Ivermectin Misuse in Arizona Is Leading to Hospitalizations, Clinical Leader Warns Sept. 15, 2021 The Arizona's Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center has had 19 reports related to ivermectin so far this year, including eight who were hospitalized, said Steven Dudley, PharmD, DABAT, director of the UArizona Poison and Drug Information Center, in an email. "People tend to be using ivermectin in doses much higher than what it has been approved for," Dudley wrote in an email. "Another point is ivermectin can interact with other medications and make your potential for toxicity worse than someone else's." Arizona Republic
UArizona Health Sciences Announces Newest Primary Care Physician Scholars Sept. 14, 2021 A new class of 23 medical students received full-tuition scholarships to the UArizona Colleges of Medicine in Tucson and Phoenix. Read more Image
COM-P Research to Monitor Health of SpaceX Astronauts Sept. 14, 2021 Novel molecular diagnostics technology to monitor four crew members during first all-civilian mission to orbit Earth. Read more Image
Improving Health Equity for the Aging LGBTQ+ Community Sept. 14, 2021 For health care providers, increasing awareness and sensitivity to individual needs is key, say two Health Sciences aging experts. Read more Image
Dr. Andrew Weil Shares His Personal Secrets for Staying Mentally Sharp and Aging in Reverse Sept. 14, 2021 Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, discusses his early life and career in integrative medicine. The Ultimate Health Podcast
Had COVID-19 Already? Why Getting Vaccinated Still Helps Sept. 14, 2021 One of the most common reasons Americans cite for not getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is that they're naturally protected by their past infection. Relying on previous infection alone as a means of protecting against COVID-19 is especially risky as coronavirus variants continue to emerge, according to Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, an immunology professor at the College of Medicine – Tucson. "Antibody levels are really variable after recovering from infections, and those at the lower end of the spectrum might be more susceptible to reinfections. But after a single vaccine in people who have recovered from COVID-19, antibodies skyrocket up, including those that neutralize variants of concern," he said. Becker's Hospital Review
PICS: Reusable Toilet Paper, Anyone? Sept. 14, 2021 Toilet paper-shaped clothes have been used in lieu of toilet paper in the loo, then kept in a hamper or bag after use to be cleaned for later. The clothes are an eco-friendly alternative to the disposable toilet tissue paper. And this practice, that apparently gained attention on several blogs for years, is now a whole industry on online shop etsy.com. "This is just a risky practice overall, said Kelly Reynolds, PhD, MSPH, professor and chair of the community, environment and policy department at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. "The potential for cross contamination is very high from your bathroom, where they are stored, to your laundry room." Daily Sun (South Africa)
NIH Grants $15.1 Million for Research on Increased Alzheimer’s Disease Risk in Women Sept. 14, 2021 Roberta Brinton, PhD, director of the Center for Innovation in Brain Science, received a $15.1 million grant from the National Institutes on Aging to investigate perimenopausal brain aging. Healio
COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots Are Coming. Here’s What to Know Sept. 14, 2021 As interest grows around COVID-19 booster shots, there is still a lot of uncertainty around getting a third dose. People with weakened immune systems can already get a booster, but the benefit to everyone else is unclear. Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, a professor of immunobiology at the College of Medicine – Tucson, said that it's clear a booster could be beneficial. A booster, he said, might reduce the chance that a person would get infected and develop symptoms. What's less clear is how much a national booster strategy would help control the spread of the coronavirus. "It just doesn't seem like vaccinated breakthrough infections are the major source of transmission," he said. Dallas Morning News