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Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Cost Kids Access To Asthma Inhalers, Other Chronic Disease Meds

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Children and young adults formerly covered by Medicaid are losing access to medications needed to control conditions like depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, asthma and epilepsy, a new study says. Young people need to take these meds regularly to get the best results, as interruptions can cause flare-ups of their chronic health problems, researchers said. Interruptions in these meds are occurring more often in states that have experienced the biggest drops in Medicaid enrollment during the “unwinding” process that started after the end of the COVID pandemic, researchers reported recently in the journal Pediatrics. The unwinding brought an end to Medicaid eligibility rules put in place during the pandemic. For example, children and teens who use asthma inhalers were more likely to decrease use of their meds if they lived in a state with the largest drops in Medicaid enrollment, results show. “Our findings suggest that the rapid disenrollment of young people from Medicaid during the unwinding process resulted in the disruption of chronic disease therapy,” lead researcher Dr. Kao-Ping Chua, a pediatrician and health care researcher at the University of Michigan Medical School and School of Public Health, said in a news release. “As policymakers debate whether to enact drastic cuts to Medicaid funding, they should consider the possibility that doing so could similarly disrupt chronic disease therapy for children and young adults, placing them at…  read on >  read on >

Sweet Tooth Explained: Researchers Reveal How We Taste Sugar

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Why does sugar taste so good — and why do we want it so badly? Scientists may finally have the answer.  For the first time, researchers have figured out the structure of the sweet receptor — the tiny part of your tongue that tells your brain when something tastes sweet. The study, published May 7 in the journal Cell, could help food companies make sweet foods with less sugar.  “By uncovering the structure of the sweet receptor, we gain knowledge into the molecular mechanisms that govern how we detect sweetness, and how a single receptor can recognize such a broad range of sweet-tasting molecules,” Zhang Juen, an associate research scientist and co-first author of the study, said in a news release. Charles Zuker of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute led the study with members of his Columbia University lab. Back in 2001, his team found the genes that control the sweet receptor. Now, they’ve figured out what it looks like and how it works. With this information, food companies might not need artificial sweeteners anymore. Instead, they could use less sugar and add ingredients that make the sweet receptor work better. That means people can enjoy the same sweet taste but take in fewer calories. “This discovery will greatly benefit the battle against our strong desire for sugar, and enable the rational design of modulators…  read on >  read on >

Sweet Tooth Explained: Researchers Reveal How We Taste Sugar

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Why does sugar taste so good — and why do we want it so badly? Scientists may finally have the answer.  For the first time, researchers have figured out the structure of the sweet receptor — the tiny part of your tongue that tells your brain when something tastes sweet. The study, published May 7 in the journal Cell, could help food companies make sweet foods with less sugar.  “By uncovering the structure of the sweet receptor, we gain knowledge into the molecular mechanisms that govern how we detect sweetness, and how a single receptor can recognize such a broad range of sweet-tasting molecules,” Zhang Juen, an associate research scientist and co-first author of the study, said in a news release. Charles Zuker of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute led the study with members of his Columbia University lab. Back in 2001, his team found the genes that control the sweet receptor. Now, they’ve figured out what it looks like and how it works. With this information, food companies might not need artificial sweeteners anymore. Instead, they could use less sugar and add ingredients that make the sweet receptor work better. That means people can enjoy the same sweet taste but take in fewer calories. “This discovery will greatly benefit the battle against our strong desire for sugar, and enable the rational design of modulators…  read on >  read on >

Thinking About a Tattoo? FDA Warns These Inks Could Be Dangerous

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and tattoo artists that two tattoo inks have tested positive for harmful bacteria and could lead to serious infections. The affected products are: Sacred Tattoo Ink, Raven Black (CI# 77266; Lot#: RB0624, Best Before: June 28, 2027) Sacred Tattoo Ink, Sunny Daze (CI# 21095; Lot#: SD1124, Best Before: Nov. 1, 2027) FDA testing found the inks were contaminated with bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause infections when injected into the skin. These infections can cause red rashes, bumps or lesions and may leave permanent scars if not treated correctly, according to an FDA news release. “There is an increased risk of infection any time the skin barrier is broken,” the FDA said. Symptoms of infection can sometimes be mistaken for an allergic reaction, which can cause a delay in getting the right treatment. The FDA discovered the contaminated inks during a routine survey of tattoo products. The agency relied on microbiological testing methods typically used for cosmetics. Tattoo artists and studios are urged to avoid using or selling these specific inks. Consumers are advised to ask their tattoo artist what inks are being used and to avoid the affected products. The FDA said it is working with manufacturers and sellers to remove these products from the market.  Anyone who experiences a reaction after…  read on >  read on >

Thinking About a Tattoo? FDA Warns These Inks Could Be Dangerous

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers and tattoo artists that two tattoo inks have tested positive for harmful bacteria and could lead to serious infections. The affected products are: Sacred Tattoo Ink, Raven Black (CI# 77266; Lot#: RB0624, Best Before: June 28, 2027) Sacred Tattoo Ink, Sunny Daze (CI# 21095; Lot#: SD1124, Best Before: Nov. 1, 2027) FDA testing found the inks were contaminated with bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which can cause infections when injected into the skin. These infections can cause red rashes, bumps or lesions and may leave permanent scars if not treated correctly, according to an FDA news release. “There is an increased risk of infection any time the skin barrier is broken,” the FDA said. Symptoms of infection can sometimes be mistaken for an allergic reaction, which can cause a delay in getting the right treatment. The FDA discovered the contaminated inks during a routine survey of tattoo products. The agency relied on microbiological testing methods typically used for cosmetics. Tattoo artists and studios are urged to avoid using or selling these specific inks. Consumers are advised to ask their tattoo artist what inks are being used and to avoid the affected products. The FDA said it is working with manufacturers and sellers to remove these products from the market.  Anyone who experiences a reaction after…  read on >  read on >

