Health - Resources and discussion for everything health-related
# Resources gathered from beehaw.org , https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/ and hexbear.net Thank you to: [@emi@lemmy.blahaj.zone](https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/u/emi) for the amazing [Resource Collection Thread](https://lemmy.world/post/179686) [@Dislodge3233@feddit.de](https://feddit.de/u/Dislodge3233) for the [International HIV PReP](https://lemmy.world/post/92075) [@fadingembers@lemmy.blahaj.zone](https://lemmy.blahaj.zone/u/fadingembers) for the [Hair loss recovery for Transfems guide](https://lemmy.world/post/1332401) --- ## Comment with your favorite resources I missed here, I plan to revisit and edit with additional resources as time goes on. --- > |Crisis Lines|| > |------------|---| > |[Trevor Project](https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/)| Connect to a LGBTQ understanding crisis counselor 24/7, 365 days a year, from anywhere in the U.S. It is 100% confidential, and 100% free.| > |[Trans Lifeline](https://translifeline.org/hotline/)| Trans Lifeline’s Hotline is a peer support phone service run by trans people for our trans and questioning peers. Call us if you need someone trans to talk to, even if you’re not in crisis or if you’re not sure if you’re trans.| > |[Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/suicide/suicide-prevention-hotlines-resources-worldwide)|Hotlines available internationally| > |[RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)](https://www.rainn.org/)|RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE, [online.rainn.org](https://online.rainn.org/) & [rainn.org/es](https://online.rainn.org/)| > |[LGBT Youth Hotline](https://www.youthline.ca/)|LGBT YouthLine is a *2SLGBTQ+ youth-led organization that affirms and supports the experiences of youth (29 and under) across Ontario.| > |[988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline](https://988lifeline.org/)| The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.| --- --- > ## Resources > > > [Trans Lifeline Resources](https://translifeline.org/resources/) More than just the hotline, they have a great page linking to many resources, including but not limited to... [ID Change Library](https://translifeline.org/resources/id-change-library/), [Community-Based Crisis Support Resources](https://translifeline.org/resources/community-based-crisis-support/), A [Binding Guide for All Genders](https://translifeline.org/resources/community-based-crisis-support/), [Microgrants for some legal and medical fees](https://translifeline.org/microgrants/#types), and [much more you can easily search](https://translifeline.org/resources/). > > [The Trans Resistance Network](https://transresistancenetwork.wordpress.com/) Formed to ensure the survival of gender diverse people and families through strategic coordination of resources for relocation, alternative systems of gender-affirming care, mutual aid, and community defense. > > [Erin’s National Informed Consent Clinics Map](https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1DxyOTw8dI8n96BHFF2JVUMK7bXsRKtzA&ll=-3.81666561775622e-14%2C-109.09443705000001&z=2) Erin Reed’s informed consent map lists every informed consent hormone therapy clinic. > >[Rainbow Passage](https://rainbowpassage.org/) Providing transportation for individuals in harm's way, with a focus on bringing them to the Sanctuary States and Cities. Safely escorting individuals to communities with the necessary legal, financial, educational, and medical resources to meet their needs. > >[Rainbow Railroad](https://www.rainbowrailroad.org/) Rainbow Railroad is a global not-for-profit organization that helps at-risk LGTBQI+ people get to safety worldwide. Based in the United States and Canada, we’re an organization that helps LGBTQI+ people facing persecution based on their sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics > >[Elevated Access](https://www.elevatedaccess.org/) Elevated Access was launched in 2022 in response to the extreme healthcare bans being enacted in state legislatures. We are a non-profit organization that enables people to access healthcare by providing flights on private planes at no cost. Our volunteer pilot network transports clients seeking abortion or gender-affirming care across the United States. > >[Transgender Map](https://www.transgendermap.com/) This free website shows how to