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Insulin quality questions have experts scrambling

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Preliminary research suggesting that some diabetes patients may be injecting medicine that has partially disintegrated is causing concern even as serious questions are raised about the research itself. The study author, a pharmacist, bought vials of insulin at a number of pharmacies and found that on average the vials had less than half of what was listed on the label and none met a minimum standard. The study tested just 18 vials of insulin — far too few to be definitive — and questions have been raised about the methods used to test the insulin. Insulin ...

Cancer from cellphones? New studies say no

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two government studies that bombarded rats and mice with cellphone radiation found a weak link to some heart tumors, but scientists and federal regulators say don’t worry — it is safe to use your device. They still do. Previous studies of cellphone users had found little reason for concern, but the newest research took a closer look at the effects of super-high doses in animals to address some lingering questions that could not be tested on humans. The rat study released Friday found a small increase in an unusual type of heart tumor in male rats, but there ...

Do e-cigarettes help or harm? Report says not clear

WASHINGTON (AP) — Electronic cigarettes could be a boon to public health or a major liability, depending on whether they help Americans quit smoking or encourage more young people to try traditional cigarettes, a new report concludes. The report wrestles with the potential benefits and harms of the vapor-emitting devices which have been sold in the U.S. for more than a decade. But those effects may not be known for decades, in part, because of how slowly illnesses caused by smoking emerge. “In some circumstances, such as their use by non-smoking adolescents and young adults, ...

New report details misuse of antipsychotics in nursing homes

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. nursing homes have significantly reduced the use of powerful antipsychotic drugs among their elderly residents, responding to pressure from many directions. Yet advocacy groups insist that overmedication remains a major problem, and want the pressure to intensify. According to the latest data from the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, known as CMS, the percentage of long-term nursing home residents being given antipsychotic drugs dropped from about 24 percent in late 2011 to under 16 percent last year. Decreases were reported in all 50 states, with ...

No time for the gym? At-home workouts offer cheap option

By Kelli Kennedy Associated Press Between bomb cyclones and deep freezes, it’s hard to find the motivation to leave your toasty home for a sweat session. Or maybe you’re just too cash-strapped after the holidays to fork over $25 for your usual barre classes. We’ve rounded some at-home workouts at all price points that deliver challenging routines with easy to follow instructions so there are no excuses. You can even train just like the celebrities with some streaming services that feature the same routines being taught in New York studios. FREE Fitness Blender — This ...

Century after pandemic, science takes its best shot at flu

WASHINGTON (AP) — The descriptions are haunting. Some victims felt fine in the morning and were dead by night. Faces turned blue as patients coughed up blood. Stacked bodies outnumbered coffins. A century after one of history’s most catastrophic disease outbreaks, scientists are rethinking how to guard against another super-flu like the 1918 influenza that killed tens of millions as it swept the globe. There’s no way to predict what strain of the shape-shifting flu virus could trigger another pandemic or, given modern medical tools, how bad it might be. But researchers hope ...