(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic again receives top honors for high-quality patient care. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. — Eleven? hospitals across?Mayo Clinic?received star ratings from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Overall Hospital Quality. Six of the 11 hospitals earned five stars — the best score possible. The national average is 3 of 5 stars. The star rating provides patients with information about multiple dimensions of quality …
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Venezuela is collapsing without COVID-19 vaccines. thelancet.com Once considered a rich oil-producing country, Venezuela is confronting a rapidly increasing COVID-19 epidemic that adds to a complex humanitarian crisis that has been affecting the country since 2016.1 The health-care system has collapsed and is incapable of responding to the ever-increasing number of patients who require hospitalisation. Health-care personnel, including doctors, nurses, and other first-line health staff, have been substantially affected by the epidemic, leading to the highest lethality reported in the Americas.
(2021-05-15). COVID Has Catalyzed a Wave of Tenant Organizing That Was Long Overdue. truthout.org 
Fifty billion dollars. That's the amount of past-due rent accumulated during the first year of the pandemic, according to
(2021-05-15). Preventive screening during COVID-19 pandemic leads to early diagnosis of treatable breast cancer. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, health care providers have been concerned about a growing number of patients delaying or skipping preventive screenings because they have been hesitant to see their health care provider. Experts have stressed that it's not only safe to come in for preventive screenings, but also it's important to avoid future health problems …
(2021-05-15). Cold vs. allergies during COVID-19 pandemic. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org When it comes to the common cold, allergies and COVID-19, overlapping symptoms can be confusing. In this Q&A, Dr. Arveen Bhasin, a Mayo Clinic allergist and immunologist, provides some clarity by comparing and contrasting the signs and symptoms of these conditions: What are allergy symptoms?Allergy symptoms can affect the nose, sinuses and lungs. These symptoms …
(2021-05-15). Talking to your children about vaccines. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expanding its emergency use authorization of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children 12-15 years. So parents and caregivers may be getting even more questions from children about whether vaccines are safe and how vaccines can help end the COVID-19 pandemic. Information in this article was contributed by Jennifer …
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Canada is no global health leader on COVID-19 vaccine equity. thelancet.com In the 2018 Lancet Series on Canada's global leadership on health, the authors reported on measures such as the Feminist International Assistance Policy and concluded that "the world, more than ever, needs Canada's leadership on health".1 Unfortunately, Canadian leadership on vaccine equity was an early casualty of COVID-19. A year into the pandemic, Canada's international image is that of a country who secured over ten doses of scarce vaccine per capita.2…
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Working upstream. thelancet.com Health-care workers often conceptualise addressing the social and structural determinants of health as working upstream.1 In response to the racial disparities of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement for Black Lives, health systems are acknowledging systemic racism, promoting implicit bias training, and screening for the social determinants of health. Although welcome, these changes will not achieve the social transformation necessary to eliminate health inequities. We must move even further upstream.
(2021-05-15). German state governments reopen as COVID-19 infections remain high. wsws.org With the rollback of restrictions for those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19, the coronavirus cabinet led by Health Minister Jens Spahn is endangering thousands of lives.
(2021-05-15). COVID-19 infections in Sweden surpass 1 million. wsws.org In a country of just 10 million people, officially recorded infections equate to more than 10 percent of the population, with the real figure undoubtedly much higher.
(2021-05-15). Two funerals in one week at Sterling Stamping Plant: Part 2. wsws.org The deaths last month of Terry Garr and Mark Bruce, one in an industrial accident and the other from COVID-19, resulted from the insatiable drive for corporate profits.
(2021-05-15). Johnson authorises neutered Covid-19 inquiry as Indian mutation surge takes first lives in Britain. wsws.org The many thousands of relatives seeking justice for the preventable deaths of their loved ones will be denied, as Britain's ruling elite again turns to its favourite means of escaping responsibility for social murder—the "independent" public inquiry.
