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The FDA Hasn’t Inspected This Drug Factory After 7 Recalls for the Same Flaw, 1 Potentially Deadly

ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. The drug potassium chloride has been on the market for decades, widely prescribed to help the nerves and muscles — including the heart — function properly in patients with low potassium. Too much of it, however, can kill you. At high doses, it is so effective at stopping the heart that some states have used injections of it for executions. So the danger was obvious in May,...

House Republicans launch investigation into CVS Caremark for potential antitrust violations

“If CVS Caremark is eliminating opportunities for patients to access such services through an independent pharmacist, this practice raises significant concerns for patient welfare and innovation across the nation.”

Youngkin to propose statewide ban on ‘sanctuary cities’ in Virginia

"Virginia is not a sanctuary state, and we must be clear that we will not allow localities to become ‘sanctuary cities.'"

Conan O’Brien’s Parents Die 3 Days Apart

THE NEW YORK TIMES – The parents of Conan O’Brien, the longtime late-night television host and a star in the comedy world, died this week within days of one another. Thomas Francis O’Brien, 95, an epidemiologist, and Ruth Reardon O’Brien, 92, a lawyer who made strides for women in the legal field, both died at their home in Brookline, Mass., according to the Bell O’Dea Funeral Home. Dr. O’Brien died on Monday, and Ms. O’Brien...

Clinicians’ phones a cybersecurity risk, says study

La Trobe University – A new study led by Dr. Tafheem Wani, a La Trobe lecturer in Digital Health Information Management, showed that clinicians' phones (and other digital devices) contained sensitive patient information, which was not often protected by antivirus software and passcodes. Dr. Wani said the use of personal devices for work purposes, known as "bring your own device" (BYOD), had significantly increased in hospitals because clinicians needed efficiency and mobility while at work. "Some...

Planned Parenthood in Juneau closes, making Anchorage the nearest location for abortion access

JUNEAU EMPIRE – Planned Parenthood’s clinic in Juneau has closed due to what the organization calls a need to consolidate resources in the region to ensure ongoing operations, which comes as the national nonprofit organization is in the crosshairs of the incoming Trump administration and Republican-led Congress. The Juneau location, amidst a cluster of healthcare entities near Bartlett Regional Hospital, was already temporarily closed for building repairs, according to an email sent to patients. But...

Removing a Splinter? Treating a Wart? If a Doctor Does It, It Can Be Billed as Surgery

KFF HEALTH NEWS – When George Lai of Portland, Oregon, took his toddler son to a pediatrician last summer for a checkup, the doctor noticed a little splinter in the child’s palm. “He must have gotten it between the front door and the car,” Lai later recalled, and the child wasn’t complaining. The doctor grabbed a pair of forceps — aka tweezers — and pulled out the splinter in “a second,” Lai said. That brief tug...

Americans spend more years being unhealthy than people in any other country

ARS TECHNICA – The gap of time between how long Americans live and how much of that time is spent in good health only grew wider in the last two decades, according to a new study published in JAMA Network Open. The study, which looked at global health data between 2000 and 2019—prior to the COVID-19 pandemic—found the US stood out for its years of suffering. By 2019, Americans had a gap between their lifespan and...

Deer hunters in Michigan keep dying. Now we know why

PENNLIVE – Deer season in Michigan is just less than two weeks old, and already three hunters have turned up dead. And now we know why. According to a Fox News report, the men were ages 57, 65 and 83, and they were found in Arenac and Tuscola counties in the state. And, per the report, officials believe they had heart attacks while dragging heavy deer back to their vehicles after kills. “The act of deer hunting typically...

The Best Hot Chocolate Mixes, Ranked

Best Dark Chocolate Flavor 1. Godiva Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa What I Like Flawless flavor Decadent without being too rich Quality ingredients What I Don't Like Pricier than others on our list Godiva’s Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa is fine and all—until you try the Dark Chocolate version. It’s so rich, velvety and decadent that you’d swear you’re sipping a $6 hot cocoa from a boutique café. Only each serving will set you back less than $2 when you buy...

Sex and Menopause: How to Keep the Romance Alive

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus – Winnifred (Winnie) Hunter, PhD, knows how menopause can trigger troubles in the bedroom. A psychologist and sex therapist, Hunter has counseled middle-aged women through countless issues that were taking tolls on their sex lives during this final reproductive stage – from depression and vaginal pain to boredom and body shame. “Sexual health is a fundamental aspect of overall well-being that is deeply connected to one’s emotional, physical, relational and...

‘Unprecedented risk’ to life on Earth: Scientists call for halt on ‘mirror life’ microbe research

Beyond causing lethal infections, the researchers doubt the microbes could be safely contained or kept in check by natural competitors and predators. Existing antibiotics are unlikely to be effective, either.

Houseplants Can Make You Healthier

THE NEW YORK TIMES – I was on the phone with a friend the other day, and because I can’t sit still, I started to dust the leaves on my sprawling bird of paradise plant. This is nice, I thought, gently swabbing the plant while I chatted away in my living room. As the sun bathed each shining leaf, I grew more peaceful. I felt like climbing into the pot and roosting for a while. Immersing...