September 6th Newsletter

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Additional human cases of EEE and West Nile Virus confirmed in Massachusetts - One man in his 70s was exposed to EEE in Acton. This is the third case of EEE in Massachusetts this year. Another man in his 70s was exposed to West Nile Virus in southern Middlesex County in an area already deemed high risk. This is the seventh case of West Nile Virus in Massachusetts this year. Risk levels for EEE have been raised to high in Acton, Ayer, Boxboro, Carlisle and Littleton in Middlesex County and Harvard in Worcester County. Risk levels for West Nile Virus have been raised to high in Stoneham and Wakefield in Middlesex County. Link

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Signia Hearing unveils earbud-style hearing aids with prescription-level sound quality - Hearing aid manufacturer Signia announced its new product, Signia Active Pro Integrated Xperience (IX) earbuds, which also qualify as prescription-grade hearing aids. Integrated Xperience is a hearing aid platform that includes multi-stream architecture with the ability to identify multiple moving conversation partners in real-time. Link

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People With Depression May Have Key Brain Difference – A brain network was found to be significantly larger in people living with depression than in people without it, according to a new study released yesterday. The findings suggest the presence of an expanded network could be a risk factor for depression, potentially leading to earlier avenues for diagnosis and treatment for the 20% of US adults affected by the condition. Link

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Humana study: Senior-focused primary care can boost access, improve outcomes – Researchers dug into data from six senior-focused primary care organizations on more than 421,000 patients who were enrolled in Medicare Advantage coverage in 2021. It found that patients in these organizations had 17% more primary care visits across the board. This included 39% more visits among Black patients and 21% more among low-income patients, which can address disparities faced by these populations. Link

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Healthcare labor shortage predicted by 2028, with uneven state impacts - An aging population with heightened care needs and lagging labor trends will create a shortage of over 100,000 critical healthcare workers around the close of the decade, according to a recent study from consultancy 美世 . Certain states and specialties will weather most of the burden. Mercer projects a deficit of 73,000 nursing assistants by 2028 as the field grows by just 0.1% per year. New York, New Jersey and Tennessee are likely to experience the largest labor shortages across all roles by the same year. Link

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18 Million US Households Dealt with Hunger In 2023, Continuing a Trend - Hunger reached its highest point in the US in nearly a decade last year, with 18 million households, or 13.5%, struggling at some point to secure enough food, a Department of Agriculture report released on Wednesday said. Hunger has been on the rise in the country since 2021, after years of decline. Link

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Self-swab HPV test set to arrive in doctors' offices this month - In May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a self-swab test from global medical technology company 美国BD公司 for "clinical" use, meaning in a private room inside a doctor's office, in a mobile clinic, or in another health care setting. Link

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RITE AID exits bankruptcy, sheds $2B in debt - The drugstore retailer will operate as a private company under a new chief executive. Matt Schroeder , who had been the company’s chief financial officer, will take the post. He will be the company’s fourth CEO since early 2023. Link

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The Vitamin Shoppe expands telehealth offering with testosterone replacement therapy - New Jersey-based nutritional supplements supplier The Vitamin Shoppe announced it is expanding its recently launched Whole Health Rx telehealth service offerings by collaborating with Marius Pharmaceuticals to provide men with low or no testosterone access to Kyzatrex CII capsules. The platform is powered by WellSync , which customizes virtual care platforms to a company's needs. Link

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RECALLS:

Glow in Dark Party Supplies toy sets recalled due to ingestion hazard.

Toyota recalls more than 43,000 Sequoia hybrids with trailer hitches.

Hickory Hollow recalls 6,000 pounds of uninspected jerky products.

Asli Cinnamon Powder is being recalled due to lead contamination.

Ceiling hoists recalled because the plastic strap buckles may break.