatically, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday to declare an end to the global health emergency.

    The virus is no l...

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday finalized the elimination of certain restrictions that prevented healthy gay and bisexual men from donating blood.

    Instead of requiring men who have sex with men or the women who have sex with them to abstain for sexual contact for three months, the FDA has created an individual risk assessment for all donors.

    These questions are m...

    The first U.S. cases of drug-resistant ringworm infection have been reported in New York City.

    The cases of two women with highly contagious skin infections caused by Trichophyton indotineae are reported in the May 12 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's

  • Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 11, 2023
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  • People who use a Peloton exercise bike at home should check their model number immediately.

    A recall of 2 million bikes with the model number PL01 was issued Thursday. People should stop using them immediately because of fall and injury hazards, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said.

    The new recall follows reports of seat posts that break and detach from the bike during u...

    Artificial intelligence (AI) research and development should stop until its use and technology are properly regulated, an international group of doctors and public health experts said.

    Certain types of AI pose an “existential threat to humanity,” the experts wrote in the May 9 issue of the journal

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • May 10, 2023
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  • While the mpox outbreak has been waning since last summer, it hasn't disappeared yet.

    Howard Brown Health, a LGBTQ-focused health clinic in Chicago, recently reported seeing an increase in mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) cases, with eight diagnosed since April 17, compared to only one in the previous three months.

    Last week's case count was the highest in Chicago since early No...

    The U.S. federal government has committed $5 million to study three existing and planned safe drug injection sites to see if they help prevent overdoses and whether they may offer savings in the health and criminal justice systems.

    At these overdose prevention centers (OPCs), people can use heroin or other illegal drugs under supervision so they can potentially be revived if they overdose...

    Many common household products emit airborne toxins that can harm your health in ways up to and including cancer, a new study reports.

    Dozens of different types of consumer products contain toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs), chemicals that escape as gases and accumulate in indoor air, researchers from the Silent Spring Institute and the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkele...

    The Biden Administration announced on Monday that it will lift most federal COVID vaccine mandates next week, as the p...

    U.S. regulators are urging Americans to avoid Apetamin, an illegal drug used for weight gain and figure enhancement.

    The substance, typically sold as a syrup, is manufactured overseas, illegally imported and isn't approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

    It contains a potent antihistamine called cyproheptadine, which requires a physician's prescription in the United State...

    For the first time since the mpox outbreak began last spring, no new cases have been reported in more than a week, fresh government data shows.

    At the peak of the outbreak, there were 500 new infections reported daily, but by late last year that number was 16, CDC statistics show.

    While the...

    Health care facilities remain one of the last places left in the United States with COVID-era mask requirements still in effect.

    It's time for that to end, experts say.

    A prestigious collection of infection disease experts and epidemiologists say universal masking requirements in health care settings should be lifted, according to a commentary they published April 18 in the

    Tests done on a Chilean man infected with bird flu showed signs that the virus has partially adapted to spread between mammals. However, the public health risk still remains low, U.S. health officials say.

    “Those genetic changes have been seen previously with past H5N1 infections, and have not resulted in spread between people,”

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 17, 2023
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  • Juul Labs on Wednesday reached a $462 million settlement with several states over the aggressive marketing of its electronic cigarettes to minors.

    This latest settlement includes New York, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Mexico.

    Juul

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 13, 2023
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  • Whether the gender of a blood donor could affect the recipient's survival was an unanswered question in medicine. Until now.

    “Some observational studies had suggested female donor blood might be linked with a higher risk of death among recipients compared to male donor blood, but our clinical trial found that isn't the case,” co-lead author

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • April 13, 2023
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  • U.S. officials are intensifying efforts to crack down on illicit use of the veterinary tranquilizer xylazine, which can cause painful and deadly side effects in humans.

    The drug, when mixed with the opioid fentanyl, has been designated an “emerging threat,” the Office of National Drug Control Policy announced Wednesday.

    “As a physician, I am deeply troubled about the devastat...

    The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed limiting the use of a chemical used to clean medical equipment in sterilizing plants because it also raises cancer risks for workers.

    The agency plans to slash emissions of the odorless gas, called ethylene oxide, by about 80% at 86 medical sterilization facilities.

    “EPA's number one priority is protecting people's health and...

    Nearly 20% of the American population has had a family member killed by a gun, including by suicide, and 1 in 6 has witnessed a shooting, a new survey found.

    The survey -- by nonprofit KFF -- also found about 4% have shot a gun in self-defense and 4% have been injured by a gun.

    For Black adults, the numbers were even higher, attesting to greater gun violence in minority communities...

    Forcibly moving homeless people away from their encampments is a widespread practice in the United States. And it may be killing them.

    A new study found significant spikes in deaths, overdoses and hospitalizations with involuntary displacement of the homeless.

    These forced movements contribute to 15% to 25% of deaths in this population over 10 years, according to researchers.

    Two ongoing outbreaks of Marburg virus in Africa prompted U.S. health officials to issue an alert on Thursday for doctors to be on the lookout for any cases that might surface in the coming weeks.

    The virus causes a deadly hemorrhagic disease that is similar to Ebola. The U.S. Centers for Dise...

    The first season of "The Last of Us" may be over, but many folks have been left with an abiding fear of fungal infections.

    Some of that fear might be well-founded in real life: A cluster of the fungal infection blastomycosis was found in dogs and humans in Wisconsin in 2022, which led to serious health consequences, U.S. health officials report.

    Blastomycosis is caused by a fungus ...

    U.S. public health officials want high-risk individuals who haven't been vaccinated for mpox — previously called monkeypox — to do so before a potential resurgence of the virus in the coming months.

    That surge could be worse than last year, federal modeling has found, but only about 23% of those at high risk for the virus have received vaccines, according to a report released Thursda...