Marijuana use among U.S. adults doubled over a decade, rising to almost 10 percent or more than 22 million mostly recreational users, government surveys show. Almost 1 in 3 users had signs of marijuana dependence or abuse, which – surprisingly – is a slight decline from a decade ago. The […]
Health Alert for Women: New research changes advice on mammograms
New mammogram advice from the American Cancer Society says most women should start annual screenings at age 45 instead of 40, a change that moves the group closer to guidelines from an influential advisory task force. The cancer group also now advises switching to screening to every other year at […]
Obamacare failing to meet goals
The Obama administration admitted Thursday it expects to fall short of enrollment goals next year, and indicated that their registration gains may be losing steam. With the 2016 sign-up season two weeks away, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell set a new target of 10 million people enrolled […]
Alert! Deadly salmonella risk discovered in bagged spinach
A warning to consumers – a potential source for a salmonella outbreak has been discovered. According to the Associated Press, Dole Fresh Vegetables says it’s recalling some of its bagged spinach distributed in 13 states as a precaution after a random sample tested positive for salmonella. The Monterey, California-based company […]
Ideas to stem alcoholism include “Abstinence Day”
How do you curb the alcoholism crisis in Russia? Some Russian officials are daring to think the seemingly unthinkable in the land of vodka — banning the sale of alcohol once a week in the country’s two main cities. Although the initiative is only in its infancy, both the head […]
800 lbs and kicked out of hospital for eating pizza, “monster” vows to get fit
A Rhode Island man who weighs nearly 800 pounds says he’s determined to slim down and he dreams of becoming an actor one day. First, though, he has to kick his pizza habit. Steven Assanti, of Cranston, refers to himself now as a monster. He wants to eventually inspire others […]
New type of science coming to heart health
Now you see it, now you don’t. A new type of heart stent that works like dissolving stitches, slowly going away after it has done its job, passed its first major test in a large study, doctors said Monday. Abbott Vascular’s dissolving Absorb stent performed as well as a conventional […]
California law makes vaccines mandatory
Opponents of an effort to repeal California’s new stricter law requiring mandatory vaccines for school children failed to submit enough signatures to qualify for a ballot initiative asking voters to repeal the law, according to some reports. County election clerks reported receiving fewer than 234,000 of the 366,000 signatures needed to […]
SCANDAL – Nurse at pharmaceutical company busted reusing dirty syringes
A New Jersey nurse administering flu shots to dozens of employees of a pharmaceutical company reused syringes, the state Department of Health said Wednesday. State and local health officials, as well as the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are recommending testing for hepatitis B and C and HIV, […]
New heart valve risks for thousands of patients revealed
Here’s something everyone should know: According to new reports, doctors have discovered a potential problem involving implanted heart valves that hundreds of thousands of people have received. They don’t always open and close properly, possibly because a blood clot has formed that could raise the risk of stroke. Although the […]