Childhood Obesity Triples Odds Of Weight Discrimination

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Childhood obesity nearly triples a person’s risk for experiencing discrimination or stigma based on their weight, a new study says. Severe obesity before age 18 increased a person’s odds of experiencing weight stigma by 2.8 times, researchers reported recently in the International Journal of Obesity. Weight stigma is marked by negative or discriminatory actions related to a person’s body weight or size, researchers said in background notes. “Experienced weight stigma is definitely not about hurt feelings,” said senior researcher Dr. Jaime Almandoz, an associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “It’s a real public health issue that impacts mental health, physical health and access to care,” Almandoz said in a news release. “Recognizing and addressing weight stigma needs to be part of routine obesity care.” About 42% of U.S. adults 20 and older are obese, and more than 40% adults report experiencing weight stigma at some point in their lives, researchers said in background notes. Further, the number of children with obesity in the U.S. continues to rise, with about 1 in 5 teens currently living with the condition, researchers said. To see whether age influences their risk of weight stigma, researchers surveyed 686 adults receiving care at UT Southwestern’s Weight Wellness Program between 2021 and 2023.  Participants had an average age of 56, and about 62% had severe obesity…  read on >  read on >

Childhood Obesity Triples Odds Of Weight Discrimination

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Childhood obesity nearly triples a person’s risk for experiencing discrimination or stigma based on their weight, a new study says. Severe obesity before age 18 increased a person’s odds of experiencing weight stigma by 2.8 times, researchers reported recently in the International Journal of Obesity. Weight stigma is marked by negative or discriminatory actions related to a person’s body weight or size, researchers said in background notes. “Experienced weight stigma is definitely not about hurt feelings,” said senior researcher Dr. Jaime Almandoz, an associate professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. “It’s a real public health issue that impacts mental health, physical health and access to care,” Almandoz said in a news release. “Recognizing and addressing weight stigma needs to be part of routine obesity care.” About 42% of U.S. adults 20 and older are obese, and more than 40% adults report experiencing weight stigma at some point in their lives, researchers said in background notes. Further, the number of children with obesity in the U.S. continues to rise, with about 1 in 5 teens currently living with the condition, researchers said. To see whether age influences their risk of weight stigma, researchers surveyed 686 adults receiving care at UT Southwestern’s Weight Wellness Program between 2021 and 2023.  Participants had an average age of 56, and about 62% had severe obesity…  read on >  read on >

Talk Therapy On The Rise, Psychiatric Meds Used Less Often

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More talk and fewer pills are being employed to help Americans maintain their mental health, a new study says. Psychotherapy is assuming a larger role in mental health care, while medications prescribed without accompanying therapy are becoming less common, according to results published in early May in the American Journal of Psychiatry. “After years of American mental health care moving towards greater use of psychiatric medications, the pendulum has started swinging back towards psychotherapy,” lead researcher Dr. Mark Olfson said in a news release. He’s a professor of epidemiology and psychiatry at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Of Americans relying on outpatient mental health care, the percentage relying on psychotherapy alone rose to 15% in 2021 from less than 12% in 2018, researchers found. At the same time, those relying on medication alone to help their mental health dropped from 68% to 62%, results show. These drugs included antidepressants, antipsychotics and ADHD meds. However, the percentage of patients receiving psychotherapy from psychiatrists declined from 41% to 34%, researchers said. “Psychiatrists provided psychotherapy to a decreasing percentage of all psychotherapy patients, which may have increased the need for psychiatrists to refer patients to and collaborate with non-physician psychotherapists,” Olfson said. “At the same time, social workers and counselors, but not psychologists, assumed a larger role in providing psychotherapy and there was an increase in…  read on >  read on >

Talk Therapy On The Rise, Psychiatric Meds Used Less Often

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More talk and fewer pills are being employed to help Americans maintain their mental health, a new study says. Psychotherapy is assuming a larger role in mental health care, while medications prescribed without accompanying therapy are becoming less common, according to results published in early May in the American Journal of Psychiatry. “After years of American mental health care moving towards greater use of psychiatric medications, the pendulum has started swinging back towards psychotherapy,” lead researcher Dr. Mark Olfson said in a news release. He’s a professor of epidemiology and psychiatry at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Of Americans relying on outpatient mental health care, the percentage relying on psychotherapy alone rose to 15% in 2021 from less than 12% in 2018, researchers found. At the same time, those relying on medication alone to help their mental health dropped from 68% to 62%, results show. These drugs included antidepressants, antipsychotics and ADHD meds. However, the percentage of patients receiving psychotherapy from psychiatrists declined from 41% to 34%, researchers said. “Psychiatrists provided psychotherapy to a decreasing percentage of all psychotherapy patients, which may have increased the need for psychiatrists to refer patients to and collaborate with non-physician psychotherapists,” Olfson said. “At the same time, social workers and counselors, but not psychologists, assumed a larger role in providing psychotherapy and there was an increase in…  read on >  read on >