Laura Kelly

Nora Volkow: Third medication-assisted treatment for opioid addicts shows promise

The nation's leading researcher in opioid addiction says a third medication-assisted treatment shows promise for treating addicts, who face barriers to care that include low insurance coverage, social stigma and a lack of treatment options.

November 15, 2017

Teen suicides rise with smartphone, social media use

A study shows that suicide rates among teenagers have risen along with their ownership of smartphones and use of social media, suggesting a disturbing link between technology and teen self-harm.

November 14, 2017

High-blood pressure: Nearly half of Americans have it under the new guidelines

Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure under the new guidelines issued Monday by heart organizations and the medical community. The threshold for high blood pressure has been lowered to 130/80 mm/HG from the previous 140/90.

November 14, 2017

Sex not a risk factor for heart attack: Study

Doctors are happy to announce that sex is not a risk factor for sudden cardiac arrest, a study says.

November 13, 2017

Bill Gates personally donates $100 million to Alzheimer’s research

Microsoft founder Bill Gates has pledged $100 million of his own wealth to Alzheimer's research, dividing the money between startup ventures and an established private-public research partnership.

November 13, 2017

E-cigarette users save more money than smokers: Poll

Switching from cigarettes to vaping products save users an average of $1,500 per year, according to an online poll of daily e-cigarette users.

November 9, 2017

Release of man-made killer mosquitoes will reduce disease population

Laboratory scientists have created killer mosquitoes designed for one purpose: to mate with and kill disease-carrying mosquitoes.

November 9, 2017

Despite evidence, majority of Americans don’t link alcohol to cancer, says medical group

The opinion of the medical community is that drinking alcohol increases the risk for cancer, but at least 70 percent of Americans don't believe their drinking has an effect on their long-term health, particularly their risk for at least five specific cancers.

November 8, 2017

Jeanne Shaheen: Funding not there for opioid treatment

Unfair distribution of funds and a shortage of cash is preventing established legislation for curbing the opioid epidemic to take effect, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said Tuesday at an event addressing prevention strategies, held in Washington, D.C.

November 8, 2017

Doctors fear obesity diagnosis will embarrass patients

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. physicians say they don't discuss weight loss with their obese patients for fear of embarrassing them, according to a survey examining barriers to treatment in the obesity epidemic.

November 7, 2017

Non-opioid medication effective in treating acute pain: Study

Treating patients with non-opioid medications was seen as effective as prescribing opioids to emergency-room patients for pain associated with sprains, strains or fractures, according to a study published Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

November 7, 2017

Pediatric patient visits increased after Obamacare: Study

The number of pediatric patients visiting their doctors increased after passage of the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare, particularly among minority and low-income adolescents, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

November 6, 2017

Washington, D.C., hospitals get failing grade: Report

A medical watchdog nonprofit group has given high marks for patient safety to hospitals in Northern Virginia but poor or failing grades for those in the District and the Maryland suburbs.

November 5, 2017

Trodisquemine: Cancer, diabetes medication shown to melt away fat

A new medication meant for the treatment of breast cancer and diabetes is found to have the side effect of clearing potentially fatal fat that blocks arteries, researchers at the University of Aberdeen announced on Thursday, following pre-clinical mice testing.

November 3, 2017

Daylight Saving Time ends Sunday so get more sunlight to improve sleep: Neurologist

Getting more sunlight during the day may help offset the negative effects of Daylight Saving Time, which ends Sunday morning when our clocks fall back at 2 am.

November 2, 2017

FDA warns against eating too much black licorice this Halloween

The federal government is all set to ruin Halloween this year, warning the public of consuming too much candy on the day built on sugar overdoses.

October 31, 2017

Lupus death rates, while declining, two times higher than other diseases

Death rates from lupus have fallen much more slowly than those of other diseases over the past five decades but also vary greatly based on where patients live, according to a study published Monday.

October 30, 2017

Frequent marijuana smokers have more sex: Study

Frequent marijuana use is associated with an increased frequency in sex, according to a new study published Friday in the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

October 27, 2017

Justice Department indicts pharmaceutical CEO John Kapoor on opioid fraud and racketeering

The Department of Justice on Thursday announced an indictment against a pharmaceutical CEO accused of bribing doctors and pharmacists to prescribe an extremely potent and addictive opioid, containing fentanyl, in charges that carry up to 20 years in prison and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

October 26, 2017

Physicians respond to gun violence as public heath crisis in effort to stem deaths, injuries

Since the Las Vegas massacre, health care professionals are demanding greater interventions and more research into the public health crisis of gun violence.

October 26, 2017