With time running out in the 2022 legislative session, Georgia lawmakers took up a bill to regulate raw milk. An amendment suddenly got tacked onto the House version of the bill, although the new wording had nothing to do with dairy. The language called for legalizing the use of strips that test drugs for fentanyl, a […]
While exercise is often said to be safe to do while pregnant, with so much information out there, it can be hard to figure out just how much exercise you should do – and if there are certain exercises to avoid. Exercise is good for the mother and her baby, but given all the changes […]
The COVID pandemic has highlighted several interesting features of modern medical practice – most recently the “nocebo” response, which may account for a significant number of side effects people experience following vaccination. Nocebo responses (from Latin noci: to harm) are the opposite of the better known placebo. While the latter describes improvements in symptoms following inert medication, the […]
If strong is the new sexy, it’s no wonder more people than ever want to start lifting weights. Instagram hashtags such as “fitspiration” (fitness inspiration) and #gym contain millions of posts, typically of flexed muscles, inspirational quotes and exercise advice. While weight training can be a great way to lose weight and build muscle, it can be confusing […]
Ahead of the upcoming election, Labor has promised a rigorous review of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), focused on spending and administration, should it win office. But workforce shortages present a danger to participants now. To ensure the stated ambitions of a market-based system in which NDIS participants can choose their own supports, Labor’s proposed review must focus […]
The places and communities that we live in play an important role in our physical health. What we have access to on our doorstep is important to motivating – or preventing – our physical activity levels. This is especially the case for young people, who are less able to travel outside the community in which they […]
New Hampshire could lose billions of dollars and federal funding if it enacted a bill to restrict COVID-19 vaccine requirements, according to health care officials. A proposal being considered by the state Legislature would create a new “moral” or “conscience” exemption to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and require all public and private employers who receive public […]
Many over-the-counter dietary supplement products – particularly those used for sexual enhancement and weight loss – are tainted with undisclosed pharmaceutical ingredients. That is the key finding of my recently published review in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. My assessment of the Food and Drug Administration’s Health Fraud Product Database turned up 1,068 unique dietary supplement products marketed between […]
Public hospital emergency departments in every state are overwhelmed, with ambulance ramping the most visible manifestation. Emergency department performance is deteriorating with fewer people being seen in a timely manner. Labor, in its first major health election campaign announcement, has signalled it recognises the problem, and is offering an innovative solution — at least 50 new urgent […]
For many recreational runners, taking a jog is a fun way to stay fit and burn calories. But it turns out an individual has a tendency to settle into the same, comfortable pace on short and long runs — and that pace is the one that minimizes their body’s energy use over a given distance. […]
The Biden administration announced plans on April 26, 2022, to increase the availability of the COVID-19 drug Paxlovid, vowing to get more of the treatment pills into the hands of Americans. An oral antiviral, Paxlovid has proved successful at reducing the chances of hospitalization among COVID-19 sufferers, but has suffered from a slow rollout to pharmacies across the U.S. Patrick Jackson, […]
There’s no doubt that the pandemic has been difficult for people in different ways. But for a lot of people what has kept them going has been their daily exercise. Whether it’s a bike ride, a run around the park or a daily walk, many have seen lockdown as an opportunity to get active. And […]
