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Bloomberg
11-06-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
RFK Jr.'s Policies Shouldn't Surprise Anyone
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to oust the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's entire panel of outside vaccine advisers is at once utterly shocking and entirely predictable. Every new action by the secretary of Health and Human Services seems more impudent than the last — all in service of undermining confidence in some of our most reliable public health tools. The magnitude of his dismissal of all 17 members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — an independent panel of experts that makes recommendations on vaccine deployment in the US — is unlikely to register with the public. After all, this is a wonky committee that only fleetingly entered the public consciousness during the Covid-19 pandemic, when everyone anxiously awaited its verdicts on the first vaccines. But Americans will feel the effects of Kennedy's decision in their everyday lives — and it will happen sooner rather than later.
Los Angeles Times
09-06-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Miller Children's & Women's Hospital Long Beach Transforms Maternal Care, Champions Equity and Dignity for All Mothers
Although in some areas, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives may be declining in healthcare, birth equity remains a priority for many hospitals in California, including Miller Children's & Women's Hospital in Long Beach. Raising awareness and developing strategies for birth equity is crucial to addressing racial and social disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes. In the United States, Black and Hispanic mothers are significantly more likely to experience complications during childbirth and have higher mortality rates as compared to other groups. At Miller Children's & Women's Hospital in Long Beach, over 5,500 babies are born each year. Our community is diverse, with many of our mothers coming from Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander and other non-white backgrounds. According to the United States Census Bureau, approximately 43.4% of Long Beach's population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, 11.9% as Black or African American and 12.8% as Asian. The city also has a significant Cambodian community, which is the second-largest outside of Cambodia. As a community hospital serving the greater Long Beach area, we prioritize training and awareness around unconscious bias among our patients and caregivers. We have the necessary tools to effectively record and analyze data. Statistics from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that the maternal mortality rate for non-Hispanic Black women is 49.5 deaths per 100,000 live births – significantly higher than for White (19), Hispanic (16.9) and Asian (13.2) women in 2022. These disparities highlight the urgent need for focused interventions and systemic changes in maternal healthcare. Several factors contribute to the higher maternal mortality in minority communities. Structural racism and implicit bias within the healthcare system can lead to inadequate prenatal care, delayed diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy-related complications, and disparities in access to maternal healthcare services. Furthermore, socioeconomic factors further exacerbate these disparities in maternal outcomes among minority women. Addressing the crisis requires removing systemic barriers to quality maternal healthcare. Miller Children's & Women's Hospital recognizes the ongoing work needed in minority health and has made it a priority. No one should be denied basic or standard healthcare due to their race or ethnicity. Therefore, we are committed to becoming the change, recognizing that much work lies ahead. At the Cherese Mari Laulhere BirthCare Center at Miller Children's & Women's, our healthcare providers and care teams undergo cultural competency training to better understand the unique needs and experiences of minority patients. Additionally, we have partnered with the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative as one of five hospitals selected for their significant demographics of racial and ethnic minority populations. This partnership focuses on addressing birth inequities, educating staff, sharing data and creating a Hospital Action Guide to empower hospitals nationwide to engage in this vital work. Since focusing on these initiatives, we have seen an almost 10% increase in Black mothers reporting that they always feel like they are treated with courtesy and respect. These patient-reported measures enhance the relationship between the patients and care providers to ensure that patients' voices are heard and that their birth experience preferences are honored. Evidence indicates that these improvements will help close the disparity gap in birth outcomes for Black women and their newborns. Currently, Miller Children's & Women's is working to implement all recommendations from the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses' (AWHONN) respectful maternal care framework and evidence-based clinical practice guidelines. Our care teams, including our Respectful Maternal Care Champions, are here to enhance the overall experience of our Black and Brown patients, utilizing technology like Irth App, a unique Yelp-like platform for parents of color to leave and find reviews of OB/GYNs, birthing hospitals and pediatricians. By analyzing patient responses shared through this app, we can redefine our care based on patient experiences and make births safer, more respectful and equitable. Want to learn more? Visit
Economic Times
06-06-2025
- Health
- Economic Times
Deadly brain-eating amoeba kills Texas woman: how to be safe?