make a gender transition.It tells about gender identity and gender expression, as well as the social, legal, and medical ways to make a transgender transition. > >[Hudson's FtM Guide](https://ftmguide.org/) This Guide is intended to provide information on topics of interest to female-to-male (FTM, F2M) trans men, and their friends and loved ones. Non-trans men have also found the pages on men's grooming and clothing to be helpful. Transgender, cisgender, intersex, non-binary, genderqueer, questioning, and "just plain folks" are all welcome. > >[Gender Spectrum](https://www.genderspectrum.org/) Gender Spectrum is a national organization committed to the health and well-being of gender- diverse children and teens through education and support for families, and training and guidance for educators, medical and mental health providers, and other professionals. > >[Trans Health Project](https://transhealthproject.org/) The Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund's Trans Health Project aims to ensure that all transgender and non-binary people can access the trans-related health care that they need. > >[Trans Resources](https://trans-resources.info/) Trans-Resources aims to help transgender, non-binary, and other gender non-conforming people find resources where they live. Our goal is to be a directory of advocacy organizations, legal resources, support & social groups, and other resources that servce the trans community. > >[LGBTQ Healthcare Directory](https://lgbtqhealthcaredirectory.org/) The LGBTQ+ Healthcare Directory is a project of the Tegan and Sara Foundation and GLMA – Health Professionals Advancing LGBTQ+ Equality. It is a free, searchable database of all kinds of doctors, medical professionals and healthcare providers who are knowledgeable and sensitive to the unique health needs of LGBTQ+ people in the USA and Canada. > >[UK Gender Kit](https://genderkit.org.uk/) Gender Construction Kit, the UK guide to changing things that are linked to gender. > >[Gender Dysphoria Bible](https://genderdysphoria.fyi/en) The purpose of this site is to document the many ways that gender dysphoria can manifest, as well as the numerous forms of gender transition, in order to provide a guide for those who are questioning, those who are starting their transgender journey, those already on their path, and those who simply wish to be better allies. > >[Beehaw.org LGBTQ+ Wiki](https://docs.beehaw.org/docs/community-wikis/lgbtq_plus/) Parts of this page have been adapted from the Global Transgender Resources Registry, the Tildes ~lgbt wiki (to which one of our admins was a previous contributor), and Emi’s blahaj.zone thread > >[FtM Packer+ Spreadsheet](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/115zI3opsYcJAiygoiH0d0MIghMRz3WMcivXeDQ9wbkQ/htmlview) Includes information on Binders, Packers, and More > >[nominal.naomi's research document](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WZBpR9Ll3lNi7-ig8FvB2grMlhsmRZNa34cROGK2rEE/edit) A great document containing research documents related to trans health and more > >[/r/asktransgender wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/asktransgender/wiki/resources/) Provided below are a list of general resources to help everybody out. > --- ## Cross Post & Link In Communities That May Benefit From This Info ---
*Last update: Sept 1; Count: 102* This is a continuously updated list of communities dedicated to health, or specific diagnoses, from all around the Lemmy network. There are some disclaimers and notes below the list. Check them too. ========== **How to use links?** If you're having problems with some links (such as a "community not found" message), see the [FAQ on this post](https://lemmy.world/post/101664). I had to remove the dual links due to the character limit. ========== **~General Health & Medicine:** !medicine@mander.xyz !health@lemmy.ml !medicine@kbin.social (1) !health@exploding-heads.com (2) !health@midwest.social !medical_advice@lemmy.world **~Disabilities & Accessibility:** !disabled@lemm.ee !disability@feddit.uk !disability@beehaw.org (2) !deaf@lemmy.world !deaf@kbin.social (1) !main@rblind.com !blind@lemmy.world !eyetriage@lemmy.world **~Health Conditions:** Autism !autism@lemmy.world !autism@lemmy.ml !Autism@kbin.social (1) !autismexperiences@lemmy.ml !autisticpride@infosec.pub !autism_uk@feddit.uk !womenwithautism@lemmy.world !autisticandadhd@lemmy.world Chronic Fatigue Syndrome / Myalgic Encephalomyelitis !cfs@feddit.de !mecfs@kbin.social (1) COVID-19 !coronavirus@lemmy.ml Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis !crohnsandcolitis@lemmy.world Diabetes !diabetes@lemmy.world !diabetes@lemmy.frozeninferno.xyz !t1diabetes@lemmy.world Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome !ehlersdanlos@lemm.ee Hyperhidrosis !hyperhidrosis@lemmy.world Kidney Disease !kidneydisease@lemmy.world !kidneydisease@kbin.social (1) !dialysis@lemmy.world !dialysis@kbin.social (1) Neurodegenerative Diseases !neurodegdissupport@lemmy.world Neurodivergence !neurodivergent@discuss.online !neurodivergent@sh.itjust.works !neurodiversity@lemmygrad.ml !neurodivergence@beehaw.org (2) !neurodivergente@bolha.social Pain, Migraine, Fibromyalgia !chronicpain@lemmy.world !fibromyalgia@lemmy.world !migraine@lemmy.world !pain@lemmy.world TMJ !tmj@lemmy.world Transplants !transplant@lemmy.world !transplant@kbin.social (1) Women's Health: !menopause@lemmy.world **~Mental Health and Addiction:** General !mentalhealth@lemmy.world !mentalhealth@lemmy.ml !mentalhealth@lemmygrad.ml !mentalhealthsupport@midwest.social !antidepressants@slrpnk.net !appliedpsychology@mander.xyz !therapy@lemmy.world ADHD !adhd@lemmy.world !ADHD@kbin.social (1) !adhdtalk@lemmy.world !adhdwomen@lemmy.world Addiction and Support !sobriety@lemmy.ca !stopdrinking@lemmy.world !stopdrinking@discuss.tchncs.de !stopsmoking@lemmy.world !quittingsmoking@lemmy.world !recovery@lemmy.world !fafopwa@lemm.ee (Friends and Family of Persons with Addiction) Anxiety !anxiety@lemmy.world !socialanxiety@lemmy.blahaj.zone Avoidant Personality Disorder !avpd@sh.itjust.works Bipolar Disorder !bipolardisorder@lemmy.world Borderline Personality Disorder !bpd@sh.itjust.works CPTSD/PTSD !cptsd@lemmy.ml Depression !depression_now@lemmy.world Men’s Mental Health !mensmentalhealth@lemmy.world **~Other** ========== !dangerdust@lemmy.world (Dangerous Dusts, Toxins and Occupational Hazards) Healthcare Professional Communities !healthcareworkers@lemmy.ml !ems@lemmy.world !ems@lemm.ee !medicine@lemmy.world !pharma@lemmy.world !nursingUK@kbin.social (1) !radiology@lemmy.world Healthy Eating: !healthyfood@lemmy.world !cheaphealthyfood@lemmy.world !cico@lemmy.world (Calories In, Calories Out) !EatCheapAndHealthy@kbin.social (1) !nutrition@mander.xyz !loseit@discuss.tchncs.de (LoseIt: Lose the Fat) Healthy Lifestyle: !bodyweightfitness@lemmy.ml !sauna@exploding-heads.com (2) !soakingtub@exploding-heads.com (Ofuro Japanese Soaking Tub) (2) !longevity@mander.xyz !sports_science@mander.xyz Drugs (Warning: Some posts may promote drug use.) ::: spoiler spoiler !drugs@lemmy.world !drugs@sh.itjust.works !drugs@exploding-heads.com (2) ::: Satire and Memes !adhd@lemmy.dbzer0.com !aspiememes@kbin.social (1) !depression_now@lemmy.world !Evil_autism@kbin.social (1) !neurodiversimemes@lemmygrad.ml ========== Notes: - I'm not vouching for any of these communities, check at your own discretion. Some of them are abandoned or inactive, so if you see one without activity that might be interesting, consider bringing it back to life and crosspost here. Communities with no content whatsoever aren't included. - Work in progress - let me know if you know of new communities that aren't in the list, or if you have other feedback. (1) Kbin is a different network from Lemmy. Interactivity may be limited or delayed. (2) These instances aren't federated with lemmy.world. To interact, you need to have an account on an instance that federates with them. **Important**: Some instances may gravitate towards politics or philosophies different from your own. Inclusion of a health community of any instance does not mean endorsement of that philosophy.
arstechnica.com
In a randomized controlled trial, the probiotic *Bifidobacterium animalis* subsp. l*actis*—used in many probiotic products, including Dannon's Activia yogurts—did nothing to improve bowel health in people with constipation, according to [data from a randomized triple-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial](https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2824333) Wednesday in JAMA Network Open.
www.swissinfo.ch
Full-time workers have an increased risk of cancer, say researchers from the University of Fribourg. In a new study, they found that people with a 100% workload are more likely to develop cancer than people with other career paths. The reasons for this are unclear.
