Man in Mexico died of a bird flu strain that hadn’t been confirmed before in a human, WHO says
WASHINGTON — A man’s death in Mexico was caused by a strain of bird flu called H5N2 that has never before been found in a human, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. The WHO said it wasn’t clear how the man became infected, although H5N2 has been reported in poultry...
Panel rejects psychedelic drug MDMA as a PTSD treatment in possible setback for advocates
WASHINGTON — Federal health advisers voted Tuesday against a first-of-a-kind proposal to begin using the mind-altering drug MDMA as a treatment for PTSD, handing a potentially major setback to psychedelic advocates who hope to win a landmark federal approval and bring the banned drugs into the medical mainstream. The panel...
U.S. health officials advise using antibiotic as a ‘morning-after pill’ against STDs
NEW YORK — Some people should consider taking an antibiotic as a morning-after pill to try to prevent certain sexually transmitted diseases, U.S. health officials recommended Tuesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finalized its endorsement of taking doxycycline after unprotected sex as a way to prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea...
Service dogs helped ease PTSD symptoms in U.S. military veterans, researchers say
Specially trained service dogs helped ease PTSD symptoms in U.S. military veterans in a small study that the researchers hope will help expand options for service members. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides talk therapy and medications to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and runs a pilot program involving...
Understanding the importance of sunscreen in the Black community
Like many Black men and women, Jessica Pearson didn’t learn about sunscreen growing up. It wasn’t until adulthood, through her training to become an esthetician, that she became aware of the importance of sun protection. That lack of education is common in the Black community, and as summer approaches, knowledge...
Pittsburgh maternity experts skeptical of Florida law allowing out-of-hospital C-sections
Pittsburgh-area childbirth experts say they are skeptical of a new Florida law that would allow the creation of “advanced birth centers” in the state, where doctors could deliver babies vaginally or by C-section outside of a hospital. Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the bill in March, creating a new designation...
State reaches agreement on UPMC acquisition of Washington Hospital
UPMC has moved a step closer to buying Washington Hospital by reaching an agreement with the state Attorney General that is designed to ensure patients with health insurance other than the UPMC Health Plan will have the opportunity to have in-network benefits to the hospital’s services. The voluntary compliance agreement...
Pharmacists plead financial plight to state lawmakers at roundtable discussion
Independent pharmacists such as Robert Maher feel trapped, state lawmakers learned Thursday. A pharmacist knows the people in the community well, from grandparents to parents to kids, Maher said. They also know the pharmacy in today’s prescription payment system can’t take care of those people without going out of business....
Pittsburgh Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to close its doors; 140 residents affected
Some 140 residents will need to find alternate lodgings this August after a nursing home in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood shuts down for good. Pittsburgh Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, located at 550 South Negley Ave., will close Aug. 12, according to an announcement sent out to residents and their families...
State representatives to discuss pharmacy benefit manager regulation at roundtable event
Western Pennsylvania state representatives will hold a roundtable discussion Thursday at Westmoreland County Community College to discuss proposed regulations on pharmacy benefit managers with regional pharmacy stakeholders. State Reps. Jessica Benham, D-Pittsburgh and Eric Nelson, R-Hempfield, will host the discussion from 8 to 10 a.m. to talk about Benham’s bipartisan...
Traveler carries measles through LAX as cases rise around the U.S.
LOS ANGELES — A traveler carrying measles flew from Munich, Germany, through Los Angeles on the way to Fresno Yosemite International Airport this month, exposing thousands of California travelers to the highly infectious disease, health officials have confirmed. Officials from the L.A. County Department of Public Health confirmed the case...
UPMC reports $103M operating loss during 1st quarter
UPMC reported an operating loss of $103 million during the first three months of the year, up slightly from its $100 million operating loss during the same period a year ago. The Pittsburgh-based health giant’s first-quarter losses came on revenues of more than $7.1 billion, according to a financial disclosure...
Independence Health System sees shrinking losses, but looks ahead to further improvement
Independence Health System cut operating losses by nearly half from Jan. 1 to March 31 compared to the same time last year, continuing a steady trend of financial improvement for the merged health system. According to the system’s most recent financial reports, Independence saw a little more than $12.6 million...
