Children more susceptible to health risks during heat wave, doctors say
Heat waves like the one sizzling across Western Pennsylvania are dangerous for everyone’s health, but young children are markedly more susceptible to hazards associated with prolonged exposure, experts say. “The younger the child is, the less likely they are going to be able to deal with the heat,” said Dr....
Permitting problem halts part of UPMC Presbyterian hospital tower construction
A portion of construction work at the new UPMC Presbyterian hospital tower was halted Thursday after a Pittsburgh inspector found the project did not have all the necessary permits, according to a city spokeswoman. Maria Montaño, a spokesperson for Mayor Ed Gainey, said UPMC did not have the required electrical...
Does expired sunscreen still work?
It’s that time of year when everyone’s looking forward to some fun in the sun. Too much sun can be dangerous, though. Exposure to UV radiation from the sun damages your skin, and children are especially vulnerable because they tend to spend more time outdoors and can burn easily. Skin...
Online Zyn nicotine pouch sales suspended
The online sales of Zyn nicotine patches have been suspended nationwide this week, Reuters reported. Zyn is an oral pouch that contains nicotine powder and flavorings like mint, coffee and citrus, according to the Associated Press, and they have been the fastest-growing product in the tobacco industry. Users stick them...
Fete-Fete’s Reset invites Black entrepreneurs to explore movement as a form of liberation
The midweek has become a little more relaxing thanks to Jacquelin Walker, a yoga facilitator and founder of Fete-Fete. Fete-Fete, founded in Brooklyn and based in Pittsburgh, is an organization centered around art, life and culture. It hosts Reset at Emerald City on Smithfield Street. Reset is a community movement...
1st recipient of UPMC breast cancer vaccine is hopeful it will help others
As a young girl, Maria Kitay visited the hospital when her cousin, Clara Carbone Caputo, had breast cancer. “She put her back up against the wall, and she said, ‘It’s so painful to have this,’ ” Kitay said, tearing up at the memory. Her cousin later died of her illness, and...
Dollar Tree left lead-tainted applesauce pouches on store shelves for weeks after recall, FDA says
Dollar Tree failed to effectively recall lead-tainted applesauce pouches linked to reports of illness in more than 500 children, leaving the products on some stores shelves for two months, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. The FDA sent a warning letter to Dollar Tree this month and placed Negasmart,...
California governor wants to restrict smartphone usage in schools
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that he wants to restrict students’ usage of smartphones during the school day, citing the mental health risks of social media. The announcement, which was first reported by Politico, comes a day after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress...
UPMC moving forward with clinical trials for early stage breast cancer vaccine
A group of Pittsburgh researchers hopes an experimental vaccine now being tested will stop some forms of early-stage breast cancer in their tracks. Through an upcoming clinical trial, approximately 50 women will receive the new vaccine developed by UPMC and University of Pittsburgh researchers. UPMC plans to introduce the first...
Plastic surgeon charged in death of wife who went into cardiac arrest while he worked on her
PENSACOLA, Fla. — A plastic surgeon in the Florida Panhandle was charged with his wife’s death after she suffered a cardiac arrest and died days after he performed after-hours procedures on her in his clinic last year, authorities said. Benjamin Brown was arrested Monday on a charge of manslaughter by...
Proposed IUP medical school gets $20M pledge from foundation, support from Pa. legislators
A college of osteopathic medicine proposed by Indiana University of Pennsylvania has secured a $20 million commitment from its foundation, the largest gift toward the initiative to date. In announcing the commitment Monday, the Foundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania said its board is unanimous in support for what would...
Maine shooting exposes gaps in mental health treatment and communication practices, official says
PORTLAND, Maine — An Army health expert told a panel investigating a mass shooting by a reservist who was experiencing a psychiatric breakdown that there are limitations in health care coverage for reservists compared to full-time soldiers. There are no Army hospitals in New England, and reservists generally don’t qualify...
