When you go to the pharmacy to pick up over-the-counter medications for yourself or someone you care for, it’s important to be aware that just because these products don’t require a prescription doesn’t mean they are safe for everyone. All medications,… Continue reading
As the coronavirus spreads in this country, my wife and I have adopted a “don’t panic, but prepare” frame of mind. About 80 people in this country were known to be infected by the scary virus in 13 states as I wrote this, with 14 known deaths. The numb… Continue reading
Do people with Alzheimer’s disease and their families dare hope that a drug which delays the start of the disease or slows its progression will actually be available soon? Or should they manage expectations — based on 20 years of false starts — when it… Continue reading
When Celeste Jordan, 70, was admitted to a New York hospital for removal of a parathyroid gland (tiny glands in the neck), her daughter, Jasmine Pearlman, was by her side. The parathyroidectomy treated only one of Jordan’s many medical conditions, and … Continue reading
Have you ever wondered how pharmaceutical companies decide whether that pill you take costs $3 or $3,000? Or why some new drug, or a potentially life-enhancing procedure, may not be covered under your insurance plan? In the U.S., the Food and Drug Admi… Continue reading
Some 85% of people over 60 use prescription drugs, according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Yet, older people are not well represented in clinical trials, the gold standard for testing the safety and efficacy of medications, the N… Continue reading
In its effort to temper the sky-high prices Americans pay for many vital medications, the Trump administration in July unveiled a plan that would legalize the importation of selected prescription drugs from countries where they sell for far less. But t… Continue reading
As people get older, they’re more likely to need medications on a regular basis to manage one or more chronic conditions. Some of these medications fall into a class known as anticholinergics and may not be ideal to take for long periods because they c… Continue reading
(This piece was originally published by the Association of Health Care Journalists and is being republished with permission.) Experts on aging are sounding the alarm about another U.S. drug crisis: Too many older adults taking too many medications. Thi… Continue reading
(Editor’s note: This story is part of a series for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Retail health clinics, first launched in 2000, are a burgeoning part of the health care universe. Found in pharmacies, supermarkets and discount giants like Walmart an… Continue reading