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Maybe Money Can Help Buy Happiness, After All

Millionaires, rejoice! It turns out that money can, in fact, buy happiness. And a new study suggests more is better, with well-being rising as earnings grow.

"Having more money gives people a greater sense of control over life," said study author Matthew Killingsworth.

The finding stems from more than 1...

Will Vaccines Work Against the New Coronavirus Variants?

Everyone has heard the scary reports about the new, more infectious coronavirus variants that are circulating in countries around the world, but scientists aren't pushing the panic button at this point.

Why? Because the new COVID-19 vaccines should still work on these viral interlopers.

Luckily, the new variants still rely on the cor...

Could Stem Cell Therapy Be a Breakthrough Against MS?

Stem cell transplants may have long-lasting benefits for some people with aggressive cases of multiple sclerosis, a new study suggests.

Italian researchers found that among 210 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who received a stem cell transplant -- with cells from their own blood -- two-thirds saw no worsenin...

AHA News: Keeping Your Brain Sharp Isn't About Working More Puzzles

Mental decline is one of the most feared aspects of growing older. People will do just about anything to prevent it, from swallowing supplements touted as memory boosters to spending hours solving Sudoku and crossword puzzles.

But do these things really keep the aging brain sharp? The short answer is, not really.

"It can certainly he...

Severe Allergic Reaction Extremely Rare With Pfizer COVID Vaccine: Study

THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Despite scattered media reports of severe allergic reactions to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, a detailed analysis shows that such incidents are very rare, striking just 11 people for every million doses given.

The study, compiled by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Co...

Diabetes Boosts Odds for Heart Trouble 10-fold in Younger Women

THURSDAY, Jan. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) - - With rising obesity rates, more young women American women are developing type 2 diabetes, putting them at hugely increased risk for heart disease, new research shows.

In fact, the study found that women under 55 with type 2 diabetes had a tenfold greater risk of having heart disease over the ne...

Biden Unveils Details of National Pandemic Response Plan

A day after his inauguration, President Joe Biden plans to unveil a new, far-reaching pandemic response plan. He'll also issue executive orders that aim to ramp up the production and distribution of COVID-19 tests and vaccines, make schools and travel safer, and help states fight the spread of coronavirus.

"We'll press forward with speed a...

Biden COVID Advisor Says Poor Preparation, Changing Virus Could Slow Vaccine Effort

U.S. President Joe Biden has promised to re-energize the nation's response to COVID-19, but one of his top pandemic advisors says that effort could be hamstrung by both the virus and the failings of the previous administration.

Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minn...

Arthritis Drug Tocilizumab Flops as COVID-19 Treatment

The arthritis drug tocilizumab doesn't help hospital patients with severe COVID-19, according to a new study that contradicts earlier research suggesting that it might aid recovery.

In fact, patients receiving tocilizumab had a higher risk of death, so the trial was halted early.

Tocilizumab blocks a part of the immune system (inter...

Kids Highly Likely to Transmit Coronavirus to Others: Study

While children are less susceptible to illness with the new coronavirus, they are nearly 60% more likely than adults over 60 to infect other family members when they are sick, a new study shows.

The findings show the need to conduct COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy studies in children, according to co-senior study author Yang Yang, an ...

Another Reason Why Cats Go Wild for Catnip

You may think that cats crave the plants catnip and silver vine because it makes them feel euphoric, and that's true.

Yet new research indicates felines also use the plants for another key reason: to keep mosquitoes at bay.

Silver vine, a catnip alternative, grows in China and Japan. Researchers began by identifying that one ac...

More Than 200,000 Americans Have Lupus

Just over 200,000 Americans have the autoimmune disorder lupus, and minority women are at highest risk, according to a new study.

It's the first estimate of how widespread the disease is in the United States. The number comes close to reclassifying lupus as a rare disease, defined as an illness affecting 200,000 Americans or fewer, the res...

Premature Menopause May Bring Tougher Symptoms for Women

Menopause is known to bring a variety of unpleasant symptoms ranging from hot flashes to insomnia. Yet, for those who have a condition known as premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), it is much worse, researchers report.

The new study examined the impact of POI, in which ovarian function stops and leads to menopause before the age of 40.

Two-Drug Combo May Help Fight Meth Addiction

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- In what may signal a seismic shift in the treatment of methamphetamine addiction, a pair of prescription drugs appears to help patients significantly reduce their stimulant use, or quit altogether.

The combination therapy involves an injectable medication called extended-relea...

When ICUs Near Capacity, COVID Patients' Risk for Death Nearly Doubles

When intensive care units are swamped with COVID-19 patients, death rates may climb, a new study finds.

Looking at data from 88 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals, researchers found a pattern: COVID-19 patients were nearly twice as likely to die during periods when ICUs were dealing with a sur...

COVID-19 Ups Complication Risks During Childbirth

Women who have COVID-19 during childbirth are more likely to face complications than moms-to-be without the coronavirus, researchers say.

Fortunately, the absolute risk for complications for any one woman is very low (less than 1%). But the relative risks for problems -- such as clotting and early labor -- ar...

Now That Psychiatric Care Has Gone Online, Many Patients Want It to Stay There

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 20, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Only a year ago, Michigan Medicine psychiatrists were trying to recruit patients to give telepsychiatry a try, with very little success.

The psychiatrists worked with people by video only 26 times in six months, while 30,000 visits happened in person. But that changed quickly ...

Tips for Parents of Kids With Diabetes

Kids with diabetes can lead full, fun lives, but they have special needs. Here's what parents should know.

Diabetes is common among American children. More than 205,000 kids and teens have the disease, and cases are rising.

Age makes a difference in the type of diabetes a child is likely to have.

"Most children younger than age...

AHA News: COVID-19 Registries Offer Lessons Beyond the Coronavirus

As the U.S. marks one year since the arrival of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus has made history in epic and terrible ways. But it also sparked innovative and inspiring science, say researchers who raced to establish registries of COVID-19 patients.

Their efforts have elements of a medical drama, with mysteries to unravel, lives on the line an...

Dental Practices Rebound as U.S. Dentists Look Forward to COVID Vaccine

The coronavirus pandemic hit dental practices hard early in 2020, as COVID-19 fears kept millions of Americans from seeking routine oral health care.

But as dental offices have ratcheted up their safety measures, more patients have steadily been returning for checkups and more, according to recent polls conducted by the American Dental As...