Health and Human Services News and Research

RSS

Computer program mimics natural speech using brain signals from epilepsy patients

Scientists used brain signals recorded from epilepsy patients to program a computer to mimic natural speech--an advancement that could one day have a profound effect on the ability of certain patients to communicate.

25 Apr 2019

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What the Health?’ The abortion wars rage on

A federal district judge in Oregon blocked new rules for the federal family planning program issued by the Trump administration and due to take effect May 3. It's one of several cases out to thwart the changes that would effectively evict Planned Parenthood from the Title X program.

25 Apr 2019

We are sitting more! How bad is that?

A new study has shown that with the advent of computers and screens, Americans are sitting more than they did before. There are several studies in the past that show the association between sitting for prolonged periods and bad health.

25 Apr 2019

Newly identified skin-gut communication helps illuminate link between food allergy and eczema

Scratching the skin triggers a series of immune responses culminating in an increased number of activated mast cells--immune cells involved in allergic reactions--in the small intestine, according to research conducted in mice.

24 Apr 2019

Vanderbilt researchers to develop and test 'safe harbor' standards of care

A team of researchers from Vanderbilt University's schools of Law, Medicine and Management has received a five-year research grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality of the Department of Health and Human Services to develop and test "safe harbor" standards of care based on scientific evidence.

22 Apr 2019

FDA grants approval of first generic naloxone nasal spray to treat opioid overdose

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted final approval of the first generic naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray, commonly known as Narcan, a life-saving medication that can stop or reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

22 Apr 2019

FDA authorizes marketing of first medical device to treat ADHD

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today permitted marketing of the first medical device to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

22 Apr 2019

Scientists identify rare, paradoxical response to antiretroviral therapy

Antiretroviral therapy is usually very effective at suppressing HIV in the body, allowing a person's immune system to recover by preventing the virus from destroying CD4+ T cells.

19 Apr 2019

Study: Measles outbreaks may become more frequent if vaccination rates continue to decline

In 2000, measles was declared to be eliminated in the United States, when no sustained transmission of the virus was seen in this country for more than 12 months.

19 Apr 2019

C-Path and CDISC release global Therapeutic Area Standard for HIV research

The Critical Path Institute and CDISC are pleased to announce the release of a global Therapeutic Area Standard that specifies how to structure commonly collected data and outcome measurements in clinical trials for HIV.

17 Apr 2019

FDA orders surgical mesh manufacturers to stop selling and distributing their products in the U.S.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today ordered the manufacturers of all remaining surgical mesh products indicated for the transvaginal repair of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) to stop selling and distributing their products in the U.S. immediately.

17 Apr 2019

Two proteins act in concert to maintain a healthy heart in mice, shows study

Two proteins that bind to stress hormones work together to maintain a healthy heart in mice, according to scientists at the National Institutes of Health and their collaborators.

17 Apr 2019

Scientists characterize 2017 pneumonic plague outbreak in Madagascar

Plague is an endemic disease in Madagascar. Each year there is a seasonal upsurge between September and April, especially in the Central Highlands, which stand at an elevation of more than 800 m.

16 Apr 2019

Mulvaney: Trump brought down drug prices for the first time in 50 years

President Donald Trump announced last month that the GOP will become “the party of health care,” and news reports suggest he intends to make it a top issue in his reelection campaign.

15 Apr 2019

New Medicare reimbursement rules provide some relief to safety-net hospitals

New Medicare reimbursement rules provide some relief to safety-net hospitals, shifting the burden of financial penalties toward hospitals serving wealthier patient populations, according to a new study led by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

15 Apr 2019

Study highlights vital role played by rest in learning new skill

In a study of healthy volunteers, National Institutes of Health researchers found that our brains may solidify the memories of new skills we just practiced a few seconds earlier by taking a short rest. The results highlight the critically important role rest may play in learning.

15 Apr 2019

FDA approves new treatment for adults with metastatic bladder cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today granted accelerated approval to Balversa (erdafitinib), a treatment for adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic bladder cancer that has a type of susceptible genetic alteration known as FGFR3 or FGFR2, and that has progressed during or following prior platinum-containing chemotherapy.

12 Apr 2019

Researchers identify ketamine-induced neural changes responsible for remission of depression

Researchers have identified ketamine-induced brain-related changes that are responsible for maintaining the remission of behaviors related to depression in mice -- findings that may help researchers develop interventions that promote lasting remission of depression in humans.

12 Apr 2019

FDA issues safety labeling changes for female sexual dysfunction treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today issued a safety labeling change order to Sprout Pharmaceuticals for their drug, Addyi (flibanserin), that requires the company to revise important safety information that women and their health care professionals need to have when considering use of the drug.

12 Apr 2019

Cancer patients and those with anemia should not be denied opioids, says CDC

The U.S. CDC has issued a letter clarifying that people suffering from severe pain caused by cancer or sickle-cell anemia should not be denied prescriptions for opioid pain-killers.

11 Apr 2019