USC research suggests that semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) may help reduce alcohol consumption by lowering cravings and heavy drinking days. A small clinical trial found that participants receiving the… [+5085 chars]

A randomized, placebo-controlled trial validates a side effect frequently observed by doctors and patients. A new study from USC suggests that semaglutide—the drug marketed as Ozempic for diabetes and Wegovy for obesity—may also help reduce alcohol consumptio…

SciTechDaily

Beyond Weight Loss: Semaglutide Could Curb Alcohol Cravings According to USC Study - SciTechDaily

Smitha Mundasad
An experimental trial of gene therapy has helped four toddlers - born with one of the most severe forms of childhood blindness - gain "life-changing improvements" to their sight, acc… [+5216 chars]

Four toddlers born with a rare eye condition have seen "life-changing improvements", say UK doctors.

BBC News

Gene therapy experiment treats rare childhood blindness - BBC.com

An elderly person has died from the serious infectious disease, melioidosis, that can be contracted from contaminated water, prompting a warning to residents in flood-affected North Queensland.
The … [+1976 chars]

Residents in a flood-ravaged region have been issued a grim warning after a person died from a rare disease found in soil.

News.com.au

Person dies from rare soil-borne disease - Yahoo News Australia

The antiviral pill Paxlovid does not significantly reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations in vaccinated older adults, according to new research by UCLA doctors.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
The antiviral pill… [+3097 chars]

The antiviral pill Paxlovid does not significantly reduce COVID-19 hospitalizations in vaccinated older adults, according to new research by UCLA doctors.

San Francisco Chronicle

Paxlovid does not significantly cut COVID hospitalization in older vaccinated adults, study finds - San Francisco Chronicle

Researchers recently reported new evidence from a study of a medical device placed inside the body, a spine-stimulatingimplant.
Three people with a muscle-destroying disease got a little stronger af… [+4019 chars]

Three people with a muscle-destroying disease got a little stronger with the use of a medical device. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh put the device close to the spinal cord of three adults for one month.

VOA News

Study: Electrical Medical Device Helps Improve Muscle Strength - VOA Learning English

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was ordered to shelve promotions it developed for a variety of vaccines, including a Wild to Mild advertising campaign urging people to get vaccinated a… [+6184 chars]

The CDC was ordered to shelve promotions it developed for a variety of vaccines after Health Secretary RFK Jr. said he wants message focused on "informed consent."

STAT

HHS orders CDC to halt some vaccine ads, saying RFK Jr. wants message focused on ‘informed consent’ - STAT

SALT LAKE CITY Is your ZIP code more important than your genetic code when it comes to having a long, healthy life?
Genetics and lifestyle both contribute to how people age, the diseases they develo… [+4914 chars]

A study looked at if your ZIP code more important than your genetic code when it comes to having a long, healthy life.

KSL.com

Genes vs. lifestyle: What drives aging well, premature death risk? - KSL.com

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 27: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter at Barclays Center on December 27, 2024 in New York City. NO… [+4048 chars]

The San Antonio Spurs announced Thursday that Victor Wembanyama is expected to miss the rest of the season for deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder.

San Antonio Express-News

What is deep vein thrombosis? Victor Wembanyama's injury explained. - San Antonio Express-News

ABC News

Drug overdose deaths fall in 2023 for 1st time since pandemic began: CDC - ABC News

SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. The Snohomish County Health Department (SCHD) said there has been significant flu activity this respiratory virus season since the first deaths were reported early last month.… [+885 chars]

So far, there have been 15 flu-related deaths, higher than the last two seasons.

KOMO News

15 flu deaths in Snohomish County mark highest toll in 3 seasons - KOMO News

A painful burning sensation in a woman's legs turned out to be the result of a parasite burrowing into her brain, her doctors have revealed.
The 30-year-old, from New England, likely contracted the … [+4409 chars]

A woman developed an array of symptoms shortly after returning from a vacation, and parasites turned out to be the culprit.

Live Science

Parasite lurking in woman's brain caused mysterious 'burning' leg sensation - Livescience.com

Local
If youre running a fever, coughing and aching all over and think you need medical treatment local health officials are asking you to avoid the hospital ER unless its actual emergency. 
Instea… [+2358 chars]

Should I go to the hospital ER or an urgent care clinic, or wait for an appointment to see my doctor?

Bellingham Herald

Bellingham hospital’s ER is flooded with patients. Here’s where you can get help faster - Bellingham Herald

A Yale University study explores the newly defined post-vaccination syndrome (PVS), revealing alarming biological changes among affected individuals and potential paths for diagnosis and treatment.

The Times of India

Yale scientists link Covid vaccines to alarming new syndrome causing 'distinct biological changes’ - The Times of India

A study of depressed individuals found that an eightweek treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) reduced the activity of 5-HT4 receptorsa specific type of serotonin receptorin … [+4644 chars]

SSRIs reduced 5-HT4 receptor activity in the brain's neostriatum, supporting increased serotonin. Interestingly, smaller reductions in receptor activity were linked to better verbal memory improvements, although initial activity didn't predict treatment respo…

PsyPost

How SSRIs affect serotonin receptors: New findings from a depression study - PsyPost

While sex is built into the very definition of an STI, experts caution that it is possible to contract one without getting it on. 
Sexually transmitted infections which affect 1 in 5 Americans  are … [+3507 chars]

While sex is built into the very definition of an STI, experts caution that it is possible to contract one without getting it on.

New York Post

Yes, it’s possible to get an STI without having sex — here’s how - New York Post 

Last year, Hilary Duffs Instagram post about her home birth drew tons of attention, showing the singer in a birthing tub, cradling her new baby with a support team nearby.
The post shared the joys o… [+10817 chars]

Water births, freebirth, lotus birth and cannabis for morning sickness — medical experts offer caution about each one of these.