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Cocaine Vaccine: Could It Help Drug Addicts?
Researchers in Brazil are testing cocaine vaccines to stop users getting high and prevent addiction. Experts warn a vaccine should be combined with therapy.
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Ransomware Attacks: Death Threats, Endangered Patients and Millions of Dollars in Damages
A ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a company that processes 15 billion health care transactions annually and deals with 1 in 3 patient records in the United States, is continuing to cause massive disruptions nearly three weeks later. The incident, which started on February 21, has been called the “most significant cyberattack on the U.S. health care system” by the American Hospital Association. It is just the latest example of an increasing trend.
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Leprosy Cases Are Rising in the U.S. – What Is the Ancient Disease and Why Is It Spreading Now?
The word “leprosy” conjures images of biblical plagues, but the disease is still with us today. In the United States, leprosy has been entrenched for more than a century in parts of the South where people came into contact with armadillos, the principle proven linkage from animal to humans. However, the more recent outbreaks in the Southeast, especially Florida, have not been associated with animal exposure.
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Raging Texas Wildfires Force U.S. Main Nuclear Weapon Facility to Evacuate, Temporarily Shut Down
Raging wildfires in the Texas panhandle have forced the evacuation and temporary closure of the Pantex plant, the U.S. premier nuclear weapons assembly facility. The Pantex plant said that “All weapons and special materials are safe and unaffected.”
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Decades After the U.S. Buried Nuclear Waste Abroad, Climate Change Could Unearth It
A new report says melting ice sheets and rising seas could disturb waste from U.S. nuclear projects in Greenland and the Marshall Islands
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Low-Level Blasts from Heavy Weapons Can Cause Traumatic Brain Injury − Two Engineers Explain the Physics of Invisible Cell Death
When the force of a blast shoots a round out of a large-caliber rifle, howitzer or M1 Abrams tank gun, the teams of people operating these weapons are exposed to low-level blasts that can cause traumatic brain injuries. Low-level blasts do not cause visible trauma, yet, these blasts can cause physical changes in the brain that lead to a host of neuropsychiatric symptoms.
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The Link Between Climate Change and a Spate of Rare Disease Outbreaks in 2023
The temperature-sensitive pathogens that caught U.S. communities off guard are a grim preview of the future. Scientists have warned that climate change would alter the prevalence and spread of disease in the U.S., particularly those caused by pathogens that are sensitive to temperature.
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Tainted Applesauce Pouches May Have Been Intentionally Contaminated: FDA
Cinnamon applesauce pouches available at Weis, WanaBanana, and Schnucks have been pulled from shelves after they were found to be contaminated with lead. The FDA says it currently believes the adulteration is “economically motivated.”
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Preventing Armed Insurrection: Firearms in Political Spaces Threaten Public Health, Safety, and Democracy
A new report by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health examines the increased threat of armed insurrection to both public health and the functioning of democracy. The report highlights recommendations and policies to help prevent political violence.
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Bioengineered Potato Plant Detects Gamma Radiation
A researcher in the University of Tennessee Herbert College of Agriculture has developed a potato plant that can detect gamma radiation, providing reliable indications of harmful radiation levels without complex monitoring technologies. The natural radiation sensor is affordable, too.
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We Rarely Hear About the Disasters Which Were Avoided – but There’s a Lot We Can Learn from Them
We frequently see headlines about disasters. But where are the headlines covering the good news of lives saved and damage averted when disasters do not happen? Our work, now published, offers examples we can learn from.
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Los Alamos National Lab Safely Shipping Radiological and Hazardous Waste Off-Site
A substantial amount of Los Alamos National Lab’s radiological and hazardous waste from years past was permanently disposed of at off-site facilities — a move in step with the Lab’s goal to mitigate hazards to workers, the community, and the environment while carrying out its national security mission.
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Chlorine Is a Highly Useful Chemical That’s Also Extremely Dangerous − Here’s What to Know About Staying Safe Around It
Chlorine is extremely toxic, and because it’s ubiquitous in many industries across the U.S., it often is released in chemical accidents and spills. As with other household chemicals, it is very important to understand its risks, read labels before using it, store it in its original container in a secure place and dispose of it safely.
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The Secret Life of Brain Worms
Nematodes play an important role in our natural environment, including enhancing the quality of soil. But the discovery of a worm in a person’s brain was a surprise, even to our most experienced parasitologist.
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Report details Nazi Medical Crimes
The Holocaust and other mass murders under the Nazi regime would hardly have been conceivable without the involvement of medical professionals. This has once again been highlighted by a commission of twenty international researchers who published a comprehensive report on Nazi medical crimes.
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The long view
A Shining Star in a Contentious Legacy: Could Marty Makary Be the Saving Grace of a Divisive Presidency?
While much of the Trump administration has sparked controversy, the FDA’s consumer-first reforms may be remembered as its brightest legacy. From AI-driven drug reviews to bans on artificial dyes, the FDA’s agenda resonates with the public in ways few Trump-era policies have.