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COVID Rapid Test Makers Struggling to Meet Demand

Shortages of both supplies and workers are wreaking havoc on the efforts of COVID at-home test makers to deliver enough of the tests to Americans, even as the federal government pledges to provide 500 million free, at-home kits.

Like many other businesses, test kit manufacturers "have too many of their staff out with COVID. Thus, even if t...

Many Marijuana Vendors Aim Advertising at Kids: Study

Some recreational pot shops are using tricks from the old playbooks of alcohol and tobacco companies to target underage users on social media, a new study reports.

Despite state laws restricting such marketing, researchers found marijuana retailers on social media promoting their wares with posts that:

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Visiting a 'Dental Fear' Clinic Can Help Improve a Child's Smile

THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- If the sound of a dental drill sends shivers up your spine, you're likely in good company: Finnish researchers say that one of every two adults fear the dentist at least a little, while one in 10 are very afraid.

But the researchers added that a local dentistry program has foun...

'Artificial Pancreas' Can Help Kids With Type 1 Diabetes

THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Having a child with type 1 diabetes can be a challenging health condition for parents to manage, but new research suggests an "artificial pancreas" system may beat standard treatment in controlling the blood sugar disease in young children.

Forms of the technology — whic...

Another Study Finds Vaccine Booster 'Neutralizes' Omicron

If you need more proof that a third shot of COVID vaccine is needed, new British research confirms that boosters can "neutralize" the virus' Omicron variant.

To arrive at that conclusion, they analyzed 620 blood samples from 364 health care workers and staff at the Francis Crick Institute and the National Institute for Health Research UCLH...

Doctors Transplant Gene-Modified Pig Kidneys Into Brain-Dead Patient

In another breakthrough for animal-to-human organ transplantation, U.S. researchers say they've transplanted two genetically modified pig kidneys into a living human.

The recipient was Jim Parsons, 57, a brain-dead man on life support whose family agreed to allow the surgical team at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to use his...

AHA News: A Healthy Thyroid Can Be Key to a Healthy Heart

Make a list of the ABCs of heart health, from arrhythmia to Zumba classes, and you might not think to include a T – for thyroid. But the small gland that produces crucial hormones can have a big effect on the cardiovascular system.

"Both an overactive thyroid and an underactive thyroid can have bad cardiac consequences," said Dr. Anne Ca...

AHA News: Residential Segregation May Increase Risk for High Blood Pressure

Black and Hispanic adults who live in racially segregated neighborhoods may be more likely to develop high blood pressure than their peers who live in nonsegregated communities, a new study shows. The same was not true for Chinese adults.

But the gap begins to close if people in those segregated neighborhoods feel safe and socially connect...

Binge-Watching Could Raise Your Blood Clot Risk

THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Who hasn't started to watch a new drama series on TV, and suddenly realize that hours have slipped by as they binged on one episode after the next?

Now, a new study suggests that too much binge-watching may raise the risk of life-threatening blood clots in the legs or lungs by ...

Vaccination Plus Prior Infection Best Defense Against COVID

Think your prior bout of COVID shields you enough from another encounter with the coronavirus? New research suggests that adding in vaccination is still your best bet.

A combination of vaccination and prior infection offers the most optimal protection against infection with COVID-19, a new government study shows.

Researchers analyzed...

Many Who Attempt Suicide Not Getting the Care They Need

About 4 in 10 Americans who attempt suicide don't get mental health care, claims a new study that also found a "substantial and alarming increase" in suicide attempts.

Researchers analyzed 2008-2019 federal government survey data on self-reported suicide attempts in the last 12 months. They found that the incidence increased from 481 to 56...

Ordering Groceries Online? Good Luck Finding Nutrition Info

THURSDAY, Jan. 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Online grocery shopping has skyrocketed during the pandemic, but many websites are making it hard to find nutrition information on products, a new study shows.

In the United States, packaged foods are required to have a nutrition facts label, ingredients list and warnings about...

New Clues to Why Some Develop 'Brain Fog' After COVID

Brain fog. It has become an inexplicable side effect of COVID-19 infection, but researchers now report they have discovered a possible reason why it happens.

In a small study, investigators found abnormalities in the cerebrospinal fluid of some COVID-19 patients who developed thinking problems.

The symptoms "manifest as problems reme...

Polluted Air Keeps Butterflies, Bees From Pollinating: Study

As air pollution worsens, fruits, flowers and the creatures that pollinate them could pay a price.

That's the takeaway from British researchers who used special equipment to control levels of two common pollutants — diesel exhaust and ozone — in a field of black mustard plants, and then monitored pollinating insects over two summers. <...

Dengue Virus Makes Mosquitoes Bite More Often

New research shows that mosquitoes infected with the dengue virus bite more often, which triples the risk of transmitting the disease to people.

Dengue is one of the most common mosquito-borne diseases. It affects more than 400 million people each year worldwide, killing around 40,000.

Most infected people have no symptoms or mild on...

Side Effects From New Cancer Meds Have Silver Lining

Skin side effects caused by cancer drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors may be a telltale sign that the drugs are working, according to a new study.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy, boost the body's immune response against tumor cells and have become standard care for many patients with advanced cancer. However, ...

Getting Back to Sports After Recovering from COVID-19

Folks who've had a tough case of COVID-19 shouldn't hit the gym for basketball or an aerobics class without getting checked out by their doctor first, according to the American College for Sports Medicine.

The disease wracks the body in ways that can be tough on athletes, especially if they develop "long" COVID, sports medicine expert Dr. ...

COVID Restrictions Eased in England

Numerous COVID restrictions will be dropped in England because government experts believe the Omicron variant "has now peaked nationally," British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday.

As of Jan. 27, COVID-19 passes will no longer be needed to enter large-scale events and the use of face masks in public schools will no longer be req...

VA Study Shows Black Men Twice as Likely to Develop Prostate Cancer as Whites

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 19, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Even in a setting where white and Black people have equal access to medical care, Black Americans fare worse than whites in terms of prostate cancer, new research shows.

A review of nearly 8 million men seen at America's Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals found that Black veteran...

Crowded Emergency Rooms Cost Lives: Study

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 19, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A seemingly endless wait in an emergency department can be taxing for many reasons, but new research suggests that long delays in being admitted to the hospital may even raise a patient's risk of death within the following 30 days.

Why? One possible reason: A crowded ER might ...