www.nbcnews.com
Hospitals across the U.S. are taking steps to conserve their supplies of IV fluids after [Hurricane Helene](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/north-carolina-mountain-town-wrecked-hurricane-helene-rcna173670) **struck a critical manufacturing plant belonging to the country’s biggest supplier**. Baxter International, a medical technology company responsible for making IV fluids for most U.S. hospitals, said Sunday that it [would temporarily close production at its North Cove, North Carolina-based facility ](https://www.baxter.com/baxter-newsroom/baxter-provides-update-north-cove-nc-facility-and-hurricane-helene-relief-plans)because of flooding from [Helene](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/volunteer-pilots-are-flying-supplies-trapped-hurricane-helene-victims-rcna173885), raising concerns about a potential nationwide shortage. IV fluids are used to deliver drugs or water with electrolytes directly into a patient’s bloodstream. They’re also critical for surgery, when a person is unable to eat or drink, to keep them hydrated. Baxter also makes specialty fluids, such as peritoneal dialysis fluid, which helps [patients with kidney failure](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/donating-kidney-safer-ever-new-research-finds-rcna168524) filter waste from their blood, as well as irrigation fluids, used during procedures to clean or flush wounds.
… [Fewer young people](https://apnews.com/article/teen-sex-survey-high-school-3d45d0441f531d1da9f5b44373becee4) are [having sex](https://apnews.com/article/teen-sex-sexual-intercourse-meaning-fa0b10e0fb7e8fd8fd72ac9990c3321a), but the teens and young adults who are sexually active aren’t using condoms as regularly, if at all. And people ages 15 to 24 made up half of new [chlamydia, gonorrhea](https://apnews.com/article/syphilis-gonorrhea-std-sexually-transmitted-cdc-17c748701b8da8024f06869460b33961) and [syphilis cases](https://apnews.com/article/syphilis-std-cdc-federal-funding-e82f78f3d30c393538e5e421548e7758) in 2022. The downward trend in condom usage is due to a few things: medical advancements like [long-term birth control options](https://apnews.com/article/iud-pain-lidocaine-gynecologist-f25a198bada157a53514e84dbf57c5a7) and [drugs that prevent sexually transmitted infections](https://apnews.com/article/doxycycline-std-morning-after-pill-cdc-20a087e32c4a81f7c3413363e6255785); a fading fear of [contracting HIV](https://apnews.com/article/hiv-latino-hispanic-treatment-prevention-aids-ca5f73b064e5ed491ee0315dd60d69d1); and [widely varying degrees of sex education](https://apnews.com/article/florida-sex-education-curriculum-5b1a46f5a73e3122f4815cf1d439aef0) in high schools. Is this the end of condoms? Not exactly. But it does have some public health experts thinking about how to help younger generations have safe sex, be aware of their options — condoms included — and get tested for STIs regularly.
www.theguardian.com
>The new review showed that prevalence in 2021 was highest in Germany, where almost 15.98% of teenagers and young adults were diagnosed. > >Researchers said rates of acne had been on the rise in all countries, except New Zealand. >“Our research didn’t look at why this is, but it could be linked to lifestyle factors like diet, stress, obesity rates, increased exposure to pollution from urbanisation, or simply a greater likelihood of seeking treatment. > >“It is plausible that, as healthcare becomes more accessible in countries, reported acne rates increase. This is unlikely to be the only factor though, as even in countries with good access to healthcare, cases have increased.
www.nbcnews.com
**_Even as death rates from breast cancer have fallen, rates of new diagnoses continue to tick upwards, according to an American Cancer Society report._** Americans have benefited from huge leaps in [breast cancer treatment](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/breast-cancer-treatment-drug-kisqali-approval-expanded-earlier-stage-d-rcna170632) over the last two decades, but diagnoses are becoming more common, especially among younger women, according to a report published Tuesday by the American Cancer Society. The new report shows that breast cancer mortality has decreased by 44% since the late 1980s. Rates of breast cancer, however, have increased by 1% every year since 2012. In younger women, rates have increased at a faster clip — by about 1.4% every year since 2021. “That is very alarming because we know that [screening only starts at age 40](https://www.nbcnews.com/health/womens-health/breast-cancer-screening-start-40-new-recommendations-rcna149777),” said Dr. Sonya Reid, a breast medical oncologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, who was not involved with the report. “It’s not just one racial or ethnic group affected, we are seeing it across the board, so it’s hard to link it to ancestral or genetic factors alone.”