(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic Q and A: What is extracorporeal membrane oxygenation? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: My uncle was diagnosed with COVID-19, and his doctors mentioned the possibility of putting him on ECMO. What does this mean? ANSWER: A COVID-19 infection can lead to mild symptoms for many people, but for others, it can cause life-threatening lung failure. In cases like your uncle's, traditional life support measures, such as a …
(2021-05-15). Fatigue, perceived cognitive impairment and mood disorders associated with post-COVID-19 syndrome. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ?– Patients diagnosed with post-COVID-19 syndrome, also known as "PCS," "COVID-19 long-haul syndrome" and "Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS COV-2," experience symptoms such as mood disorders, fatigue and perceived cognitive impairment that can negatively affect returning to work and resuming normal activities, according to a Mayo Clinic study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. The …
(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Ramping up COVID-19 vaccination rate in race against virus. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org COVID-19 cases are falling in the U.S. because 245 million doses of one of the available COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "But at the same time, there are still people who need more information about the safety and the value …
(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic to offer more walk-in COVID-19 vaccination clinics in Rochester. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Mayo Clinic held a walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinic in Rochester on Wednesday, May 5. At this clinic, one patient shared why he came in to get the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Watch: Patient discusses why he chose to get the COVID-19 vaccine. youtu.be/ORLLLOOJ7eg Journalists: Broadcast-quality soundbites and b-roll of the Mayo Clinic walk-in COVID-19 …
(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic Q and A: Mammograms and COVID-19 vaccine. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: A friend of mine shared that she went for her annual mammogram last week. At the appointment, she was asked whether she had been vaccinated for COVID-19 and had experienced any changes in her breasts. I recently received my first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Although I feel fine, I'm wondering if there …
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Long-term effects of COVID-19 on kidney function. thelancet.com Chaolin Huang and colleagues1 have highlighted the putative renal consequences of COVID-19 at 6 months from discharge. A decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was defined as less than 90 mL/min per 1 ∑73 m2 and was observed in 35% of participants during follow-up. The term decreased eGFR is ambiguous. According to the mean age of the cohort, chronic kidney disease should be defined as an eGFR of less than 60 mL/min per 1 ∑73 m2.2 The usual prevalence of eGFR less than 90 mL/min per 1 ∑73 m2 in the Chinese general population of similar ages to those in Huang and colleagues' cohort range…
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Global COVID-19 vaccine roll-out: time to randomise vaccine allocation? thelancet.com The global COVID-19 vaccine roll-out might be the largest public health exercise ever done. COVAX, the vaccines access pillar of the COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, supported by WHO, UNICEF, and others, expects to deliver two billion doses to 190 countries in 1 year. At present, 13 vaccines have received approval in various jurisdictions. The roll-out provides an opportunity, unparalleled in human history, to learn about vaccines.
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Vaccine scarcity in LMICs is a failure of global solidarity and multilateral instruments. thelancet.com To address COVID-19 vaccine scarcity, Ivan Sisa and colleagues1 justify placebo-controlled trials in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), arguing that these countries have "less capacity to negotiate and purchase vaccines than do high-income countries" and that the global shortage can be overcome with more vaccine producers coming from such trials. We are concerned that this reasoning sets the wrong precedent because approving such a trial should show that evidence can only be reached with this design.
(2021-05-15). [World Report] Serbia begins paying citizens to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. thelancet.com The decision to pay €25 per person is raising ethical questions and concerns that the scheme could backfire. Ed Holt reports.
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Long-term effects of COVID-19 on kidney function — Authors' reply. thelancet.com In our study,1 we observed a considerable number of patients presenting with low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over time without acute kidney injury and an eGFR of 90 mL/min per 1 ∑73 m2 or more during hospitalisation. Another study has shown that the use of creatinine to diagnose acute kidney injury might underestimate the patients with acute kidney injury at acute phase.2 We found that reduced eGFR at follow-up is possibly associated with kidney injury at acute phase, which was not recognised on the basis of serum creatinine values.
(2021-05-15). [World Report] COVID-19 in Turkey: a nation on edge. thelancet.com Turkey has the fifth most COVID-19 cases in the world and has now entered a nationwide lockdown. How did it get here? Kaya Genàß reports from Istanbul.
(2021-05-15). Murray Sentenced to 8 Months in Prison. orinocotribune.com 
By Joe Lauria — May 11, 2021 | Craig Murray, the former British diplomat, has been sentenced to 8 months in prison for contempt of court during the 2020 trial of former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond. | Craig Murray, an ex-British ambassador and blogger, has been sentenced to eight months in prison after being found guilty in March of contempt of court during the 2020 trial of former Scottish first minister Alex Salmond. He was given three weeks to turn himself into police, pending his appeal. Judge Lady Dorrian issued the sentence, she said, despite Murray's health issues. | Murray faced up to two yea…
(2021-05-15). End of CDC masking guidelines aimed at "normalizing" death. wsws.org The CDC's guidance is a political, not a scientific decision. It is intended to signal that all remaining measures that impinge on business interests, from social distancing requirements to enhanced sanitary guidelines, are to be dropped.
