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Research documents surprising benefits of prenatal supplements
Sheilamary Koch PharmaceuticalRecently published findings from two international follow-up studies show that offspring development may be greatly affected by the vitamin supplements their mothers took when pregnant. This research is likely to open the door to further studies in the area of prenatal supplementation and could eventually influence the vitamins prescribed to pregnant women. In one of the studies, adolescents whose mothers received multiple micronutrient supplements during pregnancy showed notably higher intellectual development than the offspring of women who took folic acid, according to Chinese researchers.
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Detecting kidney cancer with a blood test
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareOne of every four deaths in the United States is due to cancer. Kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers in both men and women. It is commonly a disease of older people, as the average age of diagnosis is 64 years. Importantly, kidney cancer has the potential for cure with surgery when diagnosed at an early stage. Recently, scientists have discovered a marker in the blood that could help predict a person’s risk of kidney cancer.
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Marijuana breathalyzer technology remains elusive, despite progress
Dr. Denise A. Valenti Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityCurrently, there are no roadside breath tests when marijuana-influenced driving impairment is suspected. Canada recently approved use of a roadside test using saliva, but a sensitive test using breath has yet to be available. Dr. Tara Lovestead, a research chemical engineer for the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S., described one of the problems with this goal, "Picture cutting a raisin into a trillion parts and trying to detect one of them."
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How to cut the stress at your practice
Lisa Mulcahy Medical & Allied HealthcareAs a physician, do you find yourself feeling depleted, exhausted, and isolated? You're not alone. A new Stanford University School of Medicine study found that at physicians' practices worldwide, the emotional and physical impact of managing daily workload is causing doctors more stress than ever. Out of 6,695 doctors surveyed by the researchers, 55 percent reported feeling burnt out. The good news: there are positive and concrete steps you can take to alleviate your stress, forge stronger bonds with your staff, colleagues and patients, and physically recover so you're refreshed to do your best work.
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New research focuses on link between hormones and migraines in women
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareThe three most common forms of pain treated in the United States are headache, backache, and metastatic pain or cancer pain. Headaches are a major reason why people miss work or school or visit a healthcare provider. Migraine headaches, which affect about 12 percent of Americans, involve moderate-to-severe throbbing pain, often on one side of the head. Migraines are three times more common in women than in men and may relate to changes in hormones and hormonal levels during their menstrual cycle.
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Electronic transactions may save Medicaid $4.8 billion annually
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationA new Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare (CAQH CORE) report states that Medicaid could save more than $4.8 billion annually if they moved to fully electronic transactions. The California-based nonprofit also said more than half of Medicaid enrollees are in plans without electronic prior authorization. Only 44 percent of Medicaid recipients are in plans with automated claims processes. State agencies and health plans covering these enrollees have achieved some level of CORE Certification compared to 78 percent for commercial health plans and 75 percent for Medicare Advantage plans.
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Are happiness and a healthcare career mutually exclusive?
Keith Carlson Medical & Allied HealthcareThose who have a good understanding of healthcare know that it is a stressful industry for doctors, nurses, and allied staff. From the rigors of education and loan repayment to the challenges of the 21st-century workplace, those who choose healthcare careers are at risk of losing their sense of balance and happiness. Must healthcare careers and personal happiness be mutually exclusive?
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Even with insurance, many female consumers shocked by the costs of their…
Scott E. Rupp Medical & Allied HealthcareWomen are feeling significantly worse than men about several key healthcare issues, according to a new Bankrate.com report. For example, in a new study issued by the website, 25 percent of women said they or a family member living in their household avoided going to the doctor over the past year — even though they needed medical attention — because they thought it would be too expensive. Only 18 percent of men said the same. Additionally, between the two sexes, 47 percent of women who paid a medical bill in the past year said "it was more expensive than they expected." Thirty-five percent of men echoed that sentiment.
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Nebraska conducts first execution in the US to use fentanyl
Michelle R. Matisons PharmaceuticalThe death penalty is a very divisive political issue. Recently, even Pope Francis condemned the practice as "inadmissable." Acquiring the drugs used for lethal injection is a huge problem, and some suggest this is leading to some very problematic developments — like the use of the popular opioid fentanyl in executions. Nebraska recently used fentanyl to execute Carey Dean Moore. This is the first time ever in the U.S. that fentanyl has been used in an inmate’s execution, and the move has caused much controversy.
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Trace pharmaceuticals seen in water, food supply across the country
Dr. Denise A. Valenti PharmaceuticalDrugs of all kinds are in the foods you might eat and the water you drink. Most recently, even private well systems were found to have traces of pharmaceutical products in the water. A 2015 study that assessed rivers near urban areas in the United States for the presence of active pharmaceutical ingredients found 20 percent of the 182 sites sampled had at least 10 of the 46 compounds sampled. The widespread use of opioids has also impacted the water supply, and this has impacted the food we consume. Mussels harvested from the Puget Sound in Washington state have tested positive for trace amounts of oxycodone.
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