Can Llama Antibodies Fight COVID in Humans? New Research Says They Might

The future of COVID-19 treatments might include a tiny antibody made by llamas.

British researchers credit a llama named Fifi with their finding.

The investigators said these llama nanobodies, which are also produced by camels, could eventually be produced in a lab and administered by a nasal spray, binding tightly to the COVID-19 vi...

Childhood Trauma Linked With Higher Odds for Adult Neurological Ills

Kids who suffer abuse, neglect or household dysfunction are more likely to have neurological problems like stroke or headaches as adults, researchers report.

"Traumatic events in childhood have been linked in previous studies to a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, riskier health behaviors like smoking and drug use, and decreased lif...

U.S. to Buy 500 Million More COVID Vaccine Doses for Global Donation

The United States will buy 500 million more doses of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine that it will donate to countries in need, President Biden announced at a virtual summit on the pandemic Wednesday.

The United States is doubling its purchase of the vaccine to 1 billion doses as Biden hopes 70% of the world's population can be vaccinated wi...

18 Million Americans Can't Pay for Needed Meds

As many as 18 million Americans can't afford their prescribed medications, a new nationwide poll finds.

That's 7% of the adult population in the United States. But when it comes to households making less than $24,000 per year, the percentage jumps to 19%, the West Health/Gallup poll revealed.

Here are the key findings:

• The...

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer May Have Long-Term Risk for the Heart

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Younger women who undergo radiation for cancer in the left breast have a heightened risk of heart disease years later, a new study finds.

Among women who received radiation therapy for left-sided breast cancer, 10.5% developed coronary artery disease over the next 27 years, r...

AHA News: Food Insecurity's Long-Term Health Consequences

For some people, the subject of hunger conjures up tragic images of starving people with swollen bellies in blighted, desolate parts of the world.

In this country, the picture is different. Food insecurity affects millions of people in the United States whose suffering may not appear so grim on the outside, but whose mental and physical he...

CDC Expert Panel to Weigh In on Vaccine Boosters

An advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet on Wednesday to discuss which Americans, if any, should get Pfizer booster shots to rev up their immunity to COVID-19.

Their recommendation will follow a decision by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel to only give booster shots to those over 65...

Pregnant Women Who Get COVID Vaccine Pass Antibodies to Newborns

One way to help protect newborns from COVID-19 is for women to get their COVID vaccine while pregnant.

A new study found that mothers-to-be who had either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine passed high levels of antibodies to their infants.

Researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine discovered that 100% of 36 newborns...

More Women Turning to Marijuana Products to Help With Menopause

Sleeplessness. Night sweats. Anxiety. Irritability. Aches and pains.

Would smoking a little pot help women deal with these common symptoms of menopause?

A good number of middle-aged women apparently think so, because they've been turning to marijuana to help handle the change of life, a new study reports.

"Midlife women within ...

Migraines and More Severe Hot Flashes Could Be Linked

Women with a history of migraine headaches may suffer severe hot flashes during menopause, and this combo may boost their risk for heart disease, researchers say.

Migraine doesn't cause more or worse hot flashes — or vice versa. But both are believed to be related to changes in blood vessels known as neurovascular dysregulation, accordin...

Witnessing Abuse of a Sibling Can Traumatize a Child

Seeing a parent abuse a sibling can be as traumatizing as watching a parent hurt another parent, a new study finds.

And it can lead to depression, anxiety and anger, researchers say.

"When we hear about exposure to family violence, we usually think about someone being the victim of direct physical abuse or witnessing spousal assault...

Sexual Assault Could Affect a Woman's Long-Term Brain Health

It's known that sexual assault affects a woman's physical and mental health. Now, researchers say these traumatic incidents may also harm her brain health.

A new study found that traumatic experiences, including sexual violence, may be linked to greater risk of dementia, stroke and other brain disorders.

"Identifying early warning s...

Parents of Hospitalized Kids Need More Info on Costs: Study

Having a child in the hospital is distressing for families, and not knowing what that stay might cost can add to that stress, researchers say.

A new study has found that three-quarters of U.S. families want to have conversations about the costs of care. Yet only 7% of families actually have had this financial counseling with hospital staff...

Antibodies to Early Strains of COVID May Not Fight New Variants: Study

Antibodies from current COVID-19 vaccines don't bind well to the new variants of the virus, a study finds.

Researchers collected data from previously published papers about the sequence of antibodies produced by the vaccines. They focused on antibodies against the spike protein, a part of the virus that binds to receptors on human cells to...

Booster Dose of J&J COVID Vaccine Increases Immunity

Getting another shot of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine substantially increased its protection, the company announced Tuesday.

According to the results of a new clinical trial, two doses of the vaccine boosts immunity to 94% from the 74% offered by a single dose, the company said in a statement.

"Our single-shot vaccine genera...

4 Out of 10 Adults With No Known Heart Disease Have Fatty Hearts: Study

TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Many middle-aged adults with apparently healthy hearts have a "silent" buildup of fatty deposits in their arteries, a large, new study shows.

Researchers found that of more than 25,000 50- to 64-year-olds, about 42% had signs of atherosclerosis — a buildup of "plaques" in the...

Intervening in Infancy Might Help Prevent Some Cases of Autism: Study

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 22, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Infants may show early signs of autism, but a diagnosis usually isn't made until age 3. Now, a new study suggests that jumpstarting therapy might stave off that diagnosis altogether.

Researchers say their preemptive, parent-led intervention could have a significant impact on ...

Which Kids Are at Highest Risk From COVID?

TUESDAY, Sept. 21, 2021 (HealthDay News) -- Older children and kids with chronic diseases are those most likely to wind up in the hospital with COVID-19, researchers have found.

Conditions such as obesity, diabetes and neurologic problems, among others, put kids at risk for severe COVID-19, according to a new U.S. s...

AHA News: A Day Before His Cardiologist Appointment, 41-Year-Old Had a Stroke

Patrick Wright was back home after ringing in the new year with family and friends at his grandmother's house.

Around 2:30 a.m., he woke up to go to the bathroom. He noticed he had no feeling in his left hand but figured it was numb because he'd been sleeping on it.

He headed to the kitchen for a glass of water but was so thirsty tha...

COVID Has Killed More Americans Than the Spanish Flu Did in 1918

As the highly contagious Delta variant has swept across the United States, the country has reached a tragic milestone.

COVID-19 has now killed more Americans than the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic did, when roughly 675,000 people died.

It didn't have to be that way.

"Big pockets of American society — and worse, their leaders — ...