“Explore legal barriers to accessing self-managed abortion in 35 countries and select U.S. states with this new online tool. Medications like misoprostol and mifepristone offer people a safe, private, and effective way to self-manage their abortion outside a clinical setting during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. And recently, the World Health Organization recognized self-managed… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: Medicine
Toxic chemicals found in food packaging; FDA under pressure to take action
Chicago Tribune: “Evidence is mounting that food packaging and plastic tableware contain toxic chemicals absorbed by humans, a public health risk largely ignored by federal officials charged with protecting the nation’s food supply. During the past week alone, a new study detailed how more than 3,600 chemicals in food-related materials have been detected in people… Continue Reading
Americans can order free COVID-19 tests beginning this month
AP: “Starting this month, Americans will be able to order free COVID-19 test kits that will be mailed to their homes. U.S. households will be able to order as many as four nasal swab tests at COVIDTests.gov when the federal program reopens. The U.S. Health and Human Services agency overseeing the program has not yet… Continue Reading
Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain
Amato-Lourenço LF, Dantas KC, Júnior GR, et al. Microplastics in the Olfactory Bulb of the Human Brain. JAMA Netw Open [full text]. 2024;7(9):e2440018. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.40018. The ubiquity of microplastic (MP) pollution has become a pervasive environmental concern, raising questions about its occurrence within the human body and its harmful effects. While MPs have been detected in… Continue Reading
Your tax dollars are funding a $64 billion scam
Raw Story: “…Medicare Advantage is not Medicare. These plans are private health insurance provided by private corporations, who are then fully reimbursed by the Medicare trust fund regardless of how much their customers use their insurance. Thus, the more they can screw their customers and us taxpayers by withholding healthcare, the more money they make.… Continue Reading
FDA Authorizes Updated Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine
FDA: [August 30, 2024] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for an updated version of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine that more closely targets currently circulating variants to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. The updated vaccine is authorized for use in individuals 12 years… Continue Reading
Up to 50% of Americans Expected to Be Infected in Current COVID-19 Wave
Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative: “U.S. Faces Unprecedented COVID-19 Surge with 1.2 Million New Cases Daily As of August 26, 2024, the U.S. is grappling with an alarming surge in COVID-19 infections, with a record-breaking 1.2 million new cases reported each day. 1 in 41 people is currently infected.” Continue Reading
U.S. will again offer free at-home Covid tests starting in late September
CNBC: “The Biden administration on Friday said it will resume offering free at-home Covid-19 tests to American households in late September as the virus has gained a stronger foothold in the U.S. this summer. Americans will soon be able to use COVIDtests.gov to request four free tests, administration officials told reporters during a briefing. The… Continue Reading
Medscape has launched a free AI medical scribe for US physicians
Medscape – “Medscape has launched a free AI medical scribe for US physicians, the latest entry in a developing space of artificial intelligence tools to help with clinical tasks. Known as Medscape Scribe, the new tool — available to all US doctors when logged in to their Medscape account — transcribes conversations during patient visits… Continue Reading
America’s Mental Barrier How Insurers Interfere With Mental Health Care
ProPublica: “They studied, honed their skills and opened practices, joining health insurance networks that put them within reach of people who couldn’t afford to pay for sessions out of pocket. So did more than 500 other psychologists, psychiatrists and therapists who shared their experiences with ProPublica. But one after another, they confronted a system set… Continue Reading
Votebeat has a new look and a public health sister site
“Votebeat is a nonprofit news organization committed to reporting the nuanced truth about elections and voting at a time of crisis in America. Our mission is to help people understand our system of democracy so they can participate in strengthening it. Our approach is to cover and explain the mechanics of voting — no political… Continue Reading
New Axios/Ipsos American Health Index
“As a summer COVID surge continues, the latest Axios/Ipsos American Health Index finds that concern about COVID is ticking up, even as mask use hasn’t changed. However, concern about COVID remains relatively low and in line with other respiratory illnesses, like the flu. When it comes to the top public health worries for the country,… Continue Reading
