‘POGOH,’ new Bike Share Pittsburgh system, features e-bikes
Pittsburgh hills can be challenging on a bicycle, and Bike Share Pittsburgh is helping ease the stress of riding up the Burgh’s steepest inclines. On Friday, it launched “POGOH,” a replacement for the city’s Healthy Ride bike share system, which began rolling in 2015. POGOH includes a collection of new...
Rare cases of covid returning pose questions for Pfizer pill
WASHINGTON — As more doctors prescribe Pfizer’s powerful covid-19 pill, new questions are emerging about its performance, including why a small number of patients appear to relapse after taking the drug. Paxlovid has become the go-to option against covid-19 because of its at-home convenience and impressive results in heading off...
CDC probing 109 liver illnesses in kids, including 5 deaths
NEW YORK — U.S. health officials are looking into more than 100 possible cases of a mysterious and severe liver disease in children, including five deaths. About two dozen states reported suspected cases after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out a call for doctors to be on...
Women of Alle-Kiski Engaging to hold session on finding work-life balance
As she wrote prescriptions for her patients, Dr. Danielle Godinez decided to pen a new script for her well-being, figuratively. She was living the hectic life of an ambulatory medicine physician: seeing patients every 15 minutes, filling out mounds of paperwork and logging long hours. Godinez walked out of that...
FDA limits use of Johnson & Johnson covid vaccine over blood clot risks, agency says
The use of Johnson and Johnson’s covid-19 vaccine, also known as Janssen, has been limited to “certain individuals” over rare blood clot risks, the Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday. It’s now limited to those 18 and older “for whom other authorized or approved covid-19 vaccines are not accessible or...
Pa. health department transitions to weekly covid updates
The Pennsylvania Department of Health on Wednesday began providing covid-19 updates on a weekly basis rather than daily. Numbers of new covid cases, hospitalizations and deaths still are being provided on the department’s online dashboard, but it now will update once a week. “The covid-19 pandemic is not over, and...
U.S. pediatricians’ group moves to abandon race-based guidance
For years, pediatricians have followed flawed guidelines linking race to risks for urinary infections and newborn jaundice. In a new policy announced Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics said it is putting all its guidance under the microscope to eliminate “race-based” medicine and resulting health disparities. A re-examination of AAP...
1st case of human bird flu infection confirmed in Colorado
A Colorado prison inmate has tested positive for bird flu in the first recent confirmed case of a human infected with the disease that has resulted in the deaths of millions of chickens and turkeys, but federal officials say they still see little threat to the general public. The U.S....
‘Our little miracle’: Pitcairn couple celebrates 1st Mother’s Day after long wait
The image captures vials, needles and medicine bottles in the shape of a heart surrounding a photo of a baby’s sonogram and a onesie. It’s a photo that shows the depth of her parents’ love for baby Everly Journey. Her mom and dad waited more than a decade to hear...
Climate change may increase risk of new infectious diseases
Climate change will result in thousands of new viruses spread among animal species by 2070 — and that’s likely to increase the risk of emerging infectious diseases jumping from animals to humans, according to a new study. This is especially true for Africa and Asia, continents that have been hotspots...
FDA to issue plan banning menthol in cigarettes, cigarsVideo
WASHINGTON — The U.S. government on Thursday released its long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, citing the toll on Black smokers and young people. “The proposed rules would help prevent children from becoming the next generation of smokers and help adult smokers quit,” said Health and Human...
‘I just need a space to cry.’ How hospitals have set up places where nurses can recharge
MIAMI — Caring for very sick children daily can be emotionally taxing, even for professionals with years of experience. As front-line workers who also support grieving parents, nurses often cope with chronic stress. To help support their nurses, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital recently created two serenity spaces in the oncology and...
Daily aspirin to prevent heart disease, stroke no longer recommended for people 60 and older
This might be a tough pill to swallow. People aged 60 and older are no longer recommended to take aspirin medication as a way of avoiding heart disease because of the potential health risks, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced Tuesday. The new stance by the leading task force...
Survey: 93% of Pittsburgh hospital workers are thinking about leaving profession
The pandemic has been extremely hard on health care workers, with hospitals facing record high patient numbers during the past two years. Many workers have reported burnout, long hours, and feeling hopeless. A new survey from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh confirms those reports. So much so that among...
Overcoming the odds: Born premature, baby at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in need of a liver
His eyes light up when you say his name. He smiles when he’s being held, when visitors talk to him, and definitely when his family members kiss his forehead. Chance William Kacin Halloran is 15.2 pounds of one happy infant — despite his challenging arrival into this world. “There were...
Plan to ban menthol cigarettes prompts last-minute lobbying blitz
As federal officials finalize a long-awaited plan to ban menthol cigarettes, dozens of interest groups have met with White House staffers to try to influence the process, which has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives while wiping out billions in tobacco sales. Biden administration officials have heard...
During Pittsburgh seminar, FDA chief lays misinformation battle on doorsteps of universities, health systems
The head of the Food and Drug Administration called on academic and health systems such as the University of Pittsburgh to take a stance in the battle against misinformation, calling it the “problem of our time.” The call for action from Dr. Robert Califf, FDA commissioner, came during a virtual...
Rates for measles, other vaccinations dip for kindergartners
A smaller portion of U.S. children got routine vaccinations required for kindergarten during the pandemic, government researchers said Thursday, raising concerns that measles and other preventable diseases could increase. Rates were close to 94% for measles, whooping cough and chickenpox vaccinations for the 2020-21 school year. That was down 1%...
UPMC disputes report challenging its community benefits
Health care giant UPMC is disputing a report from a health care think tank that gives it low marks on what it spends on charity care and community investment compared to the tax exemptions it receives. The report from the Massachusetts-based Lown Institute says Pittsburgh-based UPMC is the 5th worst...
Expert on masks and flying: ‘It is not one size fits all’
On Monday, the mandate for passengers to wear masks on airplanes, in airports and on public transportation was lifted after a federal judge in Florida struck down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s authority. The ruling has been met with celebration from some — as many passengers on planes...
Puzzling outbreak of liver disease in kids spreads to EU, U.S.
LONDON — Health officials say they have detected more cases of a mysterious liver disease in children that was first identified in Britain, with new infections spreading to Europe and the U.S. Last week, British officials reported 74 cases of hepatitis, or liver inflammation, found in children since January. The...
Moderna announces step toward updating covid shots for fall
Moderna hopes to offer updated covid-19 boosters in the fall that combine its original vaccine with protection against the omicron variant. On Tuesday, it reported a preliminary hint that such an approach might work. Today’s covid-19 vaccines all are based on the original version of the coronavirus. But the virus...
Abortion training under threat for med students, residents
Browse any medical dictionary, and before hitting appendectomy and anesthesia, you’ll find abortion. The first two procedures are part of standard physician education. But for many U.S. medical school students and residents who want to learn about abortions, options are scarce. And new restrictions are piling up: Within the past...
How the test-to-treat pillar of the U.S. covid strategy is failing patients
The federal “test-to-treat” program, announced in March, is meant to reduce covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths by quickly getting antiviral pills to people who test positive. But even as cases rise again, many Americans don’t have access to the program. Pfizer’s Paxlovid and Merck’s Lagevrio are both designed to be started...
‘Magic mushrooms’ for therapy? Veterans help sway conservatives
SALT LAKE CITY — Matthew Butler spent 27 years in the Army, but it took a day in jail to convince him his post-traumatic stress disorder was out of control. The recently retired Green Beret had tried antidepressants, therapy and a support dog. But his arrest for punching a hole...
