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They have soared in popularity over the last year, in part from social media attention and billionaires like Elon Musk touting the drugs’ weight loss effects. Ozempic is not approved for weight loss, but doctors sometimes prescribe it off-label for that purpose. Harper took Ozempic off-label for weight loss from May until November (she paused while moving to Washington state but plans to start again). For Yazeed, weight loss was not the reason she went on Ozempic, nor was it a goal. He hasn't experienced side effects or weight loss from Ozempic, he said, but he recognizes that isn't true for everyone.

"Everybody has a different amount of fibroglandular tissue and a different pattern," Freer said, referring to dense breast tissue. In individual interviews as part of Gunn's survey, six out of 61 women said dense breasts contributed to breast cancer risk. There are two reasons dense breasts are linked to a higher risk of breast cancer. To lower one's risk of breast cancer overall, doctors recommend limiting alcohol intake, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy diet. The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium offers an online tool to help people gauge their breast cancer risk based on multiple factors, including breast density.

Autism rates tripled among children in the New York and New Jersey metropolitan area from 2000 to 2016, according to a study published Thursday in the journal Pediatrics. Although there is no medical test for autism, the CDC has established a network of 17 sites across the country that estimate autism rates based on a combination of formal medical diagnoses and records from schools and health care providers. Nationally, the rise in autism rates has been similar to the trend in New York and New Jersey, according to a 2021 CDC report. But there’s probably more to the story: Genetic factors, and perhaps some environmental ones, too, might also be contributing to the trend. Beyond the improvements in diagnostics, genetic factors could be driving up autism cases on their own, experts said.

The study didn't look at real people, however: The researchers exposed cells derived from humans and mice to UV light from nail dryers. Previous studies have linked only a few instances of skin cancer to gel manicures. Scientists will need to study the effects of UV nail dryers in actual humans before they can make definitive conclusions about cancer risk, she added. Even so, Curtis and Zhivagui said that in their own lives, they don't ever get manicures that require UV nail dryers. Davis said some people may decide that exposure to UV radiation from gel manicures just isn't worth the gamble, given how much we still don't know.

☆ CDC is talking to airlines about wastewater testing in planes. New reports support that strategy.
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

The U.S. has been monitoring for the coronavirus in wastewater since the CDC launched its National Wastewater Surveillance System in September 2020. But that testing mainly involves wastewater from households or buildings, not samples from airports or planes. Previous Covid-19 wastewater surveillance has shown to be a valuable tool, and airplane wastewater surveillance could potentially be an option," CDC press officer Scott Pauley told NBC News. Politico first reported that the agency is considering airplane wastewater testing. As of October, more than 1,250 sites were conducting wastewater testing across the U.S.

If you bought a period underwear product made by Thinx, you may now be entitled to a refund thanks to a class-action lawsuit settlement announced in November. Plaintiffs in the suit accused Thinx of using — and not telling customers about — potentially harmful chemicals known as PFAS in the underwear. The company has agreed to provide up to an additional $1 million if needed to cover valid claims. As part of the settlement, Thinx denied all the allegations leveled by the plaintiffs, and asserted that the settlement is not an admission of guilt. Thinx customers may receive a $7 refund for each purchase of up to three pairs of Thinx Period Underwear reflected in Thinx’s records, or for which they provide a valid proof of purchase.

That’s consistent with the long-standing and well-understood rule that eating fewer calories contributes to weight loss. She also noted that the average person gains 1 or 2 pounds per year, which can amount to significant weight gain over time. Eating fewer large meals and more small meals, then, could "prevent that slow creep of weight gain," Bennett said. Consuming too much highly processed food like hot dogs, chips or soda can contribute to weight gain, whereas diets that rely on vegetables and whole grains may assist with weight loss. "Some of our best data in humans suggests probably diet quality matters more than meal timing," Peterson said.

The U.S. teen birth rate hit a record low in 2019, the NCHS report shows, with fewer than 1.7 births per 100 teen girls ages 15 to 19. The overall fertility rate in the U.S. declined from 2015 to 2020, additional NCHS data shows, reaching a low of fewer than 6 births per 100 women ages 15 to 44. Guzzo said birth rates never fully recovered after the Great Recession, likely due to factors such as student loan debt, high housing prices and a shortage of full-time jobs. Fertility rates vary by region, though: States in the central U.S. have higher rates than in other parts of the country. "It could be that the overturning of Roe v. Wade will act against the continued decline in birth rate," he said.

