Harvard Health Ad Watch: An arthritis ad in 4 parts
Perhaps you’ve grown as weary as I have of repeated arthritis ads. They appear in frequent rotation on television, online, and in magazines, promoting Enbrel, Humira, Otezla, Xeljanz, and others.
If you’ve actually read or listened to these ads, you might have felt perplexed at certain points. Here’s a quick rundown on what they’re saying — and not saying — in one of those ads.
“The clock is ticking”
Part 1: A teakettle whistles on the stove and a disembodied voice speaks as this ad for Humira opens. “This is your wakeup call. If you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, month after month the cloc...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 29, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Arthritis Bones and joints Health Inflammation Source Type: blogs
Harvard Health AdWatch: An arthritis ad in 4 parts
Perhaps you’ve grown as weary as I have of repeated arthritis ads. They appear in frequent rotation on television, online, and in magazines, promoting Enbrel, Humira, Otezla, Xeljanz, and others.
If you’ve actually read or listened to these ads, you might have felt perplexed at certain points. Here’s a quick rundown on what they’re saying — and not saying — in one of those ads.
“The clock is ticking”
Part 1: A teakettle whistles on the stove and a disembodied voice speaks as this ad for Humira opens. “This is your wakeup call. If you have moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, month after month the cloc...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 29, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Arthritis Bones and joints Health Inflammation Source Type: blogs
More sexual partners, more cancer?
Two headlines caught my eye recently:
The relationship between chronic diseases and number of sexual partners: an exploratory analysis
and
Study warns more sex might mean higher likelihood for cancer
It may be hard to believe, but both of these refer to same medical research. I’m not sure which one I like better. The first one is the actual title of the research, which provides no information about its findings. The second one is a newspaper headline. It cuts right to the chase about the study’s main findings. While it’s much more specific — and alarming — it is also misleading.
Is there a link between the number...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - April 28, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Cancer Relationships Sex Sexual Conditions Source Type: blogs
No Relationship Between Notifiable Diseases and Immigrant Populations
Alex Nowrasteh andAndrew C. ForresterThe international spread of the SARS ‐CoV‐2 virus that causes the disease COVID-19 has prompted many governments to close their borders. Immigration policy plays an important role in limiting the international spread of contagious diseases.Prior to the COVID-19 crisis,several commentators were concerned that immigrants – especially illegal immigrants – were spreading serious diseases in the United States. This blog post is the first in a series to answer the question of whether immigrants spread serious notifiable diseases other than COVID-19 in the United States. This ...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - April 13, 2020 Category: American Health Authors: Alex Nowrasteh, Andrew C. Forrester Source Type: blogs
OK, boomer: You ’re not the only one who needs testing for hepatitis C
It turns out that many more people than just boomers can benefit from testing for hepatitis C, a viral infection of the liver that often causes no symptoms. If you’re a member of the baby-boom generation (born between 1946 and 1964), your doctor may have already recommended the test. But those born before or after those years may not have known about the test unless they had a risk factor for hepatitis C, such as a history of intravenous drug use. A new guideline is changing this approach.
Why the different recommendations for baby boomers?
In 2012–2013, the CDC and the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) establ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 31, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Digestive Disorders Health Infectious diseases Men's Health Sexual Conditions Women's Health Source Type: blogs
Why follow a vaccine schedule?
Right now, many people are hoping for a vaccine to protect against the new coronavirus. While that’s still on the horizon, new research suggests that families who do vaccinate their children may not be following the recommended schedule.
Vaccines are given on a schedule for a reason: to protect children from vaccine-preventable disease. Experts designed the schedule so that children get protection when they need it — and the doses are timed so the vaccine itself can have the best effect. When parents don’t follow the schedule, their children may not be protected.
And yet, many parents do not follow the schedule.
A th...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 26, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Claire McCarthy, MD Tags: Adolescent health Children's Health Parenting Vaccines Source Type: blogs
Point-of-Care HIV Diagnostics for Low Resource Regions: Interview with Jesse Lehga, VP at Diagnostics for the Real World
DRW (Diagnostics for the Real World), a company with headquarters in San Jose, California, and Cambridge, United Kingdom, has developed the SAMBA II, a point-of-care diagnostic device for the detection of infectious diseases, including HIV and HCV, for use in low-resource and/or remote regions. The system employs nucleic acid amplification to detect viral RNA or DNA in whole blood or plasma samples.
The technology involves easy-to-use test cartridges, containing all the required consumables for each assay, that a user can insert into the portable SAMBA device. The cartridges do not require cold storage, are easy and...
Source: Medgadget - February 27, 2020 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Diagnostics Exclusive Medicine Pathology Source Type: blogs
Vaccines for women: Before conception, during pregnancy, and after a birth
The rise of vaccine-preventable illnesses, such as measles and hepatitis, in the United States and around the globe has been alarming in recent years. For women — especially those hoping to become pregnant, as well as women who are pregnant or have recently had a baby — vaccines can be a worrisome topic. There are many misconceptions about vaccine safety in and around pregnancy that can lead to confusion and unnecessary fear of a lifesaving medical tool. As a practicing ob/gyn, I often discuss vaccines with my patients and help them sort out fears versus facts.
