For parents of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus the diagnosis often comes as a bolt from the blue. There is always a huge amount of information to digest and process and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sudden influx of information on medications, blood glucose testing, dietary...

Updated: October 2021 Are you ever bewildered by Open Enrollment and the myriad health insurance options out there? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. Our quick reference glossary of terms and phrases will help you make sense of Open Enrollment and put you on the right track to getting the...

Open Enrollment is nearly upon us and if you are one of the millions of self-employed Americans, you may be starting to explore your health insurance options ahead of the coming Open Enrollment period. In recent years, an increasing number of workers in the United States have gone into business for...

If you are one of many Americans whose employer offers group health coverage or other health insurance options, you may already be considering which health plan best suits you and your family ahead of the 2019 Open Enrollment Period.  Each year, around half of the population of the United...

It’s that time of year when millions of Americans are starting to look into their health insurance coverage options ahead of the 2019 Open Enrollment period. With the relatively short sign-up period for coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, it’s...

Nearly half (49 percent) of all adolescents aged between 13 and 17 were up-to-date with their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in 2017, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The organization’s latest Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)...

Do you have asthma and live near a busy road? If so, you may be one of those whose genetic profile means you are more susceptible to severe asthma symptoms exacerbated by traffic pollution… Around 26 million people in the US suffer from asthma, the equivalent to one in 13 Americans, but new...

Last year saw record levels of diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), according to the latest data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  In 2017, nearly 2.3 million cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis were diagnosed in the United States,...

If you suffer from the eye disease neurotrophic keratitis, your doctor may soon consider prescribing the topical eye drop Oxervate (cenegermin). It is the first drug approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a treatment for the rare condition. The drug, developed by Italian...

The background to the EpiPen shortage Since May this year, the EpiPen shortage has caused problems for many people with severe allergies. The epinephrine delivery system is used to counter anaphylaxis, a serious life-threatening allergic reaction that can be caused...

A diabetes diagnosis may seem overwhelming at first, but learning to manage diabetes mellitus enables you to start taking control of your condition, reducing the risk of further diabetes complications and improving your quality of life. Many healthcare professionals can help...

Everyone has experienced physical pain at some point in their lives, sometimes severe or unbearable pain, yet with proper pain treatment and time, pain recedes in the majority of cases. However, as many as 100 million Americans suffer from persistent or chronic pain (pain which lasts several...

Methylphenidate drugs, of which Ritalin (methylphenidate hcl) is probably the most well known, is the safest and most effective medication for children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a recent study concluded.  Published in the Lancet Psychiatry journal, the study...

Summer vacation is nearly over, which for many parents means it’s time to draw up back-to-school checklists and ensure their children have everything needed to return to classes. Most lists will feature the usual items; stationery, a new backpack, books, uniform; but there is one more...

Children and obese adults infected with influenza A, also known as the flu, transmit the virus longer than adults of a normal weight, according to a recent study.  Obesity is already recognized as a factor that increases the risk of severe complications as a result of influenza, yet new...

The Trump Administration has finalized new rules changing the maximum length of short-term, limited duration health plans, a step it claims will increase health insurance options for Americans.  Issued by the US Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor and Treasury, the new...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released the first of two new pieces of draft guidance that may eventually enable e-cigarette manufacturers to apply for regulated drug status for their products.  FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD, said there is “no greater impact we can...

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Azedra (iobenguane I 131), the first drug approved for treatment of rare unresectable adrenal gland tumors that spread beyond the original tumor site and need treating with a systemic anti-cancer therapy.  Adrenal glands, situated above...

Patients with neutropenia may have improved access to treatment following the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) approval of Nivestym (filgrastim-aafi), a biosimilar for Amgen biologic Neupogen (filgrastim).  The FDA’s approval of the biosimilar was based on a review...

Streamlining the process of bringing biosimilars to market is one of the keys to facilitating innovation and reducing healthcare costs, according to US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Speaking at the Brookings Institution on the release of the FDA’s...