The Infant Formula Crisis Argues for Less Government Intervention, Not More
Scott LincicomeYesterday, I testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights on the topic of “Baby Formula and Beyond: The Impact of Consolidation on Families and Consumers ” and — given today’stroubling news about continued production problems at Abbott Laboratories ’ plant in Michigan — the hearing couldn’t have been more timely. Everyone at the hearing agreed that shortages in the United States have been caused in no small part by the current concentration of U.S. infant formula production among Abbott and three other companies: when A...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - June 16, 2022 Category: American Health Authors: Scott Lincicome Source Type: blogs
Bringing baby home: UK fathers in the first year after the birth
Fatherhood Institute - This review of empirical evidence about UK fathers and fatherhood in the first postnatal year, explores who dads are; what they do as caregivers, and what influences this; what impact they have (on children and mothers); and how services engage with them. The review finds that NHS systems are not set up to engage with, assess and support new fathers, despite clear evidence that there is a strong case for routine engagement with them in the perinatal period.ReportMore detail (Source: Health Management Specialist Library)
Source: Health Management Specialist Library - June 13, 2022 Category: UK Health Authors: The King ' s Fund Library Tags: Quality of care and clinical outcomes Source Type: blogs
Here ’s how our visual system decides how cute a baby is
By Emma Young
What makes one baby seem cuter than another (parental bias aside)? Large and round eyes, a small nose and mouth, a high and protruding forehead, chubby cheeks and soft skin have all been associated with cuteness, not just in babies but puppies, kittens, dolls and Japanese anime and manga characters. But now a new paper in Emotion suggests that another factor has an impact: the “spatial frequency” of what we see.
Our visual system uses spatial frequencies to rapidly process variations in relative light and dark in an image. “Low” spatial frequencies convey coarse informa...
Source: BPS RESEARCH DIGEST - June 10, 2022 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: BPS Research Digest Tags: Babies Perception Source Type: blogs
The Macro View – Health, Economics, and Politics and the Big Picture. What I Am Watching Here And Abroad.
June 09, 2022 Edition-----The Russian war on Ukraine is now well over 100 days old. The destruction and deaths are just awful and the world is being seriously re-shaped. Where this ends is unknowable but unlikely to be good.In the US we are seeing almost daily mass shootings and no-one seems to know what to do. Just pathetic.In the UK the hangover is slowly lifting after the 4 day royal celebration.In OZ we are having an energy crisis which we hope we will find solutions for soon!-----Major Issues.------https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/australias-labor-government-faces-a-whole-new-economic-ball-game/news...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - June 9, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs
A physician ’s infertility story [PODCAST]
“My IVF baby turns 12 this week — and having attempted frozen and fresh IVF cycles six years ago, which did not result in pregnancies — I can also hold tenderly the space for those who have heard those words,‘Only one child?’ Yes. Only one. Only one, magical, amazing, child destined to be ours.Read more …A physician’s infertility story [PODCAST] originally appeared inKevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 8, 2022 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/post-author/the-podcast-by-kevinmd" rel="tag" data-wpel-link="internal" > The Podcast by KevinMD < /a > < /span > Tags: Podcast OB/GYN Source Type: blogs
The conundrum of feeding our minds and our babies
In 2022, you might have never envisioned that the United States of America would be among other countries struggling to feed its babies. As of the first week of May, more than 40 percent of formula brands are out of stock, and many families are desperately searching high and low, near and far, to findRead more …The conundrum of feeding our minds and our babies originally appeared inKevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 8, 2022 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/post-author/marche-t-smith" rel="tag" data-wpel-link="internal" > Marche' T. Smith, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Pediatrics Source Type: blogs
Hey, Old Guys!
BY KIM BELLARD
OK, how many of you had on your women-in-power bingo cards that, in 2022, Sheryl Sandberg would be out at Facebook but Queen Elizabeth II would still be Queen? It’s the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, marking seventy years on the throne. She’s getting a lot of love for that tenure, but it makes me think, geez, some people just don’t know when to step away.
Perhaps what sparked my cynicism about the Queen was an op-ed by Yuval Levin, Why Are We Still Governed by Baby Boomers and the Remarkably Old? Dr. Levin is, of course, referring to the U.S., and he’s spot-on about our governanc...
Source: The Health Care Blog - June 7, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Baby Boomers Kim Bellard Politics Source Type: blogs
Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety, Social Media And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - June 07, 2022.
