December 2019 nytimes; Why does health care cost so much more in the United States than in other countries? As health economists love to say: “It’s the prices, stupid.” As politicians continue to lament the system’s expense, and more Americans struggle to pay the high and often unpredictable bills that …
Read More »Rwanda makes its own morphine while U.S. awash with opioids
December 2019 cbsnews; It was something, the silence. Nothing but the puff of her breath and the scuff of her slip-on shoes as Madeleine Mukantagara walked through the fields to her first patient of the day. Piercing cries once echoed down the hill to the road below. What she carried …
Read More »Google health-data scandal spooks researchers
November 2019 nature; Google and one of the largest health-care networks in the United States are embroiled in a data-privacy controversy that researchers fear could jeopardize public trust in data-sharing practices and, potentially, academic studies. At issue is a project dubbed Nightingale that gives Google access to the health-care information, …
Read More »Can’t Pay the Medical Bill? Your Hospital May Take You to Court
November 2019 YahooNews; When a judge hears civil cases at the courthouse in this southwest Virginia town two days a month, many of the lawsuits have a common plaintiff: the local hospital, Ballad Health, suing patients over unpaid medical bills. On a Thursday in August, 102 of the 160 cases …
Read More »Racial bias found in widely used health care algorithm
November 2019 NBCNews; A widely used health care algorithm that helps determine which patients need additional attention was found to have a significant racial bias, favoring white patients over blacks ones who were sicker and had more chronic health conditions, according to research published last week in the journalScience. The bias …
Read More »Facebook launches new tool to help you get health tests and screenings
October 2019 CNN; Facebook has launched a new feature to help track what preventive health screenings might be recommended for you based on your age and sex.The tool, called Preventive Health, rolled out in the United States on Monday and focuses specifically on cardiovascular health, cancer screening and seasonal flu …
Read More »Does drinking urine have any real health benefits?
October 2019 MedicalNews; There is no evidence that drinking urine offers any health benefits. While most people experience no serious harm from drinking urine, there are some risks. A person may drink urine by accident or intentionally. Various cultures have consumed urine for religious or health reasons for millennia. In the …
Read More »WHO expert panel on digital health meets for first time
October 2019 WHO news; WHO is convening global experts to help shape the Organization’s roadmap to advance the digital health ecosystem. The WHO Digital Health Technical Advisory Group met for the first time this week to discuss topics ranging from data governance, to ethical and equitable use of digital technologies, …
Read More »USA: STDs at all-time-high: How did we get here?
October 2019 Yahoo360; The combined number of cases of syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia in the U.S. reached an all-time high in 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More than 2.4 million cases of the three sexually transmitted diseases were reported last year, an increase of more than …
Read More »A Budding Industry: CBD/Cannabidiol Statistics & Trends (Infographic)
October 2019 Bojana Petkovic ;What is CBD all about and why are cannabis and hemp oil all over the internet? To help you understand this rapidly growing industry, we’re going to present you with some interesting CBD statistics and facts. CBD or cannabidiol is one of the most important active …
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