About 22 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44 report having used emergency contraception. But even though the Food and Drug Administration approved levonorgestrel—more commonly known as Plan B—for over-the-counter use for women of all ages in…
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Most COVID-19 infections are spread through respiratory droplets or aerosols and not surfaces: study
COVID-19 is spread most often through respiratory droplets or aerosols and little evidence exists supporting transmission through surfaces. As such, social distance and proper ventilation are key determinants of transmission risk. Findings from a review of published research, articles, and…
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Many practitioners are not prescribing HIV prevention medication, study finds
Only about 54% of medical practitioners surveyed say they have prescribed pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, to HIV-vulnerable patients, according to a new study by a Vanderbilt University Medical Center investigator. The study, led by Ashley Leech, Ph.D., assistant professor of…
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Could the novel coronavirus become a seasonal virus? New study suggests yes — but not yet
Coronavirus and seasonal allergies: How to spot the difference As kids begin to head back to school, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has provided some guidelines for parents to help them distinguish between seasonal allergies and COVID-19,…
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Personal use of permanent hair dye not associated with greater risk of most cancers or cancer death: study
Women who use permanent hair dye products to color their hair at home do not experience greater risk of most cancers or greater cancer related mortality, finds a study published by The BMJ today. While this should provide general reassurance…
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Chief of U.S. vaccine initiative says October timeline ‘extremely unlikely, but not impossible’
The chief adviser for the White House vaccine program said Thursday it was “extremely unlikely, but not impossible” that a vaccine could be available by the end of October. Speaking with National Public Radio, Dr. Moncef Slaoui said that the…
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Why babies do not always remember what they have learned
If and how babies recall what they have learned depends on their mood: what they’ve learned when feeling calm is inaccessible when they’re acitive and vice versa. This was shown in a study conducted by developmental psychologists at Ruhr-Universität Bochum…
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Aging memories may not be ‘worse,’ just ‘different’
“Memory is the first thing to go.” Everyone has heard it, and decades of research studies seem to confirm it: While it may not always be the first sign of aging, some faculties, including memory, do get worse as people…
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Why do we develop lifelong immunity to some diseases, but not others?
Some diseases, like the measles, infect us once and usually grant us immunity for life. For others, like the flu, we have to get vaccinated year after year. So why do we develop lifelong immunity to some diseases but not…
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Statins are not effective at cutting risk of dying from heart disease
Statins may not slash the risk of dying from heart disease: Controversial study claims the cheap cholesterol-busting pills offer no ‘consistent benefit’ Scientists analysed 35 previous studies into the effects of the cheap drugs Three quarters of trials reported no…
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