Author: Andrew Gutman

In the quest to discover the causes for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), influenza (H1N1) vaccine can be taken off the chopping block. A recent study out of Sweden, and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, reported no link between mother’s receiving the H1N1 vaccine while pregnant and their babies having ASD.  Autism Spectrum Disorder is a neurological developmental disorder that’s characterized by a lack of communication skills, social skills, and repetitious behavior, According to the study, only a few environmental factors and specific genes have been associated with ASD. According to Autism Speaks, a parent may have one or…

For those with Type-2 diabetes, bariatric surgery has been shown by certain studies to have therapeutic effects on metabolic function independent of just weight loss. However, a new study in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that it is indeed weight loss ls which yields the most dramatic improvements for those with diabetes. And so the argument for surgery seems weaker.  Researchers measured the glucose levels of 22 people who both have diabetes and are obese, split into a bariatric surgery group and a diet-induced weight-loss group. Both groups saw a nearly identical increase in glucose suppression. Mostly,…

Happy Monday. We’re hoping that your week is off to a good start. We’re pleased to have good news to report this week. First, Phase I and II trials of a COVID-19 vaccine show promising results. Also, patients who are mildly obese and taking hypertension medications may benefit from bariatric surgery.  COVID-19 Vaccine Presents Minimum Adverse Events An analysis of two randomized clinical trials of a COVID-19 vaccine in China showed promising results, a report in JAMA shows. In the phase I trial, 96 healthy adults were either given aluminum hydroxide or a low, medium, and high doses of a…

Much has come out regarding COVID-19 (shocker), so we’ve put together a special COVID-only news roundup to keep you up to date. Most of it — mainly, the part about COVID potentially affecting babies and how chloroquine is really not a safe bet — is bleak. But, we end with some good news — medicine to treat COVID-19 may be here sooner than we thought. COVID-19 May Effect Embryos  Women who are exposed to COVID-19 may have more complicated pregnancies a new study, published in Open Biology, finds. Researchers looked at genes in human embryos and, most importantly, found that…

Good afternoon. Hopefully, your week is off to a good start. Most recently, babies exposed to marijuana in utero have a higher chance of being autistic. Also, the FDA continues to update its guidelines on hand sanitizer testing and issue recalls.  Marijuana Linked to Autism Spectrum Disorder  Not smoking marijuana while you’re pregnant sounds like common sense, and research published in Nature Medicine confirms that it is indeed a bad idea. With marijuana now legal for recreational use in more states and countries, consumption, in general, has gone up.  To better learn about the effects of marijuana on a fetus…

You’ve heard about misreported causes of death a lot recently. For example, the debate rages on about the actual number of people who have died of COVID-19 because the way “cause of death” differs from state to state and even hospital to hospital. The problems that an untrustworthy count causes in COVID-19 are apparent — how draconian do we need to be to stop the virus?  Covid-19 is not the only miscounted death with real-life consequences. A seven-year-long study of fatalities attributed to out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA)  found that one out of six cardiac deaths actually resulted from…

Happy Tuesday, everyone. Another week is in the books, and we’re pleased to have some good news to report. But first the bad news: It turns out that certain inactive ingredients in drugs may have an effect on you, and the FDA added to their list of subpar and potentially dangerous hand sanitizers.  That said, it turns out that there’s a new drug that may treat COVID-19 and is very affordable.  Inactive Drugs Not So Inactive The inactive ingredients in drugs — which are used sometimes as fillers, to add color, or to use as preservatives — may not be…

Good morning, and welcome to the start of another week. It turns out that Twitter may be useful beyond giving purpose to internet trolls. Also, you may want to put down your phone for a minute and check to see which hand sanitizer you have — because some are now considered dangerous.  Sorry if that’s a dreary start to your week, but, hey, at least we’re honest. Maybe Ease Up with the Hand Sanitizer If there’s been one business that has benefited from COVID-19, it’s hand sanitizer. For weeks, stores around the nation were sold out as folks wanted to…

Researchers have discovered that oral corticosteroids, in both the long and short term, may cause serious adverse effects. And for those who suffer from anxiety and depression, new, albeit inconclusive research suggests that probiotics and prebiotics may help relieve symptoms.  Oral Steroid Linked to Serious Side Effects Corticosteroids are a class of steroids used to treat allergies and arthritis. They work to reduce swelling and inflammation, and while the long-term adverse effects of corticosteroids (such as prednisone and dexamethasone) are known, the effects in a short-term oral burst are not. However, a new study published in the Annals of Internal…

We like to rate everything — pizza, movies, even apps like Tinder and Bumble let us choose dates based on other’s looks. So it tracks that eventually, people would put their heads together and come up with a rating system for something that matters like hospitals.  That’s what the folks at the Lown Institute, a nonpartisan think tank focused on all things health, has done. They call it the Lown Hospital Index, and it’s a comprehensive index that rates hospitals based on three major categories: Patient Outcome, Value of Care, and Civic Leadership.  The Index has been in the works for two years. According…