Pandemic News and Research

RSS

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. During a pandemic, transmission can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patient to workers in health care settings, but also among co-workers in general work settings. A pandemic would cause high levels of illness, death, social disruption, and economic loss. Everyday life would be disrupted because so many people in so many places become seriously ill at the same time. Impacts could range from school and business closings to the interruption of basic services such as public transportation and food delivery.

Telehealth does not increase risk of substance use disorder in ADHD patients

Telehealth can make health care easier to access for patients with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who need treatment, but experts worry about an increased risk of substance use disorder for patients being prescribed controlled medications such as stimulants for ADHD during these appointments.

12 Jun 2025

Survey: Patient satisfaction with hospitals varies widely across U.S. regions

A new study analyzing more than 3,200 hospitals across the United States (U.S.) has revealed stark differences in how patients rate their hospital experiences depending on where they receive care.

11 Jun 2025

What are ‘improper’ Medicaid payments, and are they as high as a Trump official said?

Responding to charges that President Donald Trump's tax and spending bill would cut Medicaid coverage for millions of Americans, Trump administration officials misleadingly counter that it targets only waste, fraud, and abuse.

11 Jun 2025

Four ways Trump’s ‘one big beautiful bill’ would undermine access to Obamacare

Major changes could be in store for the more than 24 million people with health coverage under the Affordable Care Act, including how and when they can enroll, the paperwork required, and, crucially, the premiums they pay.

11 Jun 2025

Large cohort study reassures on mRNA vaccine safety for early pregnancies

A large prospective cohort study in Germany found no statistically significant increase in major birth defects following first trimester mRNA COVID-19 vaccination. While slightly higher rates of some anomalies were observed in vaccinated pregnancies, no consistent patterns or causal links emerged.

11 Jun 2025

Is that evening glass of wine really good for your heart?

A comprehensive AHA review finds overwhelming evidence that heavy alcohol use increases cardiovascular disease risk, while the benefits of low-to-moderate drinking remain unproven and uncertain. The authors recommend prioritizing proven heart-healthy habits over alcohol for cardiovascular protection.

10 Jun 2025

Early signs of breastfeeding failures after premature birth

A study on breastfeeding after premature birth identifies key factors affecting milk composition and volume, emphasizing the need for early support for mothers.

10 Jun 2025

As federal health grants shrink, memory cafes help dementia patients and their caregivers

Rob Kennedy mingled with about a dozen other people in a community space in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania.

10 Jun 2025

Hidden challenges of long COVID for the workplace

Long COVID is linked to increased absenteeism, costing the US economy billions. The study reveals critical insights into its impact on the labor market.

10 Jun 2025

COVID boosters do not harm T-cell function in the vulnerable

Findings indicate that frequent COVID-19 booster shots do not weaken T-cell responses, alleviating concerns for vulnerable groups facing new variants.

9 Jun 2025

‘We dissent’: NIH workers protest Trump policies that ‘harm the health of Americans’

Hundreds of workers at the National Institutes of Health on Monday openly protested the Trump administration’s cuts to the agency and consequences for human lives, writing in a sharply worded letter that its actions are causing "a dramatic reduction in life-saving research."

9 Jun 2025

Self-collection testing could be a solution to increasing access to cervical cancer screening

Mail-in self-collection tests for human papillomavirus (HPV) more than doubled cervical cancer screening participation among never- and under-screened U.S. women, according to a first-of-its-kind study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

6 Jun 2025

New COVID variant NB.1.8.1 spreads across continents amid calls for vigilance

The Global Virus Network (GVN) is closely monitoring the emergence of a newly identified SARS-CoV-2 variant, NB.1.8.1, a sublineage of the Omicron family. This variant was first identified in January 2025 and has rapidly spread across Asia and into other regions, including parts of the United States.

6 Jun 2025

In axing mRNA contract, Trump delivers another blow to US biosecurity, former officials say

The Trump administration's cancellation of $766 million in contracts to develop mRNA vaccines against potential pandemic flu viruses is the latest blow to national defense, former health security officials said.

6 Jun 2025

New AI tool revolutionizes forecasting of disease outbreaks

A new AI tool to predict the spread of infectious disease outperforms existing state-of-the-art forecasting methods.

6 Jun 2025

New funding boosts development of rapid test for sexually transmitted infections

Birmingham spin-out Linear Diagnostics has been awarded £1m funding to finalizse the development of a rapid test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), in partnership with the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Diagnostic and Technology Evaluation and the North East Innovation Lab, part of Newcastle Hospitals.

5 Jun 2025

DANTE trial reveals promising outcomes for shortened immunotherapy in advanced melanoma

Reducing the length of immunotherapy treatment for an advanced skin cancer did not significantly diminish disease control when compared to giving treatments over a longer period, according to breakthrough research led by the Universities of Sheffield and Leeds and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

5 Jun 2025

Personalized exercise and coaching could improve health of people with neuromuscular diseases

While many people with neuromuscular diseases currently face a future without a cure, a new study finds that a personalized exercise and coaching program could improve their fitness and overall health.

4 Jun 2025

Emerging bat viruses closely related to MERS show potential to jump to humans

A group of bat viruses closely related to the deadly Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) could be one small mutation away from being capable of spilling over into human populations and potentially causing the next pandemic.

4 Jun 2025

Newsom’s push to block law could save California nursing homes over $1 billion

Gov. Gavin Newsom wants to block a California law from taking effect next year that will require nursing homes to have a 96-hour backup power supply, potentially giving the industry a reprieve from having to spend over $1 billion in capital investments.

4 Jun 2025