The other two tests expire in a month. Some of the newly delivered iHealth tests from Covid.gov expire in the next month or so, according to their extended dates. To find out when a Covid test really expires — factoring in the extension period — people can look up the manufacturer and test name on the FDA website. The latest extended dates for Abbott's BinaxNOW tests are in April. The USPS site for ordering free tests includes a notice telling people to check the extended expiration dates and directing them to the FDA site.

☆ Rapid tests for Covid, RSV and flu are available in Europe. What's stopping them in the U.S.?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

But unlike Covid tests, which are available over the counter, RSV and flu tests must be performed at a doctor’s office or ordered via prescription. The rapid test from Brus' photo, however, is available in the European Union, and the manufacturer has certified that it meets the E.U. The FDA said it strongly supports at-home tests for respiratory viruses, including combination tests for flu and Covid. Unlike Covid tests, Butler-Wu said, there have been fewer opportunities to study whether rapid flu tests can be administered in the shallower part of the nose and maintain their accuracy. Butler-Wu said rapid flu tests given by medical professionals are generally about 60% sensitive, meaning they produce false negatives about 40% of the time.

Doctors are calling on the public to familiarize themselves with lifesaving CPR techniques after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered cardiac arrest during a football game Monday night in Cincinnati. Hamlin received CPR, which stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to restore his heartbeat on the field, the Bills said in a statement. The American Heart Association said it saw a 200% increase in web traffic to its CPR site after news of Hamlin’s cardiac arrest emerged. More than 30 states require public school students to learn CPR before high school graduation. Another possible solution, Toft said, is for the U.S. to require CPR training to obtain driver’s licenses — a strategy deployed in some Scandinavian countries.

The study participants all had blood-sodium concentrations considered to be within the normal range: 135 to 146 millimoles per liter. Even people with blood-sodium levels above 142 millimoles per liter had elevated risks of developing certain chronic diseases, including heart failure, stroke, chronic lung disease, diabetes and dementia, the study found. Dmitrieva's previous research similarly found that higher blood sodium may be a risk factor for heart failure. But the study authors cautioned that more research is needed to determine whether good hydration can help slow aging, prevent disease or lead to a longer life. The NIH study "doesn’t prove that drinking more water will prevent chronic disease," he said.

Around 67% of people who took the experimental pill, called VV116, reported side effects, compared to to 77% who took Paxlovid. In the trial of VV116, more than 380 people took the experimental drug, while a similarly sized group took Paxlovid. The median time to recovery — defined as no Covid symptoms for two consecutive days — was four days for VV116 recipients and five days for those who took Paxlovid. Three-quarters of the trial participants were vaccinated, though the study found consistent results regardless of vaccine status. The National Institutes of Health recommends Paxlovid, with molnupiravir as an alternative in situations when neither Paxlovid nor remdesivir is available or appropriate.

A study published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry found that abortion restrictions may have played a role in some suicide deaths among younger women from 1974 to 2016. The study is the first of its kind to show an association between abortion restrictions and suicide rates among younger women, said Dr. The researchers did not find the same association for older women, he said, suggesting that the increased suicide risk was specific to women directly affected by TRAP laws. Elevated suicide rates in states with more restrictive abortion laws "is cause for clinical concern," he wrote. That research ended in 2016, though, so it's unclear how newer abortion restrictions — such as the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade — have affected suicide rates among younger women.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday alerted the medical community to an increase in pediatric cases of invasive group A strep infections. The spike in invasive strep A was first detected in the U.S. in November, among children at a hospital in Colorado, the CDC said. NBC News reported last week that several children’s hospitals across the U.S. had detected increases in invasive group A strep infections. However, the overall number of invasive group A strep infections among children remains low and the condition is rare, according to the CDC. Generally, people over 65 and those with chronic illnesses are most susceptible to invasive strep infections.

☆ New York and L.A. meet CDC criteria for masking in public. How much will masks help this winter?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

The Philadelphia school district announced Wednesday that students and staff will be required to wear masks indoors for two weeks in January in an effort to slow transmission after the holidays. The New York City Department of Education issued a letter this week strongly encouraging students and staff to wear a well-fitting mask indoors. After three years of Covid, however, experts recognized that few people are inclined to wear masks as often as they had previously while in public spaces. But Luby said he still wears a mask in public, even when others around him do not. “I find myself in that situation a lot — I’m the only person in the room wearing a mask," he said.

Children's hospitals in Arizona, Colorado, Texas and Washington told NBC News they are seeing a higher-than-average number of cases this season compared to past years. In the U.K., at least 15 children have died from invasive group A strep since mid-September. Anyone can get invasive strep A, including healthy adults, but people over 65 and those with chronic illnesses are more susceptible. Between 1,500 and 2,300 people die of these invasive infections each year. It's important for kids with strep to get care right away so they can start taking antibiotics like penicillin.