-----This weekly blog is to explore the news around the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology, social media and related matters.I will also try to highlightADHA Propagandawhen I come upon it.Just so we keep count, the latest Notes from the ADHA Board were dated 6 December, 2018 and we have seen none since! It ’s pretty sad!Note: Appearance here is not to suggest I see any credibility or value in what follows. I will leave it to the reader to decide what is worthwhile and what is not! The point is to let people know what is being said / published that I have come upon.-----h...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - June 7, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs
A choice of of maternal compassion
It was supposed to be a routine 20-week ultrasound appointment. The specialist abruptly knocked and entered. The next few hours of my life went by in choppy, disconnected segments. The specialist said he was sorry. Her bones were not growing properly. Her rib cage was small. Her lungs were underdeveloped. This baby, whom I hadRead more …A choice of of maternal compassion originally appeared inKevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - May 27, 2022 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/post-author/anonymous" rel="tag" data-wpel-link="internal" > Anonymous < /a > < /span > Tags: Physician OB/GYN Source Type: blogs
Smart Pacifier Monitors Electrolyte Levels
At Washington State University a team developed a smart pacifier that can provide continuous monitoring of electrolyte levels in saliva. The measurements could help to avoid twice daily blood draws for premature infants. Blood draws are currently routine practice to monitor for signs of dehydration, which can be dangerous for infants born prematurely. The new pacifier uses microfluidic channels to draw saliva inside, and then sensors within the device measure sodium and potassium ion concentrations and transmit the data wirelessly to a caregiver through Bluetooth.
Premature infants are incredibly delicate and require a ...
Source: Medgadget - May 26, 2022 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Pediatrics WSU Source Type: blogs
E ‑Cigarettes as Harm Reduction for Pregnant Tobacco Smokers
Jeffrey A. SingerLast week U.K. researchers published a study providing more evidence of the harm ‐reduction potential of nicotine containing e‑cigarettes—this time for pregnant women who smoke tobacco.The randomized controlled trial, begun in 2019, included 1,140 participants from 24 UK hospitals. Pregnant women who smoked were placed on either nicotine patches or refillable nicotine e ‑cigarettes to replace tobacco. The researchers found both replacement methods to have an equal safety profile. However, low birth weight was less frequent among the e‑cigarette arm of the study compared to the nicotine pa...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - May 25, 2022 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs
What's new in midwifery - in the news - 25th May 2022
Guardian report of lower levels of the enzyme butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in heelprick test blood from babies who died of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). The research itself is published open access (so no subscription or payment required) in eBiomedicine. Guardian article on a report into exclusion of pregnant women from clinical trials, and related issues. The report is calledHealthy mum, healthy baby, healthy future: the case for UK leadership in the development of safe medicines for use in pregnancy. (Source: Browsing)
Source: Browsing - May 25, 2022 Category: Databases & Libraries Tags: midwifery Source Type: blogs
Premature babies grow up. It ’s time to pay attention.
Premature babies (a.k.a. preemies) and their families are increasingly becoming a powerful voice in society. Life in and after the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is like being dropped off a cliff. I support the preemie community from pregnancy to NICU to home and into the adult years because I had a preemie. My daughter’sRead more …Premature babies grow up. It’s time to pay attention. originally appeared inKevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - May 24, 2022 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/post-author/deb-discenza" rel="tag" data-wpel-link="internal" > Deb Discenza < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Pediatrics Source Type: blogs
I Want to Believe
BY KIM BELLARD
I know, I should be writing about hot topics like monkeypox or the baby formula shortage, but, c’mon, Congress held hearings last week about UFOs – the first in 50 years! I mean, I followed Project Blue Book in the 1970’s, watched “The X-Files” in the 1990’s, and have seen UFO videos on YouTube. If Congress is starting to take UFO’s seriously, how could I not?
And for those of you who don’t see any possible connection to healthcare (except for those unpleasant alien probes…), let me put it to you this way: by 2050, is it more likely that:
We’ll know what UFOs actually are;...
Source: The Health Care Blog - May 24, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Public Health Congress Kim Bellard The X Files UFOs Source Type: blogs
The baby formula shortage puts your baby ’s brain is at risk
The baby formula shortage has morphed into a full-blown ongoing crisis. Many stores report that more than half of baby formula products are out of stock. Babies who are six months old or younger should only be fed breast milk or formula. Any substitute may be nutritionally incomplete and may cause babies to have permanentRead more …The baby formula shortage puts your baby ’s brain is at risk originally appeared inKevinMD.com. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - May 23, 2022 Category: General Medicine Authors: < span itemprop="author" > < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/post-author/marc-arginteanu" rel="tag" data-wpel-link="internal" > Marc Arginteanu, MD < /a > < /span > Tags: Conditions Neurology Source Type: blogs