www.statnews.com
A historic new study out of Scotland shows the real-world impact of vaccines against the human papillomavirus: **The country has detected no cases of cervical cancer in women born between 1988-1996 who were fully vaccinated against HPV between the ages of 12 and 13**. Many previous studies have shown that HPV vaccines are [extremely effective](https://www.statnews.com/2023/11/08/hpv-vaccines-cancer-screenings/) in preventing cervical cancer. But the study, published on Monday in the [Journal of the National Cancer Institute](https://academic.oup.com/jnci/article/116/6/857/7577291), is the first to monitor a national cohort of women over such a long time period and find no occurrence of cervical cancer. “The study is super exciting. It shows that the vaccine is extremely effective,” said Kathleen Schmeler, a professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, who was not involved in the research. “It’s obviously early. We’re just starting to see the first data of the impact of the vaccine because it takes so long from the time of the vaccine to the effects.”
A network of illegal drug sellers based in the U.S., the Dominican Republic and India packaged potentially deadly synthetic opioids into pills disguised as common prescription drugs and sold millions of them through fake online drugstores, federal prosecutors said Monday. At least nine people died of narcotics poisoning between August 2023 and June 2024 after consuming the counterfeit pills, according to an indictment unsealed in federal court in Manhattan. The indictment charges that the leader of the enterprise, Francisco Alberto Lopez Reyes, orchestrated the scheme from the Dominican Republic, directing co-conspirators to **set up dozens of online pharmacies that mimicked legitimate e-commerce sites. The sites lured customers into buying synthetic opioids — in some cases methamphetamine — disguised as prescription drugs such as Adderall, Xanax and oxycodone.** The counterfeit pills were sold to tens of thousands of Americans in all 50 states and to customers in Puerto Rico, Germany and Slovenia, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said at a news conference announcing the indictment.
www.theguardian.com
The movement to hold US medical insurers to account scored a notable legal victory recently when a Louisiana civil court jury ordered the state’s most prominent health insurance company to pay up more than $400m **after underpaying claims to a surgery center that often works with cancer patients**.
www.bbc.com
_**West Nile virus, Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), malaria and dengue are gaining new ground in the US. The mosquitoes that carry these diseases are thriving in a warming world.**_ Since the turn of the century, New York City has experienced [490 cases](https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/west_nile_virus/) of West Nile viral fever according to the city's health department, a disease spread by infected mosquitoes. One of the most [high-profile recent cases was Anthony Fauci](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6280kxvxpro), chief medical advisor to the US president from 2021-22. Once rarely seen outside of East Africa and parts of the Middle East, **West Nile virus is establishing an increasing hold in New York and more broadly across the US**. In 2023, the virus was detected in [more than 1,100 mosquito pools](https://www.nyc.gov/site/doh/health/health-topics/west-nile-virus-reports-2023.page), mostly in Queens. To date in 2024, cases of West Nile fever have been [detected in 39 states](https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/data-maps/current-year-data.html). An estimated [70-80% of West Nile infections](https://www.cdc.gov/west-nile-virus/hcp/clinical-signs/index.html) are very slight or entirely asymptomatic, but severe infections can lead to [permanent neurological complications](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8474605/). An even more concerning trend is the rise of **Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), another mosquito-borne virus which is far more dangerous**, with a reported [30% fatality rate](https://www.cdc.gov/eastern-equine-encephalitis/about/index.html). EEE [was first identified](https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/59/1/1/6420395) as a public health threat back in 1938, but over the past 20 years, sporadic outbreaks in the north-east of the [US have reoccurred with increasing frequency](https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/59/1/1/6420395), with cases appearing steadily further north.
