06/26/17

Monday, June 26, 2017

Study: Health insurance saves lives

As the debate continues about repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, new research shows having health insurance saves lives. CBS News' Nikki Battiste has more about the study.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/study-health-insurance-saves-lives/

Poor FDA regulation causes adverse health effects for consumers

Adverse effects from cosmetic products have doubled in recent years. Dr. Arielle Nagler joins CBSN to discuss what's behind the recent spike.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/poor-fda-regulation-causes-adverse-health-effects-for-consumers/

Pharmacy co-owner gets 9 years for role in deadly outbreak

Hundreds of cases of fungal meningitis were traced to unsanitary conditions in preparing doses of steroids at New England Compounding Center. In March, Barry Cadden was convicted on conspiracy and fraud charges, but not on acts of second degree murder related to racketeering. Jim Axelrod has more.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/pharmacy-co-owner-gets-9-years-for-role-in-deadly-outbreak/

Does health insurance coverage really save lives?

22M people could lose insurance under Senate Republican bill; what does that mean for Americans' health and well-being?

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/health-insurance-saves-lives-study-says/

Drinking water in North Carolina being tested for toxic substance

At a plant 80 miles upstream from Wilmington, North Carolina, a substance called GenX is manufactured by DuPont and Chemours. Company officials recently revealed that the chemical has been released into the river for nearly four decades.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/drinking-water-in-north-carolina-being-tested-for-toxic-substance/

CBO projects Senate health bill would drive up number of uninsured

Sen. John McCain said he's staying on the fence after congressional number crunchers determined that the Senate GOP health care bill would result in 22 million more Americans going without coverage by 2026. According to the CBO, the biggest drop in coverage would come in 2018, when 15 million more people would be uninsured. Nancy Cordes reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/cbo-projects-senate-health-bill-would-drive-up-number-of-uninsured/

CBO: 22 million more would be without health insurance over next decade under Senate bill

Senate GOP leaders are aiming for a floor vote later this week despite the fact that they don't have enough support

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cbo-score-senate-gop-health-care-bill/

Health insurance saves lives, study finds

New research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that people are more likely to die if they don't have health insurance. Nikki Battiste reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/health-insurance-saves-lives-study-finds/

On her third heart

At age 24 Amy Silverstein developed a life-threatening condition and received a heart transplant. She survived with that heart, and wrote an acclaimed book, "Sick Girl," but 25 years later it, too, began to fail. She is now on her third heart, and has written a moving new book, "My Glory Was I Had Such Friends," about how her family and friends' support kept her alive. Lee Cowan reports.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/on-her-third-heart/

What are the odds of surviving a 25-foot fall?

After teen's fall from an amusement park ride this weekend, questions arise about the chances of surviving the drop

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/six-flags-amusement-park-ride-fall-what-are-the-odds-of-surviving/

CBO: Senate Health Bill Leaves 22M More Uninsured

A report from the Congressional Budget Office says the Senate health insurance replacement for Obamacare would leave 22M more people uninsured.

From: http://www.webmd.com/health-insurance/news/20170626/cbo-report-senate-health-bill?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Major medical groups oppose Senate health bill

Pediatricians, psychiatrists, OB-GYNs and the American Lung Association are among those concerned the GOP plan would harm patients

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/doctors-health-organizations-reject-senate-health-bill/

Doctor charged in opioid deaths of patients

Regan Nichols has been charged with five second-degree murder counts in connection to the overdose deaths of at least five patients

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/regan-nichols-oklahoma-doctor-charged-in-opioid-deaths-of-patients/

Senate GOP health care bill: Whip count so far

The bill is already in jeopardy, with five Senate Republicans having announced their opposition

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-gop-health-care-bill-vote/

Verdict form raises questions about case of pharma exec tied to deadly outbreak

Cadden's New England Compounding Center produced tainted steroids that killed 64 people and made hundreds more sick

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/barry-cadden-sentencing-new-england-compounding-center-possible-judge-mistake/

Paying too much for Rx drugs? Here's unlikely culprit

Pharmacy benefit managers are under new scrutiny for their role in Rx price hikes -- here’s what you need to know.

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/drug-prices-rising-pharmacy-benefit-managers-middle-man/

N.C. drinking water tainted with chemical byproduct for decades?

Company has been releasing a potentially cancer-causing substance into Cape Fear River for 37 years - and a loophole in law suggests it's perfectly legal

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/wilmington-nc-cape-fear-river-water-tainted-genx-dupont-chemours/

WHO: Q&A - The ethics of public health surveillance

From: World Health Organization https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o0d-Nv4A00

$100K grant will expand treatment for poor in Indiana

For almost six years, many underserved residents of Indianapolis' poverty-stricken east side have relied on the Indiana University Student Outreach Clinic for dental care.

From: By Michelle Manchir http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/june/100k-grant-will-expand-treatment-for-poor-in-indiana

Dentist to participate in Ironman World Championship

A Colorado dentist will Oct. 14 participate in what some call the globe's most difficult sporting event: the World Ironman Championship.

From: http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/june/dentist-to-participate-in-ironman-world-championship

July JADA addresses dental exams for children with autism

Desensitization protocols, such as repeated visits, could help many children with autism spectrum disorder receive needed dental care, suggests a study featured on the cover the July issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association.