(2021-05-15). Consumer Health: Stroke awareness. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org May is National Stroke Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about stroke. Stroke is one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. and a major cause of serious disability for adults. More than 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control …
(2021-05-15). Consumer Health: Staying active and exercising with osteoporosis. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org May is National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about this bone disease, which affects approximately 10 million Americans, according to the Office on Women's Health. Osteoporosis causes bones to become weak and brittle — so brittle that a fall or even mild stresses, such as bending over …
(2021-05-15). Trial demonstrates early AI-guided detection of heart disease in routine practice. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org ROCHESTER, Minn. ? Heart disease can take a number of forms, but some types of heart disease, such as asymptomatic low ejection fraction, can be hard to recognize, especially in the early stages when treatment would be most effective. The ECG AI-Guided Screening for Low Ejection Fraction, or EAGLE, trial set out to determine whether …
(2021-05-15). Why lung cancer screening is important, especially for minorities. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Lung cancer is the second most common type of cancer and the leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. By the time lung cancer symptoms develop, the disease is usually too far advanced to cure. Studies show that lung cancer screening reduces the risk of dying from the disease. Screening is usually reserved for …
(2021-05-15). The Republics of 'Rumplandia' & the Security of the Unborn. orinocotribune.com By El Cayapo — May 11, 2021 | The global monopolistic process of the large transnationals pursues the goal of a single owner on the planet. This requires the elimination of nation-states and corporate taxation, the appropriation of the wealth administered by the states. We are talking about savings banks, trusts, contributions, health and housing insurance, subsidies, benefits, pensions and other demands, achieved by the working class during their struggles. They also seek to control directly the areas of natural resources, raw materials, energies and very cheap labor. | Let us look at the cases of Iraq, Lib…
(2021-05-15). Vote "no" on the UAW-Volvo sellout agreement! Join the Volvo Workers Rank-and-File Committee and expand the struggle throughout the truck manufacturing and auto industries! wsws.org The UAW is seeking to ram through a contract which would maintain the tier system, increase health care costs and worsen working conditions.
(2021-05-15). One in three college students is food insecure in the United States. wsws.org For working class youth, making the decision to go to college means sacrificing basic necessities such as health care, adequate housing, and food security.
(2021-05-15). New HSBC-backed coal plants will contribute to 19,000 deaths annually, new study estimates. nationofchange.org Researchers said the total health impacts of the plants could amount to $6.2 billion a year.
(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic Q and A: Treatment for patent foramen ovale. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm 36 and do not have any significant medical concerns, but due to a family member's heart health issues, it was recommended I have a cardiac evaluation. After undergoing an echocardiogram, I was surprised to be told that I have a patent foramen ovale. The cardiologist said I don't need to be treated …
(2021-05-15). Science Saturday: Mayo study examines how Latino participants experience genomic medicine. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org How do people from minority communities experience genomic medicine in diverse health-care settings? How do they integrate genetic knowledge into their understandings of health-care needs? These answers are critical to researchers as multiple efforts are underway to increase the inclusion of racial minority participants in genomic research and new forms of individualized medicine. Richard Sharp. …
(2021-05-15). Consumer Health: Bladder cancer awareness. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org May is Bladder Cancer Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn more about bladder cancer. Bladder cancer is one of the most common cancers. Nearly 84,000 new cases will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2021, according to the American Cancer Society. Bladder cancer occurs in men more frequently than in women, …
(2021-05-15). Consumer Health: Endometriosis, ovarian cancer and infertility — what are the connections? newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org If you've been diagnosed with endometriosis, you may have questions about whether that raises your risk for other conditions, including ovarian cancer and infertility. With endometriosis, tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of your uterus grows outside your uterus. Endometriosis most commonly involves your ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining …
(2021-05-15). Infographic: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET). newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Learn more about pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.?More health tip infographics: ?mayohealthhighlights.startribune.com…
(2021-05-15). Consumer Health: Treating polycystic ovary syndrome. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Polycystic ovary syndrome is a hormonal disorder common among women of reproductive age. Complications can include infertility, gestational diabetes or pregnancy-induced high blood pressure, miscarriage or premature birth, and endometrial cancer. Signs and symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome vary. A diagnosis is made when women experience at least two of these signs: Irregular periods.Elevated levels of male …
(2021-05-15). Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast: Signs of depression in teens and how to help. newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org Depression is a serious mental health problem that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest in activities. Although depression can occur at any time in life, symptoms may differ between teens and adults. Issues such as peer pressure, academic expectations and changing bodies can bring a lot of ups and downs for …
(2021-05-15). India: Resisting Vaccines and Corporate Capture of Farms. globalresearch.ca "The introduction of that study to India was made on the basis that it was going to be great investment in the health of India and the health of India's women. But in fact, later on, during the investigation around …
(2021-05-15). [Perspectives] Facts and values in the history of spina bifida. thelancet.com Over the past two decades, maternal—fetal surgery has become a clinical reality for some pregnant women carrying a fetus diagnosed with spina bifida. Since its conception, maternal—fetal surgery has been the focus of ethical deliberation, because expected health benefits for the fetus come at the cost of potential health risks for the pregnant woman. Somewhat less attention has, however, been given to the nature of the medical criteria used to determine patient eligibility for maternal—fetal surgery from a historical perspective.
