Category: News
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) does a poor job tracking the financial conflicts of interests researchers who test drugs and medical devices on human subjects, according to an investigation by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Service (DHHS).
The Guangdayuan Brand Dried Sweet Potato has been recalled because it contains sulfites that are not declared on its list of ingredients. “People who have severe sensitivity to sulfites run the risk of serious or life-threatening reactions if they consume this product,” the distributor warns. The product, which is sold nationwide, is packaged in an un-coded, [...]
Today, more than one in ten Hispanics age 20 years and older has diabetes. The reasons for this are unknown. Diabetes can run in families, so heredity might play a role. Some researchers believe that certain ethnic groups carry a “thrifty gene”. People with this gene would be better at storing up food as fat [...]
Budget cuts threaten plan to provide health coverage to all Washington state children In today’s Seattle Times health reporter Kyung M. Song writes about how the “state’s budget problems threaten to halt Washington’s advance towards universal health care for children by 2010.” That goal was set out in the 2007 Cover All Kids law. Since [...]
Seattle-based Triple B Corporation has issued a recall of its Charlie’s brand yogurt parfait products because they contain walnuts and almonds that are not included in the list of ingredients. “People who have allergies to walnuts or almonds run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products,” the company warns.
Preliminary laboratory tests by health officials in Minnesota indicate that at least one 5-pound container of King Nut creamy peanut butter may be contaminated with Salmonella bacteria. In response, the distributer of the product, which is used by food services in hospitals, cafeterias, schools and other facilities, has issued a recall. The product is not [...]
Valley Medical Center in Renton will now have a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology in its hospital 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. These specialists will be available to evaluate all patients admitted with emergency obstetrical and gynecologic problems and be available to help with any urgent needs of hospitalized patients with obstetrical and [...]
Only 11 percent of patients use online information about health-care providers when looking for a new primary-care physician, only 7 percent used online resources for picking a specialist, and just 3 percent used online information to learn about a procedure, accord to a survey conducted by the Center for Health System Change. Instead, despite a [...]
Floodwaters can damage septic systems, make well water undrinkable, and contaminate food and medicine in flooded homes, Public Health – Seattle & King County officials warn in a health advisory. The advisory provides tips and online resources that can help you protect your health during a flood and the cleanup afterwards.
Public Health – Seattle & King County officials have issued a health advisory as a precaution after several gay bars in the Capitol Hill area received letters in which the letter writer threatened to “target clients” with the toxin ricin. “There is no information at this time suggesting anyone has been exposed to ricin,” Public [...]
Even modest weight loss can make a big difference in your health and how you feel: a loss of just 5 to 7 percent of your body weight can reduce your blood pressure, lower your risk of diabetes, and improve your cholesterol levels. But how to get started? In today’s column, Dr. Carolyn Clancy, director of [...]
Starting January 29, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center will be offering a series of four free evening lectures on the fundamentals of cancer and cancer research for the general public by top scientists. The ”Science for Life” series will break down the concepts, skip the homework and offer a chance to interact [...]
LocalHealthGuide is a health news and information web service for Seattle and the Puget Sound Region. We are independent and unaffiliated with any hospital, medical association or insurer. If you have questions or if your group has an upcoming event that you would like us to cover, please let us know by going to our "Contact Us" page and dropping us a note. -- Michael McCarthy, Editor
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Seattle Times Health News
Lost in translation: Lack of trained interpreters can lead to medical errors
Interpreter services at hospitals and other medical settings are often inadequate, forcing family members, including children, to step in, or the task falls to medical staff members who may not speak the language well.
Some insurers deny ER coverage to people who have been drinking
Laws in more than half the states permit insurers to deny payment for medical services related to alcohol or drug use. Faced with the prospect of not getting paid for care, some ER personnel sidestep the problem by simply not testing patients’ blood or urine for alcohol.
Travel insurance can protect your wallet — and your health on vacation
Think your regular health insurance policy will cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas?
Don’t bet on it.
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