Federal funds can't be spent on giving drug users test strips, raising overdose fears
Test strips can identify dangerous hidden additives in street drugs and help prevent overdoses. But the Trump administration says federal funds can't be used to provide the strips to drug users.
Trump reportedly pushing RFK Jr to cut vaccines more aggressively
White House has halted changing vaccine schedule as it is unpopular, but anti-vaxx Trump set on ‘alleviating autism’Donald Trump is pushing the longtime vaccine opponent and current health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr to be more aggressive on cutting vaccines in the US, according to reporting from the Wall Street Journal.Trump has a long record of anti-vaccine statements, but the White House recently put a hold on vaccine changes after polling indicated they were a losing issue in the midterm elections. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on noise pollution: keep it down | Editorial
New research linking the issue to Parkinson’s disease adds to the evidence of serious health repercussions from traffic volume and other sourcesThe roar of late-night traffic is not just annoying for those trying to sleep. It can also have profound effects on their health. A pioneering new study, published this month, has found a clear link between road noise and Parkinson’s disease. The research, which followed more than 3 million Danish participants, found a modest but consistent effect: for every 11.5dB rise in noise level, the risk of the degenerative disorder rose by 3% over the 18-year study.The study adds to the growing body of evidence that auditory nuisance is associated with serious physical consequences. The European Environment Agency reported last year that more than 110 million people across the continent suffer high levels of health-damaging noise pollution, with physiological stress and sleep disturbance leading to 66,000 early deaths annually as well as heart disease, diabetes and depression. It found that the harm caused was greater than from secondhand tobacco smoke exposure.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
California’s largest ICE facility neglected detainees’ medical needs, monitor finds
Court-appointed investigator finds California City facility failed to comply with judge’s order to provide adequate healthcareCalifornia’s largest immigration detention center has failed to comply with a judge’s orders to provide adequate healthcare, according to a court-appointed monitor who found the facility was struggling to meet a wide range of medical standards.The California City detention center, located north-east of Los Angeles, was found to have major flaws in the care it provides residents, including significant gaps in emergency care, failures to provide medications in a timely manner, inadequate screenings for health conditions and a lack of accommodations for people with disabilities. Continue reading...
Why migraines are often undiagnosed | Letters
Dr Sally Cheseldine reflects on the experience of people who cannot articulate their pain and the significance of cravingsDuring my clinical career, I noticed that migraine was rarely diagnosed in individuals with severe intellectual disabilities or autism who were non-verbal and therefore unable to say that they had a sore head (Letters, 24 July). Instead, there was a high level of damaging head-banging, something that others say they feel tempted to do if they don’t have access to rapid pain relief for their migraine.I was interested in the suggestion that cravings for cheese might be caused by migraine (The truth about migraines: what causes them – and how to find relief, 19 July). Cheese contains tryptophan, and it was shown in the 1990s (McDougle et al) that people with severe autism who had very low levels of tryptophan showed dramatic increases of several stereotypic behaviours, including banging. Continue reading...
