Today: October 06, 2024
Today: October 06, 2024

Latest From The Los Angeles Post

Health

Maine governor expands access to abortion later in pregnancy

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law Wednesday that expands access to abortions later in pregnancy in Maine, joining a half-dozen states that leave it to doctors and patients to make the decision without restrictions on timing. The new law allows abortions at any time if deemed medically necessary by a doctor, making the law one of the nation’s least restrictive. The old law banned abortions after a fetus becomes viable outside the womb, at roughly 24 weeks, but allowed an exception if the patient’s life is at risk. Mills said during her reelection

Maine governor expands access to abortion later in pregnancy
Health

Global diabetes cases on pace to soar to 1.3 billion people in the next 3 decades, new study finds

Aging and obesity are likely to be the two primary drivers of the expected rise in diabetes. fotograzia/Moment via Getty Images The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. The big idea The number of people living with diabetes worldwide is on pace to more than double in the next three decades, for a total of 1.3 billion people by 2050. That is one of the key findings from our study on the global burden of diabetes recently published in The Lancet. We analyzed and synthesized all available epidemiological data on diabetes burden – defined as health

Global diabetes cases on pace to soar to 1.3 billion people in the next 3 decades, new study finds
Health

Opill, The New Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill. Is it Effective?

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first nonprescription daily birth control pill. The Food and Drug Administration’s July 13, 2023, approval of the first over-the-counter birth control pill, called Opill, broadens the options for people seeking to prevent pregnancy. When Opill becomes available, presumably in the first quarter of 2024, it will be sold in grocery and convenience stores, in pharmacies and through online retailers. The Conversation asked Sarah Lynch, a pharmaceutical expert from Binghamton University, State University of New York, to answer some of the key questions people have about the new over-the-counter contraceptive. 1. How does

Opill, The New Over-the-Counter Birth Control Pill. Is it Effective?
Health

Women denied abortions in Texas ask court for clarity over state's exceptions to ban

Women who sued Texas after saying they were denied abortions despite serious risks to their health are headed to court Wednesday as legal challenges to abortion bans across the U.S. continue a year after the fall of Roe v. Wade. The Texas case is believed to be the first brought by women who were denied abortions since the right to an abortion in the U.S. was overturned, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing them. The case before a Texas judge in Austin does not seek to reverse the state’s abortion ban, which

Women denied abortions in Texas ask court for clarity over state's exceptions to ban
Health

Border Patrol fails to assess medical needs for children with preexisting conditions, report says

Border Patrol does not have protocols for assessing medical needs of children with preexisting conditions, according to an independent report made public Tuesday on the death of an 8-year-old girl from Panama who was in federal custody. The girl’s death was “a preventable tragedy that resulted from” failures in “medical and custodial systems for children” within U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency that includes the Border Patrol, the report found. It’s the latest damning finding in the May 17 death of Anadith Danay Reyes Alvarez, who was on her ninth day in custody with family in Harlingen, Texas, in

Border Patrol fails to assess medical needs for children with preexisting conditions, report says
Health

Abortion in Iowa is legal again, for now, after a judge blocks new restrictions

An Iowa judge on Monday temporarily blocked the state’s new ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, just days after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the measure into law. That means abortion is once again legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy while the courts assess the new law’s constitutionality. The new law prohibits almost all abortions once cardiac activity can be detected, which is usually around six weeks of pregnancy and before many women know they are pregnant. The Republican-controlled Legislature approved the measure in a rare, all-day special session

Abortion in Iowa is legal again, for now, after a judge blocks new restrictions
Health

South Dakota governor prods Washington to address national drug shortages

As the U.S. struggles with prescription drug shortages, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has advanced a modest plan that she hopes will prod Washington to take decisive action to address weaknesses in the international pharmaceutical supply chain. Noem told reporters at a pharmacy in Sioux Falls last week that her state will expand its stockpiles of certain medications that have been in short supply. The Republican former congresswoman also used the occasion to turn up the heat on the federal Food and Drug Administration, urging the agency to make the U.S. less dependent on foreign suppliers like China and India.