Which vaccines should you consider before conception?
The ...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - January 10, 2020 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ilona T. Goldfarb, MD, MPH Tags: Health Parenting Pregnancy Vaccines Women's Health Source Type: blogs
Sexually transmitted infections are on the rise: Should you worry?
In 2018, the number of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) reported in the United States reached an all-time high. This is worrisome for many reasons. Having an STI can raise risks for HIV, infertility, pregnancy complications, and infant death. Fortunately, all of these outcomes can be avoided if people receive appropriate treatment.
What are STIs?
STIs are illnesses caused by microorganisms passed between people during sex. An STI can affect anyone who is exposed to it. Syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia are the most common bacterial infections. Trichomoniasis, a protozoan infection, is also diagnosed freque...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - December 11, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Eric A. Meyerowitz, MD Tags: Adolescent health HIV Men's Health Relationships Sexual Conditions Women's Health Source Type: blogs
TWiV 565: Karolinska Virology
From the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Vincent speaks with Niklas Björkström, Ali Mirazimi, and Matti Sällberg about their work on the impact of chronic hepatitis C virus infection on NK cells, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus vaccines, and immunotherapy to block entry of hepatitis B and D viruses. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 565 (52 MB .mp3, […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - September 15, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus dna vaccine hepatitis b virus hepatitis C virus hepatitis D virus immunotherapy Karolinska Institute NK cell T cell exhaustion treatment interruption viral viruses Source Type: blogs
Non-Invasive Liver Assessment: Interview with Echosens ’ New CEO Dominique Legros
Echosens is a medical device company based in Paris, France that’s focused on diagnosing liver disease. Their technology, called FibroScan, uses ultrasonic waves to non-invasively measure the elasticity and absorption of the liver. These measurements can inform medical care teams about the amount of scar tissue and fatty content in a patient’s liver. The FibroScan is used broadly in 80 countries and Echosens plans to expand further.
Echosens recently recruited Dominique Legros to lead the company as global CEO. Medgadget caught up with him to learn more about the company and his goals for its future.
Ben ...
Source: Medgadget - September 4, 2019 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Ben Ouyang Tags: Diagnostics Exclusive GI Medicine Source Type: blogs
TWiV 552: Delta and the amazing technicolor dreamcoat
Team TWiV reveals DNA polymerases that do not require a primer, and packaging of hepatitis delta virus by the envelope glycoproteins of diverse viruses. Click arrow to play Download TWiV 552 (70 MB .mp3, 116 min) Subscribe (free): iTunes, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Show notes at microbe.tv/twiv (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - June 16, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: This Week in Virology bacteriophage de novo synthesis dengue virus DNA polymerase envelope glycoprotein hepatitis b virus hepatitis C virus hepatitis delta virus herlper virus mobile genetic element pipolin primer viral viruses Source Type: blogs
Hepatitis delta-like virus in birds and snakes
Hepatitis D virus is a unique human pathogen. With a circular, negative stranded RNA genome of ~1700 nucleotides, it is the smallest known human virus. Formation of the HDV particle depends on co-infection of cells with a helper virus, hepatitis B virus. Once thought to be specific for humans, related viruses have now been identified […] (Source: virology blog)
Source: virology blog - May 2, 2019 Category: Virology Authors: Vincent Racaniello Tags: Basic virology Information avian HDV circular RNA helper virus hepatitis b virus hepatitis D virus hepatitis delta virus satellite virus snake HDV viral viruses Source Type: blogs
Understanding the Loneliness Epidemic
Much like the opioid crisis, loneliness is an epidemic. According to results from Cigna’s U.S. Loneliness Index, a survey of more than 20,000 American adults ages 18 and older, nearly half of Americans report sometimes or always feeling alone or left out. One in four Americans rarely or never feel as though there are people who understand them. Two in five Americans sometimes or always feel that their relationships are not meaningful and that they are isolated from others. And one in five people report they rarely or never feel close to people or feel like there are people they can talk to.
According to the General Socia...
Source: World of Psychology - February 5, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Family Friends Happiness Mental Health and Wellness Relationships Loneliness Moderation Sleep Social Isolation social media Social Withdrawal Source Type: blogs
MKSAP: 53-year-old woman with hypertension and chronic active hepatitis B infection
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 53-year-old woman is evaluated during a routine follow-up visit. Medical history is significant for hypertension and chronic active hepatitis B infection. Her hepatitis B infection has been treated with tenofovir for the p ast 5 years with suppression of her serum […]Find jobs at Careers by KevinMD.com. Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now. Learn more. (Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog)
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - December 8, 2018 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions Nephrology Source Type: blogs
