In our society, abstaining from alcohol can be difficult, especially during parties and family celebrations. But women who are pregnant or even just trying to get pregnant should stay away from alcohol entirely.
For the woman who is dependent upon or an abuser of this legal drug, it may be impossible to abstain from drinking without […]
Continue Reading Add comment May 26th, 2008
Whenever a new drug or medical device comes on the market, the process leading up to FDA approval has been costly and time-consuming. Biotech companies spend many years working in their laboratories to develop new drugs to ready them for testing. Companies that can’t afford their own study staffs are increasingly turning to contract research […]
Continue Reading Add comment May 1st, 2008
The FDA is re-evaluating its position as to the safety and effectiveness of LASIK surgery. Millions of Americans have had successful outcomes from LASIK, in which a laser reshapes the eye’s cornea and reduces or eliminates dependence on glasses or contact lenses. However, members of the U.S. regulatory agency on healthcare issues are currently considering […]
Continue Reading Add comment April 27th, 2008
According to the Center for Health Statistics, deaths from Methadone nationwide are increasing at a faster rate than other deaths related to drug use. The number of Methadone deaths nationwide rose from 786 in 1999 to 4,462, a nearly six-fold increase. As a comparison, fatal cocaine overdoes rose 63 percent.
Most cocaine users realize they are […]
Continue Reading Add comment April 20th, 2008
For those who have experienced chemotherapy, or watched their loved ones go through it, the idea of an effective cancer treatment with NO side effects seems like a dream come true. Dreams can be a long time in coming, however. The brain child of American inventor John Kanzius may one day be the answer to […]
Continue Reading Add comment April 17th, 2008
A hip fracture, one of the most dreaded injuries, can be devastating and complicated. This medical emergency is a painful, stressful and life-changing event. One in five persons over age 50 who breaks a hip will die within a year. Forty percent of hip-fracture patients over age 65 move to a nursing home after hospitalization.
The […]
Continue Reading Add comment April 9th, 2008
Some women in their 40s can still get pregnant without assistance from fertility clinics. That’s good news for those who have postponed motherhood, but for women who have completed their family, continuing fertility can be problematic. Today, the Pill and the IUD (intra-uterine devices) are both considered good options for some women in their fourth […]
Continue Reading Add comment April 8th, 2008
Over the past six months, I took a breather from writing blog articles for Healthcareupdates.com. During that period, I put more effort into my personal writing which includes poetry and my autobiography in progress. I also served as chief copy editor for my daughter, who just completed her doctoral dissertation.
For relaxation, I took three special […]
Continue Reading Add comment April 8th, 2008
In recent years, several large studies have shown that quicker and cheaper “virtual colonoscopy” is a viable alternative to traditional colonoscopy. Although still considered “experimental” and not covered by most insurance for routine screening, the noninvasive X-ray procedure is available for those willing and able to pay the $1,100 cost. Traditional colonoscopy, the “gold standard” […]
Continue Reading Add comment October 8th, 2007
A large study conducted over 24 years at Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, California, concluded that having three or more alcoholic drinks a day can increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer by 30%. Those who drank one to two drinks per day had an increased breast cancer risk of 10%. Women who […]
Continue Reading Add comment September 28th, 2007
