Latest Medication News
West Virginia's state health officer resigns but will continue opioid nonprofit work
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia's state health officer, who was recently reelected as a leader of the private nonprofit charged with distributing much of the state’s opioid settlement dollars, has resigned. Dr. Matt Christiansen' s final day with the state health...
Most US teens are abstaining from drinking, smoking and marijuana, survey says
NEW YORK (AP) — Teen drug use hasn't rebounded from its drop during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results from a large annual national survey released Tuesday. About two-thirds of 12th graders this year said they hadn’t used alcohol, marijuana,...
What's behind rising autism rates: A broader definition of autism and better screening
President-elect Donald Trump seemed to entertain the discredited theory that vaccines cause autism as he answered questions from journalists at a press conference Monday at his Mar-a-Lago club. Trump said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his choice to lead the Department of Health and Human...
Are you catching holiday blues instead of cheer? Here are some ways to find peace
Bells are ringing. Snow is glistening. But you’re bummed out. You could be suffering from a case of the holiday blues, which experts say is not uncommon. A strained relationship with family, for example, can make this time of year pretty lonely. The holidays are...
Texas' abortion pill lawsuit against New York doctor marks new challenge to interstate telemedicine
Texas has sued a New York doctor for prescribing abortion pills to a woman near Dallas, launching one of the first challenges in the U.S. to shield laws that Democrat-controlled states passed to protect physicians after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton...
McKinsey & Company agrees to pay $650M for helping Purdue Pharma boost opioid sales
BOSTON (AP) — McKinsey & Company consulting firm has agreed to pay $650 million to settle a federal investigation into its work to help opioids manufacturer Purdue Pharma boost the sales of the highly addictive drug OxyContin, according to court papers filed in Virginia on Friday. ...
Death toll from contaminated infant IV feeding bags in Mexico rises to 17
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Authorities in Mexico said Tuesday that a total of 17 children have died in central Mexico from suspected contamination of IV feeding bags after four more deaths were confirmed. David Kershenobich, the country’s public health secretary, said 16 of the victims...
How should the opioid settlements be spent? Those hit hardest often don’t have a say
People with substance use disorder across the country are not getting a formal say in how most of the approximately $50 billion in opioid lawsuit settlement money is being used to stem the crisis, a new analysis found. Some advocates say that is one factor in why portions of the...
Do weighted blankets help you sleep better? Here's what to know
NEW YORK (AP) — Rhonda James was skeptical when her husband ordered a weighted blanket for her online. But five minutes after she wrapped it around her body, she zonked out. “It felt like a really big hug,” said James, a banker in Charleston, South Carolina. As...
Alternative healer gets 10 years in UK prison for death of woman at slap therapy workshop
LONDON (AP) — An alternative healer who advocated “slapping therapy” to treat a range of maladies was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison for the death of a 71-year-old diabetic woman who stopped taking insulin during one of his workshops. Hongchi Xiao, 61, was convicted of...
