A New Type of Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

On December 21st, The Washington Post reported on a new type of elder abuse in nursing homes that involves posting pictures and videos of residents on social media networks without their permission–violating the residents’ privacy rights and a host of other laws. Some of these photos and videos have also managed to capture actual, physical … Continued

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When Hospital Paperwork Crowds Out Hospital Care

The New York Times recently highlighted a phenomenon that has taken over in many U.S. hospitals and urgent care centers: the age of electronic health records and how it has replaced a lot of “human” work in these facilities. One nurse in particular expresses concern over unnecessary hospital paperwork and the damage it could be … Continued

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FDA Acts on Indoor Tanning Beds And Skin Cancer

Recent studies indicate that tanning beds account for as many as 400,000 cases of skin cancer a year, including 6,000 cases of melanoma (the most deadly form of skin cancer), specifically. As a result, on December 18th, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed banning anyone under the age of 18 from using tanning … Continued

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Car Seat Dangers During The Holidays

Parents have been receiving conflicting advice recently about the dangers of children wearing coats in car seats. On the one hand, the latest information has indicated that wearing a coat in a car seat could pose a serious risk to children because that extra space that it could create could mean that the child is … Continued

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EPA Recalls Toxic Herbicide Used On Food Products

In late November, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will “vacate its approval” of “Enlist Duo,” an herbicide registered under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which is now believed to be more harmful than initially thought. Approved a year or so ago, the herbicide was developed for use on … Continued

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Louisiana Not Doing Enough To Combat Big Tobacco

According to a new report issued on December 8th, the statistics on tobacco use prevention programs in Louisiana are particularly dire. Specifically, for every $43 spent by the big tobacco industry to promote the use of tobacco, only $1 is spent trying to prevent kids from smokers and help smokers quit smoking. These dire statistics … Continued

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Medication Errors Found In Half Of Surgeries

In a recent study by Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital, it was reported that the study authors found that there was some type of medication error in one out of two operations. Which means that a medication error of some type occurs 50% of the time. This was a shockingly high number. These medication errors statistics … Continued

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Military Medical Mistakes With No Answers

Recent news coverage of military medical mistakes made at veteran’s hospitals and other clinics has the public wondering if our service members are receiving less than adequate medical care. One young man’s sad story of participating in physically exerting activities after failing medical tests and having a known genetic condition that can lead to sudden … Continued

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Nail Polish Poisoning Workers

An expose published by the New York Times this year highlighted how ingredients in nail products have been tied to miscarriages, cancer, and other illnesses–particularly for those who work as manicurists. However, the industry has been fighting nail polish poisoning regulation for years. Chemicals, Miscarriages & Child Deformities from Nail Polish Poisoning Focusing on stories … Continued

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Town Scarred By Unnecessary Medical Treatment

There is a new focus on unnecessary medical treatment that is making headway with the public and could potentially prevent the many injuries and deaths that occur each year due to medical malpractice. The sad saga of what happened to one small town and the trust they placed in their local cardiologist is one such … Continued

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