What is Naegleria fowleri? Naegleria fowleri is a free-living, single-celled amoeba found in warm freshwater environments worldwide, such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and poorly maintained pools. It is commonly called the 'brain-eating amoeba' because it can cause a fatal brain infection. How do people get infected? Infection occurs when water containing the amoeba enters the nose, usually during swimming, diving, or nasal irrigation with contaminated water. Drinking contaminated water does not cause infection. What are the symptoms? Early symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. As the disease progresses, symptoms may include stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. Death usually occurs within 5 days of symptom onset. How common are infections? Infections are extremely rare, with fewer than 10 cases reported annually in the U.S. over the past five decades Can the infection be treated? Treatment options are limited and often unsuccessful. Some experimental therapies, such as miltefosine, have shown promise if administered early, but survival remains rare. How can infection be prevented? Use only distilled, sterile, or previously boiled and cooled tap water for nasal irrigation. Avoid submerging your head in warm freshwater, especially during the summer months. The Science Behind Naegleria fowleri Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel A 71-year-old Texas woman died after contracting a rare but deadly infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri . According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the woman used untreated tap water from her RV's supply for nasal irrigation, a practice that allowed the amoeba to enter her body through her days, she developed severe neurological symptoms, including headache, fever, confusion, and seizures. Despite rapid medical intervention, she succumbed to the infection just eight days after symptoms began. The CDC stresses that such infections are extremely rare but almost always fatal, with only four survivors among 164 reported U.S. cases from 1962 to fowleri is a thermophilic (heat-loving) amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater environments, particularly during summer months. It exists in three life stages: cyst (dormant and resistant), flagellate (transient and mobile), and trophozoite (active and feeding).The trophozoite stage is the infectious form, capable of invading the nasal passages and migrating to the brain via the olfactory nerve, where it causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).The amoeba is classified as a free-living organism, meaning it does not require a host to survive. Instead, it feeds on bacteria and organic matter in the environment. While most exposures do not result in infection, when the amoeba enters the nose, it can rapidly cause severe brain inflammation and tissue destruction, leading to death in nearly all fowleri's ability to adapt to various environments and its near-universal presence in warm freshwater underscores the importance of safe water practices, especially for activities that involve nasal exposure.
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Deadly brain-eating amoeba kills Texas woman: how to be safe?
A 71-year-old Texas woman died after contracting a rare but deadly infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba , Naegleria fowleri . According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the woman used untreated tap water from her RV's supply for nasal irrigation, a practice that allowed the amoeba to enter her body through her nose. Within days, she developed severe neurological symptoms, including headache, fever, confusion, and seizures. Despite rapid medical intervention, she succumbed to the infection just eight days after symptoms began. The CDC stresses that such infections are extremely rare but almost always fatal, with only four survivors among 164 reported U.S. cases from 1962 to 2023. What is Naegleria fowleri? Naegleria fowleri is a free-living, single-celled amoeba found in warm freshwater environments worldwide, such as lakes, rivers, hot springs, and poorly maintained pools. It is commonly called the 'brain-eating amoeba' because it can cause a fatal brain infection. How do people get infected? Infection occurs when water containing the amoeba enters the nose, usually during swimming, diving, or nasal irrigation with contaminated water. Drinking contaminated water does not cause infection. What are the symptoms? Early symptoms include headache, fever, nausea, and vomiting. As the disease progresses, symptoms may include stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, and coma. Death usually occurs within 5 days of symptom onset. How common are infections? Infections are extremely rare, with fewer than 10 cases reported annually in the U.S. over the past five decades Can the infection be treated? Treatment options are limited and often unsuccessful. Some experimental therapies, such as miltefosine, have shown promise if administered early, but survival remains rare. How can infection be prevented? Use only distilled, sterile, or previously boiled and cooled tap water for nasal irrigation. Avoid submerging your head in warm freshwater, especially during the summer months. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Air conditioners without external unit. (click to see prices) Air Condition | Search Ads Search Now Undo The Science Behind Naegleria fowleri Naegleria fowleri is a thermophilic (heat-loving) amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater environments, particularly during summer months. It exists in three life stages: cyst (dormant and resistant), flagellate (transient and mobile), and trophozoite (active and feeding).The trophozoite stage is the infectious form, capable of invading the nasal passages and migrating to the brain via the olfactory nerve, where it causes primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM). The amoeba is classified as a free-living organism, meaning it does not require a host to survive. Instead, it feeds on bacteria and organic matter in the environment. While most exposures do not result in infection, when the amoeba enters the nose, it can rapidly cause severe brain inflammation and tissue destruction, leading to death in nearly all cases. Live Events Naegleria fowleri 's ability to adapt to various environments and its near-universal presence in warm freshwater underscores the importance of safe water practices, especially for activities that involve nasal exposure.
