Author: healthadmin

Healthcare mergers and acquisitions continue as healthcare providers, medical technology companies, payers, and other industry players look to expand their businesses and gain a competitive edge. Here’s a round-up of new deals revealed, completed, rumored, and canceled during May. provider Sutter Health and Alina Health has taken another step toward its planned $26 billion intermarket merger with the signing of a definitive agreement. The deal, expected to close by the end of the year, will create Alina as a division of Sutter in exchange for more than $2 billion in market investments. If the deal closes, the organization will span…

Young children with autism tend to look at faces less than other children and focus on details in the background, but taking objects out of the environment changes the way they observe others. Removing toys from social settings increases the amount of time all children spend looking at people, which could inform better design of clinical and educational spaces. The findings were published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, behavior, and social skills. One common feature of this condition in early childhood is a decreased tendency to look into the…

A new psychological model provides evidence that the belief that Jews hold disproportionate social power fuels anti-Semitism across both ends of the political and ideological spectrum. The findings of this study indicate that tailored educational and social interventions may be needed to address prejudice, depending on a person’s underlying worldview. The study was published in the journal american psychologist. Antisemitism includes prejudice, discrimination, and hostility toward Jews. Researchers point out that this particular form of bias causes two contradictions in the social sciences. First, people generally tend to respect or respect individuals they consider powerful. But when bigots perceive Jews…

State lawmakers are again considering sweeping legislation that would ban toxic PFAS chemicals from products such as food packaging, cookware and firefighting foam.More than a dozen states have banned the use of PFAS chemicals in certain consumer products. But some industry groups are concerned that the expansive Massachusetts law could be costly for small businesses and difficult to enforce.PFAS molecules are sometimes referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not easily break down in the environment or in the body. Studies have linked them to health problems, including an increased risk of some cancers.“The evidence that these are harmful…

Australia’s top neurologists say they are being ignored by chemical regulators considering the future of a controversial herbicide linked to Parkinson’s disease.Dozens of the country’s top movement disorders experts say the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Agency (APVMA) was not involved during the review.There are growing concerns that “real world data” about the link between paraquat and Parkinson’s disease is being ignored.The regulator’s final decision on the herbicide is expected to be made in the middle of this year.Movement disorders expert Associate Professor Wesley Thevasasan said he and other experts had submitted their comments to the regulator during the public…

An analysis of 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data revealed that 2.8% of participating Americans ages 12 and older reported using psilocybin in the past year. Generalized to the entire U.S. population, this equates to approximately 8 million people. Young adults and men were more likely to have ever used psilocybin, whereas women and individuals over age 50 were less likely to have ever used psilocybin. The paper is American Journal of Psychiatry. Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain types of mushrooms, also known as “magic mushrooms.” After ingestion, the body converts…

Numerous studies have linked exposure to nature to a variety of health benefits, from improved cognitive function to lower blood pressure and improved mental health. Other studies have found a link between the human microbiome and time spent outdoors. However, what has been overlooked and understudied in this context is the collection of microorganisms found within the nose, or the nasal microbiome. Researchers at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science recently set out to fill that gap. In a study conducted at the museum in a cohort of 111 museum visitors, microbiologists identified characteristics and patterns in nasal microbes…

Among adults with both obesity and an autoimmune disease, those who take glucagon-like peptide receptor 1 agonist (GLP-1RA) drugs have lower rates of emergency department visits and are less likely to experience serious heart problems, including stroke, pulmonary embolism, and death, compared to similar adults who do not take these drugs, according to new research published today in the journal American. American Heart Association Journalan open-access peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association. This study was presented at the American Diabetes Association 2026 Scientific Sessions in New Orleans on Saturday, June 6, at 12:30 PM CT/1:30 PM CT (Abstract No.…

Experts have warned that current clinical guidelines do not reflect the under-recognized burden of disease, hospitalization and death. This is according to a major study published today. diabetes and was published in American Diabetes Association Academic Sessions Conference in New Orleans. One of the largest studies to date found that people with type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and prediabetes are at higher risk of infection than people without diabetes. These risks range from infections managed in primary care, infections requiring hospitalization, and infection-related deaths. Infectious diseases have been found to be the third most common underlying cause of death…

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) today launched a joint continental preparedness and response plan for the ongoing Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus. The plan aims to raise US$518 million to help African countries, together with partners, prepare for, rapidly detect and respond to outbreaks. The six-month plan, which runs from June to November 2026, will bring together governments, partners and communities under a unified ‘One Response’ approach to strengthen the response to the outbreak, including emergency coordination, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection prevention and control, clinical care,…