‘Quiet Epidemic’ delves into chronic Lyme disease
Pennsylvania has had the unfortunate distinction of leading the nation in Lyme disease cases for 11 of the past 13 years. The tick-borne illness can be difficult to diagnose, and the vice president for the PA Lyme Disease Network said multiple mild winters are not going to help. “We continue...
HPV vaccines prevent cancer in men as well as women, new research suggests
New research suggests the HPV vaccine is preventing cancer in men, as well as in women, but fewer boys than girls are getting the shots in the United States. The HPV vaccine was developed to prevent cervical cancer in women and experts give it credit, along with screening, for lowering...
Louisiana Legislature approves bill classifying abortion pills as controlled dangerous substances
BATON ROUGE — Two abortion-inducing drugs could soon be reclassified as controlled and dangerous substances in Louisiana under a first-of-its-kind bill that received final legislative passage Thursday and is expected to be signed into law by the governor. Supporters of the reclassification of mifepristone and misoprostol, commonly known as “abortion...
Michigan farmworker diagnosed with bird flu, becoming 2nd U.S. case tied to dairy cows
NEW YORK — A Michigan dairy worker has been diagnosed with bird flu — the second human case associated with an outbreak in U.S. dairy cows. The patient had mild eye symptoms and has recovered, U.S. and Michigan health officials said in announcing the case Wednesday. The worker had been...
Use of Wegovy and other weight-loss drugs soars among kids and young adults
At 17, Israel McKenzie was so burdened by obesity that he stopped going to high school in person and was embarrassed to speak to people at his restaurant job. “I was in a really dark place,” says McKenzie, whose weight had climbed to 335 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame, despite...
Daily marijuana use outpaces daily drinking in the U.S., a new study says
Millions of people in the U.S. report using marijuana daily or nearly every day, according to an analysis of national survey data, and those people now outnumber those who say they are daily or nearly-daily drinkers of alcohol. Alcohol is still more widely used, but 2022 was the first time...
After the only hospital in town closed, a North Carolina city directs its ire at politicians
WILLIAMSTON, N.C. — Weeds have punctured through the vacant parking lot of Martin General Hospital’s emergency room. A makeshift blue tarp covering the hospital’s sign is worn down from flapping in the wind. The hospital doors are locked, many in this county of 22,000 fear permanently. Some residents worry the...
U.S. pediatricians reverse decades-old advice against HIV-positive mothers breastfeeding
People with HIV can breastfeed their babies, as long as they are taking medications that effectively suppress the virus that causes AIDS, a top U.S. pediatricians’ group said Monday in a sharp policy change. The new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics reverses recommendations it had in place since...
High tea presented by Make-A-Wish brings Murrysville girl’s dream to life
Alejandra “Ale” Guerrero of Murrysville was radiant Sunday, and not just because she had on a flowing, princess-blue ballgown. The 13-year-old seventh grader at Franklin Regional Middle School, who fought her way through cancer last year, always wanted to attend a masquerade ball. She’d wear a fancy gown, the idea...
Nurses, administrators, advocates have varied opinions on new federal nursing home rule
When certified nursing assistant Helen Noel arrives for work each day at The Grove at Irwin nursing home, her attention is pulled in multiple directions. “When I go in, there might be four or five (patient) lights going off,” she said. “Who do I answer — your mother, your sister?...
‘She fought until the very last day’: Youngwood organ donor helps save 3 after overdose death
From the printer to the sweeper to the decorations on the wall, almost everything in Anna Vukovich’s Youngwood home reminds her of her daughter Jennifer. Jennifer’s comforter is still on the bed in her childhood bedroom, her purse still hangs on a hook on the wall. “Everytime I pull something...
Tick season has arrived. Protect yourself with these tips
FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Tick season is starting across the U.S., and experts are warning the bloodsuckers might be as plentiful as ever. Another mild winter and other favorable factors likely means the 2024 tick population will be equal to last year or larger, some researchers say. “It’s very bad...
