Medicine & Drugs, features and articles | Educational Science

Mar 1, 2024

RSV vaccine keeps older adults highly protected for at least 2 seasons

A Pfizer-made vaccine that protects older adults from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is highly effective for two consecutive seasons, new data show. RSV is a common respiratory virus that typically spreads between fall and spring, and it hits adults over age 65 particularly hard. In this age group in the...

Mar 1, 2024

Who should get the new RSV vaccines? Here's everything you need to know

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that spreads seasonally. A new drug and several vaccines that prevent the infection have recently come to market. Here's what you need to know about the three new shots — two vaccines and one injectable drug — that were recently...

Mar 4, 2024

CVS, Walgreens to begin filling prescriptions for abortion pill mifepristone

The nation's largest pharmacy chains, CVS and Walgreens, will begin dispensing the abortion pill mifepristone in select stores within weeks, according to news reports. Historically, patients had to get mifepristone in person from a certified doctor in a clinic, medical office or hospital. But in recent years, the Food and...

Mar 14, 2024

Designer immune-cell therapy could shrink deadly brain tumors, early trials show

A new immune cell-based treatment for glioblastoma, the most aggressive type of brain cancer, has shown promise in shrinking tumors in the short-term, according to two early clinical trials. The trials tested the safety and effectiveness of a personalized therapy called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. This involves drawing...

Mar 1, 2021

Link found between cannabis and rebound headaches after migraine

People with chronic migraines who use cannabis products are much more likely to suffer from rebound headaches than those who don't use the drugs, a preliminary study suggests. However, though a link has been uncovered, it's still unclear whether cannabis directly triggers the rebound headaches, the study authors told Live...

Apr 9, 2021

A woman's debilitating chronic itch disappeared after she started using marijuana

A woman's chronic itch defied all types of treatment, from steroids to opioids to light therapy, but it finally dissipated after her doctors told her to try cannabis. The woman had dealt with chronic itch symptoms — medically known as chronic pruritus — for a decade, according to a report...

Sep 14, 2021

Delta-8 marijuana products can be dangerous, health officials warn

U.S. health officials are warning about the potential dangers of delta-8 THC, a compound derived from marijuana, after seeing an increase in hospitalizations tied to the substance. On Tuesday (Sept. 14), both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerted consumers of...

Dec 14, 2021

Tainted synthetic marijuana linked to severe bleeding cases in Florida

Nearly 40 people in the Tampa Bay area in Florida have developed severe bleeding after using synthetic marijuana, or spice, that they bought from dealers in the region. Spice — also known as K2, among many other names — contains herbs, such as bay bean, that have been sprayed with...

Jan 8, 2022

Why does cannabis smell skunky?

If you've ever taken a whiff of well-preserved, unburned cannabis buds, and thought you smelled something skunky — or, less likely, been on the receiving end of skunk spray and wondered why you reeked of cannabis — you might wonder why the two smell so similar. In other words, why...

Dec 3, 2022

Cannabis is no better than a placebo for treating pain, 20 studies show

Cannabis is one of the most widely used drugs in the world. While there are only a few countries where cannabis is legal for recreational use, many more countries have legalized the use of cannabis for medical reasons. Reducing pain is one of the most common reasons people report using...

Jan 17, 2023

Cannabis poisonings in young kids skyrocketed following legalization of edibles

Cannabis poisonings in young children have increased in Canadian provinces where they legalized the sale of cannabis edibles, such as gummies, chocolates and baked goods, a new study suggests. The research, published Jan. 13 in the journal JAMA Health Forum, evaluated rates of pediatric hospitalizations for poisonings in four provinces:...

Apr 19, 2023

'High Holiday' 420 has hazy origins

Today is April 20 — or 4/20 for all the marijuana enthusiasts out there. It is the unofficial holiday for people who want to get high all over the world. The day has become so inextricably linked with the herbal leaf that a Google search lists 420 as simply one...

Apr 20, 2023

Worms and humans both get 'the munchies,' despite 500 million years of evolutionary separation

Just like humans, roundworms may also crave their favorite snacks after getting high on weed, scientists recently discovered. The researchers didn't test the worm's reactions to cannabis itself, but to a compound that activates the same receptors in the brain. The nematodes not only get the munchies, but they get...

Jan 11, 2024

Runners enjoyed their workouts more after using cannabis, but physically floundered

Using cannabis before a run can make those mundane miles more enjoyable, but may make them feel harder to complete, new research suggests. In a small study of 42 regular runners in Colorado, where the sale of recreational cannabis has been legal since 2014, study participants reported experiencing a mood...

Apr 19, 2017

Cigarettes, Alcohol & Pot: Why Some Young Smokers Combine Drugs

For young smokers, the pleasure of smoking a cigarette is greater when they are also drinking alcohol than when they are also smoking pot, according to a new study. The findings could have implications for helping people quit smoking, the researchers said. The researchers surveyed U.S. adults ages 18 to...