☆ Celine Dion has stiff-person syndrome, a one-in-a-million diagnosis. These are its symptoms.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Celine Dion's diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome has brought public attention to the rare neurological disorder, which affects roughly one or two out of every million people. People with stiff-person syndrome often experience rigidity in their torso and limbs, as well as severe muscle spasms that can cause them to fall down. Stiff-person syndrome overall disrupts the normal pathways of communication between the brain and the muscles. A small minority of cancer patients may also produce antibodies that attack the nervous system and trigger stiff-person syndrome, Helfgott added. Because many symptoms of stiff-person syndrome overlap with those of Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia or anxiety, it often takes time to diagnose.

☆ Just a couple minutes of vigorous activity several times a day might lower one's risk of death
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Aria-Bendix-Byline-Jm.Jpg | Aria Bendix | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

"For years, everybody assumed that the health benefits of physical activity required at least 10 minutes," she said. Previous research from the University of Sydney has also found that vigorous physical activity is associated with lower rates of heart disease. A 2019 study also determined that stair climbing was associated with a lower risk of death among older men. Current U.S. guidelines say adults need 150 minutes of moderate physical activity per week, such as brisk walking, riding a bike or playing tennis. "There are just so many ways you can incorporate physical activity into a normal lifestyle," DiPietro said.

Following the news that actor Kirstie Alley died of colon cancer at age 71, several doctors and cancer specialists urged people to get the recommended screenings for the disease. Alley's manager confirmed to NBC News on Tuesday that the actor died of colon cancer. Colorectal cancer is the fourth-most common form of cancer in the U.S. and the second-most deadly behind lung cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimates that around 151,000 cases of colorectal cancer will be diagnosed this year. Colon cancer can be difficult to diagnose, however, since symptoms can resemble those of other conditions like hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome.

The spread of RSV appears to be slowing, though Covid cases have risen since Thanksgiving and flu hospitalizations remain at a decade high, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said Monday. "This year’s flu season is off to a rough start," Dr. Sandra Fryhofer, board chair of the American Medical Association, said at a CDC press briefing. Nationally, the number of positive weekly RSV tests fell from more than 19,000 in the week ending Nov. 12 to around 7,500 in the week ending Nov. 26. Average daily Covid cases, however, have risen 16% over the last two weeks, according to NBC News' tally. The CDC recorded a nearly 18% increase in average daily hospital admissions due to Covid from the week ending Nov. 22 to the week ending Nov. 29.

But doctors often recommended the monoclonal antibody for people taking certain immunosuppressive medications, such as cancer patients or transplant recipients, since Paxlovid can interact negatively with several of those drugs. Casadevall said convalescent plasma is an effective alternative to monoclonal antibodies, but it's more complicated to administer and oversee. Pharma companies haven't given up on the promise of new monoclonal antibody drugs, however. A spokesperson for Eli Lilly said the company is searching for and evaluating monoclonal antibody candidates. Casadevall said new monoclonal antibody drugs are still worth pursuing, since they have proven safe and effective against Covid.

But just 31% of that group has gotten updated booster shots. Hospital physicians, state public health officials and advocacy groups for older adults pointed to a variety of factors fueling the low booster uptake. They include feelings of fatigue at the pace of Covid shots and a lack of awareness that the new booster could make the difference between a mild case and a hospital visit. Morell said she experienced dizziness, blurry eyesight and heart palpitations after her first Covid booster in November 2021. Wachter said the majority of people who have gotten the new booster get mild Covid, even if they’re older or have risk factors.

Covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are together driving a national wave of respiratory illnesses. Covid, flu and RSV can be difficult to distinguish, since they share many common symptoms. But a loss of taste and smell is more commonly associated with Covid than with flu or RSV. Flu symptoms tend to develop more suddenly than those of Covid or RSV. To reduce the length of flu symptoms, though, doctors usually prescribe Tamiflu or one of three other approved treatments.

Fungal infections are more widespread than doctors or patients realize, research suggests. People generally get fungal infections after breathing in spores. Thompson’s paper came just weeks after another study revealed high rates of fungal disease diagnoses far outside their traditionally understood geographies. A World Health Organization report in October also found that severe fungal infections became more prevalent among people with pre-existing health issues during the Covid pandemic. In some cases, fungal infections can take months of treatment to clear and may become chronic.

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