South Dakota governor prods Washington to address national drug shortages
Health

New drug to protect babies and toddlers from RSV gets FDA approval ahead of cold season

U.S. officials on Monday approved the first long-acting drug to protect babies and toddlers against a respiratory virus that sends tens of thousands of American children to the hospital each year. RSV is a cold-like nuisance for most healthy people, but it can be life-threatening in the very young and the elderly. The Food and Drug Administration approved the injection for infants and children up to 2 years old who face increased risk of severe RSV. “Today’s approval addresses the great need for products to help reduce the impact of RSV disease on children, families and the

New drug to protect babies and toddlers from RSV gets FDA approval ahead of cold season
Health

Second Alzheimer's drug in the pipeline promises to slow worsening but with safety concern

Another experimental Alzheimer’s drug can modestly slow patients’ inevitable worsening — by about four to seven months, researchers reported Monday. Eli Lilly and Co. is seeking Food and Drug Administration approval of donanemab. If cleared, it would be only the second Alzheimer’s treatment convincingly shown to delay the mind-robbing disease — after the recently approved Leqembi from Japanese drugmaker Eisai. “Finally there’s some hope, right, that we can talk about,” Lilly’s Dr. John Sims told reporters Monday at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam. “We don’t cure the disease,” he said. “Diabetes doesn’t have a cure

Second Alzheimer's drug in the pipeline promises to slow worsening but with safety concern
Health

As a summer heat wave pummels the US, an expert warns about the dangers of humidity – particularly for toddlers, young athletes and older adults

Symptoms of heatstroke include a throbbing headache, dizziness, confusion and nausea. milan2099/E+ via Getty Images Because of climate change, summers are getting hotter and more humid – much more humid. SciLine interviewed Dr. W. Larry Kenney, professor of physiology and kinesiology at Penn State University, who discussed why humid heat can be dangerous to human health and, in some cases, life-threatening; how heat stresses the body, particularly the cardiovascular system; and why infants, athletes and older adults are especially susceptible. W. Larry Kenney discusses the dangers of high heat and humidity. Below are some highlights from the discussion. Answers have

As a summer heat wave pummels the US, an expert warns about the dangers of humidity – particularly for toddlers, young athletes and older adults
Health

Washington legal marijuana farms get back to work after pesticide concerns prompted restrictions

A big mound of fresh dirt sits at Terry Taylor’s marijuana farm in the high desert of north-central Washington state. Each hole for a new plant gets filled with the clean soil. Large swaths of recently installed landscape fabric cover the ground, and soon the dirt roads on his property will be covered in crushed rock to keep contaminated dust from covering the crops. Taylor’s pot farm is one of several getting back to business after state regulators halted their operations in April, citing product testing that turned up unacceptable levels of chemicals related to DDT, a

Washington legal marijuana farms get back to work after pesticide concerns prompted restrictions
Health

US Southwest swelters under dangerous heat wave, with new records on track

A dangerous heat wave threatened a wide swath of the Southwest with potentially deadly temperatures in the triple digits on Saturday as some cooling centers planned to extend their hours and emergency rooms prepared to treat more people will heat-related illnesses. “Near record temperatures are expected this weekend!” the National Weather Service in Phoenix warned in a tweet, advising people to follow its heat safety tips such as drinking plenty of water and checking on family members and neighbors. “Don’t be a statistic!” the weather service in Tucson advised, noting that extreme heat can be deadly. “It

US Southwest swelters under dangerous heat wave, with new records on track
Health

Mississippi, under judge's order, starts allowing religious exemptions for childhood vaccinations

Mississippi is starting the court-ordered process of letting people cite religious beliefs to seek exemptions from state-mandated vaccinations that children must receive before attending day care or school. Mississippi is one of the poorest states and has high rates of health problems such as obesity and heart disease. But it has received praise from public health officials for years because it has some of the highest rates of childhood vaccination against diseases such as polio, measles and mumps. In April, U.S. District Judge Sul Ozerden ordered Mississippi to join most other states in allowing religious exemptions

