Prenatal diagnosis, a routine part of obstetric care, is on the cusp of further revolutionary developments of highly accurate and noninvasive tests, according to a recent article in The New York Times. Prenatal tests have been developed for more than 800 genetic...
Month: October 2013
Recall of Injectable Antibiotic
The Food and Drug Administration has alerted medical professionals to the recall of an injectable antibiotic used for a variety of bacterial infections, due to floating particles found in a sample of the drug. Specs of metal, cotton fiber and hair were visibly found...
Breast Cancer Gene Mutation Carriers Face Great Uncertainty
Women who test positive for the BRCA gene mutation face a lot of uncertainty and conflicting information regarding their surgical options, according to a recent article in The New York Times. Women with BRCA mutations often opt for risk-reducing...
Prescriptions Affected by Location of Patients
Location is one of the largest factors determining what medications are prescribed, particularly to seniors, according to a study released by the Dartmouth Atlas Project. The differences in prescriptions nationwide mean that some patients miss out on key treatments...
Why Doctors Order Unnecessary Scans
Doctors with a financial interest in magnetic resonance imaging (M.R.I.) machines may be more likely to order unnecessary scans for patients, according to a new Radiology study. Researchers found that more patients received M.R.I. scans that indicate nothing is...
Are Steroid Injections Really Best for Back Pain?
New studies find that injecting any liquid, not just steroids, into the area around the spinal cord will help relieve back pain. Epidurals are the most commonly used treatment for back pain, but these new studies suggest even plain saline solution works just as well...
System Implemented to Catch Medical Implant Flaws
Following years of highly-publicized recalls on medical implants plagued by design and manufacturing flaws, a new electronic system will now be used to protect patients by catching problems earlier. The Food and Drug Administration published new rules that...
Danger of Environmental Chemicals
Two top reproductive health organizations say the federal government is not doing enough to keep people safe from chemicals that cause a range of health problems, from birth defects to diabetes. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the...
Kentucky Nursing Homes Receive “D” Grade
With the current state of consistently underachieving nursing home care in Kentucky one of the worst in the country, Kentuckians for Nursing Home Reform is calling on state officials to improve conditions for elderly residents. Kentucky received a grade of "D" in a...
Superbugs Responsible for 23,000 Deaths Per Year
Drug-resistant germs, known as superbugs, infect more than two million people each year, 23,000 of which die from their infections, according to a recent NBC News article. Although doctors have been warned of the problem for decades, up to half of prescriptions...