Author: healthadmin

Healthcare and life sciences companies face tremendous pressure to remain profitable amid turbulent regulatory, pricing and policy dynamics in the U.S., and the challenges are now “getting more acute with every quarter,” according to the first industry distress study conducted by consulting firm AlixPartners. In an industry poll of 200 U.S.-based healthcare and life sciences businesses, investors and advisors, respondents rated regulatory and policy uncertainty as the biggest challenge for companies across all sectors. Many of these companies, investors and advisors believe it is possible to grow beyond current hurdles, but the idea “could be costly,” the report said. Overall,…

Despite sharing some early symptoms, Alzheimer’s disease and late-life depression cause markedly different patterns of brain atrophy and chemical destruction. According to a new study published in the *Journal of Affective Disorders*, these findings could ultimately help doctors distinguish between the two conditions sooner. Both Alzheimer’s disease and depression in older adults are very common and have puzzled clinicians for years because they tend to be similar in their early stages. Both can cause memory loss, low mood, and decreased motivation, making it difficult for doctors to distinguish between them and diagnose them accurately. Furthermore, depression in later life is…

Get the health information and medications you need every weekday with STAT’s free newsletter Morning Rounds. Sign up here. good morning. Do you know Emily Dickinson’s poem? “For I could not stop for death – / He was kind enough to stop for me – / The carriage sustained only us – / And immortality.” I would love to hear it perused by longevity enthusiasts. In the meantime, scroll down for Sarah Todd’s excellent article on the movement’s latest life-threatening efforts. President Trump says latest medical exam was ‘perfect’ President Trump underwent another medical exam yesterday, which the White House…

Drinking guava juice regularly may be an easy and affordable way to reduce the risk of anemia in women and teenage girls in low- and middle-income countries, according to a new review published in an open access journal. BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health. Researchers found that combining guava juice with iron supplements appeared to improve hemoglobin levels more effectively than taking iron supplements alone. The results of this study suggest that tropical fruit juices may be a useful addition to nutritional programs aimed at preventing iron-deficiency anemia in areas where iron-deficiency anemia is prevalent. Iron deficiency anemia is particularly common…

Italy’s antitrust agency, the Italian Competition Authority (AGCM), is investigating Biogen and its Italian subsidiary over allegations that the company abused its market position in testing the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri (natalizumab). Biogen’s action “appears to be aimed at eliminating competitor Sandoz,” which sells a cheaper biosimilar of Tysabri known as Tilco, AGCM said in a release. Biogen’s original drug will go off patent in 2024, and Sandoz is selling its version for about 20% less than Biogen’s drug, according to the release. The problem is that this drug can cause serious and rare side effects that affect the central…

The most troubling aspect of pesticide contamination isn’t necessarily the sudden sighting of dead fish floating on the surface of the water. A new study led by University of Notre Dame biologist Jason Lohr suggests that long-term exposure to low levels of chlorpyrifos can accelerate cellular aging in lake skygazer fish, shortening their lifespans without the obvious dramatic changes of immediate toxic shock. What if the danger isn’t a runoff, but instead appears to be a slow trickle into fresh water? In this case, researchers found that fish caught in contaminated water had shorter telomeres and increased lipofuscin. These are…

On the giant exoplanet WASP-94A b, clouds of rocky minerals gather in the sky every morning. In the evening, the clouds disappear. Using observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers discovered this dramatic daily weather cycle on a distant world located in the constellation Microscope, nearly 700 light-years from Earth. The discovery marks one of the first times scientists have directly observed cloud circulation on a hot Jupiter exoplanet. The discovery gives researchers a clearer picture of the planet’s atmosphere, giving them a better understanding of what the world is made of and how its weather changes. The…

key points A new law in Illinois requires stricter monitoring of PFAS in wastewater discharges. Congress is also considering rules that would make chemical manufacturers responsible for the cost of cleaning up PFAS in wastewater treatment plants. The decision came days after the federal Environmental Protection Agency proposed reinstating limits for certain PFAS compounds in drinking water. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois lawmakers last week passed new legislation establishing stricter requirements for monitoring per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (better known as PFAS “permanent chemicals”) in wastewater discharges from major facilities in the state. The decisive 64-34 House vote came days after the…

Recent research published in psychiatric services suggests that the United States faces a severe and critical shortage of physicians specializing in adult mental health care. This study provides evidence that the demand for these medical professionals will increase rapidly over the next decade, while the available supply will decrease. This decline in the workforce is expected to make it increasingly difficult for adult patients to access mental health care, especially in rural areas. The demand for mental health treatment in the United States is steadily increasing as the public becomes more aware and more people seek help. At the same…

Three U.S. senators called for an overhaul of the policy. Regarding the use of tear gas and pepper spray by federal agents, he cited a ProPublica investigation that found at least 79 children were left screaming, coughing or hurt by these chemicals during President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Lawmakers said the findings show further regulations are needed to prevent bystanders, including children, from being injured by chemical weapons. Such weapons are designed to fight insurgents and soldiers, and their compounds are especially toxic to children, who breathe faster than adults for their weight. “This report makes clear the need for…