Mississippi, under judge's order, starts allowing religious exemptions for childhood vaccinations
Health

How Lisa Marie Presley's weight-loss surgery contributed to her death

Lisa Marie Presley died after developing a small bowel obstruction, a severe complication of bariatric surgery years ago, according to an autopsy report released Thursday. Experts say these types of complications are a known but rare risk after having weight-loss surgery. Here’s what to know: WHAT HAPPENED TO LISA MARIE PRESLEY? The 54-year-old singer-songwriter and daughter of Elvis Presley was rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital on Jan. 12 after being found unresponsive at home and died hours later. The cause of death was from complications of a small bowel obstruction tied to previous bariatric surgery, the autopsy showed. Portions

How Lisa Marie Presley's weight-loss surgery contributed to her death
Health

Curing America's loneliness epidemic would make us healthier, fitter and less likely to abuse drugs

Loneliness increases the risk of chronic disease and mental health challenges. An Kirillova/500px Prime via Getty Images A national health advisory issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy on May 3, 2023, sheds light on the urgent public health issues of loneliness and isolation. The report reflects Dr. Murthy’s personal and professional experience with the damaging health impacts of loneliness. As surprising as it sounds, social isolation and loneliness have the same effect on human health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day, which is to say, it can shorten life span by up to 15 years. I’m a leader in

Curing America's loneliness epidemic would make us healthier, fitter and less likely to abuse drugs
Health

UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London

Britain’s Health Security Agency said on Friday that measles vaccination rates in parts of London have dropped so low that the capital could see tens of thousands of cases of the rash-causing disease unless immunization coverage is quickly boosted. In a statement, the agency said that among some groups of children in London, fewer than 70% have received their first dose of the standard measles, mumps and rubella vaccine; two doses are needed to provide protection. Measles is among the world’s most infectious diseases and health experts estimate that about 95% of the population must be immunized

UK officials warn low measles immunization rates could lead to tens of thousands of cases in London
Health

Iowa's restrictive abortion measure faces legal challenge as governor prepares to sign it into law

An Iowa judge on Friday afternoon will consider a request to postpone the state’s new ban on most abortions after about six weeks of pregnancy, just as Gov. Kim Reynolds is scheduled to sign the measure into law in front of 2,000 conservative Christians barely a mile away. The split screen punctuates a bitter battle between abortion advocates and opponents in Iowa that has dragged on for years and will likely, for now, remain unresolved as the courts assess the law’s constitutionality. Abortion is currently legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy but

Iowa's restrictive abortion measure faces legal challenge as governor prepares to sign it into law
Health

Online, 'unalive' means death or suicide. Experts say it might help kids discuss those things

When Emily Litman was in middle school, kids whose parents grounded them would blithely lament: “I just want to die.” Now she’s a middle school teacher in New Jersey, and when her students’ phones and TikTok access are taken away, their out-loud whining has a 21st-century digital twist: “I feel so unalive.” Litman, 46, teaches English as a second language to students in Jersey City. Her students don’t use — and perhaps have never even heard — English words like “suicide.” But they know “unalive.” “These are kids who’ve had to learn English and are now learning TikToklish,” Litman says.