www.cbsnews.com
Despite growing research that points to the [negative health impacts of alcohol](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/alcoholic-drink-linked-to-higher-blood-pressure/), many Americans are unaware of the connection between drinking and cancer risk. [A recent report](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cancer-deaths-alcohol-report/) from the American Association for Cancer Research found excessive levels of alcohol consumption increase the risk for six different types of cancer, including: - [breast cancer](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/black-women-higher-risk-death-breast-cancer-study/) - [colorectal cancer](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/colorectal-cancer-breast-cervical-pancreas-american-cancer-society-study-2024/) - liver cancer - stomach cancer - certain types of head and neck cancer - esophageal squamous cell carcinoma "Some of this is happening through chronic inflammation. We also know that alcohol changes the microbiome, so those are the bacteria that live in your gut, and that can also increase the risk," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, recently said on ["CBS Mornings."](https://www.cbsnews.com/video/new-report-details-link-between-excessive-alcohol-use-and-cancer/) But how much is too much when it comes to drinking? We asked experts what to know:
A Minnesota resident who came into contact with a bat in July died of rabies, the state’s department of health announced Friday. The person’s death marks a rare occurrence, as fewer than 10 people in the the U.S. die from rabies each year, according to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. The person is over the age of 65 and was exposed to a bat in western Minnesota in July, the Minnesota Department of Health said. CDC officials confirmed the rabies diagnosis at its lab in Atlanta on Sept. 20. In a news release, the state health department said it was working to evaluate whether more people were exposed to the disease, but said there was no ongoing risk to the public
www.theguardian.com
***Metals and PFAS linked to serious health issues are among compounds found, highlighting need for further scrutiny*** More than 3,600 chemicals approved for food contact in packaging, kitchenware or food processing equipment have been found in humans, new peer-reviewed [research](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41370-024-00718-2) has found, highlighting a little-regulated exposure risk to toxic substances. The chemicals have been found in human blood, hair or breast milk. Among them are compounds known to be highly toxic, like **PFAS, bisphenol, metals, phthalates and volatile organic compounds**. Many are linked to cancer, hormone disruption and other serious health issues. But many others are substances for which there are very limited public toxicological profiles, such as **synthetic antioxidants** used as preservatives and **oligomers** that stabilize ink on packaging. The study’s authors say the knowledge gaps highlight the need for further scrutiny of food contact chemicals.
A 10th person has died in the listeria outbreak that [shuttered](https://apnews.com/article/boars-head-recall-liverwurst-listeria-83176dfc193c16afd949ffefc827aec2) a Boar’s Head deli meat plant, federal health officials said Wednesday. At least 59 people in 19 states have been sickened by the bacteria first detected in liverwurst made at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant. Illnesses were reported between late May and late August, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. All of those who fell ill were hospitalized. The latest fatality was reported in New York, bringing the total deaths to two each in New York and South Carolina and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico.
abcnews.go.com
Americans can once again order [free at-home COVID-19 tests](https://abcnews.go.com/Health/free-home-covid-tests-us-government-back/story?id=103525545) from the federal government starting Thursday ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season. This is the third year in a row the Biden-Harris administration has allowed Americans to order over-the-counter tests at no charge. Anyone wanting to order tests can do so at [COVID.gov/tests](https://covidtests.gov/). Four tests will be shipped free by USPS, starting Sep. 30.
www.theguardian.com
***Pledge at UN follows warnings that antimicrobial resistance may undo century of medical progress and kill 8.2m a year*** World leaders have committed to reduce deaths linked to superbugs [by 10%](https://www.un.org/pga/wp-content/uploads/sites/108/2024/09/FINAL-Text-AMR-to-PGA.pdf) before the end of the decade. The target for 2030, set during a meeting at the UN's general assembly in New York, came with warnings that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could reverse a century of medical progress. AMR, where pathogens such as bacteria evolve so that existing medicines no longer work against them, is linked to 4.7 million deaths each year. The toll is projected to reach 8.2 million per year by 2050 on current [forecasts](https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/sep/16/health-superbugs-antimicrobial-resistance-amr-39m-deaths-infections-bacteria-gram-study). The new political [declaration](https://www.un.org/pga/wp-content/uploads/sites/108/2024/09/FINAL-Text-AMR-to-PGA.pdf) on AMR, signed by 193 member states, calls for scaled-up action across sectors including farming, pharmaceutical manufacture, environmental protection and healthcare.
