Mpox, formerly monkeypox, declared a global health emergency by World Health Organization
Mpox, which is a viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, has been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization. The WHO said on Aug. 14 the emergency was declared due to the “ongoing upsurge” of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in a...
FDA approves updated covid-19 vaccines; shots should be available in days
U.S. regulators approved updated covid-19 vaccines Thursday, shots designed to more closely target recent virus strains — and hopefully whatever variants cause trouble this winter, too. With the Food and Drug Administration’s clearance, Pfizer and Moderna are set to begin shipping millions of doses. A third U.S. manufacturer, Novavax, expects...
U.S. government report says fluoride at twice the recommended limit is linked to lower IQ in kids
NEW YORK — A U.S. government report expected to stir debate concluded that fluoride in drinking water at twice the recommended limit is linked with lower IQ in children. The report, based on an analysis of previously published research, marks the first time a federal agency has determined — “with...
Got cold symptoms? Here’s when kids should take a sick day from school
PHOENIX — As schools reopen for another year, they are focused on improving student attendance. But back-to-school is hitting just as covid-19 cases are increasing, raising the question: When is a child too sick for school? School absences surged during the pandemic and have yet to recover. Nearly 1 in...
Inpatient rehabilitation center to close at Latrobe Hospital
An inpatient rehabilitation unit at Latrobe Hospital is set to close, prompting patients to look for other health care options in the area. The EPIC (Excela Physical Improvement Center) unit is set to close on Tuesday, according to a person who answered the phone at the center on Monday. But...
Pap smear alternative on the way for women
Women will have an alternative Pap smear option starting this fall, the New York Times reported. The new option is a swab to screen for cervical cancer, rather than the speculum, which has been the norm during Pap smear examinations. The Times said a Pap smear requires a patient’s legs...
Sweden reports 1st case of more infectious form of mpox first identified in Congo
LONDON — Swedish health officials said Thursday they have identified the first case of a person with the more infectious form of mpox first seen in eastern Congo, a day after the World Health Organization declared the outbreaks there and elsewhere in Africa to be a global emergency. The Swedish...
White House says prescription drug deals will produce billions in savings for taxpayers, seniors
WASHINGTON — Taxpayers are expected to save billions after the Biden administration inked deals with pharmaceutical companies to knock down the lists prices for 10 of Medicare’s costliest drugs. But how much older Americans can expect to save when they fill a prescription at their local pharmacy remains unclear, since...
WHO declares mpox outbreaks in Africa a global health emergency as a new form of the virus spreads
LONDON — The World Health Organization declared the mpox outbreaks in Congo and elsewhere in Africa a global emergency on Wednesday, with cases confirmed among children and adults in more than a dozen countries and a new form of the virus spreading. Few vaccine doses are available on the continent....
Biden announcing $150 million in research grants as part of his ‘moonshot’ push to fight cancerVideo
NEW ORLEANS — President Joe Biden is zeroing in on the policy goals closest to his heart now that he’s no longer seeking a second term, visiting New Orleans on Tuesday to promote his administration’s “moonshot” initiative aiming at dramatically reducing cancer deaths. The president and first lady Jill Biden...
Dozens of pregnant women, some bleeding or in labor, are turned away from ERs despite federal law
WASHINGTON — Bleeding and in pain, Kyleigh Thurman didn’t know her doomed pregnancy could kill her. Emergency room doctors at Ascension Seton Williamson in Texas handed her a pamphlet on miscarriage and told her to “let nature take its course” before discharging her without treatment for her ectopic pregnancy. When...
Needle-free EpiPen alternative approved by FDA
A needle-free nasal spray has been approved for serious allergic reactions to food, medications and insect stings — an alternative to the well-known EpiPen, the Washington Post reported. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the alternative 2-milligram spray, which is called Neffy, on Friday, and it’s the first needle-free...