(2021-05-15). [Correspondence] Peruvian research: striving for the highest standards. thelancet.com For 60 years, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) in Lima, Peru, has contributed to world-class knowledge in tropical medicine, high-altitude medicine and physiology, public health, and basic sciences with the highest research standards and ethics. We therefore read with interest the World Report by Lucien Chauvin,1 in which we found some inaccuracies that we would like to clarify.
(2021-05-15). [Editorial] 20 years of precision medicine in oncology. thelancet.com In the 20 years since the publication of the first draft of the human genome project, the use of genotyping and genomics have become part of standard treatment for some cancers. The desire to go beyond blanket, and often difficult, treatments for patients to a more refined, efficient, and patient-centred approach is an ideal that is hard to oppose. But as precision medicine in oncology expands to include big data, proteomics, transcriptomics, molecular imaging, and more, there are serious challenges ahead to translate that ideal into meaningful and equitable health care for patients.
(2021-05-15). Workers Struggles: Asia, Australia and the Pacific. wsws.org Striking health workers sacked in India; Sri Lankan public health inspectors walk out; New Zealand nurses vote to strike…
(2021-05-15). California to ban new fracking permits by Jan. 2024, phase out oil extraction by 2045. indybay.org Representatives of environmental justice and climate justice groups praised the directive for being a step in the right direction, but said phasing out oil extraction in California by 2045 is too late and noted that frontline communities need an immediate 2500 foot health and safety buffer now, not later.
(2021-05-15). Friday 5/21: Mental Health Rights and Resources Video Forum on Friday May 21st 5pm. indybay.org Online video…
(2021-05-14). Headlines for May 14, 2021. democracynow.org Palestinian Civilian Death Toll Mounts as Israel Pounds Gaza with Airstrikes and Heavy Artillery, Eight Killed in Israel by Palestinian Rocket Fire as Military Chief Threatens "Gaza Will Burn", President Biden Says Israel's Bombing and Shelling of Gaza Not a "Significant Overreaction", India to Make Russia's Sputnik V Vaccine Available Amid Devastating COVID-19 Toll, Japan Expands Coronavirus Emergency as Doctors Join Call to Cancel Summer Olympics, CDC Says Fully Vaccinated U.S. Residents Can Go Maskless in Most Settings, Hackers Post Personal Data of D.C. Police Officers Following Ransomware Attack, Active-Duty…
(2021-05-14). Philly Health Commissioner Resigns After Mayor Reveals MOVE Bombing Victims' Remains Cremated in 2017. democracynow.org 
As MOVE family members and hundreds of supporters held a memorial Thursday to mark the deadly May 13, 1985, police bombing of their home in Philadelphia, Mayor Jim Kenney announced the resignation of the city's top health official over stunning new revelations he cremated some of the bombing victims' remains, including bone fragments, without the knowledge or permission of the families. This comes amid an ongoing investigation into how the University of Pennsylvania and Princeton University came into possession of bones thought to belong to one or two MOVE children killed in the bombing. The police bombing of the…
(2021-05-14). Why one State in India is showing promising signs of democracy as the world goes more authoritarian. peoplesdispatch.org In Kerala, the re-elected Left government has prioritized making life better for all, even during crises—contrasting sharply with Narendra Modi's right-wing central government's devastating mismanagement of the coronavirus pandemic…