www.theguardian.com
**_Ralph de la Torre, paid at least $250m by Steward Health Care amid facility issues and closures, ignored subpoena_** The US Senate has voted unanimously to hold the CEO of Steward Health Care in criminal contempt for failing to comply with a congressional subpoena – marking the first time in more than 50 years that the chamber has moved to hold someone in criminal contempt. On Wednesday, the Senate voted to hold Ralph de la Torre in contempt of Congress after the 58-year-old head of the Massachusetts-based for-profit healthcare system – which declared bankruptcy earlier this year – **ignored a congressional subpoena and failed to appear at a hearing over the hospital chain’s alleged abuse of finances on 12 September.** During Wednesday’s session, **Bernie Sanders**, Vermont senator and chair of the Senate’s health, education, labor and pensions (Help) committee, said: “The passage of this resolution by the full Senate will make clear that even though Dr de la Torre may be worth hundreds of millions of dollars, even though he may be able to buy fancy yachts and private jets and luxurious accommodations throughout the world, even though he may be able to afford some of the most expensive lawyers in America, no, Dr de la Torre is not above the law.
Fall means it's time for just about everybody to get up to date on their flu and [COVID-19 vaccines](https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-novavax-virus-shots-4630f56cc909816db736ed6249c259e3) -- and a lot of older adults also need protection against another risky winter virus, RSV. Yes, you can get your [flu and COVID-19 shots](https://www.vaccines.gov) at the same time. Don't call them boosters --- they're not just another dose of last year's protection. The coronavirus and influenza are escape artists that constantly mutate to evade your body's immune defenses, so both vaccines are [reformulated](https://apnews.com/article/covid19-vaccinations-cdc-coronavirus-a785acb4aca8e69f21b6f1a41c021e2c) annually to target newer strains.
www.theguardian.com
**_Nitazenes, synthetic opioids, could create latest drug crisis as scientists rush to find how to detect them in drug supply_** A new class of potentially deadly synthetic opioids is suddenly appearing around the globe, including in the US, and scientists are rushing to figure out how to detect it in the drug supply. Within the last month, nitazenes were implicated in four overdose deaths[ in Manchester,](https://www.rcfp.org/resources/pre-publication-review-guide/) England; they were detected in over 2,500 counterfeit oxycodone pills in [Hamilton, Canada](https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/news/hamilton-police-seize-over-2500-counterfeit-oxycodone-pills-containing-potent-synthetic-opioid/); and they were found for the first time in the [Netherlands](https://nltimes.nl/2024/08/31/deadly-drug-nitazene-found-netherlands-first-time). The US Drug Enforcement Administration has [warned about their appearance](https://www.dea.gov/stories/2022/2022-06/2022-06-01/new-dangerous-synthetic-opioid-dc-emerging-tri-state-area) in Washington DC. Nitazenes are a class of synthetic opioid first developed in the 1950s but never approved to go to market.
www.bbc.com
Children's eyesight is steadily getting worse with one in three now short-sighted or unable to see things in the distance clearly, a global analysis suggests. The researchers say Covid lockdowns had a negative impact on eyesight as children spent more time on screens and less time outdoors. Short-sightedness, or myopia, is a growing global health concern which is set to affect millions more children by 2050, the study warns.
news.sky.com
***Bird flu could be "evolving under the radar" because of failures to monitor and control the spread of the virus, a leading pandemic scientist has warned.*** Dr Thomas Peacock, a specialist in **[animal-to-human spread](https://news.sky.com/story/bird-flu-spread-to-cows-takes-dangerous-step-towards-infecting-humans-through-respiration-scientists-warn-13175177)** of viruses at The Pirbright Institute, said **[H5N1](https://news.sky.com/topic/bird-flu-10420)** could be transmitting undetected in the US because of "months of missing data" that leaves researchers, vets and authorities in the dark. The strain is currently spreading between US dairy cows after crossing over from wild birds earlier in the year. Four workers on cattle farms have also become infected and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently reported the first human case with no known contact with animals.
