U S C M A – United States Colombian Medical Association

A new study of water habitats in Europe and Australia, that for the first time examines the effect of pesticides on regional biodiversity, concludes pesticide use significantly reduces regional biodiversity of invertebrates in streams and rivers, in some areas by as much as 42%...

Obesity has been officially recognized as a disease by the American Medical Association, an action that could put more emphasis on the health condition by doctors and insurance companies in order to minimize its effects. The new decision was made at the AMA's annual meeting on Tuesday by delegates in Chicago, and went against a recommendation by a commi […]

Many U.S. adults are not up to date on their whooping cough vaccinations, putting vulnerable babies at risk of the potentially deadly disease, according to a new survey. The number of whooping cough (Pertussis) cases is increasing in the United States...

Hunger strikers currently detained in Guantánamo Bay should receive independent medical advice, 153 doctors told President Barack Obama in an open letter published today in The Lancet. An increasing number of doctors and healthcare professionals are expressing concern and alarm that the hunger strikers are not receiving a proper or humane standard of medica […]

German scientists have found a way to predict a person's risk of developing type 1 diabetes, their study has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The American Diabetes Association estimates there are over 3 million Americans living with type 1 diabetes, while Diabetes UK says that are about 300,000 in the UK...

Postmenopausal women had better improvement in verbal learning and memory after receiving treatment with testosterone gel, compared with women who received sham treatment with a placebo, a new study found. Results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco...

Understanding how gastric bypass surgery changes the properties of nerve cells that help regulate the digestive system could lead to new treatments that produce the same results without surgery, according to Penn State College of Medicine scientists, who have shown how surgery restores some properties of nerve cells that tell people their stomachs are full.. […]

A new study shows that memory pathology in older mice with Alzheimer's disease can be reversed with treatment...

A high-fat diet in adolescence appears to have long-lasting effects on learning and memory during adulthood, a new study in mice finds. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco...

Memory improves in older, overweight women after they lose weight by dieting, and their brain activity actually changes in the regions of the brain that are important for memory tasks, a new study finds. The results were presented at The Endocrine Society's 95th Annual Meeting in San Francisco...

The report by the Government Accountability Office noted that the federal government has missed several deadlines, and there is a risk it won't be ready to open the online marketplaces Oct. 1. But the report also noted some positive signs.

In an effort to sign up people for the new health coverage that will become available this fall, Enroll America is one of a number of organizations launching aggressive health law outreach campaigns.

A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.

A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation found a strong majority of young adults believe health insurance is worth the money.

A selection of health policy stories from Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and California.

Today's early morning highlights from the major news organizations, including reports about a new publicity push in support of the health law.

Meanwhile, news outlets report on the Obama administration's challenge to educate a largely uninformed public about the law's benefits.

The New York Times reports that millions of people shopping in the new online marketplaces will discover their choices -- or lack thereof -- will depend on where they live. The Washington Post reports that many states are racing to have the online marketplaces ready to enroll people by Oct. 1. Also in the news, exchange developments from Wisconsin, Californi […]

A selection of editorials and opinions on health care from around the country.

The Associated Press reports that the funding sought by the Obama administration for the Internal Revenue Service's health law activities could be in jeopardy as a result of recent scandals. Meanwhile, The Hill reports that GOP lawmakers are developing plans for handling constituents' questions about the health law.

Routine screening for coronary artery disease is of no value for adults with diabetes who have no symptoms of heart problems, says a report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Older individuals with type 2 diabetes who have been hospitalized with severe low blood sugar levels seem to have a greater risk of developing dementia, new research suggests. at MUSC

Low-income women with diabetes who are pregnant or who recently gave birth face almost twice the risk of depression compared to women without diabetes, says a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Here is a wake-up call to the millions of American men and women with type 2 diabetes: Snoring at night or nodding off during the day may be symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea

Adding lentil soup and pasta to your diet may be the way to go if you have type 2 diabetes, based on a new study about the benefits of low-glycemic foods.

While less strict blood sugar control may be appropriate for some diabetes patients, most should adhere to the target goal of an A1C level of less than 7 percent that has long been recommended for reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications. A1C is a measure of blood glucose levels over the previous two or three months.

The rate of new cases of type 2 diabetes has nearly doubled in the United States in the last decade, with most new cases appearing in southern states, says a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report.