Alarming number of public pools cited for health violations

As Americans gear up for summer, the CDC warns swimming pools may harbor serious health hazards

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Falarming-number-of-public-pools-cited-for-health-violations-cdc%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Superbugs could kill more people than cancer, report warns

A new report takes on the global challenge of combatting superbugs, and lays out a plan to turn the tide

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fsuperbugs-could-kill-more-people-than-cancer-report-warns%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

'Precision' Cancer Treatment May Extend Lives

Therapy that uses patient DNA to guide drug selection seems superior to standard chemo, study finds

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fcancer%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Fprecision-cancer-treatment-may-extend-lives%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

FDA Approves New Drug to Treat Bladder Cancer

Tecentriq boosted survival in small trial

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fcancer%2Fbladder-cancer%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Ffda-approves-new-drug-to-treat-bladder-cancer%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Public Pools, Hot Tubs Closed for Dirty Water: CDC

Inspections in 5 states found kiddie pools had the most problems, with 1 in 5 shut down for violations

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Fthousands-of-public-pools-hot-tubs-closed-for-dirty-water-cdc%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Public Pools, Hot Tubs Closed for Dirty Water: CDC

Inspections in 5 states found kiddie pools had the most problems, with 1 in 5 shut down for violations

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Fthousands-of-public-pools-hot-tubs-closed-for-dirty-water-cdc%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

USDA Disaster Nutrition Assistance Programs

From: USDA http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DdA-Nx_v4b8A&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

USDA Announces $3.8 Million in Grants and Additional $7 Million Available for Critical Research to Prevent Childhood Obesity

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2016 — Six universities have been awarded nearly $4 million in funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help fight obesity and improve the health of our nation’s children, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today. Secretary Vilsack also announced that USDA is accepting applications for up to $7 million for additional projects next year.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fwps%2Fportal%2Fusda%2Fusdahome%3Fcontentid%3D2016%2F05%2F0125.xml%26amp%3Bcontentidonly%3Dtrue&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Register for 2016 Management Conference Week

Local, state and national dental society executives seeking to connect and collaborate with their peers can register for the 2016 Management Conference from June 1 to July 9.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ada.org%2Fen%2Fpublications%2Fada-news%2F2016-archive%2Fmay%2Fregister-for-2016-management-conference-week&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

​If you got a Theranos "voided" test, contact your doctor

The blood testing start-up has corrected or voided results from 2014 to 2015, raising questions for patients

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fif-you-got-a-theranos-voided-test-contact-your-doctor%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Oklahoma passes bill effectively banning abortion

The bill, which passed 32-12 with no discussion or debate, makes performing an abortion a felony offense

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Foklahoma-passes-bill-effectively-banning-abortion-doctors-felony%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) concerning Yellow Fever

An Emergency Committee (EC) regarding yellow fever was convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005) by teleconference on 19 May 2016, from 13:00 to 17:15 Central European Time[1].

The following affected States Parties participated in the information session of the meeting: Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.who.int%2Fentity%2Fmediacentre%2Fnews%2Fstatements%2F2016%2Fec-yellow-fever%2Fen%2Findex.html&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

25M Will Struggle With Vision Problems by 2050

Aging boomers will trigger a doubling of blind or visually impaired people in next 3 decades, study predicts

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fhealthy-aging%2Fnews%2F20160519%2F25-million-americans-will-struggle-with-vision-problems-by-2050%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Melanoma Drug Boosting Survival for Many

Keytruda also seen prompting remission in 1 in 6 cases

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fmelanoma-skin-cancer%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Fmelanoma-drug-boosting-survival-for-many-study-shows%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ada.org%2Fen%2Fpublications%2Fada-news%2F2016-archive%2Fjune&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Antidepressants and pregnancy: More research needed

Follow me at @Drmoniquetello

For many women, pregnancy and the arrival of a new baby is a joyous time — but not for every woman. Recently, postpartum depression — extreme feelings of sadness and anxiety following the birth of a child — has come out from the shadows. But what about depression during pregnancy?

It’s more common than you think: as many as 14% to 23% of pregnant women will experience symptoms of depression. It’s of sufficient public health concern that the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening all pregnant women and new moms for depression. However, treating depression during pregnancy raises a number of questions, particularly about the use of antidepressants.

