Healthcare News and Research

Latest Healthcare News and Research

Researchers identify crucial risk factors for cognitive decline after stroke

Study identifies key risk factors for post-stroke cognitive impairment and dementia, emphasizing the importance of early detection and management of these conditions.

17 Dec 2023

$9M awarded to study HIV and substance use at intersection of vulnerable populations

The Institute of Human Virology (IHV) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) received an annual award for $3 million funded by the NIH Office of AIDS Research.

15 Dec 2023

Outrageous hospital cost for colonoscopies compared to smaller clinics

U.S. hospitals charge facility fees for colonoscopy procedures covered by private health insurance that are on average approximately 55 percent higher than facility fees billed by smaller clinics known as ambulatory surgical centers, according to a study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

15 Dec 2023

Guiding principles to protect the public from discrimination of healthcare algorithms

A paper published today in JAMA Network Open addresses bias in healthcare algorithms and provides the healthcare community with guiding principles to avoid repeating errors that have tainted the use of algorithms in other sectors.

15 Dec 2023

New study reveals how travel patterns shaped COVID-19 transmission

Elucidating human contact networks could help predict and prevent the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and future pandemic threats.

15 Dec 2023

Vaccination encouraged for eligible groups as flu cases spike

All those eligible for the flu vaccine are being urged to come forward as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) published data showing a significant increase in the number of recorded flu cases.

15 Dec 2023

Blueprint Medicines announces approval of AYVAKYT for treatment of ISM patients in Europe

Blueprint Medicines Corporation today announced the European Commission has approved AYVAKYT® (avapritinib) for the treatment of adult patients with indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM) with moderate to severe symptoms inadequately controlled on symptomatic treatment. AYVAKYT is the first and only approved therapy for people living with ISM in Europe.

15 Dec 2023

Intranasal COVID-19 vaccine shows promise in reducing severe symptoms

Study evaluates the single-dose intranasal spray vaccine dNS1-RBD, finding it effective against symptomatic COVID-19, particularly in reducing severe symptoms and respiratory issues.

15 Dec 2023

Study exposes racial disparities in Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment times

Study reveals racial disparities in Lyme disease diagnosis and treatment, with Black patients experiencing longer delays and higher risks of disseminated disease compared to White patients.

14 Dec 2023

Can community pharmacists reduce the incidence of skin cancer?

Study explores the impact of community pharmacists in skin cancer prevention, finding that their counseling significantly influences sunscreen purchases and dermatological visits.

14 Dec 2023

Researchers develop a framework to identify potentially hidden genetic contributors to disease

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on patient blood samples are useful for identifying the genetic basis of blood cell traits and their links to common diseases.

14 Dec 2023

Overweight, not just obesity, drives higher healthcare costs, Norwegian study finds

A study at NTNU shows that while individual healthcare costs are highest for obese individuals, the overall societal costs are greater for the larger number of overweight people, highlighting the need for population-level health measures.

14 Dec 2023

Uncovering barriers to heart failure medication access for low-income patients

People who live in neighborhoods with higher levels of poverty and unemployment are less likely to fill their heart-failure drug prescriptions than those living in wealthier areas, a new study shows.

14 Dec 2023

Novel machine learning tool predicts gain- and loss-of-function variants across the genome

In a novel study, researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai introduced LoGoFunc, an advanced computational tool that predicts pathogenic gain- and loss-of-function variants across the genome.

14 Dec 2023

Study points to binge drinking and genetics as key factors in liver disease

Those who binge drink and have a certain genetic makeup are six times more likely to develop alcohol-related cirrhosis, according to new research from UCL, the Royal Free Hospital, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

14 Dec 2023

UK drug regulators failing to protect patients from harmful weight loss

UK organizations responsible for protecting the public from prescription-only drug adverts are putting patients at risk from the harms of weight loss drugs by not enforcing the law, reveals an investigation published by The BMJ today.

14 Dec 2023

Rift over when to use N95s puts health workers at risk again

Three years after more than 3,600 health workers died of covid-19, occupational safety experts warn that those on the front lines may once again be at risk if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention takes its committee's advice on infection control guidelines in health care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and jails.

14 Dec 2023