Here’s what happened in health this week

Happy Labor Day Weekend from the Yahoo News Health Team! This week we’ve been busy cleaning out our fridges and double-checking our charcoal stashes in light of the ongoing measures Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats. But that’s not all we did.

What our team paid attention to: These were some of the more obscure topics that piqued our team’s interest this week:

• Kerry Gostic explains why This lemonade trend It’s a bad idea – even if you want light, sun-bleached locks.

• If you’re sitting in a beach chair while reading this, it’s probably good. Natalie Rahal explains why, when it comes to posture, Straighter is not always better.

• I collapsed New Yahoo News/YouGov poll which asked Americans about their thoughts on in vitro fertilization — and got some comments from fertility experts, too.

What the researchers studied: Here are some interesting new studies released this week:

• A study published on Thursday identified a The relationship between endometriosis (A condition that affects more than 11% of women in the United States and is characterized by chronic pain, bleeding, and fertility problems) and an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.

• The popular weight loss drug Wegovy can help you do more than shed excess weight; Reducing the chances of death due to Coronavirus (COVID-19). On Friday, researchers revealed nearly a third.

What happened in celebrity health: Celebrities make headlines for more than just fashion and movies; They can draw our attention to some important health topics, too. Here’s what to know this week:

• former The Real Housewives of Orange County Co-star Vicki Gunvalson The frightening symptoms she experienced When pneumonia develops into an almost fatal infection.

• Well, he’s not a famous actor or model, but Dr. Anthony Fauci is definitely a celebrity in the health world! Last weekend, it was revealed that the former head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases was hospitalized due to the West Nile virus. Here’s what you should know about the disease.

Finally, these were some of the biggest headlines in health and wellness this week.

The Food and Drug Administration sets new age restrictions on tobacco sales

Thursday, Food and Drug Administration It has increased age restrictions on some tobacco sales requirements, which the agency hopes will reduce the use of tobacco products by youth.

Starting September 30, two new changes will take effect:

• New photo ID requirements: Retailers will need to require photo ID and verify the age of anyone under 30 who wants to purchase tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. Previously, the age requirement for an ID check was 27 years.

• New restrictions on vending machines: Retailers will not be permitted to sell tobacco products in vending machines “in facilities where individuals under the age of 21 are present or permitted to enter at any time.” This restriction previously only applied to places where individuals under the age of 18 were present or permitted to be present.

“Today’s law is another major step toward protecting our nation’s youth from the health risks of tobacco products,” Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said in a statement Thursday. “Decades of science have shown that keeping tobacco products away from youth is critical to reducing the number of people who eventually become addicted to these products and suffer tobacco-related illness and death.”

CNN reports 250 children become smokers every day, and 9 out of 10 daily smokers reported smoking their first cigarette by age 18.

Heat-related deaths are on the rise in the United States

A A study published in JAMA on Monday It found that heat-related deaths in the United States increased between 1999 and 2023, and especially in the last seven years, from 2016 to 2023. The researchers note that this is interesting given that The study uses data up to 2018 It found a downward trend in heat-related deaths, suggesting a reversal in the past few years.

Dr. Jeffrey Howard, co-author of the new JAMA study, He told CBS News There may be several reasons for the upward trend in heat-related deaths.

“It is likely that continued increases in average temperatures, the number of ‘hot days’, and the frequency and intensity of heat waves could play a role,” he said. “There’s also a social and behavioral component as well, including differences in access to air conditioning, working outdoors, the number of unhoused individuals, things like that.”

Last year was the hottest and deadliest year on record, with 2,325 people dying in the United States alone from the heat.

The study authors add that as temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, the recent trend of increasing heat-related deaths is likely to continue. They recommend that “high-risk areas” expand access to hydration centres Public cooling centers Or other buildings with AC power.

Eli Lilly announces a new, cheaper way to buy the weight-loss drug Zepbound

Eli Lilly announced Tuesday that it will begin offering the weight-loss drug Zepbound at a lower cost in an effort to make the drug more accessible. The lowest-dose monthly supply will cost $399 — just over a third of the $1,059 monthly price charged regardless of dose.

The drugmaker said it was able to cut costs by selling the drug in vials rather than a single-dose auto-injector pen, which means patients draw the medication from the vials themselves using a syringe. NBC News reports. Auto-injector pen doses will also still be available, but not at the new, cheaper price.

“Not only do these new vials help us meet the high demand for our obesity medications, but they also help us expand access to patients looking for a safe and effective treatment option,” said Patrick Johnson, president, Lilly USA. He said in a press release.

But there’s a catch: The low-cost doses will only be available through the company’s telehealth platform and won’t be covered by insurance. However, Lilly says this gives patients another option — including patients without insurance, those whose insurance won’t cover the drug, and people on Medicare or Medicaid who don’t qualify for Zepbound’s savings program.