Each year, an estimated one million pregnant women in the U.S. take these medications, according to a report from the CDC. The study looked at the records of 5.8 million privately insured women of reproductive age and found that 15.4% of them were taking antidepressants. Given that there are roughly 7.5 million pregnancies per year in the United States (and about half of these are unintended), there could be as many as a million developing fetuses exposed to antidepressants early in pregnancy. The actual number may be higher, as previous studies have suggested that antidepressant use is more common among women on public health insurance (and data on these women were not included in the report).

SSRIs and birth defects?

The CDC report found that four of the five most commonly prescribed antidepressants were selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs): sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), and fluoxetine (Prozac). The authors also cited several recent studies that suggest a possible association between SSRIs and birth defects, such as brain and heart malformations.

The authors feel that there is a serious public health concern about the use of SSRIs in pregnancy “Given the high proportion of unplanned pregnancies, the lack of adequate information on the safety or risk of antidepressant use during pregnancy, and the reported possible association between the use of some antidepressants during early pregnancy and the occurrence of major birth defects.” This concern is driving the CDC’s new initiative to push for more and better research on the safety of antidepressant use in pregnancy.

But it’s not that simple — and some experts take a broader view

But not all psychiatrists who treat pregnant women (perinatal psychiatrists), are in complete agreement with these conclusions. Dr. Marlene P. Freeman, associate director of the Center for Women’s Mental Health at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, reassures us that there are plenty of studies on this topic, and that most of these do not suggest that SSRIs taken during pregnancy cause birth defects. “SSRIs are extremely well studied, and the preponderance of data does not suggest that they are teratogens,” (teratogens are agents that cause birth defects), she explains. “In the large body of literature published, there are certainly concerns with antidepressant exposure, but the more worrisome findings are inconsistently observed, with low absolute risk.” She and other perinatal psychiatrists emphasize the very important distinction between “possible association” and “cause and effect,” and advocate a more thoughtful approach to interpretation of the research.

Dr. Freeman is most concerned about a medication that is not mentioned in the article at all: valproic acid (Depakote), which is commonly prescribed for bipolar disorder, seizure disorders, and migraines. “It has a known and substantial risk of neural tube defects and poor neurocognitive outcomes for children,” she says. (Damage to the neural tube can result in developmental and learning problems for children.) She also points out that because about half of all pregnancies are unintended, and because “the neural tube is formed very early in pregnancy, damage can be done prior to women even knowing they are pregnant.”

Weighing the risks and benefits of antidepressants during pregnancy

The authors of the report acknowledge that “depressed women have higher rates of smoking, binge or heavy drinking, obesity, and physical inactivity, which might also pose risks to a developing fetus during pregnancy.” Dr. Freeman agrees with this, and adds, “we need to balance putative risks with that of the untreated disorder.” In other words, whenever a clinician prescribes a drug, he or she has to weigh any potential harmful effects against the harm in not treating at all. And for pregnant women with severe depression, not taking medication may pose an unacceptable risk of harm.

If you are pregnant and think you may be experiencing an episode of depression, talk with your doctor, especially if you have already been diagnosed with depression or other mental health issues (for example, anxiety). It’s also a good idea to have a conversation with your doctor if you take antidepressants and are thinking about conceiving. Untreated depression can be harmful to both a mother and her developing child, so it’s important to explore the full range of treatment options. For some women, the benefits of antidepressants may outweigh potential risks, and certain medications are likely safer than others.

The MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health website and blog are excellent resources for more information about psychiatric medications and pregnancy, including helpful reviews of recent research studies.

Related Post:

• Teens and medicines that cause birth defects: Do doctors…
• An obstetrician (who is also a feminist) weighs in on the…
• New depression screening guidelines benefit pregnant women…
• Drinking a little alcohol early in pregnancy may be okay
• Experts say no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy

The post Antidepressants and pregnancy: More research needed appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Monique Tello, MD, MPH http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.health.harvard.edu%2Fblog%2Fantidepressants-and-pregnancy-201605199641&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

U.S. Labor issues final overtime rule

The U.S. Department of Labor finalized a rule May 18 that expands the number of full-time workers eligible for overtime pay.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ada.org%2Fen%2Fpublications%2Fada-news%2F2016-archive%2Fmay%2Fus-labor-issues-final-overtime-rule&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

UCLA dental school names new dean

The University of California Los Angeles School of Dentistry announced May 18 it named Dr. Paul Krebsbach, a researcher in tissue engineering and stem cell biology, as its new dean, effective June 30.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ada.org%2Fen%2Fpublications%2Fada-news%2F2016-archive%2Fmay%2Fucla-dental-school-names-new-dean&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Life expectancy increased by 5 years since 2000, but health inequalities persist

