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Why the CDC Has Recommended New COVID Boosters for All
Everyone over the age of 6 months should get the latest COVID-19 booster, a federal expert panel recommended Tuesday [September 12] after hearing an estimate that universal vaccination could prevent 100,000 more hospitalizations each year than if only the elderly were vaccinated. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory...
Highlights From the 2023 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS
The 2023 U.S. Conference on HIV/AIDS (USCHA) ended September 9 in Washington, DC. But nearly a week later, many of us 4,000 attendees are still unpacking, literally and figuratively. Spearheaded by NMAC and held in a different city each year, the HIV conference is an epic, immersive experience spanning five days (and nights) loaded with education, entertainment, inspiration and emotion. It’s a lot.
Healthy Recipe: Cajun-Style Spiced Shrimp
Back in the 80’s, Cajun cooking and spicy, blackened fish were all the rage. Spices burn easily, and as the craze matured, blackened came to mean burnt and bitter. Not a good thing to eat, as charred meats contain carcinogens. There are no worries with this Cajun-Style Spiced Shrimp recipe, though. With a hot grill or sauté pan, the quick cooking shrimp will be done in a jiffy. Although the spices from the marinade may blacken, if you keep your eye on them, the shrimp themselves won’t get burned at all. All you’ll get are the flavors of the spices and the shrimp. Delicious!
HHS Launches Bridge Access Program to Safeguard Free COVID-19 Vaccination for Uninsured and Underinsured Adults
In April, [the Department of Health and Human Services] announced the “HHS Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 Vaccines and Treatments Program” to maintain broad access to COVID-19 vaccines for millions of uninsured Americans. This week, the Bridge Access Program officially launches, providing continued free coverage for the estimated 25 to 30 million adults who would have otherwise lost access to affordable COVID-19 vaccines now that the distribution of vaccines has transitioned to the commercial market. Doses will be available in some locations this week, with distribution increasing in the coming weeks.
The Shrinking Number of Primary Care Physicians Is Reaching a Tipping Point
I’ve been receiving an escalating stream of panicked emails from people telling me their longtime physician was retiring, was no longer taking their insurance, or had gone concierge and would no longer see them unless they ponied up a hefty annual fee. They have said they couldn’t find another primary care doctor who could take them on or who offered a new-patient appointment sooner than months away.
Older Women Are at Risk for Breast Cancer Overdiagnosis
The risk of breast cancer overdiagnosis was higher for women older than 70, meaning more women were diagnosed with asymptomatic cancer that would not be fatal. Among women over 85, the likelihood of overdiagnosis exceeded 50%, according to study findings published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “Overdiagnosis refers to...
Women With HIV May Have Higher Comorbidity Burden Than Men
Women living with HIV are more likely to have other age-related conditions that can affect their overall health and quality of life, according to study results published in JAMA Network Open. What’s more, another study found that the protective effect of female sex against heart disease was diminished for HIV-positive women.
NIH Awards $50.3 Million for “Multi-Omics” Research on Human Health and Disease
The National Institutes of Health is establishing the Multi-Omics for Health and Disease Consortium, with approximately $11 million awarded in the consortium’s first year of funding. The new consortium aims to advance the generation and analysis of “multi-omic” data for human health research. Multi-omics refers to a...
Biden Administration Proposes New Standards to Boost Nursing Home Staffing
The nation’s most thinly staffed nursing homes would be required to hire more workers under new rules proposed on Friday by the Biden administration, the greatest change to federal nursing home regulations in three decades. The proposed standard was prompted by the industry’s troubled performance earlier in the coronavirus...
High Levels of Particulate Air Pollution Associated With Increased Breast Cancer Incidence
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health found that living in an area with high levels of particulate air pollution was associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer. The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is one of the largest studies to date looking at...
In Move to Slash CDC Budget, House Republicans Target Major HIV Program
More than four years ago, then-President Donald Trump declared an ambitious goal that had bipartisan support: ending the HIV epidemic in the United States. Now, that Trump program is one of several health initiatives targeted for substantial cuts by members of his own party as they eye next year’s elections.
CDC Recommends Updated COVID-19 Vaccine for Fall/Winter Virus Season
CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 illness this fall and winter. Updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be available later this week. Vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19-related hospitalization and death. Vaccination...
This Weekend’s “Black MS Experience” Connects People Living With Multiple Sclerosis
Black people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) encounter unique stressors and challenges. This weekend, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) invites all to attend the Black MS Experience Wellness Program. The event that brings together Black people with MS for a day of connection, education and awareness. Nearly 1 million...
National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis Awareness Day 2023
It’s official! National African Immigrant and Refugee HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis Awareness (NAIRHHA) Day has been recognized by the federal government. Advocates began promoting the awareness day in 2014 via citywide events in Boston, and now thanks to the Department of Health and Human Services their efforts can help raise awareness of HIV and hepatitis among African immigrants and refugees nationwide each September 9.
Pfizer and Moderna Are Pushing the New COVID Booster. Should You Get It? The CDC Is About to Decide.
A small percentage of Americans got the most recent COVID-19 booster shot, and even fewer probably realize the federal government is preparing to recommend yet another shot as early as Tuesday. Until a week or two ago, William Schaffner read that indifference as a sign the Centers for Disease Control...
FDA Authorizes Updated COVID Vaccine Boosters
FDA Takes Action on Updated mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines to Better Protect Against Currently Circulating Variants. Today [September 11], the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took action approving and authorizing for emergency use updated COVID-19 vaccines formulated to more closely target currently circulating variants and to provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death.
HIV Activists Arrested at Speaker McCarthy’s DC Office
At least seven HIV activists, including leaders of Housing Works and Health GAP, were arrested Monday at the Washington, DC, office of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, where they were demanding Congress re-authorize the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). According to tweets from the HIV organizations, the arrested protesters...
Lessons on Cancer Survivorship From the Front Lines
From the age of 4, Cheryl Law, MD, 41, knew that she wanted to be a doctor. Her parents, the first in their families to complete college, had moved from rural Alabama to pursue careers near Birmingham, where they raised Law and her brother. She often was the only Black girl or Black kid in the classroom, an isolating and lonely experience. But her drive and determination helped her realize her childhood dream: After attending Alabama State University, a historically Black university, she earned her medical degree in 2008 from the University of South Alabama College of Medicine and became the first doctor in her extended family—and one of the very few (2.8%) Black female physicians in the United States.
Healthy Recipe: Asparagus & Goat Cheese Frittata
Frittatas are a great way to either use up vegetables for a quick supper, or to make a great centerpiece for a special breakfast or brunch. With this asparagus & goat cheese frittata, because we are using a lot of vegetables, we don’t need too many eggs to make it plus, if you use eggs from free roaming hens, the frittata will be very rich and you’ll find a little will go a long way!
Anemia, Hypertension Contribute to Racial Disparities in Pregnancy and Birth
A pair of studies published in Obstetrics and Gynecology highlights two common medical conditions that contribute to racial disparities in childbirth complications despite being treatable—hypertension and iron-deficiency anemia. The Stanford Medicine studies show that hypertension and anemia are not only more common in pregnant people from non-white racial/ethnic groups...
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