Michigan governor apologies for Flint water crisis

In State of the State address, Republican governor Rick Snyder pledges to fix lead contamination in city's water supply

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/michigan-governor-rick-snyder-apologies-for-flint-water-crisis/

The long-term health effects of Flint water crisis

Even after lead exposure stops, the health effects can last for years or even be permanent

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctors-explain-the-long-term-health-effects-of-flint-water-crisis/

Facebook video of preemie twins holding hands goes viral

The tiny babies reach out and hold each others' hands - and it wasn't a one-time thing

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/facebook-video-of-preemie-twins-holding-hands-goes-viral/

School water coolers may help kids lose weight

"Sometimes, a very simple intervention can have a powerful effect"

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/school-water-coolers-may-help-kids-lose-weight/

Catch-up sleep on weekends may affect diabetes risk

Small study of men suggests there may be an antidote if you're sleep-deprived on weekdays

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/catch-up-sleep-on-weekends-may-affect-diabetes-risk/

Dr. Pritish Tosh Discusses Antibiotics Overuse and Misuse

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLM4VXGiWWw

Mayo Clinic Minute: Hidden Sugars

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4iTgNdsmlE

From Magician to Lover: Digital Storytelling

From: Mayo Clinic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbfbNOYnVHw

"A moonshot to end cancer"

Dr. David Agus reflects on Vice President Joe Biden's non-partisan "moonshot" to fight cancer

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/a-moonshot-to-end-cancer/

Parents, schools divided as sex ed controversy erupts

Emotions run high as one city considers its first update to sex ed curriculum in decades

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/sex-education-controversy-erupts-in-omaha/

Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Treatment: FAQ

Multiple sclerosis experts are welcoming a groundbreaking treatment that shows promise for some people with the disease: autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. WebMD has the details.

From: http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20160119/ms-autologous-hematopoietic-stem-cell-transplant?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Multiple Sclerosis Stem Cell Treatment: FAQ

Multiple sclerosis experts are welcoming a groundbreaking treatment that shows promise for some people with the disease: autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. WebMD has the details.

From: http://www.webmd.com/multiple-sclerosis/news/20160119/ms-autologous-hematopoietic-stem-cell-transplant?src=RSS_PUBLIC

When not to use antibiotics

Doctors are being urged not to prescribe antibiotics for common winter colds, coughs and flu

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/when-not-to-use-antibiotics/

Biden: Now's the time for "moonshot" in cancer fight

Speaking at the World Economic Forum, the vice president said we're at an "inflection point" in battle against killer disease

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/biden-nows-the-time-for-moonshot-in-cancer-fight/

Tiny implants monitor brain injuries, then dissolve away

These dissolvable silicon devices were tested in lab rats, measuring temperature and pressure within the skull

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/tiny-sensor-implants-monitor-brain-injuries-then-dissolve-away/

Families give insights into end-of-life choices

Conversations about end-of-life care need to happen early and often between patients and doctors

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/end-of-life-study-gives-insight-into-dying-cancer-patient-preferences/

Monthly Vivitrol treatment helps fight heroin abuse

Vermont is trying a new treatment option to battle heroin crisis

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/vivitrol-vaccine-helps-fight-heroin-addiction/

Families: Hospice Best for Dying Cancer Patients

Doctors need to heed preferences of patients, prepare for end of life sooner, experts say

From: http://www.webmd.com/palliative-care/news/20160119/families-say-hospice-better-than-hospital-for-dying-cancer-patients?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Doctors Choose Less Aggressive Care at End of Life

Findings suggest they understand limits of modern medicine better than the patients they treat do

From: http://www.webmd.com/palliative-care/news/20160119/doctors-choose-less-aggressive-care-at-end-of-life-studies-reveal?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Out-of-Shape Teens May Face High BP Later

Even thin kids are at risk, study says, emphasizing importance of exercise

From: http://teens.webmd.com/news/20160119/out-of-shape-teens-may-face-high-blood-pressure-later?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Trader Joe's recalls cashews for possible salmonella

Customers are urged not to consume cashews that may be contaminated

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/trader-joes-recalls-cashews-for-possible-salmonella/

Doctors urged to stop giving antibiotics for colds, flu

Antibiotics won't help a common cold or cough, but many patients ask for them

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctors-urged-to-stop-prescribing-antibiotics-for-colds-and-flu/

Teens and medicines that cause birth defects: Do doctors drop the ball?

My 14-year-old daughter recently started taking isotretinoin, a medication that can help severe acne — and that can cause severe birth defects. I knew that there was a process in place for preventing pregnancy in girls taking it, but I was caught off guard by just how many hoops we had to jump through to get her prescription.

There were two pregnancy tests a month apart at the beginning, continued monthly pregnancy tests as well as monthly online questions about contraception and her understanding of the effects of the medicine, and a special ID card that has to be brought to the pharmacy within a very short window after the monthly blood tests. I’d never seen anything like it, and I’m a doctor. It got me thinking: Why don’t we do this kind of thing for all the medications that cause birth defects? Are we dropping the ball?

The answer, says a recent study published in the journal Pediatrics, is yes.

