The COVID-19 vaccine was said to be 95% effective. But what does that really mean? It turns out, the number is not as straightforward as it seems. The 95% figure is based on relative risk reduction. When you look at absolute risk reduction, the picture changes. The actual reduction in risk for the average person is less than 1%. That's a big difference! The trials t...
UnityPoint Health recently gave a tour of their newly renovated cancer center. This upgrade is a big deal for the community. It shows how health care facilities are always trying to improve. The center now has better technology and more comfortable spaces. This is important because cancer treatment can be tough. Patients need a place that feels safe and supportive. ...
Lung cancer screening guidelines might be missing a lot of people who need them. Right now, rules say only certain adults can get yearly CT scans. But a new study shows that this leaves out most people with lung cancer. Only about one-third would even qualify for these life-saving scans. Take Carla Tapia, for example. She's a 38-year-old mom from Maryland. She smoke...
Eli Lilly, a big name in the drug world, just hit a huge milestone. It became the first healthcare company to reach a market value of $1 trillion. That's a lot of money! The company's stock hit this mark briefly during trading but then settled a bit lower, with each share going for around $1, 048. So, what's driving this massive growth? Two drugs are the stars here:...
Central Michigan University is making a big move. They are planning to bring all their medical students to Saginaw. This is a huge deal. Right now, students are split between Mount Pleasant and Saginaw. But soon, everyone will be in one place. The university got two big donations. Each was $40 million. One came from Covenant HealthCare. The other from MyMichigan Hea...
A pharmacy owner in New Jersey recently admitted to a massive fraud scheme. He tricked the Medicare system out of $2. 5 million by billing for a drug he never gave to patients. This drug, Dificid, is used to treat diarrhea. It's expensive, costing around $4, 500 per prescription. The owner, Nestor E. Jaime, ran a pharmacy called Fabio’s Pharmacy. He submitted fake c...
Thanksgiving is a time when many people take a moment to reflect on what they're grateful for. But in a world that often feels overwhelming, it can be challenging to find things to be thankful for. This year, in particular, has been tough for many. Families have been torn apart, essential services have been cut, and there's a growing sense of division and inequality....
Hungary has been checking newborns for serious health issues for 50 years now. This started with tests for two rare conditions: phenylketonuria and galactosemia. Later, they added a test for congenital hypothyroidism 40 years ago. Today, they test for 27 different disorders, plus an optional test for spinal muscular atrophy. Two big labs in Budapest and Szeged handl...
The world of science owes a lot to a tiny, transparent worm called Caenorhabditis elegans. It's not just any worm; it's a superstar in labs worldwide. But what makes it so special? It's not just the worm itself, but the way scientists work together to share resources and information. This teamwork has led to some big discoveries, even Nobel Prize-winning ones. Think...
ICU nurses face a tough job. They deal with life-and-death situations daily. This can take a toll on their mental health. A study looked into how mindfulness can help. Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program. It teaches people to stay calm and focused. The study wanted to see if it could boost nurses' resilience and well-being. Resilience is about bou...