FDA won’t approve psychedelic MDMA for PTSD, calling for additional study
WASHINGTON — Federal health regulators on Friday declined to approve the psychedelic drug MDMA as a therapy for PTSD, a major setback for groups seeking a breakthrough decision in favor of using mind-altering substances to treat serious mental health conditions. Drugmaker Lykos Therapeutics said the FDA notified the company that...
Covid-19 falls to No. 10 cause of death in U.S.
U.S. death rates fell last year for all age groups compared with 2022, federal health officials said Thursday. Here’s what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data showed: — Covid-19 fell to the 10th leading cause of death. Early in the pandemic, the coronavirus was the nation’s third leading...
The Wellness Collective has innovative approach to connect patients with therapists
Shanon Williams was joking with her husband and business partner Chris about how “speed dating” to connect with therapists and wellness practitioners would be interesting. The founders of The Wellness Collective made the hypothetical a reality with Mental Wellness Speed Dating. In a time when mental health is at the...
Infusion drugs to battle Alzheimer’s disease give hope to Western Pa. patients
At age 57, Christine Lieb of Scottdale has hope that the new treatments she is undergoing for early onset Alzheimer’s disease will give her more time to enjoy her life. “I feel 100% better when I’m done. I feel it when it is time to have another one,” Lieb said....
Multistate listeria outbreak leads to Boar’s Head recalls
The multistate listeria outbreak linked to deli meat has led to recalls of numerous Boar’s Head products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pennsylvania is one of the now 13 states affected by the outbreak, the CDC said. As of Thursday, there have been three deaths and...
U.S. abortion numbers have risen slightly since Roe was overturned, study finds
The number of women getting abortions in the U.S. actually went up in the first three months of 2024 compared with before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, a report released Wednesday found, reflecting the lengths that Democratic-controlled states went to expand access. A major reason for the increase...
Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?
NEW YORK — Microplastics have been found in the ocean and the air, in our food and water. They have been found in a wide range of body tissues, including the heart, liver, kidneys and even testicles. But are they actually harming you? Evidence suggests they might, but it’s limited...
TikTok agrees to withdraw rewards feature after EU raised concerns about potential online addiction
FRANKFURT, Germany — TikTok has agreed to withdraw a rewards feature that raised concerns about its potential to encourage excessive screen time, particularly among children, the European Union’s executive commission said Monday. It was the first resolution of an investigation under the 27-country EU’s sweeping Digital Services Act, which went...
New blood testing advancements can assist with Alzheimer’s, cancer detections
Advances in blood tests aimed at screening for ailments like Alzheimer’s disease and colon cancer can mean faster diagnosis and treatment for patients, said two Allegheny Health Network doctors. Problems can be found earlier in a way that’s easier on the patient than more invasive cancer screenings, such as a...
West Nile virus found in Westmoreland mosquitoes
West Nile virus has been detected in Westmoreland County for the first time this year. Mosquitoes tested positive for the disease after being captured in Latrobe and at the border of Greensburg and Hempfield, according to Chrissy Edwards-McCune, who conducts the county’s West Nile virus monitoring program for the Westmoreland...
North Huntingdon man among thousands waiting for kidney transplant as Pa. marks Donor Day
Tom Farino of North Huntingdon is eight months into what could be a seven-year wait for a kidney transplant. A transplant would give Farino, 72, a new lease on life. “They’re trying to find a living donor before I need dialysis,” Farino said. Farino said his doctor at Allegheny General...
Owner of skilled nursing facilities in Lower Burrell, Greensburg files for bankruptcy
Guardian Elder Care, the parent company of skilled nursing facilities including Belair in Lower Burrell and Oak Hill in Greensburg, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Johnstown-based health care company filed the petition for relief this week. Nineteen facilities — including locations in Lower Burrell, Greensburg, Bethel Park and...
Mpox cases have surged by 160% in Africa so far this year, but few treatments and vaccines available
BANGUI, Central African Republic — African health officials said mpox cases have spiked by 160% so far this year, warning the risk of further spread is high given the lack of effective treatments or vaccines on the continent. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report...
