RFK Jr.’s Mass Firings Likely Unlawful and Must Be Halted, Judge Says
A federal judge has ruled that recent mass layoffs at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) were likely unlawful and ordered the Trump administration to halt plans to downsize and reorganize the nation’s health workforce. U.S. District Judge Melissa DuBose granted the preliminary injunction sought by a coalition of attorneys general from 19 […]
Waist-to-height ratio detects fat obesity in children and adolescents significantly better than BMI
An inexpensive measure of obesity in children and adolescents that could replace body mass index (BMI) has been identified in a new study as waist circumference-to-height ratio. This measure detected excess fat mass and distinguished fat mass from muscle mass in children and adolescents more accurately than BMI. The study was conducted in collaboration between […]
If We Started Doing This 1 Thing After A Mass Shooting, It Could Have A Huge Effect
A vigil is held on July 5, 2022, near the scene of a mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, Illinois. Jim Vondruska via Getty Images Just after 6 p.m. Wednesday in Lewiston, Maine, a man armed with an AR-15- style weapon entered multiple locations, including a bar and a bowling […]
Testosterone Loss in Older Men: Factors Beyond Age in the Mix
Numerous factors — including body mass index (BMI), lifestyle, relationship status, and a number of disease states — were tied with declining testosterone levels in men over 70, researchers found. In a meta-analysis including about 25,000 men, testosterone levels were fairly stable from ages 17 to 70, but then started to significantly drop after that […]
Higher BMI = Less Neutropenia With CDK4/6 Inhibitor for Early Breast Cancer
A higher body mass index (BMI) translated into less neutropenia and fewer discontinuations among women with early hormone receptor (HR)-positive breast cancer treated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor, a secondary analysis of the randomized trial PALLAS showed. Among patients who received palbociclib (Ibrance) in addition to endocrine therapy, increasing BMI was associated with a small but […]
‘Overweight’ BMI Not Tied to Higher Risk of Death, U.S. Data Suggest
A body mass index (BMI) in the overweight — but not obese — range was not independently associated with an increased mortality risk, a retrospective study relying on two decades’ worth of National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data found. Of roughly half a million U.S. adults captured in the 1999-2018 surveys, a slightly lower risk […]
Researchers uncover why light-to-moderate drinking is tied to better heart health: The findings could help in identifying new interventions that reduce the brain’s stress activity without the negative health effects of alcohol
A new study led by investigators from Massachusetts General Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, offers an explanation for why light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with lower risk of heart disease. For the first time, researchers found that alcohol, in light to moderate quantities, was associated with long-term reductions […]
Higher BMI Tied to Other Severe Respiratory Infections Too
A higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with increased risks for hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 and other respiratory infections as well, according to a study using data from the U.K. Biobank. After a mean follow-up of 11.8 years, the hazard ratios per 10-unit higher BMI was 2.26 (95% CI 2.05-2.49) for severe […]
Salary Bump at Mass General Brigham No Deterrent for Residents Looking to Unionize
House staff may be primed for a salary increase at Mass General Brigham in Boston, but they’re still proceeding with efforts to unionize nonetheless. Just last month, Mass General Brigham announced compensation and benefits adjustments to include a 10% salary increase for all residents and clinical fellows, as well as an increased annual stipend of […]
Opinion | ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws Are a Greater Health Threat Than Mass Shootings
Another week, another series of mass shootings in America leaving two dozen dead in three states. Having spent my career on the frontlines as a trauma surgeon and gun violence prevention researcher, I want to highlight a recent report by the RAND Corporation. In it they concluded that stand-your-ground laws — which declare that people […]