Online, 'unalive' means death or suicide. Experts say it might help kids discuss those things
Health

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause. But it's still considered safe

The World Health Organization’s cancer agency has deemed the sweetener aspartame — found in diet soda and countless other foods — as a “possible” cause of cancer, while a separate expert group looking at the same evidence said it still considers the sugar substitute safe in limited quantities. The differing results of the coordinated reviews were released early Friday. One came from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a special branch of the WHO. The other report was from an expert panel selected by WHO and another U.N. group, the Food and Agriculture Organization. The Lyon, France-based cancer agency

Soda sweetener aspartame now listed as possible cancer cause. But it's still considered safe
Health

FDA approves first daily over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill – a pharmacist and public health expert explain this new era in contraception

The progestin-only pill Opill could be available in early 2024. Kwangmoozaa/iStock via Getty Images On July 13, 2023, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a drugmaker’s application for the first daily over-the-counter birth control pill for people seeking to prevent pregnancy. The pill, called Opill – the brand name for the tablet formulation of norgestrel – is an oral contraceptive containing only progestin hormone, which helps prevent pregnancy by thickening cervical mucus, preventing ovulation or both. Opill was initially approved by the FDA for prescription use in 1973. Its approval for nonprescription use may spark other manufacturers of prescription-only

FDA approves first daily over-the-counter birth control pill, Opill – a pharmacist and public health expert explain this new era in contraception
Health

Families and doctors sue Texas over its new ban on transgender care for minors

A group of Texas families and doctors have filed a lawsuit in state court seeking to block the state’s new law that bans gender-affirming care for minors, arguing it violates parental rights and discriminates against transgender teens. At least 20 states have adopted laws to ban some gender-affirming care for minors. Half of those laws are not in effect, either because they were passed so recently that they haven’t yet kicked in or, in the case of Arkansas, Indiana and Kentucky, because enforcement has been put on hold by courts. A judge in June also blocked

Families and doctors sue Texas over its new ban on transgender care for minors
Health

First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval

U.S. officials have approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill, which will let American women and girls buy contraceptive medication from the same aisle as aspirin and eyedrops. The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it cleared Perrigo’s once-a-day Opill to be sold without a prescription, making it the first such medication to be moved out from behind the pharmacy counter. The company won’t start shipping the pill until early next year, and there will be no age restrictions on sales. Hormone-based pills have long been the most common form of birth control in the U.S., used

First over-the-counter birth control pill gets FDA approval
Health

Plastic surgeon who livestreamed procedures on TikTok banned from practicing medicine in Ohio

An Ohio plastic surgeon’s state medical license was permanently revoked Wednesday after a medical board determined she harmed patients while livestreaming their surgeries on the social media app TikTok. The Ohio Medical Board voted to ban Katharine Grawe — also known as Dr. Roxy in her plastic surgery practice “Roxy Plastic Surgery” and to her many TikTok followers — from ever practicing again in the state. The board said Grawe, who originally had her license suspended in November, neglected her patients as she livestreamed parts of their procedures, spoke into a camera and answered viewer questions

Plastic surgeon who livestreamed procedures on TikTok banned from practicing medicine in Ohio
Health

Distinguishing Strep Throat from Viral Infections: Vital Clues to Spot the Difference

Strep is most common in children between the ages of 5 and 15. “My sore throats, you know, are always worse than anybody’s.” So declares Mary to Anne in “Persuasion,” Jane Austen’s 1817 book. Most of us can relate to this feeling. There is no such thing as “just a sore throat.” The pain, headache, fever and aches associated with a sore throat can make you feel terrible. While sore throats can occur at any time of year, strep throat is more common in the fall, winter and early spring. I am a professor of family medicine, a pharmacist and

Distinguishing Strep Throat from Viral Infections: Vital Clues to Spot the Difference
Health

EU fines US firm Illumina $475 million for jumping gun on buying cancer-screening company Grail

The European Union on Wednesday slapped a $475 million fine on U.S. biotech giant Illumina for buying cancer-screening company Grail without regulators’ approval, the latest setback for the deal. Illumina announced an $7.1 billion acquisition of Grail in 2020, but the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm and top antitrust enforcer, said the company broke EU merger rules by completing the deal without its consent. The 27-nation bloc announced last year that it was blocking the acquisition, saying it would hurt competitors. “If companies merge before our clearance, they breach our rules. Illumina and Grail knowingly and

EU fines US firm Illumina $475 million for jumping gun on buying cancer-screening company Grail

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