Prostate cancer experts say that former President Joseph R. Biden’s diagnosis is serious. Announced on Sunday by his office, the cancer has spread to his bones. And it is Stage 4, the most deadly of stages for the illness. It cannot be cured. But the good news, prostate cancer specialists said, is that recent advances … Read more
Tens of thousands of Americans will soon be forced by their heath insurance to switch from one popular obesity drug to another that produces less weight loss. It is the latest example of the consequences of secret deals between drugmakers and middlemen, known as pharmacy benefit managers, that are hired by employers to oversee prescription … Read more
A young Maryland woman is “relieved and recovering” after doctors performed a novel surgery to remove her potentially deadly cancerous tumors. A surgical team at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) extracted the tumors, which had wrapped around the spinal cord, through the patient’s eye socket. This was the first time surgeons removed a spinal tumor … Read more
Using semaglutide injections, scientists were able to reverse life-threatening cases of liver disease in a new clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Semaglutide, which is traditionally a treatment for type 2 diabetes, was given to participants who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening form of liver disease called metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis … Read more
This one will really have you bugging out. ER nurse Natalie Beeson is spilling the sickening details of one of the worst types of medical emergencies she’s witnessed — and even more troubling, she saw it twice in one week. “I can handle cardiac distress all day — but bugs? No, thank you,” Beeson told … Read more
Here’s the bottom line — nearly 53,000 Americans are projected to die from colorectal cancer this year. The overall five-year survival rate for the disease is around 65%. Several factors significantly influence prognosis, including the stage of the cancer at diagnosis, its location within the colon and the effectiveness of treatment. A new study suggests … Read more
It’s not all in their heads — but that’s what they’re told. A baffling brain disorder leaves people shaking, stumbling and sometimes completely blacking out, only to be doubted by doctors, friends and even family. Women are disproportionally affected by this terrifying disorder, which doctors are quick to dismiss. Getty Images/iStockphoto The condition, which is … Read more
When a person develops solid tumors in the stomach or esophagus or rectum, oncologists know how to treat them. But the cures often come with severe effects on quality of life. That can include removal of the stomach or bladder, a permanent colostomy bag, radiation that makes patients infertile and lasting damage from chemotherapy. So … Read more
What a buzzkill. Smoking weed can certainly have an impact on your brain — and not just the potential for some serious paranoia. Research published last week found that ER visits for cannabis use over age 65 has skyrocketed, and those seniors who need acute care for partaking up to 72% more likely to develop … Read more
A doctor in Australia found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place. A Queensland surgeon was reprimanded and slapped with a $10,000 fine for snapping a photo of a coma patient’s penis, which featured a swastika tattoo, and then sharing it in a WhatsApp group chat, according to the New Zealand Herald. A … Read more
She found love in a hopeless place. Finding love in today’s digital dating world is no east feat — especially if you’re going through a life- changing experience. This is what happened to a young woman diagnosed with cancer — who swiped for love and to her surprise, found her dream man. Nella Pignatelli was … Read more
Doctors in West Texas are seeing measles patients whose illnesses have been complicated by an alternative therapy endorsed by vaccine skeptics including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary. Parents in Gaines County, Texas, the center of a raging measles outbreak, have increasingly turned to supplements and unproven treatments to protect their children, many of … Read more
The next time you’re due for a medical exam you may get a call from someone like Ana: a friendly voice that can help you prepare for your appointment and answer any pressing questions you might have. With her calm, warm demeanor, Ana has been trained to put patients at ease — like many nurses … Read more
Struggling to contain a raging measles epidemic in West Texas, public health officials increasingly worry that residents are relying on unproven remedies endorsed by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, and postponing doctor visits until the illness has worsened. Hospitals and officials sounded an alarm this week, issuing a notice explaining which measles symptoms … Read more
A class of drugs commonly used to treat movement disorders like Parkinson’s disease and restless leg syndrome is pushing people into risky sexual behavior. Patients taking dopamine agonists say the drugs have triggered uncontrollable impulses, including flashing, sex addiction and even pedophilia — leaving them struggling with feelings of shame and confusion. Reports reviewed by … Read more
More than 100,000 Americans are on waiting lists for donor organs, most needing a kidney. Only 25,000 human donor kidneys become available each year. Twelve Americans on the kidney list die every day on average. Scientists first transplanted genetically engineered pig organs into other animals and then to brain-dead human patients. In 2022, researchers received … Read more
Fed-up patients facing astronomical medical bills are fighting back against hospitals and insurance companies with a secret weapon: artificial intelligence. Alicia Bittle gave birth to her youngest son in August, but rushed him to the emergency room just three weeks later after the infant developed a fever and respiratory illness. The stay-at-home mom and “trad wife” who raises her brood … Read more
Florida’s insurance regulator has demanded an unusually intrusive trove of data on millions of prescription drugs filled in the state last year, including the names of patients taking the medications, their dates of birth and doctors they’ve seen. The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation in January sought this information from pharmacy benefit managers like UnitedHealth’s … Read more
Novo Nordisk will cut the price of its blockbuster weight loss medication Wegovy to $499 per month for certain patients who pay using their own money instead of going through insurance, the drug maker said on Wednesday. The move could cause more patients to start taking the drug. But the impact stands to be limited, … Read more
Can Paxlovid treat long Covid? A new report suggests it might help some patients, but which patients might benefit remains unclear. The report, published Monday in the journal Communications Medicine, describes the cases of 13 long Covid patients who took extended courses of the antiviral drug. Results were decidedly mixed: Nine patients reported some improvement, … Read more