From: By Michelle Manchir http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2017-archive/june/july-jada-addresses-dental-exams-for-children-with-autism

Heart to heart

Amy Silverstein, who received a heart transplant at age 24, found herself with a failing heart again 25 years later. Her new book tells how a new donor, and her family and friends' support, kept her alive

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/heart-to-heart-my-glory-was-i-had-such-friends/

Infectious Diseases A-Z: Sexually transmitted infections on the rise

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs4xNRXbdBU

Mayo Clinic Minute: A hand surgeon's advice on knuckle cracking

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx7dEFjKM0s

Study Highlights the Beauty Industry's Ugly Side

Cosmetics, personal care products get little regulatory scrutiny

From: http://www.webmd.com/beauty/news/20170626/study-highlights-the-beauty-industrys-ugly-side?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Cholera outbreak is claiming lives - Dr Nipunie Rajapakse

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEWcZG5hDp4

What are the odds of surviving a 25-foot fall?

After a teen's fall off an amusement park ride this weekend, questions arise about the chances of surviving the drop

From: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/six-flags-amusement-park-ride-fall-what-are-the-odds-of-surviving/

Childhood Poverty May Predict Heart Failure Later

Income inequalities when young appear to have lifelong effects, research suggests

From: http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/heart-failure/news/20170626/childhood-poverty-may-predict-heart-failure-later?src=RSS_PUBLIC

Dr. Waldemar E. Wysokinski – Vascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic

From: Mayo Clinic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VObVVChdoU

Dentist to participate in Ironman World Championship

$100K grant will expand treatment for poor in Indiana

Verdict form raises questions about case of pharma exec tied to deadly outbreak

Shopping for sunscreen: Are all brands equal?

Last week in the playground another mom remarked that she had just ordered all her sunscreen from Europe: “They have much better ingredients. I ordered one with Tinosorb.” This conversation ironically occurred on the same day that I was asked to write this post and I realized that my sunscreen knowledge was a bit passé. As I started to research sunscreen ingredients — in both medical journals and blogs — I discovered why Americans are compelled to go to international markets to find the “best” products.

What is indisputable is the need to protect skin from both UVA and UVB — the type of cancer-causing rays that reach the Earth’s surface. But to ensure you are using a sunscreen that protects from both forms of UV rays, it is important to understand sunscreen labeling in the US. The SPF number is primarily a measure of protection against UVB, whereas the “broad spectrum” label designates UVA coverage. When purchasing a sunscreen, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends selecting one with an SPF of at least 30, with broad-spectrum coverage, and that is water resistant. Although it seems straightforward, just under half of the products marketed on Amazon fall short.

How do you choose?

So now the hard part: selecting a good sunscreen. There are two types of products, organic filters (or chemical blockers) and inorganic filters (or physical blockers). The physical blockers are fairly straightforward as there are two common ingredients, zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. You may associate these products with a white appearance, common in the 1980s, but newer formulations are more cosmetically acceptable. One drawback to the newer formulations is that the titanium-based products offer less UVA protection. That’s not true of the newer zinc-based products. So, bottom line, zinc-based sunscreens offer excellent protection against both UVA and UVB rays, and there are a number of nice products available on the US market.

Chemical blockers are much harder to navigate given the number of filters available, and chemical sunscreens are often marketed as combination products. One of the more common filters is oxybenzone, which protects against both UVA and UVB, and is common in the US market. This ingredient is controversial for two reasons. Of all the chemical filters, it’s the one most likely to cause an allergic reaction. That said, the rate of reaction is actually very low given the number of individuals who use products containing it.

Oxybenzone also has an estrogen effect (meaning it can act like an estrogen cream). The estrogen controversy stems from animal studies, but humans would have to apply large quantities in order to achieve the same effects. The product has been used in this country since the 1970s without any reports of harmful side effects in humans. Other chemical products include salicylates (e.g. octisalate, homosalate, and trolamine salicylate), which are weak UVB absorbers so they need to be combined with other filters; cinnamates, which are potent UVB absorbers; and avobenzone, which is a UVA absorber but can become ineffective in the presence of certain other ingredients.

Sunscreen envy: New ingredients not yet available in the US

There are new ingredients in the pipeline awaiting FDA approval, and yes, these are the ones available in Europe. You may wonder why these effective filters are not available here. The reason is how sunscreens are regulated. In the US, sunscreens are regulated as over-the-counter drugs, whereas in Europe they are classified as cosmetics and not held to the same regulatory standards. There is one newer filter available in the US called Ecamsule (Mexoryl SX), which is a UVA absorber and is available from Amazon as a combination product. Tinosorb is one of the filters awaiting approval and protects against both UVA and UVB.

So, who needs sunscreen?

The easy answer is everyone, but light-skinned individuals are more susceptible to the harmful effects of UV rays. Certain individuals with underlying conditions, such as compromised immune systems, are even more prone to cancer formation. Keep in mind that you can use a great sunscreen, but if you don’t apply it correctly then you are not getting adequate protection, and most people only apply 25% of the recommended amount. It is recommended to apply the following amounts to different areas of the body: 1 teaspoon to the face, head, and neck; 1 teaspoon to each arm and forearm; 2 teaspoons to the front and back of the trunk; and 2 teaspoons to each thigh and leg. And don’t forget to reapply every 2 hours or after getting wet.

One last important point: make sure to check expiration dates and if a bottle doesn’t have one, mark the date of purchase and discard after three years.

The post Shopping for sunscreen: Are all brands equal? appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

From: Emily S. Ruiz, MD, MPH http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/shopping-for-sunscreen-are-all-brands-equal-2017062611947