Author: healthadmin

A new study examining how scientists share knowledge on social media reveals that different digital platforms and scientific topics require distinct communication styles to reach a wide audience. The study found that snappy, objective videos performed best on TikTok, while detailed and slightly sarcastic explanations received more attention on YouTube. These findings were recently published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior. In our highly digitalized society, the way scientific knowledge reaches the public relies heavily on social media networks. Online platforms allow experts to speak directly to the public without having to filter their messages through traditional news media.…

Following high-profile moves by Eli Lilly and other major drug companies to pause investment in the UK last year, the Indianapolis-based drug giant is clarifying its wishes and sharing updates on negotiations there. Patrick Jonsson, Lilly’s head of international operations, told the Financial Times that the company is asking the country’s leaders to increase NHS drug prices and phase out a multibillion-pound rebate scheme in return for Lilly to continue investing in the UK. Lilly’s investment in the UK has stalled since last autumn. David Rix, chief executive of Eli Lilly, told the FT in September that the UK was…

O. Rose Broderick reports on health policy and technology governing the lives of people with disabilities. Before coming to STAT, she worked at WNYC’s Radiolab and Scientific American. Her article debunking false theories about transgender children was nominated for a 2024 GLAAD Media Award. You can access Rose On Signal at rosebroderick.11.Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made headlines in February when he suggested that schizophrenia could be “cured” by changing one’s diet. His comments sparked a wave of backlash from researchers, who called his comments “baseless.” Although current scientific consensus suggests that schizophrenia cannot be cured with diet,…

Inhaling common disinfectant chemicals known as quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) can be far more harmful than swallowing them, according to a mouse study by researchers at the University of California, Davis. This study found significant lung damage at blood QAC exposure levels similar to those measured in humans. The findings raise questions about whether airborne infections from disinfectant sprays and cleaning products can contribute to respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study was published in the journal Environment Science and Technology. The study’s surprising results were that inhaling these compounds caused 100 times…

Irregular bedtimes in midlife may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. A new study from the University of Oulu suggests that large variations in bedtime can double the risk of serious cardiac events, especially for people who sleep less than eight hours. Researchers found that irregular bedtimes and high variability in sleep timing were strongly associated with a higher risk of serious cardiovascular events, especially when sleeping for less than 8 hours. The risk for this group was about twice that of people with more regular sleep patterns. In contrast, irregular wake times showed no clear association with cardiac events.…

With Tivaso’s second Phase 3 victory in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), United Therapeutics is inflating its expansion lawsuit and adding more color to its plans to file with the FDA. After a series of “overwhelmingly positive” late-stage results, several analysts echo United’s optimism that Tivaso (treprostinil) has the potential to change the treatment landscape for the lung scarring disease, which is estimated to affect more than 100,000 people in the United States. In the late-stage TETON-1 trial, nebulized Tivaso outperformed a placebo in terms of change in forced vital capacity (FVC, a measure of the amount of air a patient…

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 18% of all women of childbearing age. This condition occurs when a woman’s body produces too much of a group of hormones called androgens, primarily testosterone. It can lead to irregular menstruation, obesity, and even infertility. The first line of treatment is usually hormonal birth control, said Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at UIC. But it can have negative side effects on mood, sex drive and metabolism, and may even increase the risk of stroke in some people, Varady said. We are looking for other ways to lower testosterone levels in…

Family physicians who reported burnout were nearly 1.5 times more likely to change their practice or stop practicing medicine altogether than their physician colleagues who did not report burnout, Weill Cornell Medicine researchers found in a study. Physician burnout includes emotional exhaustion, feeling isolated from patients and colleagues, and feeling that the job no longer has meaning. The findings, published March 30 in JAMA Internal Medicine, also highlight the implications for patients. People who lose their primary care physician are more likely to visit emergency departments, spend more on medical care, and be less satisfied with their care than those…

A longitudinal study of older adults in China found that those with depression were almost five times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease than those without depression. The risk of developing vascular dementia was 1.9 times higher. The paper is psychiatric research. Dementia is a general term that refers to a group of neurocognitive disorders characterized by declines in memory, thinking, and daily functioning. Although the risk of developing dementia clearly increases with age, it is not a normal part of aging. This is caused by underlying brain pathology, such as neurodegeneration, vascular damage, and abnormal protein accumulation. The most…

A new system that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to assess cardiovascular risk based on images of the eyes taken during eye exams demonstrated strong correlations with standard cardiovascular risk assessments, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions (ACC.26). Researchers said using AI to screen for heart disease risk during routine eye exams could make more people aware of their risk and encourage referrals for preventive treatment. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Primary care providers and cardiologists use risk calculators to estimate a patient’s risk for atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the…