Dramatic gains in life expectancy have been made globally since 2000, but major inequalities persist within and among countries, according to this year’s “World Health Statistics: Monitoring Health for the SDGs”.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.who.int%2Fentity%2Fmediacentre%2Fnews%2Freleases%2F2016%2Fhealth-inequalities-persist%2Fen%2Findex.html&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Family of brain-dead toddler draws hope from California woman

The Bay Area woman remains alive a year after she was pronounced brain dead

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Ffamily-of-brain-dead-toddler-draws-hope-from-california-woman%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Immune drug for deadly skin cancer shows long-term survival

The drug, which targets the immune system, was used to treat former President Jimmy Carter

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fimmune-drug-for-deadly-skin-cancer-shows-long-term-survival%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Top medical school ends training on live animals

Only one other U.S. medical school still allows students to practice performing surgery on animals

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fjohns-hopkins-medical-school-ends-live-animal-surgeries-to-train-students%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

This After Mini-Stroke May Drop Major Stroke Risk

Study finds risk is reduced by as much as 80 percent

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fstroke%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Faspirin-after-mini-stroke-may-help-prevent-full-blown-stroke%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Breast Milk May Have Helped Spread Ebola in Africa

However, most cases were transmitted by everyday close contact, researchers say

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fnews%2F20160519%2Fsex-breast-milk-may-have-helped-spread-ebola-in-africa%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Spark of Discovery Ignites New Era of Cancer Therapies - Mayo Clinic

From: Mayo Clinic http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D31XHJNpJ_FQ&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on the Organic Trade Association Report

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2016 - U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today released a statement on the Organic Trade Association’s report that the organic sector posted its largest-ever dollar gain in 2015, with total organic product sales growing by $4.2 billion, reaching $43.3 billion.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fwps%2Fportal%2Fusda%2Fusdahome%3Fcontentid%3D2016%2F05%2F0124.xml%26amp%3Bcontentidonly%3Dtrue&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Dog aging study aims to help extend lifespans

Researchers are putting together the largest study ever on aging in dogs, and their findings could someday help humans, too

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fdog-aging-project-studies-canine-human-longevity%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Why Heavy Drinking May Boost Desire to Smoke More

Study sheds light on how alcohol habit may make it harder to overcome nicotine addiction

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fmental-health%2Faddiction%2Fnews%2F20160518%2Fwhy-heavy-drinking-seems-to-boost-desire-to-smoke-more%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Tumor Location Affects Colon Cancer Survival

It found that patients with tumors on the left side lived longer than those with malignancies on the right

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fcolorectal-cancer%2Fnews%2F20160518%2Ftumor-location-affects-colon-cancer-survival-study%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Triclosan May Not Be a Dirty Word After All

Triclosan is ingredient used in some cleaning products and toothpastes

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Foral-health%2Fnews%2F20160518%2Fantibacterial-agent-may-not-be-a-dirty-word-after-all-study%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Is Your City one of America's Fittest?

A lower smoking rate helped Washington, D.C., edge out Minneapolis and Denver, report says

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Ffitness-exercise%2F20160518%2Fexperts-rank-americas-fittest-cities----is-yours-one-of-them%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Many Smokers Have COPD Symptoms, Without Diagnosis

It's not clear how many will go on to have the full-blown respiratory ailment, researchers said

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.webmd.com%2Fsmoking-cessation%2Fnews%2F20160518%2Fmany-smokers-have-copd-symptoms-without-diagnosis%3Fsrc%3DRSS_PUBLIC&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Marijuana helping older Americans find pain relief

Did you know the 55-and-older crowd is now the fastest-growing demographic of pot users in the country?

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fvideos%2Fmarijuana-helping-older-americans-find-pain-relief%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Seniors are filling their prescriptions -- at a pot shop

​The 55-and-older crowd is now the fastest-growing demographic of pot users in the country

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Fseniors-marijuana-use-fastest-growing-pot-users-prescriptions%2F&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8

Statement from Agriculture Secretary Vilsack on the U.S. International Trade Commission Report

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2016 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued the following statement today in response to a study by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) that found the U.S. agriculture sector will increase output if the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is passed.

From: http://redirect.viglink.com?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usda.gov%2Fwps%2Fportal%2Fusda%2Fusdahome%3Fcontentid%3D2016%2F05%2F0123.xml%26amp%3Bcontentidonly%3Dtrue&key=ddaed8f51db7bb1330a6f6de768a69b8