For the study, researchers looked at 4,172 visits to a large Midwestern academic pediatric center. They found that 1,694 girls ages 14 to 25 got 4,506 prescriptions for Category D or X medications. Category D medications can cause birth defects, but in some cases the benefits outweigh the risks for a pregnant woman; for Category X medications, it’s felt that the risks outweigh the benefits.

There were all sorts of Category D and X medications prescribed, mostly by neurologists, dermatologists, and hematologist-oncologists. The five most common were topiramate, methotrexate, diazepam, isotretinoin, and enalapril. And here’s the scary part:

• Less than a third of the girls got a prescription or referral for birth control, or even counseling about birth control.
• Less than a quarter were asked questions about sexual activity.
• Less than a sixth were asked questions about their period (like when they last got it).

What was particularly interesting was that when girls were in programs like the one my daughter is in, they got asked about sex and periods even less. That certainly is true for us: the dermatologist has yet to ask those questions of my daughter — or even to ask to meet with her alone, which is usually the best way to have a confidential conversation with a teen. I suppose she thinks that the monthly pregnancy test and online quiz is enough — but everybody knows how to lie on an online test, and the idea is to prevent the monthly pregnancy test from becoming positive, not just check to see if it is.

Nobody likes to think about their teen daughter having sex. In general, both parents and doctors do a not-so-great job of talking to girls about sexuality and contraception, despite the fact that by their senior year in high school, roughly two-thirds of U.S. teens have had sex. But what worries me is that many of the girls taking these medications might not fully understand the risks — or might have misconceptions about sex or birth control — and unwittingly cause harm to a baby.

Clearly, we doctors have got to get our act together. We need to be more conscientious, ask the awkward questions, offer the education and birth control. But parents can make a difference, too. Here’s what they can do:

• Always ask about all the side effects of any medication your child is prescribed — including whether it causes birth defects.
• Make sure your daughter has the facts when it comes to sex and birth control. Yes, it’s important to pass on your values — but be sure she has the information she needs. Whether she needs it at age 15 or 30, she still needs it. Do it on the early side. Better safe than sorry.
• Encourage your daughter to meet alone, confidentially, with her health care providers. The most important thing isn’t that you know everything; the most important thing is that your daughter be safe and well.

Related Post:

• Where is best for birth: Hospital or home?
• Premenstrual dysphoric disorder: When it’s more than just…
• It’s NOT a “pink Viagra”
• Drinking a little alcohol early in pregnancy may be okay
• C-section rates: Consider this when deciding where to have…

The post Teens and medicines that cause birth defects: Do doctors drop the ball? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Claire McCarthy, MD http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/teens-and-medicines-that-cause-birth-defects-do-doctors-drop-the-ball-201601199043

Average Home Has About 100 Types of Bugs, Critters

Survey of 50 North Carolina houses found diverse communities of flies, spiders, mites in nearly all rooms

From: http://www.webmd.com/parenting/news/20160119/average-us-home-harbors-about-100-types-of-insects-other-critters?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Eagles Co-Founder Glenn Frey Dies at Age 67

Eagles Co-Founder Glenn Frey Dies at Age 67

From: http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/ulcerative-colitis/news/20160119/glenn-frey-dies?src=RSS_PUBLIC

USDA Expands Microloans to Help Farmers Purchase Farmland and Improve Property

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2016 — Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will begin offering farm ownership microloans, creating a new financing avenue for farmers to buy and improve property. These microloans will be especially helpful to beginning or underserved farmers, U.S. veterans looking for a career in farming, and those who have small and mid-sized farming operations.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0015.xml&contentidonly=true

Agriculture Secretary Vilsack to Lead Trade Mission to Chile and Peru

WASHINGTON, Jan. 19, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will lead a trade mission March 14 to March 18 to expand export opportunities for U.S. agriculture in Chile and Peru.

From: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentid=2016/01/0016.xml&contentidonly=true

Antibiotic-Resistant Gonorrhea: A Growing Threat

U.S. officials echo concerns of health experts in Great Britain

From: http://www.webmd.com/sexual-conditions/news/20160118/antibiotic-resistant-gonorrhea-a-growing-threat?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Catch-Up Sleep May Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Risk

But the research is preliminary and only included a small number of healthy young men, experts noted

From: http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20160118/catch-up-sleep-may-reverse-type-2-diabetes-risk-tied-to-sleep-loss-study?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Lyme-Causing Ticks Expand Their Range in U.S.

Residents in nearly half of all counties now at risk, CDC says

From: http://www.webmd.com/arthritis/news/20160118/lyme-causing-ticks-expand-their-range-in-us?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Minorities More Likely To Get Colon Cancer Younger

Researchers say screening guidelines in U.S. should be reviewed

From: http://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/news/20160118/minorities-more-likely-to-be-diagnosed-with-colon-cancer-at-younger-age?src=RSS_PUBLIC

High-Rise Living May Lower Cardiac Arrest Survival

Above the 16th floor, odds of staying alive after heart stops are slim, study finds

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20160118/high-rise-living-may-lower-your-chances-of-surviving-cardiac-arrest?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Women May Have Better Flu Defenses

Study might explain why men often seem harder hit by the virus

From: http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20160118/women-may-have-better-flu-defenses?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Infant formula: Your questions answered

Choosing an infant formula can be confusing. Understand types of formula, the difference between generic and brand-name formula, and more.

From: http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/infant-and-toddler-health/in-depth/infant-formula/art-20045782