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First Post
05-06-2025
- Science
- First Post
World Environment Day wake-up call: Save soil
About 95 per cent of life on the planet depends on soil, but right now the United Nations agencies are saying the planet has agricultural soil for only another eighty to hundred years read more Today, for the first time in humanity's history, we have to talk about protecting this planet which has nourished thousands of generations of human beings. In the last fifty years, 73 per cent of the vertebrate population and 80 per cent of the insect biomass on the planet has been wiped out. The way we are living, it is like we are planning to be the last generation on this planet. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD People believe that their life will be wonderful if the stock market soars. No, our life will be wonderful if we have nutritious food, clean water and pure air. For all this, we need a rich ecosystem. But approximately 27,000 species on the planet are going extinct every year. The most fundamental ecological issue of all is soil extinction. About 95 per cent of life on the planet depends on soil, but right now the United Nations agencies are saying the planet has agricultural soil for only another eighty to hundred years! We are treating soil as an inert substance. But soil is a living system — the largest living system we know in this universe. A handful of soil in a tropical country has 5-7 billion organisms. Without their activity, we cannot exist. People think plants take nourishment from the soil. No! Without the agency of microorganisms, plants cannot absorb any nourishment from soil. Right now, those agencies have become very weak because the volume of microorganisms has gone down. If the soil is weak, the plant will be weak. If the plant is weak, what makes you think you have not become weak? Once there is not enough strength in the soil, vital micronutrients are no longer present in the food you eat. A study by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of the United States says that all Americans are potassium deficient. About 90 per cent are deficient in vitamin E, 70 per cent in vitamin K, 45 per cent in magnesium, 43 per cent in vitamin A, and 39 per cent in vitamin C. And this is in the most affluent nation! This simply means that even if you eat enough food, it does not have sufficient nutrients because soil has no life left in it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There is substantial evidence today to show that mental health conditions are directly related to lack of micronutrients. As microbial life disappears, remaining psychologically stable is going to be a big challenge — that means our 'software' will start collapsing. If microbial species loss continues, even our 'hardware' will start collapsing over 25 to 40 years. This is why we launched a massive movement across the world called Conscious Planet – Save Soil to bring about a global policy that there must be a minimum of 3-6 per cent organic matter in agricultural land, based on regional conditions. The movement reached over 4.1 billion people. Now the world's attention has been successfully turned to soil and I am very sure soil policies will be implemented. But we must understand that the damage to soil happened over a century; we cannot fix it overnight. High time for humans to take care of the environment The first signs of the human software beginning to collapse are already visible. Just a few decades ago, mental health problems were something that happened to someone else. But today, either someone you know is going through it or you yourself might be going through it. In the United States, the Surgeon General is saying one out of two people is lonely. This is not just in the United States. It is starting to happen across the world. Once loneliness happens, it is the incubation period for psychological illnesses. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD To address this, in February 2025, we launched the Miracle of Mind app, which offers a simple seven-minute meditative process that can be practiced anywhere to bring a sense of peace, joy, and exuberance into one's life. It is high time we understand that this idea of individual life is a stupid idea. It is the magnanimity of creation that it has given us an individual experience, but life is happening as one big phenomenon. Once you break one part of it, every other part will be affected. This World Environment Day is the right occasion to remind ourselves of this. We as a generation of people have taken the largest bite from the planet. This is the time for us to rise and take corrective action for ourselves and the wellbeing of coming generations. Yogi, Mystic and Visionary, Sadhguru is among the most influential of our times. A New York Times bestselling author, Sadhguru helps shape global policies and ideas. He is the only living Indian to have received three Presidential Awards from three different Presidents, among which is India's highest annual civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan and India's highest environmental award, the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar. As part of the Conscious Planet initiative, he has launched the Save Soil movement, which has so far reached over 4.1 billion people, and the Miracle of Mind app, with the aim of empowering 3 billion people with tools for mental wellbeing. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost's views. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