www.independent.co.uk
***Mosquitoes infected with eastern equine encephalitis will threaten residents until temperatures cool down, health officials warn*** [New York officials](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/new-york-city-covid-party-jay-varma-b2616355.html) announced an "imminent threat" to public health this week after a resident died from the state's first case of mosquito-borne eastern equine encephalitis, or EEE, in nearly a decade. The deceased individual was a resident of Ulster County, two hours north of New York City. The case, the state's first human case since 2015, was confirmed earlier this month. "We've been informed this patient has passed away from EEE, we extend our sympathies and our hearts go out to their family," New York [Governor Kathy Hochul said.](https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-statewide-action-following-confirmed-case-eastern-equine)
www.theguardian.com
**_Leading health figures in UK blame misconception that the number one killer of women is a ‘man’s disease’_** Thousands of women are dying from heart disease worldwide because of the misconception that it is a “man’s disease”, doctors and scientists say. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) was the “number one killer” of women but, despite significant progress in its medical management, many were dying “unnecessarily” because they were underdiagnosed, undertreated and under-represented in clinical trials, the experts said. A consensus statement drawn up by 33 leading health figures affiliated with the British Cardiovascular Society aimed to address unmet needs, ensuring parity of care and improving the health outcomes of women with CVD in the UK and worldwide.
Obesity is high and [holding steady](https://apnews.com/article/health-us-news-ap-top-news-obesity-a2154b643d53afae2a3654f722a9b60a) in the U.S., **but the proportion of those with severe obesity --- especially women --- has climbed since a decade ago**, according to [new government research](https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db508.htm). The U.S. obesity rate is about 40%, according to a 2021-2023 survey of about 6,000 people. Nearly 1 in 10 of those surveyed reported severe obesity, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to report severe obesity. The overall obesity rate appeared to tick down vs. the 2017-2020 survey, but the change wasn't considered statistically significant; the numbers are small enough that there's mathematical chance they didn't truly decline. That means **it's too soon to know whether [new treatments](https://apnews.com/article/mounjaro-wegovy-ozempic-obesity-weight-loss-bd0e037cc5981513487260d40636752a) for obesity, including blockbuster weight-loss drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound, can help ease the epidemic of the chronic disease linked to a host of health problems**, according to Dr. Samuel Emmerich, the CDC public health officer who led the latest study.
www.nbcnews.com
Pertussis outbreaks are at the highest level in a decade and doctors say many cases are going undetected — allowing people to spread the bacterial infection unknowingly for weeks.
www.nbcnews.com
The chief executive of the drugmaker Novo Nordisk, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, is scheduled to face tough questions Tuesday on Capitol Hill about the high costs of the company’s widely popular weight-loss drugs. Jørgensen will appear before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions during a [livestreamed](https://www.help.senate.gov/hearings/why-is-novo-nordisk-charging-americans-with-diabetes-and-obesity-outrageously-high-prices-for-ozempic-and-wegovy) hearing Tuesday starting at 10 a.m. ET. The head of the committee, **Sen. Bernie Sanders**, I-Vt., has been vocal about his frustrations over how much Novo Nordisk charges Americans for both Ozempic (used to treat type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (approved for weight loss). "**In general, we pay by far the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. Same exact medicine sold in Canada, Europe is a fraction of what it is in the United States**," Sanders said in an interview Monday. "The result of that is that hundreds of thousands of people in this country who desperately need this product will not be able to afford it."
kffhealthnews.org
A seemingly innocuous proposal to offer scholarships for mental health workers in California’s new court-ordered treatment program has sparked debate over whether the state should prioritize that program or tackle a wider labor shortage in behavioral health services. Nine counties have begun rolling out the [Community Assistance, Recovery, and Empowerment Act](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB1338), which Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) signed into law in 2022 to get people with untreated schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, many of them incarcerated or homeless, into treatment. But often those skilled clinicians have been pulled by counties from other understaffed behavioral health programs.
kffhealthnews.org
In what has become **a pattern of spreading vaccine misinformation**, the Florida health department is telling older Floridians and others at highest risk from covid-19 to avoid most booster shots, saying they are potentially dangerous. Clinicians and scientists denounced the message as **politically fueled scaremongering** that also weakens efforts to protect against diseases like measles and whooping cough. A prominent Florida doctor expressed dismay that medical leaders in the state, leery of angering Gov. Ron DeSantis, have been slow to counter anti-vaccine messages from Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, including the latest covid bulletin. Ladapo is a DeSantis appointee and the top official at the state health department. **The bulletin makes a number of false or unproven claims about the efficacy and safety of mRNA-based covid vaccines** by Pfizer and Moderna, including that they could threaten “the integrity of the human genome.” Florida’s guidance generally regurgitates ideas from anti-vaccine websites, said John Moore, a professor of microbiology at Weill Cornell Medicine.
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