U.S. Supreme Court rules to preserve access to abortion pill
The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously preserved access to a medication that was used in nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the U.S. last year, in the court’s first abortion decision since conservative justices overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. The nine justices ruled that abortion opponents lacked the...
Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro popularity soar as weight loss wonders
Editor’s note: This story first posted on June 11, 2023. For Diane Lang, the big push to focus on her health and weight came from her grandchildren. “I was exhausted,” she said. “When they would visit, I would just try to keep up with them. I want to run with...
UPMC gives $300M boost to former Washington Health System in merger
UPMC plans to invest $300 million in Washington Health System over the next ten years as part of its merger, officials said Wednesday during an event to celebrate the affiliation. “I think it’s just gonna be … great because the UPMC name, in the medical field, is world renowned. We...
Senators blast health and law enforcement officials over illegal e-cigarettes used by teensVideo
WASHINGTON — Senators on Wednesday blasted top health and law enforcement officials for not doing more to combat the rise of illegal electronic cigarettes in the U.S., a multibillion-dollar business that has flourished amid haphazard enforcement. Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee expressed frustration and exasperation while questioning...
Independence Health looks to fill 500 open positions at job fair
Independence Health System will hold a job fair on Thursday to address more than 500 openings at multiple locations across the health system. In the Westmoreland area, recruiters will be available from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the center court in Westmoreland Mall, located at 5256 Route 30 in...
Alzheimer’s drug that can slow disease gets backing from FDA advisers
WASHINGTON — A closely watched Alzheimer’s drug from Eli Lilly won the backing of federal health advisers on Monday, setting the stage for the treatment’s expected approval for people with mild dementia caused by the brain-robbing disease. A panel of Food and Drug Administration advisers voted unanimously that the drug’s...
Nurse practitioners say they’d ease rural health care shortage with more authority; doctors say it won’t work
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. HARRISBURG — Joyce Knestrick can independently give physical exams, diagnose health conditions, prescribe select medications, and make referrals as a nurse practitioner at a clinic...
Optimism is just what the doctor ordered. But what if I’m already too negative?
Prince Bhojwani never thought of himself as a negative person, until three trips to the hospital in one month forced him to reconsider. Before May 2018, he was a healthy but chronically worried start-up founder who regularly did 20-mile (32-kilometer) bike rides. When he suddenly became barely able to walk,...
Chill Room at Pleasant Hills Middle School gets update for 5th anniversary
Dan Como, principal of Pleasant Hills Middle School, was skeptical the first time the idea of Allegheny Health Network’s Chill project was presented to him. The school had tested numerous models of mental health assistance, but none seemed to affect the students’ lives. Despite the doubt, the school was the...
Man in Mexico died of a bird flu strain that hadn’t been confirmed before in a human, WHO says
WASHINGTON — A man’s death in Mexico was caused by a strain of bird flu called H5N2 that has never before been found in a human, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. The WHO said it wasn’t clear how the man became infected, although H5N2 has been reported in poultry...
Panel rejects psychedelic drug MDMA as a PTSD treatment in possible setback for advocates
WASHINGTON — Federal health advisers voted Tuesday against a first-of-a-kind proposal to begin using the mind-altering drug MDMA as a treatment for PTSD, handing a potentially major setback to psychedelic advocates who hope to win a landmark federal approval and bring the banned drugs into the medical mainstream. The panel...
U.S. health officials advise using antibiotic as a ‘morning-after pill’ against STDs
NEW YORK — Some people should consider taking an antibiotic as a morning-after pill to try to prevent certain sexually transmitted diseases, U.S. health officials recommended Tuesday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finalized its endorsement of taking doxycycline after unprotected sex as a way to prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea...
Service dogs helped ease PTSD symptoms in U.S. military veterans, researchers say
Specially trained service dogs helped ease PTSD symptoms in U.S. military veterans in a small study that the researchers hope will help expand options for service members. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides talk therapy and medications to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and runs a pilot program involving...
